Small Screen: Tamera Tee Kissen Joins ‘Beauty in Black,’ ‘Shōgun’ Renewed For Second Season

Elodie Yung - The Cleaning lady/Fox

Broadcast: Fox's drama series The Cleaning Lady was greenlit for a fourth season. The renewal announcement coincides with the departure of showrunner and executive producer Melissa Carter. The Cleaning Lady will continue to follow the journey of a Cambodian doctor-turned-cleaning lady (Elodie Yung) who becomes entangled in organized crime as she seeks treatment for her son (Adan Canto).

Midori Francis is stepping down from her role as Mika Yasuda on Grey's Anatomy. There are discussions about closing her character's storyline in the next season. This departure stems from Francis’ desire to branch out in her acting career. She has already headlined her own series on Netflix’s Dash & Lily and signed with WME talent agency.

Drama series P-Valley has announced new recurring cast members for their third season. The series will feature De-Adre Aziza (Bwoy) as Red, Brandon J. Dirden (For Life) as Detective Sykes, Nicholas G. Sims (Wu-Tang: An American Saga) as Calvin, Moritz J. WIlliams (Kingdom Business) as Chance, Bella Blaq (SIn) as Elaine, Chaz Hodges (Studio City Kings) as Sage, and Jay Jones (Sweet Magnolias) will return as Prince. The third season will be available to stream on Starz.

Disney Branded Television agreed to a multi-year deal with Raven-Symoné to produce different comedies with the company. Raven-Symoné expressed her excitement, saying, “I’m excited to embark on the next chapter of this creative journey alongside my Disney family.”

In the upcoming months, she will produce Alice in the Palace, a spin off of the original That’s So Raven spinoff, Raven's Home. The series will follow Alice’s (Mykal-Michelle Harris) return to England with her royal doppelganger, Duchess Clementine (Harris).

“Raven is a true trailblazer who constantly pushes creative boundaries in acting, producing and directing,” commented Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television.

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Cable: INSP will premiere the 6-episode crime drama Blue Ridge on July 28th, 2024. With this announcement, it was revealed that A Martinez will reprise his role as Connor McGrath. Based on the movie also entitled Blue Ridge, this crime series will showcase Sheriff Justin Wise's (Johnathon Schaech) effort to hold the law accountable in Appalachia.

Streaming: Dune: Prophecy, the prequel series to the Dune films, introduced Alum Jihae and Tabu to their cast, both in recurring roles. The actresses will play Reverend Mother Kasha and Sister Francesca, respectively. The story will follow two sisters as they battle a threat to humankind. Future updates on casting, production, and the timeline have yet to be announced.

Ramy Youssef is co-creating a Netflix comedy entitled Golf with Will Ferrell. Thus far, the fictional series will follow a famous golfing star. Youssef will star in the series, but the entire plot and his role are not yet revealed. 

HBO revealed that actors  Abubakar Salim and Clinton Liberty  will join the highly anticipated second season of House of the Dragon, the prequel series to Game of Thrones, in its official trailer. Salim will play Alyn of Hull while Liberty will play Addam of Hull. The series explores the war between the Hightowers and the Targaryens set up during its first season. With the cast under British equity contracts during the WGA strike, the show was able to continue production. 

Netflix’s anime Terminator Zero will premiere on August 29th. The series will explore the Terminator universe with all new characters. Their goal is to protect Malcolm Lee, an AI scientist defending Skynet's target on humankind. The series will be directed by animator Masashi Kudō.

Tamera Tee Kissen (White Men Can’t Jump) will join the cast of Tyler Perry's upcoming Netflix series, Beauty in Black. The series is still in development, but it was announced that Kissen will play the character Body. She will act alongside cast members such as Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart, and Ricco Ross.

Netflix’s 3 Body Problems agreed to do three additional episodes to conclude the series. This science fiction drama focuses on a young woman, played by Rosalind Chao, as she partners with scientists to combat threats from alien civilizations. Other cast members include Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, Benedict Wong, and Zine Tseng.

“We're thrilled that we get to tell this story through to its epic conclusion. Ever since we read the last page of Cixin Liu's magnificent trilogy, we hoped we'd be able to bring the audience to the end of the universe with us,” commented co-creators and executive producers Alexander Woo, David Benioff, and D.B. Weiss.

BBC's Domino Day, a young adult drama series, was reassigned to Sundance Now and AMC+. The series stars Siena Kelly (Hit & Run) as Domino Day. Domino is a witch looking to understand her powers, all the while a coven secretly watches her. Other cast members include Babirye Bukilwa, Alisha Bailey, and Lucy Cohu. The series will premiere in summer 2024.

Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) made his two-episode debut on BBC’s Doctor Who. He is the first openly queer Black actor to play the Doctor. The 14th season follows an introspective story between the Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), honing in on their identities and mental health. 

“When you become a senior figure in television, it’s your job to open doors and let the next people through and to let trans and queer stories through,” shared showrunner Russell T. Davies in a statement after the premiere of the episodes on Disney+.

Hiroyuki Sanada, a producer of FX's Shōgun, announced his return to the screen as lead character Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Inspired by James Clavell's novel of the same name, Shōgun follows Sanada's character, a Japanese leader aiming for peace across the country. FX is still in discussions with Sanada about the production process of the second season. If a second season officially enters production, the series would go from a limited series to a drama, allowing eligibility for an Emmy in Outstanding Drama Series.

Prime Video's Mr. and Mrs. Smith was renewed for a second season. Created by Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane, the series focuses on two individuals who work with a spy agency in return for a neighborhood house. Characters John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) marry each other, leading to genuine romance amidst high action. 

“We are proud to bring you another season filled with unforgettable journeys and new adventures,” said Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, expressing her pride in the renewal.

Amazon PrimeVideo renewed The Boys for a fifth season before the release of its fourth season, which premieres on June 13th. Season four will follow Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit), Butcher (Karl Urban), and their team through their journey underneath the power of Homelander.

“The Boys is an unabashed and bold series that continues captivating our customers all over the world by piercing the cultural fabric season after season,” shared Vernon Sanders, head of Television at Amazon MGM studios.

Amazon Prime Video released the official teaser trailer for the upcoming detective series Cross. The series is based on the James Patterson book series, Alex Cross.  Aldis Hodge takes the lead role as Detective Alex Cross, a character known as “Metro P.D.'s golden boy” due to his ability to get into the minds of criminals. Starring alongside him are Isaiah Mustafa, Melody Hurd, Juanita Jennings, and more. The series adaptation is produced by Paramount Television Studios, Skydance Television, and Amazon MGM Studios.

Apple TV+ greenlit Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan's series, 12 12 12. The series will follow an FBI agent (Mackie) and a career criminal (Dornan) as they are chased across Europe for raiding a bank in Zurich, Switzerland. The three 12's in the title represent the three timelines the series will cover: 12 months before the bank heist, 12 hours during the heist, and 12 days after. Mackie and Dornan will serve as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic released 10 FAST channels, entitled Más, as a package. Más joins in the competition with leading streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and AppleTV+. It will be released by the end of 2024 and will cover a variety of interests, including home, food, and documentaries.

“We are thrilled to roll out a set of FAST channels that reflects the rich diversity of the Hispanic community,” David Tardio, vice president of advertising sales at WBD U.S. Hispanic, commented.

Amazon has halted the production of Marvel's Silk: Spider Society produced by Sony Pictures Television. This decision comes after Amazon confirmed the launch of Noir, which is produced by the same executive producers as Silk: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal. The show will be left up for any buyers to take on the project.

Paramount+'s spy drama series Special Ops: Lioness has confirmed Genesis Rodriguez's role in its second season. Her character Captain Josephina Carillo is a fierce and skilled helicopter pilot inspried by real events in a U.S. Military program. She will be a recurring character alongside Zoe Saldaña (Guardians of the Galaxy), Laysla de Oliveira (Locke & Key), Morgan Freeman (Angel Has Fallen), along with others.

Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman has announced Adrian Lester will join the season 2 cast as Destiny. The story follows the capturing of a cosmic being that controls dreams and his journey to heal the damages that his absence evoked. Lester will join Esmé Creed-Miles (Hanna), Barry Sloane (SIX), and existing actor Vivienne Acheampong (Everything Now).

Peacock's 3-episode premiere of Bel-Air's third season will be released on August 15th, 2024. This season will explore Will (Jabari Banks) living in Bel-Air in a new world of opportunities given his family's wealth. He pairs with Carlton (Olly Sholotan) to break the cycle of addiction and explores their two different worlds. Viv (Cassandra Freeman), Phil (Adrian Holmes), and Hilary Banks (Coco Jones) suffer their own challenges with work, relationships, and their pasts, as well. Showrunner Carla Banks Waddles has released the first-look images into Bel-Air's third season.

