Small Screen: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Fires Entire Department, Lizzo to Appear on The Simpsons
Broadcast: Grammy-winning recording artist Lizzo will be making multiple appearances on Season 34 of The Simpsons. The pop star will voice two characters in the season finale, Homer’s Adventure Through the Windshield Glass. The entire episode will take place during the several seconds in which titular character Homer Simpson crashes through his windshield in a car crash. Lizzo will voice a “happy little elf doll,” a children’s toy in Homer’s car who comes alive. She will also make an appearance as herself later in the episode, and will debut an original song called It Was Marge, Bitch. Series creators have remained tight-lipped on specifics, announcing few details and not releasing the song until the episode airs. Executive producer Tim Long teased, “I can’t give you too much context without giving you too much story. But it really is in [Lizzo’s] wheelhouse.” Lizzo has teased the episode with a few social media posts, including a reveal of her character design on Instagram. Season 34 of The Simpons will air in May.
Renowned actor Laurence Fishburne will make his producing debut with an animated series entitled Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The series follows a 13-year-old girl with secret superpowers who protects the city alongside a red dinosaur. Fishburne, most known for his iconic role in The Matrix and also appearing on Black-ish, Tuskegee Airmen, and Ant-Man and the Wasp, is also executive producer of Moon Girl, which debuted on Disney Channel on February 10. Fishburne is excited that the main character, Luna Lafayette, is the first young African-American superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “It’s one of the most fantastic animated experiences that has come along in a long time,” he says. Fishburne first came on the project as an executive producer, and then as a voice actor for one of the characters. He hopes the show can reach beyond the Disney audience to fans of the MCU, saying, “Both [Steve Loter, co-executive producer] and I are Marvel fans, so we have aimed to please fellow fans.”
Whoopi Goldberg will guest star on a new episode of Roseanne sequel series The Conners on ABC. Goldberg will play an intimidating music teacher named Ms. Glen, whose history with a member of the Conner family causes turmoil and commotion. Goldberg is known for her roles in scores of films and television series, most recently appearing in Amazon’s Harlem and Anansi Boys. She is a longtime host of talk show The View, and recently produced and appeared in acclaimed film Till. The Conners airs at 8 PM on ABC.
The BBC has announced a two-part adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy, produced for BBC One and BBC’s iPlayer in co-commission with Britbox. The series is adapted by screenwriter Sian Ejiwinmi-Le Berre and directed by Meenu Gaur. It will follow Christie’s original work closely: according to a plot description, in 1954, “on a train to London, . . . Luke Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton, who tells him that a killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe. The villagers believe the deaths are mere accidents, but Miss Pinkerton knows otherwise – and when she’s later found dead on her way to Scotland Yard, Luke feels he must find the killer before they can strike again.” Ejiwunmi-Le Berre is a longtime Christie fan. “I’ve watched every Agatha Christie adaptation out,” she says, “From the first read, [Murder Is Easy] was shouting at me how to enter and adapt it.” Gaur, too, is “part of the worldwide club of Agatha Christie’s fans,” and calls herself “thrilled” to be adapting one of her works for television. Murder Is Easy is one of several Christie adaptations from Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Ltd. for the BBC, which include And Then There Were None, The ABC Murders, and The Pale Horse, among others. The new thriller will film this upcoming summer.
CBS has finally revealed the fate of two beloved procedural dramas. Both NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i have been renewed for their 20th and second seasons, respectively. CSI: Vegas, The Amazing Race, 60 Minutes, Survivor, Tough as Nails, Lingo, and 48 Hours have also been renewed. NCIS: Los Angeles, though, has met its demise and will be ending with its 14th season after having been on the air since 2009. Before its end, the NCIS: Los Angeles cast appeared on a three-episode NCIS crossover with the cast of the main series and its Hawai’i spinoff. NCIS airs on CBS in the US, and seasons 1-19 can be found on Disney+ in the UK.
EastEnders has debuted a groundbreaking new storyline starring Diane Parish as Denise Fox and Balvinder Sopal as Suki Panesar. The soap’s February 20th episode introduced a whodunnit mystery with a flash-forward showing Denise, surrounded by Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Panesar, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), holding a broken bottle. A man has died, and Stacey is drenched in blood… Parish says she is “intrigued” by this new storyline, but stops short of any spoilers. “I don’t dare say who it is, because I’m quite good at guessing things and I don’t want to say it and blow it,” she says. “The six,” a group of six women whose storylines are featured this season, are all “driving towards a very clear point in terms of trouble,” making for an interesting and gripping season ahead. EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30 PM on BBC One and at 6 AM on iPlayer.
