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TV Review: ‘Planet Earth II’
59 minutes ago
Simply put, “Planet Earth” is the most important program of our generation. It makes writing about it almost beside the point; the program, whose second installment “Planet Earth II” is debuting on BBC America this Saturday, is an exquisitely rendered documentary of the natural world. It’s a uniquely dichotomous achievement, one that combines our expanding technologies and cinematic skills with the remote wildness of habitats without humans. It makes for a program that offers a vision of humanity’s relationship with our environment at its absolute and most idealistic best: One where we work mightily to contemplate, understand, and admire the mysterious natural world around us.
For viewers familiar with “Planet Earth,” “Planet Earth II” offers many of the same pleasures — except with even more high-definition, immersive visuals, and a gorgeous score by Hans Zimmer, Jasha Klebe, and Jacob Shea that inspires wonder. This is a show made for the fanciest television screens, the »
- Sonia Saraiya
Shepard Smith Calls President Trump’s Press Conference ‘Crazy’
1 hour ago
Shepard Smith, the Fox News anchor, on Thursday afternoon seemed to have had enough of Donald Trump’s slams at the media as peddlers of “fake news” — or, when it comes to CNN, “very fake news.”
“It is crazy what we are watching every day, it is absolutely crazy,” Smith said. “He keeps repeating ridiculous throwaway lines that are not true at all and sort of avoiding this issue of Russia as if we are some kind of fools for asking the question.”
Smith then started to look into the camera and added, “Really? Your opposition was hacked, and the Russians were responsible for it, and your people were on the phone on the same day it was happening, and we are fools for asking those questions? No sir, we are not fools for asking those questions, and we demand to know the answer to this question. You owe this to the American people.”
Smith »
- Ted Johnson
Constance Zimmer to Guest Star on ‘Angie Tribeca’ (Exclusive)
2 hours ago
Constance Zimmer has booked a guest role on the TBS comedy “Angie Tribeca,” Variety has learned exclusively.
The “UnReal” star will play a hard-nosed NYPD detective with a neurotic side, and her role has been described as “juicy.” The episode date has not been set yet, but “Angie Tribeca” Season 3 is set to debut sometime this year.
Zimmer currently stars on Lifetime’s “UnReal” for which she was nominated for an Emmy last year. She won a Critics Choice Award for her role of Quinn, the foul-mouthed producer, on the series that pokes fun at reality dating shows. “UnReal” became a critical darling in its first season with much praise for Zimmer’s performance. The show has been renewed for a third season, which is currently in production and will air this year.
“Angie Tribeca” was created Nancy and Steve Carell, and stars Rashida Jones. The comedy is a satire of police procedural shows. Season »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
TV News Roundup: HBO Acquires TV Rights to ‘David Bowie: The Last Five Years’
2 hours ago
In today’s roundup, HBO will air “David Bowie: The Last Five Years” this summer after acquiring the U.S. TV rights, Cartoon Network’s “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” set to premiere in March, and more.
Deals
HBO has acquired the U.S. TV rights to documentary “David Bowie: The Last Five Years.” Directed and produced by Francis Whately, the film spotlights the legendary singer and actor’s last two albums and Broadway musical, offering new insights into the final five years of Bowie’s life through rarely-seen interviews of the man himself, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators. Earlier this month, Bowie posthumously swept the 2017 Grammy Awards with five wins for his final album “Blackstar.”
Casting
Celebrated chef and restaurateur Aarón Sánchez will join Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi as the third judge for the upcoming »
- Will Thorne
IFC Greenlights Scripted Comedy ‘Living With Yourself’ From ‘The Daily Show’ Producer
3 hours ago
IFC has ordered new scripted comedy “Living With Yourself” to series, Variety has learned.
The series comes from “The Daily Show” exec producer Tim Greenberg, who will write and executive produce. Jeff Blitz (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation”) is attached to direct and executive produce alongside Greenberg and Anthony Bregman and Jeff Stern of Likely Story.
The story centers George Elliot, a man who is burned out and facing an impasse in both his personal and professional life. When George undergoes a novel treatment to become a better person, he finds he’s been replaced by a new and improved George — revealing that his own worst enemy is himself and raising the question, do we really want to be better?
“’Living With Yourself’ is a wonderfully unique, funny show that is both improbable and completely relatable at the same time, and it complements IFC’s slate of slightly off comedies that are created by and feature some »
- Oriana Schwindt
How Animator Butch Hartman Created His New Nickelodeon Show ‘Bunsen Is a Beast’
3 hours ago
There’s a new kid in school at Nickelodeon, and he’s a real beast.