Lion Forge Entertainment's Iyanu has released the all-Nigerian voice actor cast list. Amongst these cast members are Serah Johnson (Moji), Okey Jude (The Governor's Daughter), Adesua Etomi-Wellington (Gangs of Lagos), Blossom Chukwujekwu (Stolen Lives), Shaffy Bello (The Score), Stella Damasus (Gone), and Samuel Kugbiyi. The series explores a teenage orphan Iyanu, who finds out she has powers and joins forces with other teenagers to save the world in Yorubaland. The series will be produced by Roye Okupe.

MGM+'s mystery series Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue has released its cast list. Among these members include David Ajala (Star Trek: Discovery) and Jan Le (The Capture). The two will play Zack and Amy, respectively, as part of a group of plane crash survivors in a jungle in Mexico and their mission to find out what actually happened to the 9 deceased passengers. The series has been picked up by BBC.

Industry: Sony is potentially reconsidering a joint bid with Apollo for Paramount Global following a dip in trade. After making a $26 billion bid for Sony, the committee at Paramount Global met to discuss the deal. The process for looking at Paramount Global's financials to make a formal offer has not yet begun.

Morii Akira and J.Q. Lee are partnering to produce an unnamed superhero series, which has yet to release details to the public. This project stems from a 2022 collaboration contract with their companies, The Seven and Film Monster.

“We cannot disclose specific details at this time, but I can say that this project will feature an ingenious and unheard-of storyline. We can't wait to share it with the world as soon as possible,” Morii stated.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts announced the StreamSaver bundle of Peacock, Netflix, and AppleTV+. This bundle will promote value in the competitive streamer service market. Broadband customers can enjoy this bundle coming in late May 2024. Roberts stated that this bundle will be offered “at a vastly reduced price to anything that is in the market now."

The Banff World Media Festival added two new panel discussions in response to DEI and LGBTQ+ representation efforts in the industry. With the loss of Black women executives in Hollywood, the panel “Beyond the Backlash,” will explore strategies to enhance diversity awareness initiatives. It will include speakers Aneka Hylton-Donelson, Jeanbell English, and Karen Horne. The second panel will focus on promoting inclusive environments for trans and non-binary people in the industry. Speakers include Cassandra James, Alexander Nunez, and Michelle Mama, to name a few. These discussions will take place from June 9th to 12th.

Director Lee Sung Jin, creator of Beef, has reflected on his time with the cast and crew of the series and emphasized their continuing relationships outside of production on the show. The story behind Beef is inspired by a real-life road rage incident Lee experienced, one in which he discussed with Ravi Nandan, head of television at A24, who suggested developing it further into a full-fledged story. This led to the creation of Beef, a series exploring the troubled lives of Amy (Ali Wong) and Danny (Steven Yeun). The series blends humor and darkness, capturing societal frustrations and mental health crises many of the audience can relate to. 

In developing the concept for Beef, Lee frequently talked with Steven Yeun and Ali Wong to evolve their characters. The process was deeply personal and discussed openly, reflecting mental health struggles and experiences as Asian Americans. The pandemic led to the team using Zoom as a “therapeutic vessel,” creating more room for deeper, more candid conversations. Lee often jotted down interactions and thoughts and drew on these for the series, which helped integrate real-life psychology into the characters and storylines.

Beef has won numerous awards, including three Golden Globes, four Critics Choice Awards, and eight Emmys.

Reflecting on his creative journey, Lee expressed gratitude in his Golden Globe acceptance speech, humorously thanking the driver who inspired the series: “Sir, I hope you honk and yell and inspire others for years to come.”

Lena Waithe, known for creating Showtime's The Chi and Netflix’s Master of None, has been on the rise in success, and she has found herself questioning her growth’s destination.

Waithe wondered, “I didn’t know what I was actually trying to build. I wanted to have real agency over my career, but it was also not just about me, it’s about who I can work with.”

In collaboration with Rishi Rajani, Waithe founded Hillman Grad Productions to develop concepts that challenge industry norms and promote talent from BIPOC and marginalized communities. Hillman Grad’s mission includes nurturing emerging talent, especially those who were considered risks in the industry.

Rajani explained, “Lena was like, ‘Let’s figure it out. Give them an episode here. Put them in the writers’ room there.’”

The company also has a program called Rising Voices that helps bring smaller-budget directors into the spotlight. In specific, the program provides 10 different filmmakers with a $100,000 budget to create short films to showcase at the Tribeca Film Festival. With this initiative, Waithe and Rajani emphasize not just placing upcoming filmmakers in jobs, but supporting them throughout the process and to create relationships with them, business-wise. Whatever direction these filmmakers go, Waithe strives to see success in smaller filmmakers.