Tuesday December 12, 2023

IN THE NEWS

The rebrand of Showtime’s linear network as Paramount+ with Showtime has a start date: January 8. The move aligns the brand with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan, making it the first of its kind multiplatform brand that integrates streaming and linear content. As part of the rebrand, Showtime subscribers will have access to more content with new Paramount+ Original series “Sexy Beast,” the upcoming second season of “Halo,” and more.

TV nominees for the 81st Annual Golden Globes Awards include Paramount+’s “1923,” Netflix’s “The Crown” and “The Diplomat,” Max’s “The Last of Us” and “Succession,” and Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show” for Best Drama. Up for Best Comedy are ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” Max’s “Barry,” FX’s “The Bear,” Amazon Freevee’s “Jury Duty,” Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” and Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso.” Of note: “Succession” Meryl Streep scored a record 33rd nomination (breaking her own record of 32), for “Only Murders in the Building,” and “Succession” and “The Bear” were nominated in every category they were eligible for, with “Succession” breaking the record for TV nominations with nine. Warner Bros. Discovery was the most-nominated media company, with 35 nods across HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Television and Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. The ceremony airs Sunday, January 7 at 8p on CBS.

Almost half of American teens are using social media “almost constantly,” according to a report from Pew Research Center. YouTube is the dominant platform with the demo – nine out of ten teens say they use it, and seven in ten report visiting it every day.

Digitas introduced social service SWAT (Share Worthy and Trending), which enlists a team of social natives with hybrid expertise to help brands better connect with their audience. “Our extraordinary team of social superstars is equipped to influence, execute, produce, and engage end-to-end, accelerating how your brand can connect at the speed culture demands,” says the company’s website. “Beyond creating agile content, we deliver real-time culture briefings, empowering brands to authentically engage with high-impact trends that are fresh off the feed and ready to inspire.”

Staying In?

We know all the holiday hits for you to watch! Make sure to browse Cynopsis’ 2023 Holiday Guide for your favorites.

HOLIDAY GUIDE HERE

Netflix has ordered Lena Dunham romantic comedy “Too Much,” focused on a New York workaholic who takes a job in London following a traumatic breakup. Megan Stalter (“Hacks”) and Will Sharpe (“The White Lotus”) are set to star.

“Obsession,” based on the novel 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard, landed a series order from Prime Video. The psychological drama from Atomic Monster and Amazon MGM Studios will be written and executive produced by Lisa Zwerling (“The Rook”) and Karyn Usher (“Prison Break”).

Tom Pelphrey (“Love and Death”) has joined the cast of the untitled HBO drama following an FBI agent who heads a task force, from Brad Ingelsby (“Mare of Easttown”).

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules” returns Tuesday, January 30 at 8p, with the group experiencing resentments, forgiveness and shifting alliances. Can’t wait til next year? On Tuesday, December 12 at 10:15p, Bravo will debut a “Vanderpump Rules” special, “A Decade of Rumors and Lies,” which takes a look down memory lane at 10 years of deceptions and transgressions.

WE tv greenlit “The Barnes Bunch,” a reality series following NBA Champion and ESPN analyst Matt Barnes and his fiancée: model and reality personality, Anansa Sims. Together, they parent six children, often aided by Sims’ supermodel mom, Beverly Johnson. The series is currently in production and will debut in the new year on WE tv and sister streamer ALLBLK.

Mountainside homes get the renovation treatment in HGTV’s “Battle on the Mountain,” launching Monday, January 22 at 9p. The competition series will feature appearances by a range of stars from the HGTV stable.

Two more celebs are joining the new season of Telemundo’s “La Casa de los Famosos,” premiering live on January 23. Mexican actress Thali Garcia and Colombian actor Gregorio Pernia are the latest to abandon their day-to-day lives and their families to live under the same roof, without privacy, along with the already announced Lupillo Rivera and other personalities.

Heartbreak ahead! Seven new singles and two returnees will be looking for love on the new season of “90 Day: The Single Life,” premiering Monday, January 1 at 8p on TLC.

COMING UP

Tennis champs Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcarez will face off in Netflix live event “The Netflix Slam” on Sunday, March 3. Produced by Full Day Productions (“The Netflix Cup”), the event will stream in English and Spanish.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are teaming up again to ring in the new year for CNN. The news net’s New Year’s Eve special kicks off at 8p, with Sara Sidner and Cari Champion taking the reins at 12:30a.