Bill Skarsgård and Nathan Stewart Jarrett - Soulmates / AMC
Cable: The renewal of AMC’s Soulmates has been reversed. The series, along with Damascus, Moonhaven, 61st Street, and Invitation to a Bonfire, was “unrenewed” as part of AMC’s $400 million write-down, an effort to cut costs and secure benefits from a tax write-off, in 2022. AMC has not commented on the reversal. Past episodes of Soulmates will still be available on Roku.
Tim Kano - Sam Tabone / Stringer
Streaming: Netflix’s drama Outer Banks has been renewed for a fourth season. The early pickup comes as Outer Banks launches its third season on February 23. The renewal was announced at the Poguelandia fan event in Huntington Beach, California, where attendees were also treated to a nine-minute preview of the upcoming third season.
Freevee’s Neighbours revival has cast Tim Kano as series regular Leo Tanaka. Ian Smith (Harold Bishop), April Rose Pengilly (Chloe Brennan), and Melissa Bell (Lucy Robinson) will also return. The follow-up show to the original 3-decade-spanning Neighbours will begin production in the spring. The premiere is planned for this fall on Freevee in the UK and US, as well as Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia.
Actor Michael Mando has been fired from Apple TV’s Sinking Spring. Mando, best known for his role as Nacho in Better Call Saul, was reportedly involved in an “on-set incident” with a co-star. Mando would have played the role Manny Cespedes. Wagner Moura of Narcos has been cast in his place. Sinking Spring is based on Dennis Tafoya’s book Dope Thief, following Philadelphia friends and partners in crime who impersonate DEA agents to rob a house. After the robbery goes south, they discover the largest drug empire on the East Coast. The eight-episode series will star Brian Tyree Henry in its leading role.
Shondaland’s Netflix series The Residence has added eleven cast members, including Andre Braugher, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Mary Wiseman, along with Uzo Aduba as previously revealed. The series follows Aduba as an “eccentric” detective who works to solve a murder surrounding a State Dinner in the White House. Braughter, known for his roles on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Fight, will play White House Chief Usher. Findley, of The Power and The Wire, will play White House Butler Sheila Cannon. Mitchell, of Stranger Things and Ozark, plays Head Butler Rollie Bridgewater. Watson (This is Us) plays a White House Assistant Usher. Whitlock (The Wire) plays Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department. Betsey Beers joins Shonda Rhimes as executive producer. A release date has not been announced.
Disney+’s The Santa Clauses will be adding beloved comedian Gabriel Iglesias as a series regular. Iglesias portrays Kris Kringle, who owns and operates Santaland, a Christmas-themed amusement park. Kringle, who still believes in Santa and maintains a generous and upbeat disposition, struggles to keep the park operational. The series also stars Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, and Austin Cane. The series is produced by 20th Television and can be viewed on Disney+.
Britbox International has achieved three million subscribers across its markets in the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The service, which launched in the UK in 2019 and was integrated into ITVX in 2022, reached 2 million subscribers in July of 2021, and launched in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland in the last year. Britbox specializes in “British content-seeking, UK-affinity audiences,” originally focusing on British mystery programs but expanding recently into other British-centric offerings. The streamer offers such titles as Archie, Payback, Passenger, and Three Little Birds. Though small in scope and scale, Britbox was the exclusive US home for the BAFTAs, and credits such proactivity in live events for their rapid growth. CEO Reemah Sakaan says they will exercise caution with their growth projections for 2023 in the face of a rapidly changing and unstable industry. However, they look forward to expanding into new markets in time, such as Western Europe and Asia.
Crime drama BMF has added Grammy-winning recording artists 2 Chainz and Ne-Yo to its cast for upcoming Season 3. 2-Chainz will star as Atlanta-based drug distributor Stacks, and Ne-Yo will play Rodney “Greeny” Green, another Atlanta name in the drug game. The series, executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and featuring Snoop Dogg in a recurring role, is currently airing its second season on Starz. Season 3 is currently in production.
Wade Allain-Marcus of Insecure and Snowfall has been cast in Netflix series Eric, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The six-part series follows Cumberbatch as Vincent Anderson, a puppeteer whose son goes missing and who makes friends with Eric, the monster who lives under his son’s bed. Allain-Marcus is best known for his role in the fifth season of HBO’s Insecure, has written for Grown-ish and Everything’s Trash on Freeform, and has also co-written Netflix’s French Dirty.
