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Color Theories by Julio Torres on HBO; Lifetime's Ripped from the Headlines Spring Slate with Two New Movies

The HBO Original comedy special Color Theories by Julio Torres, fresh off its off-Broadway run, debuts Friday, March 27 at 8:00pm ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

In his second HBO comedy special, Peabody-winner Julio Torres (HBO's Fantasmas and Los Espookys) presents a helpful guide to understanding the world through his playful interpretations of colors. Taking the stage in New York City as an expert on the inherent traits of particular colors, Julio explores the nuances of rule-based navy blue to the rage of red through hilarious observations from his life and culture at large. Blending stand-up with other media, this unique comedy special invites us to see the people, places and things around us through Julio's kaleidoscopic lens.

Julio Torres is an award-winning Brooklyn-based writer, director, and comedian from El Salvador. His work on Saturday Night Live earned four Emmy(R) nominations and received wide acclaim. His first solo hour, My Favorite Shapes by Julio Torres, received rave reviews and was released as an HBO comedy special in 2019. Torres co-created and starred in both of HBO's Peabody Award-winning series Los Espookys, alongside Fred Armisen and Ana Fabrega, as well as Fantasmas, which he also wrote and directed.

Coming off the heels of its successful Ripped from the Headlines winter slate, Lifetime sets two all new movies for Spring. Leading into Easter, Rescued By Faith: The Connie and Larry Van Oosten Story premieres Saturday, April 4 at 8/7c and stars Nancy Travis (Last Man Standing), Mike Pniewski (Madam Secretary), and Jake Allyn (Someone Like You). Based on a true story of an Illinois couple abducted from their home by a masked intruder and imprisoned in a hidden underground bunker with only their faith to keep them going.

Later this May Lifetime will also debut Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Carelli Story, premiering Saturday, May 2 at 8/7c. Based on Ann Rule's non-fiction story The Painter's Wife, the movie stars Stana Katic (Castle, Absentia) in a high stakes thriller following a mother forced into a desperate fight for survival after an escaped convict takes her hostage and compels her to drive his getaway car. Both movies are written and executive produced by Conor Allyn and Benjamin Anderson, the key creative forces behind Lifetime's successful Ann Rule adaptations, known for crafting suspenseful, emotionally resonant films that bring her iconic true-crime stories to life.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Castle, Fantasmas, HBO, Last Man Standing, Lifetime, Los Espookys, Saturday Night Live

HBO Premieres New Comedy Series on June 7; The CW Renews Wild Cards

The HBO Original comedy series Fantasmas, created, directed by and starring Julio Torres (Problemista and HBO's Los Espookys), debuts Friday, June 7 (11:00–11:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly. Writer, director, and comedian Julio Torres spins a fantastical six-part tale of when he lost a gold oyster earring. In his search to find the precious object, Julio reflects on the offbeat characters he encounters in introspective, often eerie, and always comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City. A kaleidoscope of color and surrealism, Fantasmas weaves together stories of people looking for meaning, purpose, and connection in an increasingly isolating world.

Stars Julio Torres as Julio, Martine Gutierrez as Vanesja, Tomas Matos as Chester and Joe Rumrill as the voice of Bibo. Nearly two dozen guest stars will make special appearances throughout the series' six episodes, including Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano, Julia Fox, Alexa Demie, Emma Stone, Aidy Bryant, Bowen Yang, Kim Petras, Ziwe and more.

The CW Network, in partnership with CBC, announced it has renewed the hit series Wild Cards for an expanded 13-episode second season. The procedural starring Vanessa Morgan (Riverdale) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Grey's Anatomy) is the network’s #1 new series in 2024 in total audience viewing, according to Nielsen. Season 2 of Wild Cards will debut on The CW in the U.S. and CBC in Canada in 2025. The series is a crime-solving procedural with a comedic twist that follows the unlikely duo of a by-the-book, sardonic cop Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti), and a spirited, clever con woman Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan). They are partnered together, and each uses their unique skills to solve crimes. For Ellis, that means hard-boiled shoe leather police work; for Max, it means accents, disguises, schemes and generally befriending everyone in sight, while driving Ellis absolutely nuts. Season 1’s cliffhanger found Ellis about to arrest Max for her heist of a 33 million dollar jewel, but his feelings of betrayal are sidelined by a bombshell revelation from Max; she’s learned the identity of his brother’s murderer. Season 2 raises the stakes for our duo both in terms of the cases they’re tasked to solve in each episode and their feelings for each other.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Fantasmas, HBO, The CW

Ty Burrell Has Roku and ABC Sitcoms in the Works; HBO Comedy Fantasmas Premieres in June

Roku, America's #1 TV streaming platform, announced the greenlight of the new scripted comedy series Tightrope! starring Emmy and SAG Award-winning actor Ty Burrell and executive produced by Bryan Cranston. Through reimagined dialogue and a new lead actor in Ty Burrell, Tightrope! reshapes the drama of the vintage 1950s series into a slapstick comedy, where Burrell plays a lone wolf detective following cases city to city, while he searches for his long-lost love who got away. Tightrope! will be produced by Moonshot Entertainment, Desert Whale Productions, and Village Roadshow Televison. Bryan Cranston and James Degus will serve as executive producers for Moonshot Entertainment. Ty Burrell will executive produce for Desert Whale Productions. Adam Small and Fax Bahr will also executive produce and direct the series. The series will be overseen by Morgan Pichinson on behalf of Roku Originals.

Ty Burrell's Desert Whale Productions launched in May 2020, focusing on developing and producing half-hour comedies from emerging and underrepresented voices. Desert Whale is currently in pre-production on its ABC multi-cam pilot Forgive & Forget, starring Ty Burrell. Desert Whale has projects in the pipeline including The Good Life, a scripted podcast for Audible with Broadway Video, amongst much other early development.

The HBO Original comedy series Fantasmas, created, directed, written and starring Julio Torres (Problemista, HBO's Los Espookys), debuts this June on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the six-episode season will debut weekly. In Fantasmas, Julio Torres tells the tale of when he lost a golden oyster. The people he encounters as he searches for it and the musings he has become points of departure for little films along the way, as Torres navigates weaving in and out of these introspective, often eerie comedic stories.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: ABC, Fantasmas, Forgive & Forget, HBO, Roku, Tightropes!