Thursday, April 20, 2017
Freeform 2017 Upfront; Netflix Will Arnett Comedy Returns June 2
At Freeform's upfront presentation opened by Iliza Shlesinger (Truth & Iliza) held in New York yesterday, The Walt Disney Company's millennial-focused television network announced a bold and robust programming lineup built around top talent, premium original content and prominent Disney properties including Marvel, ABC Studios and Disney theme parks. Coming in early 2018 is Alone Together, a half-hour, single-camera comedy starring Esther Povitsky (Lady Dynamite) and Benji Aflalo (Not Safe with Nikki Glaser). Esther and Benji are platonic best friends who want nothing more than to be accepted by the vain and status-obsessed culture of Los Angeles. Next up, Marvel's Cloak & Dagger is the story of Tandy Bowen (Olivia Holt) and Tyrone Johnson (Aubrey Joseph) – two teenagers from very different backgrounds, who find themselves burdened and awakened to newly acquired superpowers which are mysteriously linked to one another. Tandy can emit light daggers and Tyrone has the ability to engulf others in darkness. They quickly learn they are better together than apart, but their feelings for each other make their already complicated world even more challenging. The network has ordered 10 one-hour episodes slated to debut early 2018.
Coming in summer 2018 is new drama Siren takes us inside Bristol Cove--a coastal town known for its legend of once being home to mermaids. When the arrival of a mysterious girl proves this folklore all too true, the battle between man and sea takes a very vicious turn as these predatory beings return to reclaim their right to the ocean. The series stars Alex Roe (The 5th Wave) as Ben, a bright marine biologist who finds himself drawn to Ryn, a mysterious new girl in town played by Eline Powell (Game of Thrones), who is a strange young woman with a deep dark secret. Fola Evans-Akingbola (An American Exorcism) stars as Maddie, also a marine biologist who works with Ben, and is highly suspicious of Ryn. Ian Verdun (Life's a Drag) stars as Xander, a deep sea fisherman on a quest to uncover the truth; and Rena Owen (Star Wars Episodes II and III) as Helen, the town eccentric who seems to know more about the mermaids than she lets on. Moving on, Marvel's New Warriors is a new comedic live-action adaptation of the popular Marvel comic featuring young adult heroes. This marks Marvel's first foray into comedy for a television series. The comedy is about six young people with powers living and working together. With powers and abilities on the opposite end of the spectrum of The Avengers, the New Warriors want to make a difference in the world ... even if the world isn't ready. Not quite super, not yet heroes, the series is about that time in your life when you first enter adulthood and feel like you can do everything and nothing at once – except in this world, bad guys can be as terrifying as bad dates. The network has ordered ten 30-minute episodes slated to debut in 2018.
Among the other items of note is a Christmas movie starring Tyra Banks called Life-Size 2 and new drama The Bold Type will have a special two-hour premiere on Tuesday, July 11, at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The series stars Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy, Sam Page, Matt Ward and Melora Hardin.
Backpedaling just got harder...Flaked is back! In this season of Flaked, Chip can't get out of his own way. Find out how his love interest, bromance, recovery and lies come to fruition on June 2 only on Netflix. In the new season of Flaked, Chip returns to Venice after a short exile and finds that he is no longer welcome. People have not forgotten that he sold out the local community. And for what... ? Chip's lost everything: his store, his friends, his reputation, his bicycle... he doesn't even have a guest house to live in. All he's got left is London, and she's beginning to look elsewhere - spiritually, if not physically.
Chip starts to claw his way back into the affections of the community, first asking Dennis to be his sponsor, then helping his friend in a new business venture, and even doing an honest day's work... But the lies are never too far behind, and just when it looks as though he's won back his friend and stabilized his relationship, everything splinters again and he slips back into the bottle... It becomes clear that he needs to make a choice: his best friend or the love of his life. Lies or sobriety. Flaked is created by Will Arnett and Mark Chappell and executive produced by Arnett, Chappell, Ben Silverman, Peter Principato, and Mitch Hurwitz. The series stars Will Arnett ("Chip"), David Sullivan ("Dennis"), Ruth Kearney ("London"), George Basil ("Cooler") and Lenora Crichlow ("Rosa").
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, April 23
Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Dreams" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When George's vivid dreams reveal he has feelings for Rosie, he avoids sleeping and gets distracted at work; when Chance tests at a genius-level IQ, Mayan and Quinten fear that they're a couple of dum-dums.
Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Lisa" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mayan worries when George gets into a hairy situation dating a hot hairdresser; Josué gets locked into a competition with the other man in Rosie's life: her grandson, Chance.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)
Tuesday, April 23
- Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Catch Wanda on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Gabriel Iglesias (Mr. Iglesias/Cristela) - Gabriel appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Esther Povitsky (Dollface/Alone Together) - Esther appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Hannah Waddingham (Krapopolis/Ted Lasso) - Hannah is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) and Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) - Drew and Thomas are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers/Frasier) - Bebe will be on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
- Zendaya (K.C. Undercover/Shake It Up) - Zendaya will be on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Gina Rodriguez (Not Dead Yet) - Gina talks about ABC's Dead to Me on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Jennifer talks about the new season of Chucky on USA & SYFY Networks on Sherri, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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