AMC Networks exec Brett Dismuke wears many hats. He is the general manager of both WE tv and ALLBLK, a rebrand of streaming service Urban Movie Channel which he spearheaded. This most recent project, which Dismuke took over from BET founder Robert Johnson, is a streaming service that focuses on original scripted and reality series featuring Black talent and catered to a Black audience. Black audiences in the US focus most of their consumption on streaming services, which 62% say is the most apt for depicting Black stories and highlighting Black voices. Dismuke aims to make ALLBLK the No. 1 service in the world for Black audiences and talent. AMC president of entertainment Dan McDermott credits Dismuke’s “skillful leadership” and ability to “super-serve” the target audience with the growth of both WE tv and ALLBLK. Dismuke says he wants audiences to think of the streamer as a “trailblazer in the fairness of equal representation,” a “truth teller and an equal sharer of our stories.” Dismuke ran his own company, So Chi Entertainment, and served as CEO of The Swirl Group before making the shift to the trailblazing ALLBLK.
“Access to a reflection of one’s self can make or break how one views themselves,” he said. “It is great that some mainstream services and networks offer a small section of Black content, but it is a complete game-changer to have services dedicated to highlighting the vast array of our stories.”
For its part, longtime industry voice for Black creators and consumers BET is expanding its brand to streaming with BET Plus. The service has done well, with Emmy nominations for The Ms. Pat Show and The Porter in 2022. Heading up BET’s new efforts is Executive VP and GM Devin Griffin. Griffin, who has overseen the streamer since its debut, has guided titles such as Tyler Perry’s Bruh, All the Queen’s Men, Tyler Perry’s Ruthless, The Family Business, Kingdom Business, and First Wives Club, as well as aforementioned Emmy nominees The Porter and The Ms. Pat Show. Of the nominations, Griffin says, “[it’s] the respect of our peers and the recognition of how great [The Ms. Pat Show] is.” The nominations, he says, have helped BET Plus gain a foothold in the space early in its tenure. He goes on,
“One of the big driving forces for me is being able to contribute to expanding the ways Black stories and experiences get portrayed. With BET Plus, we’ve been able to expand the canvas that we’re able to paint on.”
Yet another name making waves in the pursuit for Black representation in streaming is Geraldine Moriba. Moriba, and Emmy- and Peabody-winning producer, journalist, and research scientist at the Stanford University Brown Institute, is working to bring original informational programming to theGrio, a news and entertainment website. Moriba launched theGrio as a streaming and mobile app counterpart to cable network theGrio.tv in 2022, along with theGrio Black Podcast Network. Moriba’s outlets offer originally produced news and informational programming focusing on political, social, and entertainment issues affecting Black culture. “Right now,” Moriba says, “theGrio is the largest Black newsroom in the nation, and our reporting is unapologetic.” TheGrio features former Black News Channel personalities Marc Lamont Hill and Ebony K. Williams, who create daily news shows that run across theGrio’s multiple platforms. Moriba proudly states that her goal is to ensure that Black voices are heard across all genres and platforms, especially in the news and news commentary space. Even beyond media, Moriba develops and oversees theGrio Awards, spotlighting excellence in entertainment and social justice. TheGrio Awards last aired in November on CBS and streaming service Paramount+. Moriba says of a growing theGrio empire,
“Without doubt, Black people are central to the fabric of American culture, and there are not enough platforms telling our stories. Our mission is to build a portfolio of a broad representation of Black people across the spectrum. We are trying to get people of globally varied backgrounds, gender identification, ages and sexual orientations, with the driver being Black culture to help us move forward faster and stronger.”
Comedy Central’s South Side, which has been hosted by HBO Max since its second season, will not be renewed for a fourth season. Creators Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle, and Sultan Salahuddin’s comedy series followed friends Simon James (Sultan) and Kareme Odom (Kareme Young) in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago as they find their footing in the business world after community college. The series began on Comedy Central, then was picked up by HBO Max for its second and third seasons.
Industry: The Young and the Restless will welcome back fan favorites for its 50th anniversary. Viewers can look forward to the return of Veronica Redd as Mamie Johnson, among others such as Michael Damian, Patty Weaver, Tricia Cast, and Barbara Crampton. Redd played Mamie Johnson from 1990 to 1995, then from 1999 to 2004. She first appeared on TV in CBS’s The Jeffersons, where she broke new ground playing Edith “Edie” Stokes, a transgender Navy friend of the series’ lead George Jefferson. Release dates for The Young and the Restless’ 50th anniversary have yet to be announced, but those episodes featuring returning talent will air mid-March.