“Bunsen Is a Beast” is the latest toon series from longtime Nickelodeon creator Butch Hartman, whose “The Fairly OddParents,” “Danny Phantom,” and “T.U.F.F. Puppy” have all been hits for the studio.
“Bunsen” tells the tale of a strange creature learning to navigate the world of middle school for the first time with the help of his human friend Mikey. Bunsen just wants to show the human world that monsters and humans can co-exist peacefully without monsters wanting to eat everyone.
“The show’s about every kid’s experience in school about trying to fit in and be popular. Who better to try and fit in than someone who’s not even from this world,” says Hartman, who first drew the characters back in 2009, when he was considering the idea for a children’s book.
“I drew this cover picture of a boy »
- Terry Flores
Survey: 73% of Voters Oppose Eliminating Public-Television Funding
4 hours ago
A new survey conducted jointly by leading Republican and Democratic pollsters found that 73% of voters — including a majority of Republicans — oppose eliminating federal funding for public television.
Conducted by Republican firm American Viewpoint and Democratic firm Hart Research Associates, the survey also found that 66% of people who voted for President Donald Trump favor increased funding for public television, as do 86% of Hillary Clinton voters. Public television was rated as a good value for tax dollars by 72% of those surveyed.
The survey was commissioned by PBS prior to a report last month by The Hill claiming that the Trump administration is considering a plan to privatize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — which provides funding for local public-television stations — and eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts and its sister organization, the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“These results show that Republican and President Trump voters overwhelmingly support public television and strongly oppose eliminating its federal funding,” said »
- Daniel Holloway
Study Finds Growth in Reality-tv Streaming
4 hours ago
Streaming-video viewing of reality-television programming is on the rise, according to a new study by 7Park Data.
The firm’s newest study of Ott viewership found that reality-tv viewing is up 10.3% from one year ago on Hulu and up 28.3% on Netflix — making reality one of the biggest growth genres for the two services.
The increases for reality series programming come as Netflix plans its first major unscripted original series, “Ultimate Beastmaster” from executive producer Sylvester Stallone. “Unscripted television is a very interesting business,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said at a conference in December, adding that the company is focusing on shows that are “more likely to travel internationally.”
History programming was also a big gainer on both services, up 32.1% on Hulu and 70.1% on Netflix. Family programming gained 36.1% on Hulu and 9.6% on Netflix. Documentary-series programming gained 9% on Hulu and 11.5% on Netflix.
Horror showed the steepest decline on Hulu down 42.4%. Sports-related programming was the biggest decliner on »
- Daniel Holloway
TV Review: ‘Crashing’ From Pete Holmes and Judd Apatow on HBO
5 hours ago
When describing the content of cutting-edge half-hours, the adjectives “clean,” “sweet” and “mildly Christian” rarely come up.
But the measured optimism and reflexive kindness of “Crashing” are among this show’s chief recommendations. The array of 30-minute programs now on TV is particularly rich and eclectic, but there is still a notable subset that wallow lazily into their characters’ neuroses, throw in awkward sex scenes that don’t have a compelling reason to exist, or stay mercilessly dour in a bid to seem “important” or “challenging.” “Crashing” may be a bit slight, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing: It knows what it’s going for and more often than not, fulfills its modest ambitions in amusing and diverting ways.
Many of the building blocks of “Crashing” are very familiar, but it doesn’t fall into the traps that have snared other shows like it. It’s probably wisest to view “Crashing” as an uplifting but »
- Maureen Ryan
‘Chelsea’ Moves to Weekly Format for Season 2 on Netflix
5 hours ago
Chelsea Handler’s Netflix series will move to a once-a-week format for season two. The comic revealed the shift Thursday in a video announcing the premiere date for the show’s second season.
In its first season, “Chelsea” aired three half-hour episodes per week. The new format will see the comic shift to an hour-long format, with new episodes appearing on the digital service on Friday nights.
Season two will premiere April 14 and run 30 weeks, just as the first season did.
“Chelsea” struggled to find its footing in its first season, with original showrunner Bill Wolff leaving just weeks into the show’s run. Variety‘s Maureen Ryan wrote in her review of the show’s early episodes, “Unless it gets sharper and funnier or begins to offer something more than a puffy celebrity hang, it’s hard to make the case that it’s a necessary addition to the talk-show scene. Handler »
- Daniel Holloway
Lonely Island’s Party Over Here Names Becky Sloviter Head of Production, Development
5 hours ago
Party Over Here — the production company founded by Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone of the Lonely Island — has hired veteran film and television executive Becky Sloviter as head of production and development.
