TV Bits: 'Riverdale' Time Jump, 'Altered Carbon' Canceled, 'Reno 911' Renewed, Netflix Shows Resume Production, And More
In this edition of TV Bits:
When Riverdale returns for season 5, things won't be the same. Because the show is jumping forward seven years. Appearing on The Late Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Riverdale star Lili Reinhart said (via CBR), "Well, so, we're taking the first few episodes to finish Season 4, technically. And then, Season 5, we're actually doing, I believe, a seven-year time jump into the future. But we're not going to be teenagers anymore." Reinhart added "it'll be nice to play an adult. But I also really appreciate that Roberto [Aguirre-Sacasa] our showrunner was like, 'Yeah, let's revamp.' We're not just stuck in high school for seven seasons." Riverdale season 5 is set to arrive on the CW in January 2021.
Altered Carbon, a show that really wasn't very good, has been canceled after two seasons. The Netflix sci-fi series spanned thousands of years, and was notable for switching actors to play its lead character in season 2, with Anthony Mackie taking over for Joel Kinnaman (in the world of the show, people can upload their consciousness into new bodies, thus the actor switch). Per Deadline, the reason behind the cancelation "was made in April and is not COVID-related but stems from the streamer's standard viewership vs. cost renewal review process."
Supernatural, a show that feels like it's been on for 500 years, is finally coming to an end. Eventually. The final 7 episodes of the show start up on Thursday, October 8, and ahead of that, you can watch this teaser above, where "Sam and Dean have spent their lives on the road, battling supernatural threats that include everything from the demon that killed their mother to the usual vampires, ghosts, shape-shifters, angels and fallen gods rampaging over the land. They've come out on top with the help of allies, both human and supernatural, but every victory comes at a price." I watched the first three seasons or so of Supernatural, and mostly enjoyed it, but I eventually grew tired of it. I wasn't in the majority there, though, since the show lasted 13 seasons total, because fans couldn't get enough.
Not only is Quibi still around, but the streaming service devoted to short-form content is also renewing stuff! They just renewed Reno 911 for a new season. Reno 911 originated on Comedy Central, but Quibi revived it, and is now ready for even more. The comedy series "lets viewers ride shotgun with the courageous men and women of the Reno Sheriff's Department as they lay down the law and put it all on the line. The Reno 911! camera doesn't blink – and when danger is near, the Reno Sheriff's Department will be nearer."
Another series that's been renewed: Genndy Tartakovsky's animated Primal. The Adult Swim series is set in a prehistoric world and "follows a caveman who is "a formidable hunter at the dawn of evolution," and "a female Tyrannosaur on the brink of extinction, brought together by tragedy into an unlikely partnership as they fight to survive the violent creatures that also live in their world." Five new episodes arrive on October 4, and then a second season will follow.
Even though the coronavirus hasn't gone away, several halted productions are still headed back to work. Per TV Line, Lucifer, which halted production in March, is gearing up to return to work on September 24. First, the show needs to finish filming the 16th and final episode of Season 5. Then, they'll immediately move into shooting season 6, which is set to be the final season of the show that originally started on Fox before moving to Netflix.
Another Netflix show resuming production: Locke & Key. Deadline says the Netflix series adapted from the Joe Hill comic is set to resume shooting on September 21 at Cinespace Film Studios in Toronto, Canada. The show plans to film its second season from September through March 2021. Netflix renewed the series for a second season back in March of this year.
Showtime has renewed The Chi for season 4. The series, created by Lena Waithe, brings back Justin Hillian as showrunner. Regarding the renewal, Gary Levine, president of entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc., said:" Each season, The Chi's authentic storytelling resonates more deeply with its devoted and growing audiences. Lena Waithe, together with Justin Hillian, explore the joys and the heartbreak of life on the South Side in a way that is unique on television, and we relish the prospect of continuing that exploration with them." While Waithe added: "This show has definitely taken me on a journey. One of learning, healing and growth. I didn't know how this season would be received, but the level of engagement and enthusiasm from the fans has been fantastic."
Mike Tyson Mysteries, a show I didn't even realize was still one, has been canceled. The animated Adult Swim show lasted four seasons, but recently, show writer Larry Dorf said (via Coming Soon): "Mike Tyson Mysteries is not a show anymore. It's been canceled. ... It was very fun. It was a funny show, but it's all done." The series followed "the fictional misadventures of boxer/actor Mike Tyson, the ghost of the Marquess of Queensberry, Tyson's adopted daughter, and an alcoholic talking pigeon, as they solve mysteries around the world." Tyson voiced himself.
Showtime is ready to bring viewers into The Comedy Store. The documentary series "brings to life the legends, heartbreak and history created at The Comedy Store, which over the past 47 years has launched the careers of a breathtaking array of stars. As a Comedy Store alum, former stand-up comic Binder spotlights one of pop culture's great laboratories with never-before-seen footage and incisive, emotional interviews with some of the biggest names in comedy." The five-part docuseries premieres on October 4.