All five breakdown writers on The Young and the Restless have been fired. Citing “cost-cutting,” co-executive producer and head writer Josh Griffith gave the entire breakdown staff the boot, asserting that he would simply write breakdowns (story maps spanning multiple episodes) himself. Despite Griffith attributing the firings to finances, an insider told reporters that the timing is “suspect,” as the move comes just weeks before the WGA negotiations and amid the looming threat of a writers strike. Of course, cost-cutting in the industry, and especially the genre of daytime soaps, are not unusual. To fire an entire team in one go immediately before the show’s 50th anniversary and in the face of impending union negotiations, however, is a bold move which may speak to motives beyond saving money. Additionally, of those fired by Griffith, four were women, and one was African American. In an industry where women and people of color are currently and have historically been underrepresented, this detail is not one to overlook. A writer from another daytime series told reporters,
“We understand the industry is going through transition, but it’s a slap in the face for five hardworking writers to be fired so the co-EP and head writer can write the breakdowns and line his pockets with more residuals.”
Nonprofit Rideback Rise has bulked up its leadership team, adding film producer Tracey Bing (Nappily Ever After, Southside With You) as head of content and former Charity: Water exec Sabrina Pourmand as founding executive director. Bing will oversee all programming and networking events for Fellows and manage the Rise Circle, a community of creators who participate in its operations. Pourmand will lead development, fundraising, and partnerships, as well as infrastructure management. Rideback Rise is a 501c(3) nonprofit with the goal of developing BIPOC media in film, TV, and audio. Launched in July 2022, Rise’s mission statement refers to a goal of “develop[ing] market-ready mainstream film, television, digital and audio entertainment aimed at advancing racial equity.” BIPOC creators can apply online until March 15, and the first cohort of fellows will be announced this summer. Rise is supported by the Murphy Family Fund as well as NBCU.
The Writers Guild of Canada has named a new executive director. Longtime labor negotiator Victoria Shen will be the first person of color to assume the title, and will replace Maureen Parker in representing about 2,500 Canadian screenwriters. Prior to her appointment, Shen was director of national industrial relations and counsel at the Canadian Media Producers Association, where she repped indie producers. She has also worked at the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Arts representing performers. The change comes as the Canadian film and TV industry undergoes cataclysmic shifts, working towards more representation for people of color and other underrepresented groups.
HBO has filed a lawsuit accusing Paramount Global of going against its $500 million 2019 licensing deal for streaming rights to adult animated series South Park. According to the suit, Paramount led South Park specials, among other content, to its Paramount+ platform, “blatant[ly] intend[ing] to prop up Paramount+ at the expense of Warner/HBO.”
“Warner/HBO brings this lawsuit to vindicate its rights and recover the hundreds of millions of dollars in damages incurred as a result of Defendants’ misconduct.”
The licensing agreement was created in 2019 as former parent company AT&T geared up to launch HBO Max the following year. According to the suit, HBO Max bid on South Park streaming rights with the assumption and assurance that three new 10-episode seasons would follow. Since then, it alleges, only two episodes were created for the first season and only six for the second, with the third season also expected to be only six episodes long. Thus, as opposed to the 30 episodes it was promised, the suit claims only 14 were delivered, and HBO Max “dramatically overpaid” for the provided content. MTV, a Paramount subsidiary, concurrently announced a $900 million deal with Parker and Stone for exclusive South Park content on Paramount+, with the stated goal of “fuelling” the streamer. This deal, according to HBO Max, diverted content from its 2019 deal to Paramount+. For its part, Paramount has denied the allegations and accused Warner Bros. Discovery of lapsing on payment of licensing fees owed under the agreement. Read the nearly 30-page suit here.
The University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism has launched the #RethinkAging campaign, encouraging Hollywood to make space for older actors and creators. With veteran actors Normal Lear, Marla Gibbs, George Takei, Mimi Kennedy, and George Wallace, in tandem with the SCAN Foundation, the project urges, “let's tell the stories of older people's lives with the depth and complexity they deserve.” The campaign spotlights the former and current accomplishments of older actors, with Takei saying, “We’re still doing cool stuff. In fact, at 85 years old, I’m just about to make my London stage debut.” Kennedy echoes, “I’m a mere child of 74!”
Wallace tells viewers that the culture needs to overcome a toxic “fascination with youth,” and to “write [older actors] into your scripts.” Gibbs agrees:
“We have never stopped living a life that is vibrant and complex. . . . Writers, if you’re out there listening, write something! I want that Emmy, alright?”
The campaign, though lighthearted, highlights the real problem of ageism in Hollywood. Sarita A. Mohanty, President and CEO of the SCAN Foundation, an independent public charity seeking to “preserve dignity and encourage independence” for older adults, urges the industry to “reframe society’s views on aging and rethink what is possible.”