The first selection for Paley Center for Media’s 2024 PaleyLive NY series will be Miracle on the Hudson: How “Sully” and Flight 1549 Inspired a Nation. The fifteenth anniversary commemoration will take place on Thursday, January 11, at 6:30p, at The Paley Museum.

Documentary “Daniel” debuts Wednesday, December 20 at 9p on HBO. The film follows a young man who spends years recording his travels seeking human connection.

STREAMING

All past seasons of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” will be available on Hulu when Hulu on Disney+ launches in March 2024. The past 19 seasons of the medical drama will remain on Netflix as part of a deal between Disney Entertainment and Netflix; Hulu will offer exclusive access to new in-season episodes from the upcoming 20th season. In the short-term content deal, 14 other Disney-owned titles will also be available on Netflix on a non-exclusive basis.

Speaking of, the upcoming Hulu/Disney+ app will surpass Netflix in popularity and volume, according to a report from Ampere Analysis. “The combined Disney+ and Hulu catalogue will provide one of the most well-rounded and popular offerings in a single platform, upping the content stakes at a time when many are pulling back on content investment,” said Ampere analyst Joshua Rustage. “Rivals will have to ensure their offerings remain competitive as the battle for viewing time intensifies, especially as the need to pull in advertising dollars is now also central to the streaming mix.”

Tucker Carlson has launched his subscription web site. Priced at $72/year for “founding members” – with an option to purchase “the official Tucker Carlson Christmas ornament” for $25 – the site offers access to five new shows, reports, and “access to Tucker’s personal inbox” for weekly Ask Tucker episodes.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

The NFL announced the launch of Leaders, the league’s first retail program focused on creating NFL licensing for brands, collaborators and artists from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities. The program will provide an opportunity for these businesses to obtain NFL licenses to manufacture and sell products with official league marks and logos. They will also have access to NFL resources including product development, marketing support and retail placement.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) and IMG announced that IMG has won the exclusive rights to distribute the international media rights for CAF’s events in 85+ countries from 2023-2025 (excluding in the MENA region and Sub Saharan Africa). The deal will see IMG manage the broadcast deals for the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) – the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 and the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 – as well as the tournament’s qualifiers.

GOING GLOBAL

DeAPlaneta Entertainment has signed a deal with Italian production company Enanimation and Australian company Kreiworks for its multi-awarded preschool animated series “Nina & Olga.” DeAPlaneta Entertainment will manage all media, licensing and digital rights of the series worldwide, excluding Italy, Australia and North American territories.

Double Vision, the Malaysian production arm of the Vision New Media group, announced that both seasons of its localized version of Scandi series “The Bridge” have sold to Stan, Australia’s streaming service.

FilmRise has entered into a deal with Samsung TV Plus Europe to bring multiple territories FilmRise branded and single IP series channels to CTVs and Galaxy Devices, including channels such as Adromeda, Foresnic Files, FilmRise Free Series, Highway to Heaven and more.

Magid will consolidate their product innovation, data science and accompanying consulting teams into a newly formed group within the company’s Global Media, Entertainment and Games practice. The Data Science, Strategy and Product team will be led by Tony Cardinale, who has been promoted to EVP and head of the unit. Joining Cardinale as part of the group will be Zak Shaikh, SVP of Consulting and Insights and Daniel Pancotto, SVP of Product and Marketing.

Critical Content (“Ginny & Georgia”) named Stéfanie Gelinas as Executive Vice President of Global Formats & Development. Gelinas was previously SVP of Zodiak Americas, and had her own consultant company.

Studio Lambert has promoted three execs: Tim Harcourt, who has been creative director since 2014, becomes chief creative officer; Mike Cotton, who was deputy creative director, becomes creative director (unscripted); and Maddie Sinclair becomes creative director (scripted). Sinclair is executive producing Studio Lambert’s new comedy drama series for the BBC, “Boarders.”

Mycotoo appointed Cirque du Soleil alum Michael Wilder as Director of Production and Jessica Herrera, former Director of Economic Development for the City of El Paso. as Director of Business Development.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What song plays when Jess asks Nick to “uncall it” in “New Girl” (2011-2018)? The Vaccines’ I Always Knew. Kudos to: Marni C. Gold/Hawthorne, NJ; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA

Today’s Trivia Question
In which series did Cybill Shepherd and Corbin Bernsen play exes? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.)

Cynopsis Team