TV Rain, a youth-focused Russian TV station often critical of the Kremlin that was shut down by state authorities early in March, is continuing in a YouTube version.
08.03.2022 - 05:13 / variety.com
Bel Air” is about to feature a “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunion — of sorts. Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played Will’s aunt on later seasons of “Fresh Prince,” and Vernee Watson-Johnson, who recurred as Will’s mom on the show, are returning to Bel Air — in guest starring roles for Episode 9 of Peacock’s new drama.Maxwell Reid and Watson-Johnson portrayed Aunt Viv and Viola “Vy” Smith, respectively, in the original series. For their upcoming guest roles on “Bel-Air,” the two will play “Helen” and “Janice,” members of the Art Council Board of Trustee.Peacock’s “Bel-Air” reimagines the beloved “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” sitcom — with a new lens on Will’s (Jabari Banks) complicated journey from West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air.
The series, inspired by Morgan Cooper’s viral trailer, is executive produced by Will Smith — as well as director/co-writer Cooper and showrunners T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson. New episodes of “Bel-Air” are released on Peacock every Thursday.
Maxwell Reid and Watson-Johnson’s appearances in Episode 9 will stream March 24. The Season 1 finale of “Bel-Air” will be March 31.Also in today’s TV News Roundup:“Russian Doll” will return to Netflix on April 20, which just happens to be … a Wednesday. Season 2 will be set four years after Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) and Alan (Charlie Barnett) escaped mortality’s time loop.
New episodes will follow the pair as they pass through an unexpected time portal located in Manhattan. As they try to escape, both must face their pasts. In addition to starring, Lyonne serves as showrunner and executive producer.
TV Rain, a youth-focused Russian TV station often critical of the Kremlin that was shut down by state authorities early in March, is continuing in a YouTube version.
Wilson Chapman editor“Tom Swift,” a spinoff of the mystery series “Nancy Drew,” will premiere its first episode May 31 on The CW, the network announced Friday.The series, which was first announced in 2020, stars Tian Richards (“Burdin,” “Dumplin'”) as the title character, who was first created in the 1910 book “Tom Swift and His Motor Cycle.” Originally portrayed as a teen inventor, the series reimagines Swift as a Black, gay billionaire who is thrust into conflict with a mysterious global cabal following the sudden disappearance of his father. Richards first appeared as the character in Season 2 of “Nancy Drew.”Ashleigh Murray (“Riverdale,” “Katy Keene”) co-stars in the series as Swift’s best friend Zenzi.
Mystery Science Theater 3000” is returning for a 13th season, this time on a new indie streaming platform, Gizmoplex. Created by Joel Hodgson in 1988, the cult show “MST3K” follows a series of ordinary humans captured by mad scientists who subject them to a series of terrible B-movies. To keep their sanity, the humans create a series of companion robots to riff on the films they watch, which are presented on the show in their entirety.
Paramount Plus has released the official trailer for “The Offer,” the upcoming drama miniseries that chronicles the making of “The Godfather.”Set in the early 1970s, “The Offer” stars Miles Teller as Albert S. Ruddy, who is hired as the producer for the film adaptation of the best-selling novel “The Godfather,” written by Mario Puzo (played by Patrick Gallo). While the series faces typical behind the scenes tension between its director Francis Ford Coppola (Dan Fogler) and producing team, the filming grows more complicated when mob boss Joe Colombo (Giovanni Ribisi) signs on to help assist in the production.
Wilson Chapman editorThe final episodes of “Grace and Frankie” will premiere April 29, Netflix announced Tuesday.Created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris, “Grace and Frankie” stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as the title characters, two very different women who have disliked each other for years, even though their husbands Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston) are law partners. When their husbands announce they’re in love and plan to divorce them to be together, Grace and Frankie find themselves roommates, and overcome their mutual animosity to become best friends navigating romances, business ventures and family drama together.The longest running show on Netflix, “Grace and Frankie” originally premiered in 2015 and has since run for seven seasons.
HBO has acquired the Oscar-nominated documentary short “When We Were Bullies,” which will premiere on March 30.“When We Were Bullies” focuses on director Jay Rosenblatt (“Human Remains,” “Phantom Limb”), as he tries to track down people from his 5th grade class to interview them about a severe bullying incident that occurred at their school 50 years ago. Using a mix of archival footage, animation and modern day interviews, Rosenblatt both reconstructs the event and comes to terms with his own sense of shame about what occurred.“Everyone carries pain,” Rosenblatt narrates in the trailer for the short that HBO released. “Yet through that pain, I can see yours.”In addition to directing, Rosenblatt wrote, produced and edited “When We Were Bullies.” The short is one of five nominees in the best documentary short category at the 94th Academy Awards.
Critics Choice Super Awards, which honors the greatest achievements in genre storytelling across television and film.“It’s an honor to showcase these incredible accomplishments in Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Comic Book films and television. The Super Awards will proudly continue to shine a brighter light on the talented people telling stories in these fields,” Critics Choice Super Awards branch president Sean O’Connell said in a statement.In the television categories, “Squid Game” and “Wandavision” led the winners, earning three awards each.
