Apple TV+ has released the trailer for Season 3 of “Slow Horses.” The first two episodes will premiere on Nov. 29, and the remaining four episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays through Dec. 27.
“Slow Horses” follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a department of MI5 known as “Slough House” due to their career-ending mistakes. Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, the leader of Slough House. The third season will focus on a romantic liaison in Istanbul, which threatens to expose an MI5 secret in London.
Joining the cast for Season 3 is Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù as Sean Donovan, the former security head at the British embassy in Istanbul, and Katherine Waterston as Alison Dunn, an MI5 agent who uncovers an agency secret. The ensemble cast is also comprised of Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Freddie Fox, Chris Reilly, Samuel West, Sophie Okonedo, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Kadiff Kirwan and Jonathan Pryce.
“Slow Horses” is based on Mick Herron’s spy series “Slough House,” and the third season is adapted from “Real Tigers,” the book series’ third novel. The TV series is produced for Apple TV+ by See-Saw Films and adapted for television by Will Smith. Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Douglas Urbanski, Gail Mutrux, Will Smith, Jane Robertson and Graham Yost executive produce the series, and Saul Metzstein directed Season 3.
Watch the full trailer below.
In other TV roundup news:
FIRST LOOKS
Netflix’s new series “The Brothers Sun,” starring Michelle Yeoh, has dropped a teaser trailer as part of Geeked Week.
Co-created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, the eight-episode action comedy series centers on Charles “Chairleg” Sun (Justin Chien). Charles is a legendary killer, the son of a powerful Taiwanese criminal triad’s kingpin. After his father is shot by an assassin, he returns to Los Angeles to protect his mother, Eileen / Mama Sun (Michelle Yeoh) and younger brother, Bruce (Sam Song Li). However, they find that the ongoing fight in Taipei has followed them across the ocean.
“You go anywhere near our family, there will be nowhere on earth you will be safe again,” a steely Michelle Yeoh says to a foe in the trailer.
Brad Falchuk, Byron Wu, Mikkel Bondesen and Kevin Tancharoen executive produce the series. “The Brothers Sun” will premiere Jan. 4 on Netflix.
Watch the teaser below.
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Four-part docuseries “Liberty or Death: Boston Tea Party” will premiere on Fox Nation, Fox News Media’s streaming service, on Nov. 19. Hosted and executive produced by Rob Lowe, the docudrama will commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.
“The Boston Tea party was a momentous event that transformed the trajectory of American history and remains significant nearly 250 years later. Throughout this series, viewers will feel as if they are transported back in time, and we are thrilled to have someone as iconic as Rob Lowe fronting this project,” Jason Klarman, president of the platform, said in a statement.
The four episodes will chronicle Samuel Adams’ and the Sons of Liberty’s fight to rally Boston to stand up against the British empire. The series is produced by Stephen David Entertainment, a Banijay Group Company for Fox Nation. Alongside Lowe, Stephen David, Tim W. Kelly and Lorenzo De Boni executive produce.
Watch the full trailer below.
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Apple TV+ special “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas” has dropped a trailer.
Recorded live in London, the one-hour event features the “Ted Lasso” star singing a variety of holiday classics and features guests Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., Phil Dunster, Sam Ryder and others. The trailer sees Waddingham showing off her vocal chops with dancers in the background.
“Welcome to my festive extravaganza,” Waddingham says to the audience.
Waddingham, Katy Mullan, Moira Ross, Raj Kapoor and Nick Todisco serve as executive producers. Done + Dusted (“Beauty & the Beast: A 30th Celebration”) are producers. Hamish Hamilton directs.
The special premieres globally Nov. 22 on Apple TV+.
Watch the trailer below.
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Netflix’s “Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team” has released first look images.
