BravoCon Tickets Will Go On Sale Beginning July 21 (TV News Roundup)
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Calling all Bravoholics! Fans will be able to purchase three-day tickets for the upcoming BravoCon beginning Friday, July 21 at 12 p.m. ET/ 9 a.m. PT, NBCU announced on Thursday.
Fans who decide to purchase tickets on July 21, will have the choice between the three-day “Bravoholic” general admission and “Future Bravolebrity” VIP tickets for the Las Vegas event.
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The annual convention will relocate for the 2023 event and take place from Nov. 3-5 at Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip. Fans will have the opportunity to attend over 60 live events that will host their favorite cast members, from several Bravo franchises including “The Real Housewives,” “Vanderpump Rules,” “Below Deck,” “Southern Charm,” “Summer House” and “Winter House.” In between attending live events, fans will have the opportunity to shop around the Bravo Bazaar, attend VIP talent meet and greets and participate in immersive activations.
In addition to panels with the casts, fans could attend one of the five tapings of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.” Tickets are sold separately and will be announced at a later date.
Tickets will be available on BravoCon2023.com.
In other TV roundup news:
FIRST LOOKS
What time is it? It’s “High School Musical: The Musical: the Series” Season 4 time. Disney+ has released the trailer for the final season of the series, which stars Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and Lucas Grabeel from the original “High School Musical” franchise films.
According to the official synopsis, Season 4 “will see the Wildcats returning to East High, where they prepare a stage production of ‘High School Musical 3: Senior Year.’ But, in a meta twist signature to the series, plans are disrupted when Disney announces that the long-awaited ‘High School Musical 4: The Reunion’ movie will shoot on location at their beloved high school.”
Additional original cast members include Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed and Kaycee Stroh. The ensemble cast of new Wildcats stars Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Dara Reneé, Julia Lester, Frankie Rodriguez, Kate Reinders and Liamani Segura. Season 4 is set to premiere on August 9 on Disney+.
Watch the trailer below.
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The trailer for MGM+ original historic fiction series “The Winter King” is here. Based on Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles series, the show is a revisionists retelling of Arthurian tales, starring Lain De Caestecker as Arthus Pengragon, Eddie Marsan as High King Uther and Ellie James as Nimue. The series is set to premiere August 20 at 9 p.m. on MGM+.
According to the official synopsis, “’The Winter King’ is set in the fifth century, long before Britain was united, in a brutal land of warring factions and tribes, where lives were often fleeting. The series follows Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader.”
Also starring in the series is Nathaniel Martello-White as Merlin, Stuart Campbell as Derfel, Daniel Ings as Owain, Valene Kane as Morgan, Jordan Alexandra as Guinevere and Simon Merrells as Gundleus. “The Winter King” was adapted by Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore who serve as series EPs alongside Julie Gardner, Lachlan MacKinnon, Jane Tranter, Sherry Marsh, Shelley & Kenneth L. Browning. The series is procuced by Catrin Lewis Defis for Bad Wolf.
Watch “The Winter King” trailer below.
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Netflix has debuted the first official trailer for its upcoming limited series “Painkiller,” which is set to debut on Aug. 10.
“Painkiller” spotlights “the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims and truth-seekers” who have been impacted by the development of OxyContin. The series is a fictionalized retelling based on the Barry Meier book of the same name and the New Yorker Magazine article “The Family That Built anthe Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe.
“Everyone knows that the opioid crisis is bad,” said director Pete Berg. “But this is the origin story of the collision between medicine and money that allowed it to happen.”
The series stars Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi, West Duchovny and John Rothman. “Painkiller” is executive produced by Eric Newman, Pete Berg, Alex Gibney and showrunners/creators Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster while Berg directed.
Watch the official trailer below.
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Apple TV+’s new eight-part drama series “The Changeling” is set to make its debut on Friday, Sept. 8, the streamer announced Tuesday.
Starring and executive produced by LaKeith Stanfield, “The Changeling” is inspired by the best-selling book of the same name by Victor LaValle, referred to as a “fairytale for grown-ups” pegged as “a horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey” set in New York City.
Upon its release, the first three episodes will be available for streaming on Apple TV+ followed by one episode weekly through Oct. 13. Alongside Stanfield, the series stars Clark Backo, Adina Porter, Samuel T. Herring, Alexis Louder, Jared Abrahamson and special guest star Malcolm Barrett.