Sloviter most recently served as senior vice president at the Ink Factory, the production company behind AMC’s “The Nigh Manager.” There she worked on director Drew Pearce’s “Hotel Artemis,” starring Jodie Foster. She was previously a vice president at MGM and a producer for Mary Parent and Scott Stuber’s company at Universal Pictures.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to work with Andy, Akiva and Jorma, whose talent and sense of humor I have admired for so long,” Sloviter said. “The Lonely Island’s broad appeal and pop culture relevance make them a force to be reckoned with and I’m excited to help expand their slate with projects that highlight their trademark creativity, comedy »
- Daniel Holloway
Univision Sees Big Gains in Fourth Quarter
5 hours ago
Univision Communications reported robust fourth quarter financials, culminating in a banner year for the U.S. Hispanic media giant.
“Our fourth quarter marked a strong finish to a very positive year for Univision where we achieved the highest revenue and adjusted Oibda [operating income before depreciation and amortization] in the history of our company. [We] generated nearly $219 million in net income and reduced our net debt by $400 million while still investing approximately $160 million in strategic digital assets,” said Univision President and CEO Randy Falco.
In addition, Univision, which participated in the FCC’s Broadcast Incentive Auction to monetize a portion of its spectrum assets, expects to receive an estimated $376 million in proceeds from the FCC spectrum auction in 2017, which it will use to further draw down its debt.
The Spanish-language media conglomerate, which posted a fourth-quarter net income of $108.0 million compared with a year-ago net income of $8.8 million, has been planning an Ipo in recent years.
Univision’s fourth quarter revenue spiked 15 percent to »
- Anna Marie de la Fuente
Jeff Zucker: President Trump’s Attacks Haven’t Hurt CNN’s Brand
5 hours ago
President Trump’s steady stream of attacks on CNN’s credibility has not hurt the news organization’s reputation in the minds of consumers, nor has it scared away any advertisers. That was the word from CNN president Jeff Zucker and top Turner execs Thursday at a state-of-the-company luncheon presentation in Manhattan.
Zucker said CNN conducted its largest-ever brand survey last month out of a desire to gauge whether Trump’s broadsides about CNN serving up “fake news” were having a lasting impact on prospective viewers.
“There has been no diminution whatsoever in the CNN brand,” Zucker said. “It’s as strong as it’s ever been. It’s incredibly trusted and we see no impact whatsoever in all of those attacks on the CNN brand.”
Turner president David Levy said there have been no advertiser pullouts, either. CNN has seen its ad revenue spike along with ratings as the public continues to remain heavily engaged in »
- Cynthia Littleton
Ryan Murphy Reveals Least Favorite ‘Glee’ Performance, ‘American Horror Story’ Season
6 hours ago
With so many shows under his belt, Ryan Murphy is bound to have a miss or two.
The prolific producer appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” Wednesday night to promote his new FX show “Feud.”
When asked by a caller which of the hundreds of “Glee” musical numbers he regretted the most, Murphy replied, “I’m mortified that we did ‘Gangsta Style’ by Psy. I will say, like, not our finest moment.”
Fellow “Wwhl” guest Taran Killam corrected Murphy, saying that name of the Korean rapper’s hit was “Gangnam Style.”
Murphy laughed, “I can’t believe I got that wrong.”
The “Glee” cast performed “Gangnam Style” in Season 4, with South Korean-born Jenna Ushkowitz taking the lead on the vocals. Watch the performance below:
At the time, the dance song was a global sensation. (It’s netted 2.7 billion YouTube views since it was uploaded four years ago).
Murphy also revealed which season »
- Lawrence Yee
Pete Holmes: HBO’s ‘Crashing’ Shares Some ‘Girls’ DNA
6 hours ago
Wednesday night’s “Crashing” premiere at the Avalon in Hollywood, was like a comedy prom as part of Judd Apatow‘s pack gathered to celebrate the debut of Pete Holmes’ wry new show. Writing what he knew, the show is about Holmes’ breakup with his wife after she cheated on him while he struggled to be a successful comedian. In real life, Holmes is now happily engaged.
Holmes explained why “Crashing” is a good fit at HBO, “It reminds me of ‘Girls’ in the way we’re trying to take the biggest shortcomings and things that make my character gross and showcasing those. That’s something Lena [Dunham] is so good at: showing things people usually hide and bringing them onscreen for comedy.”
Holmes also shows how his Christian religion affected his comedy journey in the story, “I liked Jerry Seinfeld, Brian Regan, Ray Romano – I really liked those guys and I was trying to be one of »
- Diane Gordon
Robert McKee, Issa Rae to Be Honored at 2017 Final Draft Awards
7 hours ago
The Final Draft awards for screenwriters announced its 2017 honorees on Thursday. The show will take place at the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 23, hosted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant.
