Labor Day traditionally signals the end of summer and puts the TV industry into fall mode, focusing on the launch of the new broadcast season. While broadcast is no longer the only — or even the main — game in town, Labor Day has remained the threshold when the TV business kicks into high gear.
This year, with TV development and production at a standstill amid two major Hollywood strikes, Labor Day is taking on additional significance as a threshold for the writers work stoppage to end in order for the networks to air meaningful seasons of their original live-action scripted series. Crossing it without a deal or significant progress between AMPTP and WGA by October could delay new 2023-24 series’ launch until fall 2024 and put some sophomore shows — even beyond broadcast — in potential danger.
The timing has been on the minds of TV executives, producers and showrunners as we get closer to fall. A potential early September end of the writers strike (and subsequent AMPTP agreement with SAG-AFTRA) would allow returning drama series to premiere by mid-February and new ones by March so they could get standard midseason runs of 13 episodes within the regular broadcast season. (Some well established drama series could conceivably make a February-March premiere date with an early October strike end; comedies traditionally take less time to produce.)
“Today many network dramas would have begun shooting their 4th episode of the fall season,” veteran TV writer-producer and former longtime Law & Order: SVU showrunner Warren Leight wrote on Twitter on August 8. “If the strike were somehow to end by Labor Day, and shooting were to begin in early fall, the networks might be able to salvage a 13 episode season. The clock keeps ticking.” >>>Why Writers Deal Needs To Be Done First |
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Changes At CBS - CBS Media Ventures President Steve LoCascio is retiring after 34 years at the company and its previous iterations. The division will become part of the portfolio of Wendy McMahon, named Monday as President and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures. The consolidation is not surprising. LoCascio’s departure comes amid a seismic changes in the syndication business marked by a major contraction in first-run syndication, primarily in the talk show arena. CBS Media Ventures and CBS TV Distribution’s top shows, Judge Judy, Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray, all ended their long runs in the last few years. >>>Legacy Series Still Strong
Drama School Racism - The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, a top London drama school, had a racist culture in which multiple Black students were called the N-word and were “suppressed” by white tutors, according to an external investigation. Guildhall, which counts Daniel Craig, Ewan McGregor and Michaela Coel among its alumni, commissioned an independent review into discrimination experienced by students in 2020. >>>“ Consistent And Explicit”
'Basic' Comic - Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 thriller Basic Instinct is the inspiration for a new comic book series by Sumerian Comics. Sumerian is teaming with Cuban illustrator Vanesa R. Del Rey to create the first comic book series based on the movie, which starred Sharon Stone as enigmatic writer Catherine Tramell who becomes the prime suspect in a murder. >>>See Series' Covers
Deadline’s Contenders Television: The Nominees Streaming Site - Deadline held its annual Contenders Television: The Nominees awards-season event last weekend, this year spotlighting 13 scripted, unscripted and nonfiction titles from nine networks, studios and streamers. The list of Saturday’s panels spanned big series like Succession, Ted Lasso, Daisy Jones & The Six and House of the Dragon; compelling documentaries like Still: The Michael J. Fox Movie and The Territory; the docuseries Dear Mama; and unscripted standouts including RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Traitors and Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi. Also in the mix were limited series Black Bird, late-night king Saturday Night Live and Schmigadoon! >>>Watch
In Brief - Warner Bros. Discovery has shuttered iStreamPlanet...The Chi saw a 65% surge in streaming viewership on Paramount+...Michelle Rodriguez inked with WME. |
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The time has finally come for Charity Lawson to reunite with her exes. That’s right, The Bachelorette: Men Tell All is already upon us. Lawson spoke with Deadline about some of the night’s biggest, most dramatic moments. >>>Read The Interview |
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Nichelle Lewis has been cast in the lead role of Dorothy in the Broadway revival of The Wiz, which is slated to hit the boards in the spring. Discovered via a TikTok video and beating out more than 2,000 other hopefuls, she also will play the iconic role in the show’s national tour.
Greenleaf alum Keith David has been tapped to take over the role of Commander Zavala in Destiny 2‘s upcoming expansion release The Final Shape. He replaces the late Lance Reddick, who passed away earlier this year. Game developer Bungie made the announcement Monday. |
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More News
📺 It's no secret that streaming dominates the TV landscape, but Nielsen measured a new and ominous milestone for broadcast and cable in July’s edition of the company’s monthly state of TV report, The Gauge. For the first time, linear TV viewership accounted for less than 50% of all TV usage in a measurement month.
⚖ Aside from Donald Trump, among the 18 names listed in the 41-count indictment unsealed by a Fulton County, Georgia D.A. was Trevian C. Kutti. Kutti is Kanye West’s onetime publicist. She is also, notably, the woman recorded on video trying to convince Ruby Freeman, a frightened Georgia election worker whom Trump had publicly attacked, to implicate herself in election fraud regarding the 2020 presidential election.
🏈 Sean Tuohy spoke out following allegations made by Michael Oher, who claimed he was tricked into signing a conservatorship which the Tuohys used to profit from him. Oher was the subject of the 2009 film The Blind Side. The John Lee Hancock-directed movie was a rags-to-riches story based on Michael Lewis' book about Oher getting adopted by the Tuohy family. With their guidance, he embarked on a career in football that led him to the NFL and a Super Bowl title. The offensive tackle now says the film and book were based on a lie, something that Tuohy called "upsetting."
👀 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, whose $375 million acquisition of Redbox closed about a year ago, delivered second-quarter financial results reflecting the company’s struggle to fully digest the deal. Revenue of $79.9 million fell well short of Wall Street analysts’ consensus expectation for $120.1 million despite a huge payday from Super Mario Bros. rentals. With the stock price tanking, the company said it is formally reviewing its strategic options. |
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Trending  Fox has moved up the Season 10 premiere date for The Masked Singer to Sunday, September 10, immediately following the NFL Double Header. Initially scheduled to debut on September 27, the competition series will take two weeks off, then return on that date for its official time period slot from 8-9 PM ET/PT for the remainder of the season.
🔻 Despite having new fundraising options in the wake of a judge’s ruling on Friday, AMC Entertainment started the week on a jarring note as its stock price skidded to its lowest level since January 2021. The shares plummeted 35% on more than five times their normal trading volume, closing at $3.40. |
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OBITUARIES
🕯 Clarence Avant, who was dubbed the “Godfather of Black” music and entertainment, died Sunday in Los Angeles, his family has confirmed. He was 92. Credited with discovering the likes of Bill Withers and Sixto Rodriguez, Avant was a pioneering music executive who was also a film producer and entrepreneur. A 2019 Netflix feature, The Black Godfather , depicted his story and was directed by Reginald Hudlin. It was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, which were penned by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo. He also guided the career of musicians-turned-producers and executives Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. In addition to music, he had an influential career in sports, politics and entertainment. Avant worked as an adviser and in a official capacity to four Presidents. 🕯 Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries |
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On the Radar
Wed - The Wonder Years S2 finale
Fri - Blue Beetle opens
Sat - Stand Up to Cancer special
Sun - Women's World Cup final |
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One For The Books - Former President Donald Trump was charged last night with an array of crimes including violations of Georgia’s racketeering law, conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, and conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree. While the indictment had long been expected, cable news analysts were taken aback by its expansiveness, including 41 counts and 18 co-defendants.
Said CNN's Van Jones of Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis, who later held a press conference carried by all three of the cable news majors, "She didn't just throw the book at him, she threw the library." |
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