TV News Roundup: ‘Genius: Aretha’ Adds Malcolm Barrett, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Three More

BreAnna Bell

Click here to read the full article.

In today’s roundup, National Geographic announced the ensemble cast joining “Genius: Aretha” and Comedy Central has ordered eight episodes of Bobby Moynihan’s digital series “Loafy.”

CASTING

More from Variety

Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless, “Preacher”), Patrice Covington (“The Color Purple”), Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Vice Principals”), Rebecca Naomi Jones (“The Big Sick”), Sanai Victoria (“Black-ish”) have been cast alongside Cynthia Erivo in National Geographic’s “Genius: Aretha.” Also, Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA TV award-winner Anthony Hemingway joined the anthology series as executive producer and pilot director.

Quinn Copeland, Lauren Donzis, Oliver De Los Santos and Noah Cottrell have been cast as series regulars in Peacock’s “Punky Brewster” pilot. From UCP and Universal Television, the multi-camera/hybrid continuation of the ’80s sitcom follows Punky (Soleil Moon Frye), now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets Izzy (Copeland), a young girl who reminds her a lot of her younger self.

RENEWALS

Comedy Central ordered another eight-episode season for Stoopid Buddy Stoodios‘ “Blark and Son.“ New episodes will premiere across all of Comedy Central’s digital and social platforms in 2020.

GREENLIGHTS

Quibi has commissioned a new comedy game show entitled “NICE ONE!” Hosted by Ron Funches, the show pits comedians head-to-head as they compete to out-compliment one another. The series is executive produced by Tom Brunelle and Brad Wollack of Free 90 Media, Evi Regev, Melanie Truhett and Funches.

Comedy Central has ordered eight short-form episodes of “Saturday Night Live” alum Bobby Moynihan’s digital series “Loafy.“ The animated series follows a weed dealing manatee who runs a drug empire from his water tank at the Center Park Zoo. The show will launch in 2020.

DATES

ION is celebrating the holiday season this year with six new titles and some returning favorites beginning Dec. 1 with “A Christmas Princess” starring Shein Mompremier, Travis Burns, Galyn Görg, Chef Stuart O’Keeffe, Erin Gray. Other new titles include “Christmas Matchmakers,” starring Vivica A. Fox, Anna Marie Dobbins, Andrew Philip Rogers, Tracy Nelson and Dorian Gregory, which premieres Dec. 8; “Best Christmas Ball Ever!” starring Elisabeth Harnois, Samuel Hunt, Christian Oliver, Thomas Kraml andJulia Dietze, premiering Dec. 14; “A Beauty & The Beast Christmas,” starring Leah Pipes, Ryan Kelley, Rob Raco, GloZell Green, Willam Belli, Carrie Keagan and Donna Mills and premiering Dec. 15; “12 Pups of Christmas” starring Charlotte Sullivan, Donny Boaz, Philip Boyd and Jen Nikolaisen, premiering Dec. 21; and “Christmas Crush” starring Cindy Sampson, Robin Dunne and Chris Violette, premiering Dec. 22.

PROGRAMMING

The newly-rebooted Court TV launched today (Oct. 28) on major market TV stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Seattle-Tacoma, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Denver, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Portland, Indianapolis, San Diego, Kansas City, Hartford-New Haven, Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, New Orleans and Des Moines-Ames. Court TV runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is available to be seen on cable. The new launches will drive the network’s broadcast penetration to nearly 90% of the country and approximately 40% on cable.

EXECUTIVE NEWS

Errol Barnett has been named as a national correspondent for CBS News. Beginning effective immediately, Barnett will continue to report for all CBS News broadcasts and platforms, including “CBS This Morning,” the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” and “CBSN.” He joined CBS News in 2016 as a Washington-based correspondent, covering the White House beat on weekends, and the rest of the country weekdays.

 

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.