TV Bits: 'American Horror Story: 1984', 'Hyperdrive', 'Ballers', Whispers Of A 'Happy Endings' Revival, And More
In this edition of TV Bits:
Always stay together. #AHS1984 premieres Sept. 18 on @FXNetworks. Who will escape Camp Redwood? See who's left @ https://t.co/OkCZnDWocW pic.twitter.com/gHmPlBL7E9
— AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) August 6, 2019
Hung out to dry. https://t.co/OkCZnDEMOm #AHS1984 pic.twitter.com/MWegv0RWXQ
— AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) August 7, 2019
A slasher stalks his prey in recent teasers for American Horror Story: 1984, the newest season of Ryan Murphy's anthology horror series. But who is behind the mask?
Here's the season 2 trailer for Kidding, Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry's Showtime series that reunites them after Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I have not watched the first season yet, but if it's as visually ambitious and emotionally rich as this trailer seems to be, I may have to kick it to the top of my queue.
Netflix's Hyperdrive is described in this trailer as being "like The Fast and Furious, but in real life." I'm not sure if I buy that comparison, but if you're into competition shows like American Ninja Warrior and also like fast cars, this seems like an entertaining blend of the two.
Here's a question for you: does anyone you know actually watch Ballers? It's back for its fifth (!) season, and I'm curious if the numbers are actually good on this one or if HBO is just keeping this show alive to remain in the Dwayne Johnson business.
Garfield, that lasagna-loving orange cat, is getting his own animated television series on Nickelodeon. "I've always tried to make people laugh with humor that is classic and appealing to both kids and adults. I'm delighted that Garfield is going to be placed in the capable hands of the folks at Nick," said Jim Davis, the creator of the Garfield comic. "They know how to entertain and will be great stewards for the franchise. I am also excited to continue to do the thing that gets me out of bed every morning...the comic strip!"
It won't be long before every major actor will have their own TV show because of the proliferation of streaming platforms, and now Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is taking the lead in The Godfather of Harlem on Epix. This actually looks pretty good, but I can't imagine an Epix show making much of a dent in terms of the pop culture conversation these days. I'd be glad to be proven wrong, though!
Happy Endings, which ran for three seasons on ABC before it was cancelled, is one of my favorite network sitcoms of the decade. There have been rumors of a possible revival before, but those talks have been renewed once again thanks to an interview with ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke, who says she is "hearing whispers" about a comeback. "That is a dream of a lot of people at ABC," she said. "I'm hearing that there's a remote possibility of something. It's at the very beginning [stages]." Make this happen, ABC – I need more Happy Endings in my life.
Supernatural, the long-running show on The CW, is coming to an end after 15 seasons. But even though the cast bid a teary-eyed farewell to fans at this year's Comic-Con, there's a sliver of a chance that Supernatural may not be done for good. At a recent TCA panel, The CW's president, Mark Pedowitz, said, "If you can convince them to come back, I'm open! [Supernatural] will always have a home here." And apparently one of the stars, Jensen Ackles, said it would be "foolish" to proclaim definitively that he's done playing one of the Winchester brothers, leaving fans the smallest possibility that a revival, TV movie, or some other form could continue the story.
On November 23 and 24, 2019, you can head up to New Jersey's Meadowlands Exposition Center and attend SopranosCon, a convention devoted to the influential HBO drama series. Tony Sirico (Paulie "Walnuts"), Federico Castelluccio (Furio Giunta), Vincent Pastore ("Big Pussy"), Vincent Curatola (Johnny "Sack"), and David Proval (Richie Aprile) are just some of the 30 supporting cast members who are slated to be there, and guests will be able to enjoy "food, drink, music, comedy, and 'show-related businesses' that showcase New Jersey's Italian culture, as well as fan art galleries, Q&As, trivia, games, and other activities."
This past Sunday, actress Afton Williamson revealed that she will not be reprising her role in season 2 of the Nathan Fillion ABC series The Rookie. She says she walked away from the show because she was discriminated against and ultimately sexually assaulted by the head of the hair and makeup department at the season one wrap party, and production company EntertainmentOne is conducting an investigation into her allegations.
Deadline reports that the soon-to-launch streaming service HBO Max will adapt Jenny Lee's upcoming young adult novel Anna K into a series. Lee will also write the show, which is a modern-day updating of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and described like this:
"Described as Gossip Girl and 13 Reasons Why meets Crazy Rich Asians, Anna K is set between Manhattan and Greenwich, CT. It follows a Korean-American 'it' girl caught between her picture-perfect, family-approved boyfriend and the guy who might just be her one true love, along with her high-flying cast of friends and family."
Alec Baldwin is getting roasted, and Robert De Niro, Blake Griffin, Caitlyn Jenner, Joel McHale, Debra Messing, Chris Redd, and Jeff Ross are going to join roastmaster Sean Hayes to take the most famous Baldwin down a peg. I wouldn't be surprised to see another Baldwin (or two) make an appearance to get a few good jabs in, either. The roast airs on Comedy Central on September 15, 2019.
And finally, The CW's free, ad-supported streaming service CW Seed will be a streaming home for the first four seasons of the beloved series Schitt's Creek, which seems to be the internet's collective favorite comedy right now. That means there should be enough time to binge the first few seasons before the final season debuts in 2020.