This year’s ceremony will honor Robert McKee with the hall of fame award. Brian Cox, Quincy Jones, Margaret Nagle and Steven Pressfield will be on hand to present the award and speak to McKee’s contributions to the screenwriting community. Additionally, Issa Rae will receive the inaugural New Voice award, which recognizes a rising star in the industry.
“Robert McKee is one of the most sought-after screenwriting lecturers in the world,” said Scott McMenamin, president of Final Draft. “We are honored to celebrate his tremendous contribution to the art of screenwriting.”
McKee is a writer and instructor known for his Story Seminar inspired by his book “Story,” a vital work for screenwriters. His students have gone on to win more than 60 Academy Awards, 200 Emmys »
- Seth Kelley
Comedy Central Sets ‘Review’ Final Season Premiere for March
7 hours ago
The final season of Comedy Central’s “Review” has a premiere date: March 16.
“Review” stars Andy Daly as critic Forrest MacNeil, who does not review boring things like films, food or art. Instead, Forrest reviews the most intense experiences of life itself — by living them. From the dangers of being buried alive to the thrills of joining the mile high club, Forrest fully commits to showing us what life feels like, sometimes at the expense of his safety, his family and humanity in general.
In the third season premiere, Forrest will return recharged and enthusiastic after surviving a potentially fatal bridge fall with his producer Grant. Unfortunately for everyone, his faith in the importance of his work is stronger than ever.
Daly and his team took their time in between Seasons 1 and 2, with approximately 14 months passing from the end of Season 1 to the beginning of Season 2, but the wait for the third and final season will be »
- Oriana Schwindt
‘How to Get Away With Murder’ Actress Karla Souza on Success in Mexico, Character’s Changes
7 hours ago
Over the past five years, Karla Souza has appeared in some of Mexico’s top-grossing films, including “We Are the Nobles” and “Instructions Not Included.” Since 2014, she’s been a regular on the ABC TV drama “How to Get Away With Murder.” She has dabbled in producing as well, with the 2016 comedy “¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Niño?” and “Everybody Loves Somebody,” a film that opens Feb. 17. Souza spoke with Variety about wearing multiple creative hats, avoiding stereotyping, and how she’s coping with the loss of her baby daddy on “Murder.”
You’ve had successes in both your native Mexico and the U.S. How do you pick your projects?
My entire career I’ve depended so much on my team and a group of people that have led me to great scripts, knowing [what will help] me grow as an actor. I’m very grateful for having had success in both countries, because »
- Sarah Ahern
TV Ratings: ‘Doubt’ Premieres Soft, ‘Lethal’ Could Be Fox’s Secret Weapon
9 hours ago
Wednesday night wasn’t an exceptionally good one for most of the shows on the guide. It wasn’t exceptionally bad, either, hovering instead in that grey sort of space best represented by the “shruggie” emoticon.
CBS premiered its newest midseason drama “Doubt,” starring Katherine Heigl, at 10 p.m. It fared slightly worse than former slot occupant “Code Black,” drawing a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.29 million viewers. Earlier in the evening, “Hunted” stayed steady with a 1.2 in the demo and 5.37 million viewers. “Criminal Minds” brought in a 1.3 and 7.32 million viewers.
ABC won the night with a mixed bag of Wednesday comedies (some ticking up, some ticking down) and a new “Match Game.” “The Goldbergs” led off with a 1.8 in the demo and 6.46 million viewers. “Speechless” drew a 1.5 in the demo and 5.56 million viewers. “Modern Family” sank to a 2.0 in the demo — the top-rated show on the night by that metric, though »
- Oriana Schwindt
Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert Lead 2017 Acm Awards Nominees
10 hours ago
Keith Urban leads the 2017 Acm awards nominees with seven, the Academy of Country Music announced Thursday morning. Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert followed closely behind with six nominations each.
Florida Georgia Line and Tim McGraw both received five nominations, while Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett and Chris Stapleton each earned three. Among Urban’s seven nominations is one for entertainer of the year, and his tenth nomination for male vocalist of the year.
Luke Bryan will return to co-host the awards for the fifth consecutive year, joined by Bentley for the second year in a row.
The 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards will broadcast from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 2 on CBS. The broadcast will be aired live at 8 p.m. on the East Coast, and delayed for West Coast viewers.
View the list of nominees below:
Entertainer of the year:
Male vocalist »
- Seth Kelley
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