Wednesday, January 15, 2020
ON THIS DAY
“Happy Days,” which was first introduced on a segment on “Love, American Style,” debuted on ABC in 1974. It ran for 10 and one-half seasons and it spun-off “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy” and the anemic “Joanie Loves Chachi” and “Blansky’s Beauties”…”Hill Street Blues,” which won a record eight Emmy Awards in season one (and 26 in total), began a six and one-half season run on NBC in 1981…
Celebrity birthdays: Actor Chad Lowe (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 51; Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) is 48; rapper Pitbull is 38.
Did You Know?:
Nancy Walker as Nancy Blansky, Howard Cunningham’s (Tom Bosley) cousin, was introduced on an episode of “Happy Days,“ then set in the 1950s. But when spin-off “Blansky’s Beauties” was introduced one week later, suddenly it was present day 1977.
RATINGS BOX
Live+7 Weekly Ratings – Week of 12/30/19: Click here
Live+Same Day Data
Monday 1/13/20: Click here
Source: Nielsen Media Research
NEW PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS
The CW Orders “Superman & Lois” and “Walker, Texas Ranger” Reboot
The CW has greenlit two new series for 2020-21: “Superman & Lois,” starring “Supergirl’s” Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as the famed couple; and a new version of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” headlined by “Supernatural’s” Jared Padalecki. The original “Walker, Texas Ranger,” starring Chuck Norris, aired from 1993 to 2001.
This time, “Walker” will have a female partner and will explore morality, family, and rediscovering our lost common ground. It centers on Cordell Walker (Padalecki), a widower and father of two with his own moral code, who returns home to Austin after being undercover for two years, only to discover there is harder work to be done at home. He will attempt to reconnect with his children, navigate clashes with his conservative family, and find unexpected common ground with his new partner (one of the first women in Texas Rangers’ history), while growing increasingly suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.
“Superman & Lois,” meanwhile, will follow the iconic characters as they deal with stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society. It is produced by Greg Berlanti and written by former “The Flash” showrunner Todd Helbing.
Amazon Studios Greenlights Drama “Jack Reacher”
Amazon Studios has ordered “Jack Reacher,” a drama based on the character from Lee Child’s international bestselling series of books, which is published in 49 languages and 101 territories and has sold 100 million books to date. Produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Television and Paramount Television Studios, the television series will be written by Nick Santora (“Scorpion,” “Prison Break”), who will also executive produce and serve as showrunner for the series. The first season will be based on the first Jack Reacher novel, “The Killing Floor.”
In addition to Santora, the series will be executive produced by Lee Child, Don Granger, Scott Sullivan and Christopher McQuarrie, with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Marcy Ross executive producing for Skydance. Carolyn Harris oversees the series for Skydance.
Amazon Studios Orders Tracy Oliver Comedy
Amazon Studios announced that Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson and Shoniqua Shandai will star in the Untitled Tracy Oliver Project. The half-hour comedy series from Tracy Oliver (“Girls Trip”), Universal Television, and Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
The series will follow the lives of four black women – friends from their college days at NYU – as they navigate sex, relationships and chasing their dreams. Meagan Good (“Think Like A Man,” “Star“) will portray Camille, a stylish, sunny professor of anthropology course “Sex and Love” at Columbia University. Grace Byers (“Empire“) will portray Quinn, an optimistic, creative, and romantic talented fashion designer. Shoniqua Shandai will portray Angie, a smart, filter-free party, aspiring singer, who never met an impulse she did not follow and is living with Quinn rent-free. And Jerrie Johnson portrays Tye, an alpha, fierce, queer successful app developer who prefers keeping vulnerability and feelings at arm’s length, causing her to date women who are not always her intellectual equal.
Tracy Oliver is the creator, writer, and executive producer of the series, along with executive producers Amy Poehler, Dave Becky, and Kim Lessing. Grammy award-winning Pharrell Williams and Mimi Valdés (“Hidden Figures“) also serve as executive producers from I am OTHER. The series is produced by Amazon Studios and Universal Television, in association with Paper Kite Productions.
SERIES RENEWALS AND CANCELLATIONS
Comedy Central Renews “Nora From Queens” for Season Two
Comedy Central has announced a season two pickup for ” Awkwafina is Nora From Queens,” ahead of its series premiere on Wednesday, January 22 at 10:30pm ET. Golden Globe winner Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians”) stars in the half-hour scripted comedy inspired by her real-life growing up in Queens, NY. Raised by her Dad (BD Wong) and Grandma (Lori Tan Chinn) alongside her cousin (Bowen Yang), Nora Lin leans on her family as she navigates life and young adulthood in outer borough-NYC. Watch the season one trailer here.
“Awkwafina is Nora From Queens” is executive produced by Nora Lum, Karey Dornetto, Lucia Aniello, Teresa Hsiao, Peter Principato and Itay Reiss of Artists First. Sarah Babineau and Rachel Olson are the Executives in Charge of Production for Comedy Central.
TV UPDATES
Comedy Central Extends Deal with John Tosh
Comedy Central has announced an overall deal with Daniel Tosh that includes a four-season, 80-episode extension for “Tosh.O,” as well as a first-look deal for new scripted and unscripted development to potentially feature Tosh on camera, as well as vehicles for other talent. In addition, Comedy Central will launch a dedicated “Tosh.O” channel on YouTube in early 2020 and today launched a “Tosh.O” channel on streaming platform Pluto TV.
“The Joker” Leads the Academy Awards Nominations – Click here
Play the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards Pick’Em Game The Original “Dynasty” on ABC Turns 39 – Click here
With the “26th Screen Actors Guild Award” taking place Sunday, January 19, 2020 on TBS abd TNT, here is your chance to predict who will win via the Programming Insider Screen Actors Guild Awards Pick’Em Game! To participate, click here
SPORTS
2019-20 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championships and Pro Bowl TV and Announcer Schedule
2019-20 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championships and Pro Bowl TV and Announcer Schedule – Click here
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Fashion competition series “Making the Cut,“ hosted and executive produced by Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, will premiere on Prime Video on Friday March 27, 2020. The 10-episode fashion competition series, which brings together a diverse group of 12 talented entrepreneurs and designers, will premiere two new episodes each week, culminating in the finale on April 24.
ON THE AIR TONIGHT
Series premieres: “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” on Netflix; “68 Whiskey” on Paramount; “Listing Impossible” on CNBC…Season premieres: “Grace & Frankie” on Netflix; “In Pursuit with John Walsh” on ID; “The Magicians” on Syfy…“The Circle” concludes for the season on Netflix…For the listing of available programs for Wednesday, January 15 click here