The docuseries follows the U.S. Women’s National team on their journey to the World Cup, featuring veteran champions Alex Morgan and Lindsay Horan, up-and-coming star Alyssa Thompson and newcomers Savannah DeMelo, Lynn Williams and Kristie Mewis. Over four episodes, “Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team” will “intimately follow the U.S. Women’s National Team’s players and coaches and reveal an inside look at the most decorated team in soccer history,” reads the series description.
The series premieres on Netflix Dec. 12. It is produced by Marie Margoulis, along with executive producers Connor Schell, Mike Beck, Alexa Conway, Libby Geist, Rebecca Gitlitz, Ian Orefice, Jamie Patricof and Jessica Sherif. Gitlitz, who serves as TIME Studios’ head of sports, also directs.
See select first look photos below.
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Former prosecutor Kelly Siegler will now take on the history of Texas’s homicides and trials in new series “Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler.”
The series features Siegler, a prosecutor for over 21 years, analyzing cases and trials. The first episode, “Theater of Law,” will center on the case of a suburban mom who possibly murdered her husband and buried him in their backyard.
“You have to get ‘em to admit what they did,” Siegler says in the trailer. “’Cause if you don’t do that, a huge part of your case is gonna crumble and fall apart.”
Executive producers are Dick Wolf, Kelly Siegler, Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Adam Kassen, Andrew Nock and Thom Thayer.Wolf Entertainment, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Magical Elves produce the series.
“Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler” premieres exclusively on Oxygen True Crime Nov. 18.
Watch the trailer below.
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The new unscripted series “Chrissy & Dave Dine Out” and Season 5 of “Good Trouble” will premiere on Freeform in January 2024, with new episodes available on Hulu the next day.
Chrissy Teigen and David Chang, alongside Joel Kim Booster, will tackle the L.A. restaurant scene in “Chrissy & Dave Dine Out,” which premieres on Jan. 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Exploring Los Angeles’ must-try restaurants, Chang will join the restaurant’s chef in the back of the house, while Teigen and Kim Booster host a dinner party in the front of house. The premiere episode will take place at Pizzeria Bianco, with special guests Jimmy Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney. Later episodes will feature John Legend, Kumail Nanjiani, Regina Hall, Simu Liu and more.
“Good Trouble” returns on Jan. 2 at 10 p.m. ET. Following the 20-something residents of the Coterie in Los Angeles, the fifth season will see the roommates facing relationship challenges and new career opportunities. Series star and executive producer Cierra Ramirez will make her directorial debut in an upcoming episode.
The cast also includes Zuri Adele, Sherry Cola, Bryan Craig, Emma Hunton, Tommy Martinez, Josh Pence and Booboo Stewart. Joanna Johnson, Christine Sacani, Greg Gugliotta, Jennifer Lopez, Benny Medina and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas executive produce alongside Ramirez, with Johnson serving as showrunner.
See the teasers for “Chrissy & Dave Dine Out” and “Good Trouble” below.
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Hulu’s “Death and Other Details” will have a two-episode premiere on Jan. 16, 2024. The 10-episode series will then release one episode weekly ahead of its two-episode finale on March 5, 2024.
Per the official synopsis, the series follows “Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), who finds herself in the wrong place/wrong time (okay, it was kinda her fault) and becomes the prime suspect in a locked room murder mystery. The setting? A lavishly restored Mediterranean ocean liner. Suspects? Every pampered guest and every exhausted crew member. The problem? To prove her innocence, she must partner with a man she despises—Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin), the world’s greatest detective.”
Other cast members include Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Pardis Saremi and Linda Emond. “Death and Other Details” is produced by ABC Signature. Showrunners Mike Weiss and Heidi Cole McAdams write and executive produce the series. Mark Martin and Marc Webb, who directed the pilot, also executive produce the series.
See first look images below.
PROGRAMMING
Rob Lowe is the host and producer of the new game show “The Floor,” which has landed a premiere date: Jan. 2 on Fox.
Per the series’ description, the competition “is a spectacular battle of the brains in which 81 contestants stand on 81 squares on a massive game show floor, competing for a whopping $250,000 prize.”
