TV News Roundup: Quibi Shares New ‘Reno 911!’ Trailer (Watch)

Eli Countryman
·4 min read

In today’s TV news roundup, Quibi revealed a new trailer for “Reno 911!,” and Amazon Prime Video announced the premiere date for “Utopia.”

DATES

Amazon Prime Video has announced a Sept. 25 premiere date for the new conspiracy thriller series, “Utopia.” The show follows the fans of a comic book series called “Utopia” that seems to have clues hidden inside that hint at and predict real-world dangers that threaten the fabric of humanity. Based on the British series of the same name, the Amazon version is written and executive produced by Gillian Flynn. Other executive producers for the show include Jessica Rhoades, Sharon Levy, Sharon Hall, Toby Haynes, Karen Wilson and Dennis Kelly. Watch a trailer below.

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FIRST LOOKS

Quibi has unveiled a new trailer for the next batch of episodes of “Reno 911!,” set to premiere Aug. 24. The 13 new episodes center around members of the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they get involved in sticky situations, from being hit with a taser to showing up to a burning marijuana dispensary. Episodes will be released each week day until Sept. 7 and feature guest stars including “Weird Al” Yankovic. The show is written by Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Thomas Lennon, who all also star. Garant and Lennon also serve as the show’s directors.

Netflix released a trailer for both of Felipe Esparza‘s upcoming standup specials, “Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions” and “Felipe Esparza: Malas Decisiones,” which will be made available on the platform starting Sept. 1. Esparza takes on some questionable moments from his past in the standup sets, using both anecdotes from adulthood and when he was a child. The specials are the first time Netflix will be uploading a standup special in two different languages on the same date. Watch the trailer for both versions below.

EXECUTIVE NEWS

Nickelodeon has appointed Zack Olin to the new position of senior vice president of live action, where he will work alongside Shauna Phelan, the senior vice president of live-action scripted content. He was previously Nickelodeon’s live-action development consultant and was also the vice president of creative development at ABC Studios before that. In his new position, Olin will be tasked with overseeing the scripted series, movies and specials produced by Nickelodeon. He will report to the president of ViacomCBS Kids and Family Entertainment, Brian Robbins.

ABC News announced today that Faith Abubéy, Elizabeth Schulze and Elwyn Lopez are joining the team as multi-platform reporters. Abubéy and Schulze will be based in Washington D.C., while Lopez becomes ABC News’ first multi-platform reporter based in Atlanta. Abuéy previously worked as an investigative reporter at WXIA in Atlanta, while Lopez worked as a general assignment reporter at the same station, where she reported in both English and Spanish. Schulze reported on economic and fiscal policies at CNBC and was the host of the digital series, “What’s Next.”

DEALS

Allen Media Group announced that its Allen Media Broadcasting division signed a purchasing agreement for SJL Broadcasting‘s KITV broadcast station for 30 million dollars. KITV-ABC 4, located in Hawaii, offers translated programming to cover all the islands under KHVO-ABC 13 in Hilo and KMAU-ABC 12 in Wailuku. The company, owned by Byron Allen, now operates or owns 16 separate stations and four digital cable networks. The group began acquiring broadcast assets in 2019 when Allen purchased Bayou City Broadcasting for $165 million. Allen has also owned The Weather Channel since 2018.

PODCASTS

“A.P. Bio: The Podcast,” a 10-episode series hosted by actors Eddie Leavy and Sari Arambulo, launched today, just ahead of the Sept. 3 new season premiere of “A.P. Bio” on Peacock. It is the streamer’s first-ever podcast series, and will cover everything from cast members’ audition experiences, character explanations and stories from filming. The series’ creator, Mike O’Brien, and other stars from the show will feature as guests on the podcast. After today’s premiere, new episodes will be available on Thursdays, starting on Aug. 27.

LATE NIGHT

Tonight, Stacey Abrams and Chloe x Halle will appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with guest host Kerry Washington, while Hugh Jackman, Lili Reinhart and Buju Banton will be on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Regina Spektor will be guests on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” and Russell Crowe, Patton Oswalt, the Lemon Twigs and Thomas Land will appear on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.”

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