TV News Roundup: Netflix Releases ‘Lady Dynamite’ Season 2 Trailer, Showtime Announces ‘The Chi’ Premiere Date
In today’s roundup, Netflix releases a new trailer for “Lady Dynamite” Season 2, Showtime announces the premiere date of Lena Waithe’s new drama “The Chi,” and more.
TRAILERS
Netflix has released a new trailer for Season 2 of its original comedy “Lady Dynamite” from Maria Bamford. Special guest stars Andy Samberg, Judy Greer, Judd Apatow, Jenny Slate, Fred Armisen, David Spade, Jason Mantzoukas and Weird Al Yankovic will join the show that sees Bamford exploring love and pugs during the second season, which will premiere Friday, Nov. 10.
PREMIERE DATES
Showtime will premiere its new drama series “The Chi” on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, at 10 p.m. Created and executive produced by Emmy winner Lena Waithe, “The Chi” will explore the humanity of Chicago’s South Side. Common and Elwood Reid also serve as executive producers. The show, produced entirely in Chicago, will tell the coming-of-age story of a group of residents “who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.” View a first look at the series below.
Freeform announced the premiere dates for two new comedies, “Grown-ish” and “Alone Together.” On Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, the half-hour “Grown-ish,” Yara Shahidi’s “Black-ish” spinoff, will kick off with a special two-episode premiere. “Alone Together,” starring stand-up comedians Esther Povitsky and Benji Alflalo, will premiere the following Wednesday, Jan. 10. “Alone Together” has also already been picked up for a second season ahead of its series premiere. The network also announced an expanded lineup for 2018 with four branded nights of original programming. Monday nights will be dedicated to unscripted originals; Tuesday nights will be dedicated to original dramas; Wednesday nights will be for original comedy; and Thursday nights will consist of genre programming beginning Jan. 18 with the season premiere of “Beyond.”
Stage 13, part of Warner Bros. Digital Networks, has announced launch dates for its first three series. “Independent,“ set to premiere Oct. 19, is an unscripted series following independent hip hop artists Futuristic, Reverie, Sean Brown and Trinidad James as they hustle without ties to any major labels. “Lipstick Empire,” which will premiere Oct. 24, is an unscripted series revolving around Lora Arellano and Dana Bomar, co-founders and CEOs of Melt Cosmetics. “I Love Bekka & Lucy,” set to premiere Nov. 7, stars Jessica Kennedy and Tanisha Long as Bekka and Lucy, respectively, two best friends whose relationship transforms when one of them gets engaged.
“American Chopper” will return to the Discovery Channel for its new season in winter 2018. Motorcycle builders Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. will return to regain their place atop the high-pressure world of customized bike building as they attempt to repair their damaged relationship.
CASTING
Mark Ruffalo is attached to star in an HBO limited series based on the Wally Lamb novel “I Know This Much Is True.” The series is described as is an “epic family saga that explores the American identity following the parallel lives of twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey throughout the latter half of the 20th century.” Ruffalo will play both brothers in addition to executive producing. Lamb will also executive produce, with FilmNation Entertainment’s Ben Browning and Glen Basner also executive producing. Deadline first reported this news
Allison King has been cast on Syfy‘s “Superstition.” She will portray Colonel Eileen Donovan, “the Post Commander at Fort Bridges” who “initially dismisses the notion that something other-worldly is happening on her base” but eventually shares that she herself had witnessed a supernatural occurrence as a recruit – but as a woman, “the last thing she was going to do was tell her male superiors about it,” according to the casting announcement. King has also booked a guest starring role on CBS’ medical drama “Code Black.”
YouTube Red revealed the casting of “Youth & Consequences,” its new eight-episode teen dramedy from The Mark Gordon Company. Anna Akana, Sean Grandillo, Katie Sarife, Kara Royster, Sophie Reynolds, Piper Curda and Savannah Jayde will star as series regulars, while Marcia Cross and Cary Elwes are set to guest star. The series will reflect the drama of Central Rochester High School through the perspective of popular student Farrah Cutney (Akana). Cross will appear in a recurring role as Principal Cowher, while Elwes will play Joel Cutney.
The upcoming DC live-action superhero show “Titans” announced that Ryan Potter has been cast as teenage shapeshifter Beast Boy. The show is set to premiere in 2018 as a part of a new DC direct-to-consumer digital service. Potter’s character, Garfield “Gar” Logan, contracted the lethal disease, Sakutia, while on an African expedition with his geneticist parents. Treated with an experimental drug, Gar survived but not without developing some bizarre side effects. Along with skin and hair turning permanently green, the wisecracking, fun-loving Beast Boy is able to reshape himself into any animal of any size he can imagine.
INITATIVES
CBS announced participants for the 2017-2018 Directors Initiative, which is now in its 14th year and provides a platform for experienced directors to gain new access to showrunners, executives, managers and agents, as well as the opportunity to shadow CBS shows throughout the year. This year’s participants are Jennifer Derwingson, Kevin Berlandi, Maria Burton, A. Laura James and Paige Morrow Kimball.
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