“The Changeling” is written and adapted by showrunner and executive producer Kelly Marcel. The pilot episode was directed by Melina Matsoukas. Patrick Chu and Ali Krug serve as executive producers alongside Stanfield, LaValle, Matsoukas, David Knoller and director Jonathan van Tulleken. Sue Naegle and David Wolkis also serve as executive producers with Khaliah Neal as co-executive producer.
See the first-look image below.
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Issa Rae’s “Rap Sh!t” returns for its second season on Aug. 10 and Max has released the first official trailer. The series will debut with the first two episodes, and follow up with one new episode each week until the Sept. 21 finale.
“‘Rap Sh!t’ follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna and Mia, who reunite to form a rap group. In their rise to fame, Shawna and Mia find themselves at a pivotal moment in their rap career as they are forced to decide if they will stay true to themselves or conform to the music industry’s demands,” per the official logline.
The series stars Aida Osman as Shawna, KaMillion as Mia, Jonica Booth as Chastity, RJ Cyler as Lamont and Daniel Augustin as Maurice. Rae executive produces the series alongside Montrel McKay, Jonathan Berry, Dave Becky, Jim Kleverweis and showrunner Syreeta Singleton. Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, with Kevin “Coach K” Lee, Pierre “P” Thomas, Sara Rastogi and Jax Clark.
Watch the trailer below.
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Zoe Saldaña, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly and Nicole Kidman star in the new trailer for “Special Ops: Lioness,” the upcoming Paramount+ original thriller spy series. The first two episodes of the show are set to premiere on July 23.
According to the official synopsis, “’Special Ops: Lioness,’ inspired by an actual U.S. military program, follows the life of Joe (Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA’s spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Kelly), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA’s efforts to thwart the next 9/11.”
The series also stars Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur and Hannah Love Lanier. It is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Saldaña, Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Malone and John Hillcoat.
Watch the trailer below.
GREENLIGHTS
Bravo has officially greenlit a second season of its new series “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard,” the network announced Tuesday.
“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” follows a group of best friends as they embark on a summer getaway to Martha’s Vineyard. Per the show’s official logline, “with beach parties, decadent dinners, and summer hookups, both fun and drama are in store for these young Black professionals and entrepreneurs.”
The series now stands as Bravo’s #1 most-watched new series in Peacock history. Production for Season 2 will kick off later this summer.
Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Lorraine Haughton-Lawson, Ronica Wynder and Shanae Humphrey serve as executive producers as the series is produced by Truly Original.
CASTING
Relationship and intimacy expert Shan Boodram is set to host Roku’s “The Marriage Pact,” an experimental series that follows single friends who agreed to get married if still single at a certain age. The eight-episode series follows five separate couples on their marriage pact journeys to see if their “back-up plans” were really meant to be.
“Shan is the perfect host and expert for this series,” said Jessica Sebastian-Dayeh, president of Maven. Boodram is the host of podcast “Lovers and Friends” and television series “Sexology With Shan Boodram.” “It’s such a relatable concept where all the years of wondering ‘what if’ with someone you know will finally be answered. Love and commitment between friends comes with a lot to gain, but also a lot to lose.”
“The Marriage Pact” will premiere on August 4 on the Roku Channel. The series is produced by Maven, a Boat Rocker company. Sebastian-Dayeh, Peter Scalettar and Jessica Nahmias serve as executive producers. Kimberly Goodman serves as showrunner.
SPECIALS
Disney Channel is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new nostalgia spot to bring back characters, stories and moments from Disney Channel’s past. The spot will feature clips and memories from “Camp Rock,” ”Cheetah Girls,” “Hannah Montana,” “High School Musical,” “Lizzie McGuire,” “That’s So Raven” and other Disney originals.
“We hear often from parents who say they feel like they grew up alongside our characters, and now have the tremendous joy of watching their own children do the same,” said Pamela Levine, head of marketing, Disney Branded Television and National Geographic. “Having that kind of impact is such an honor.”
The spot will be integrated into all Disney linear and digital platforms including Disney Channel, Disney Junior and DisneyXD, and will roll out across national broadcasts and in theaters starting July 14.
Take a look at the new Disney spot below.