Minx, out now, Johnson plays a seedy publisher who teams up with an ambitious, yet somewhat prudish feminist (Ophelia Lovibond) to create a porn magazine for the female gaze in the '70s. Doug is garish, smug, abrasive and, by god, you just can't help but root for him. Perhaps it's because Johnson sees beyond the punchline—and all the dick jokes.“I've been wanting to play a kind of a sales salesperson who's both shady and good at the same time that somebody who can walk that line,” he says.
Gaslit,” its limited series that tackles the Watergate scandal. The show focuses on the perspective of Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), the wife of Richard Nixon’s attorney general, John Mitchell (Sean Penn). “Gaslit” will debut on Starz’s digital platform at midnight on April 24, with a linear debut the same day at 8 p.m.
Sasha Urban editorIt’s not easy putting on the green. The Muppets have been added to this season of ABC’s reality competition “Holey Moley,” the network announced Tuesday. It’s part of the Alphabet net’s Spring unscripted series lineup, with three shows set to premiere May 3.Season 4 of “Holey Moley,” the mini-golf competition show executive produced by Steph Curry, will air at 8 p.m.
Netflix announced Monday.Set in the private, elite secondary school Las Encinas, “Élite” follows an ensemble cast of students that constantly find themselves involved with various murder and police investigations. When they’re not running into trouble with the law, the mixed group of working class and wealthy teenagers navigate intense relationship dramas and the heavy workload of their demanding institution.Season 5 of “Élite” follows the students as they recover from the Season 4 finale, which saw Guzmán (Miguel Bernardeau) murder a man named Armando (Andrés Velencoso) and go on the run after his friends help cover it up. Season 4 cast members Itzan Escamilla, Omar Ayuso, Claudia Salas, Georgina Amorós, Carla Díaz, Martina Cariddi, Manu Ríos, Pol Granch and Diego Martín return for the new season, joined by new cast members Valentina Zenere, André Lamoglia and Adam Nourou.
Oscars will be held March 27, with an in-person ceremony at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre that will air live on ABC. Last month, the Academy announced that Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Skyes would be hosting the big night.In Tuesday’s image, Hall, Schumer and Skyes are seen sitting in a movie theater with their hands held high. The words “Movie lovers unite” sit above the Oscars’ logo.In addition to the Oscars hosts, previously announced awards presenters include Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Zoë Kravitz, Lily James, Lady Gaga, Youn Yuh-jung, Rosie Perez and Chris Rock.
Wilson Chapman editor“WWE Evil,” the first WWE original series for Peacock, will premiere March 24, the streaming service announced Thursday.Created and hosted by WWE wrestler and actor John Cena, the eight-part docuseries examines the stories of notable “heels,” or villains, in the WWE’s history. Each episode dives into the career of a different heel, including Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sasha Banks and Roman Reigns.The trailer previews all of the episodes of the series, showcasing both archival footage of notable events in the various performers’ WWE history, as well as interviews that dive into the psychology behind the people playing the heels.“I’m not playing the character, I am the character,” Roman Reigns says during a talking head interview included in the trailer.
Wilson Chapman editorTubi has announced the casting and director for “Crushed,” a coming-of-age comedy set to premiere this April on Fox Entertainment’s ad-supported streaming service.“Crushed” follows Kate (Bebe Wood), a romantic high schooler who has a huge crush on classmate Jason (Nicholas Alexander Chavez). But, as she unsuccessfully tries to get together with Jason during their senior class trip, things spiral out of control.In addition to Wood and Chavez, “Crushed” also stars Brenna D’Amico (“Descendants: Wicked World”), Valerie Azlynn (“Sullivan & Son”), Kylee Russell (“Zombies: Addison’s Monster Mystery”), Lisa Yamada (“All of Us Are Dead”), Meg Wright (“Jeepers Creepers III”) and Bailey Stender (“Pop Music High”).
Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorIn today’s podcast news roundup, Vince Vaughn teams up with two former NFL pros to launch podcast production firm Audiorama; media startup Puck is launching podcasts with Spotify’s The Ringer and Audacy’s Cadence13; Spotify’s 2022 Sound Up accelerator program is geared toward family podcasters; and more.Vince Vaughn (“Wedding Crashers,” “Brawl in Cellblock 99”), along with former Carolina Panthers players Greg Olsen and Ryan Kalil and venture fund Powerhouse Capital, this week launched Audiorama, a podcast network and production company centered on “transformative podcasts” that enlighten, entertain and inform. Mikey Fowler, formerly with Barstool Sports, is VP and GM of the newly founded venture.
Find out who is coming back to appear in Bel-Air! – Just Jared Jr Prince Harry did something unexpected – Celebitchy These are the real stars of Love Is Blind – Popsugar Find out who’s joining High School Musical the series! – Just Jared Jr
The new live production “Blue’s Clues and You! Live on Stage” will embark on its U.S. tour this fall, Nickelodeon and Round Room Live announced Tuesday.
Fresh Prince alums Daphne Maxwell Reid and Vernee Watson-Johnson are set to return as guest stars in Bel-Air, the Peacock reboot of the 90’s hit sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
NBC has partnered with Studio Lambert to bring “Million Dollar Island” to the U.S. In “Million Dollar Island,” based on Talpa’s international adventure reality format, 100 contestants compete and build alliances to stay on a remote desert island for up to 50 days — in hopes of winning their share of a $1 million prize. Each contestant is given a bracelet worth $10,000, which they gain and lose during the show’s challenges.