TV News Roundup: PBS NewsHour Announces Coronavirus Special
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In today’s TV news roundup, PBS NewsHour announced a special focusing on the coronavirus pandemic, and Netflix unveiled cast members and key art for its upcoming adaptation of “The Baby-Sitters Club.”
CASTING
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“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” has announced additional casting for its second season. The Disney Plus original series has added Roman Banks (Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen”) and Olivia Rose Keegan (“Days of Our Lives”) in recurring roles. Banks will play Howie, a brainy junior that works at a pizza shop. Keegan will play Lily, an energetic freshman whose sweetness masks her highly competitive nature. The series is executive produced by Tim Federle. The second season is set to premiere later this year.
Netflix has announced cast members for its new series “The Baby-Sitters Club,” based off the best-selling book series of the same name. Sophie Grace will play Kristy Thomas; Malia Baker is Mary Anne Spier; Momona Tamada portrays Claudia Kishi; Shay Rudolph was cast as Stacey McGill and Xochitl Gomez steps into the role of Dawn Schafer. These young actors join previously announced cast members Alicia Silverstone and Mark Feuerstein. Rachel Shukert serves as showrunner and Lucia Aniello serves as executive producer and director. See the key art for the series below.
DATES
The Smithsonian Channel’s digital platforms will debut the first episode of “Last Call for the Bayou” on April 10 to stream for free. The five-episode series will also be available on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram as well as the Smithsonian Channel website. The short-form series tells five stories about Louisiana’s disappearing delta and the lives of those experiencing catastrophic changes first-hand. The series is produced by Encompass Films and directed by Dominic Gill and produced by Nadia Gill.
SPECIALS
PBS will air an hour-long special regarding the coronavirus pandemic. “Confronting Coronavirus: A PBS NewsHour Special” will air on March 19 at 5 p.m. PT. The special will focus on health precautions for individuals and the public-at-large as well as the pandemic’s economic impact. It will be anchored by managing editor Judy Woodruff and will include interviews with officials, reporting from NewsHour’s special correspondents and a virtual town hall moderated by NewsHour correspondents Amna Nawaz and William Brangham.
Pop TV will debut a special following the finale of “Schitt’s Creek,” offering an inside look at the sixth and final season. “Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell” will debut on April 7 at 8:30 p.m, right after the series finale, which will be simulcast across Pop TV, Comedy Central and Logo at 8 p.m.
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