If it’s the week after Labor Day, then it must be time for a great new buzzworthy drama on FX. This year’s entry, the latest “American Crime Story” season, a scathing retelling of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinskyscandal called “Impeachment”, is already off a stellar start, garnering significant favorable social traction. As someone who visioned this … Read more
Since the 1950s the lives and livelihoods of thousands of media executives and tens of thousands of producers and actors have been dictated by the results derived from a small fraction of U.S. TV households, otherwise known as the Nielsen ratings panel. As this column has previously documented, the daily intensity of compiling, disseminating, spinning … Read more
And so it is written. The Mike Richards era of both hosting and stewardship of Jeopardy, as well as the EP role of Wheel of Fortune, didn’t even make it to September 2021. Sony executives, rapidly approaching the level of transparency and clarity of the Cuomo administration, gave in to the inevitable and announced that … Read more
Here’s what else youneedtoknowtoday. If like me you’re a devotee of The Daily, the Michael Barbaro-fronted weekday podcast from The New York Times, you know why the last five words are without separation. That phrase is the semi-colon between the podcast’s signature main story, an extended interview or series of sound bites that delves into … Read more
UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! Within hours of this writing Sony Pictures TV announced that Mike Richards informed his team that he will step down from the hosting chores, citing the distractions continuing would cause. As of now he is scheduled to continue as executive producer of the show as well as Wheel of Fortune. The calls … Read more
A report from The Week (https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/jeopardy-s-dual-hosting-plan-reportedly-came-about-because-mayim-bialik-was-too-busy-for-the-main-gig/ar-AANibW4?ocid=msedgntp )emerged this morning that Sony TV executives actually wanted Mayim Bialik as the new host if the daily version of Jeopardy!, citing focus group testing that confirmed that audiences thought her performance was best. This new tidbit emerged in light on the ongoing criticism of their choice of executive … Read more
Yet another sleepless night on the edge of Culver City. Thank goodness for Stephen Colbert, algorithms and the brilliant minds behind Paramount Plus’ (and, thankfully, You Tube’s) TOONING OUT THE NEWS. If you haven’t yet discovered this wonderful wormhole, imagine if your favorite cable news channel was taken over by animated cohorts and given some … Read more
So after an emotional and elongated search for who will succeed Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy! the decree has come down from top Sony TV execs that Mike Richards, the current executive producer of the series, will take over the daily syndicated series this fall and Amy Farrah Fowler herself, actress/neuroscientist Mayim Bialik … Read more
After a year’s delay and more snags than Totie Fields’ panty hose (Google it, anyone born after 1970), the 2020 Summer Olympics are history. Much has been written about the myraid problems and challenges these star-crossed Games have endured, from the staging without crowds to the mental anguish of numerous competitors to the complete or … Read more
In the world of reality television, no sub-genre has proliferated and endured more than dating shows. The latest innovative twist was dropped on Netflix on July 21. Sexy Beasts is a spirited reboot of a British series from a few years ago that breezily mashes up the WTF (that’s watch-the-f**k in Leblanguage)-ability of the 90s … Read more