AWARDS
The Hollywood Critics Association announced its list of nominees for the 2023 HCA TV Awards on Tuesday.
Among the nominees, Netflix leads with 56 nominations. That includes nods for “Beef” and “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” in the Best Streaming Limited Series categories.
HBO led the cable categories with 53 nominations, including several nominations in multiple categories for titles such as “The Last of Us,” “Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “White House Plumbers.” Broadcast Network categories were led by ABC with 44 nominations.
Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” and Prime Video’s “The Boys” amassed the most series nominations with 14 each. ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” followed with 13 nominations, then Starz’s “Party Down” and Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” with 12 and 11 nominations, respectively.
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Allen Media Group’s multi-media platform TheGrio has named Daryl V. Atkinson the recipient of its inaugural TheGrio Heroes initiative, the company announced Monday.
TheGrio Heroes initiative aims to spotlight everyday people making a difference in their communities. As the co-founder and co-director of Forward Justice, Atkinson was chosen as embodiment of “the importance of a second chance.”
After serving a sentence of 40 months in prison for a first-time, non-violent drug crime, Atkinson created Forward Justice, an “advocacy-focused law, policy and strategy center to synergize community activism with the litigation, public policy, and scholarship necessary to secure rights for current and former incarcerated people.”
“TheGrio Hero award recognizes an individual who has made significant strides in making America stronger, more just and compassionate,” said Byron Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Daryl Atkinson exemplifies the values and spirit of this award, and we are honored to highlight his extraordinary contributions to the country and to humanity as a whole.”
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Leopoldo Gómez, head of TelevisaUnivision’s Univision News division, is departing the Spanish-language media and content company after 25 years. TelevisaUnivision announced Gómez’s exit on Monday. Gómez had headed Univision News for the past two years, and served as VP of news at Televisa for 23 years before that.
Gómez’s interim replacement will be executive VP of news Maria Martinez-Guzman, who will begin after his July 14 departure.
During his time at Univision News, Gómez launched Univision’s fact-checking platform “elDetector,” created a number of news specials, produced “Despierta America” and “Noticiero Univision,” and garnered two Edward R. Murrow awards and three News and Documentary Emmy awards.
“Leopoldo has had an immense impact on our news division in the last two years,” said TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis. “We have benefited from his expertise and in-depth knowledge of the news making process. We are saddened to see him go but understand his decision.”
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Canadian production company Neshama Entertainment has established an in-house distribution operation, Neshama Releasing, led by senior VP, sales and business development Brook Peters.
Neshama Releasing will oversee the Canadian sales of Neshama-produced content, Fox Entertainment-produced content and third-party product, as well as collaborate with Fox Entertainment global, which will handle content outside of Canada. Arnie Zipursky, co-founder and executive producer of Neshama, announced the news on Tuesday.
Peters previously served as managing director and senior VP, sales and production operations at Incendo Productions. Prior to his time at Incendo Productions, he led the distribution of programming produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment and Fox Entertainment Studios within the Canadian territory, as well as serving at Bell Media as both the director, programming, music and entertainment and director, programming, specialty television, sales and acquisitions.
“The establishment of a distribution operation is a natural evolution of our business, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to launch Neshama Releasing and have Brook lead the charge on our behalf. We look to him to be an integral part of our company’s continued success,” Zipursky said in a statement.
Added Peters: “It’s an incredible honor to be joining the team at this exciting time as the company expands its operations. I cannot wait to ‘dig in’ with my colleagues in fostering new relationships, building on existing ones, and thinking creatively about the future of our industry.”
RATINGS
ABC announced its returning program, “Generation Gap” premiered with its most watched telecast since Aug. 2022. “Generation Gap” returned on June 29 at 8-9 p.m. with a total of 3.6 million viewers and 0.4/5 in AD18-49 in L+7.
“Generation Gap” second season premiere significantly increased from last season’s Sept. 15 finale by 20% in total viewers (3.6 million vs. 3.0 million). It also outdrew the final 5 episodes of Season 1, making it the most-watched telecast since August.
The “Generation Gap” premiere improved over its prior season average by 3% in total viewers, from 3.6 million vs. 3.5 million.
After seven days of viewing across linear and streaming platforms, the “Generation Gap” Season 2 premiere grew to 3.8 million total viewers, becoming the program’s strongest multiplatform telecast since August.
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