“The Floor” is produced by Eureka Productions, Talpa and BiggerStage. Executive producers include John de Mol, Mark van Achterberg, Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Eden Gaha, Wes Dening, Sean O’Riordan and Shane Byrne. Anthony Carbone is the showrunner.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Plimsoll Productions has promoted filmmaker Mark Brownlow to creative director, natural history. Brownlow will report to Martha Holmes, Plimsoll’s chief creative officer of natural history and science.
Brownlow has experience both producing and directing, having worked on over 20 natural history projects. Brownlow has been with Plimsoll since early 2023, serving as an executive producer in the natural history division. One of the titles he’s worked on is the Disney+ and National Geographic seven-part wildlife series “Incredible Animal Journeys.”
Brownlow previously worked for BBC for 28 years, contributing to projects like “Blue Planet II” and “Frozen Planet II.”
“Since joining the company less than a year ago, Mark has become an invaluable part of our team, inspiring us to stretch our limits even further through his unparalleled expertise and access in the natural history space,” said Martha Holmes. “He’s an esteemed visionary, particulary in the art of wildlife filmmaking, and we are fortunate to be in the business of storytelling with him.”
Tom Hugh-Hones, who currently serves as Plimsoll’s creative director, natural history, plans to leave the position at the end of the year.
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Sameer Balgi has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at Tubi, Fox Corporation’s video-on-demand streaming service.
Balgi, who has nearly two decades of experience in the realm of media and technology, was formerly CFO at Prime Video’s Freevee and Head of Finance for Prime Video’s US Marketplace business. At Tubi, he will be in charge of managing Tubi’s global financial operations and current investments.
Anjali Sud, chief executive officer of Tubi, described her excitement for Bali’s hire.
“Sameer is a seasoned and strategic executive who stood out in a competitive process for his expertise in AVOD and streaming, his experience driving efficiency and scale, and his thoughtful and solutions-driven approach,” Sud said.
“Tubi has been a leader in ad-supported streaming for over a decade and has built a strong foundation with innovative ad technology, a highly engaged viewer base, and the world’s largest content library,” said Balgi. “I look forward to working closely with Anjali and the team to deliver meaningful shareholder value and to help Tubi usher in the next generation of entertainment.”
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Adam Ciongoli has been appointed chief legal and policy officer for Fox Corporation starting Dec. 1. The announcement comes from executive chair and CEO Lachlan Murdoch.
“I am pleased to welcome Adam to the Fox executive leadership team,” Murdoch said in a statement. “Adam’s extensive legal experience across various industries and government will be a tremendous asset to our company.”
Reporting to Murdoch, Ciongoli will lead all legal, compliance and regulatory matters in addition to overseeing government affairs. Ciongoli currently serves as executive vice president, general counsel and chief sustainability, corporate responsibility and governance officer for Campbell Soup Company.
“I’m excited to join the Fox team at such a dynamic time in the media industry,” Ciongoli said in a statement. “Fox is uniquely positioned to build on the momentum that has been established by its industry leading brands. I look forward to contributing to the company’s continued success.”
With nearly 30 years of legal experience in the public and private sectors, Ciongoli’s previous positions include executive vice president and general counsel of Lincoln Financial Group, group general counsel and secretary for Willis Group Holdings and counselor to former attorney general John Ashcroft. He received his bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania and juris doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.
RESEARCH
According to new research, scripted television may be correlated with the worsening of the end-of-life care crisis in the United States.
Nonprofit organization End Well — dedicated to combatting stigmas surrounding end-of-life experiences — and the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project have come out with a study on the portrayal of death and dying in media. In 2022, the institutions analyzed transcripts from over 140,000 pieces of scripted content from 2010 to 2020. Read the full study here.
Some of the key findings of “Death on Television: Flipping the script” revolve around the one-dimensionality of healthcare depictions. As per the press release, they include racial, cultural and religious disparities in representation; an excessive emphasis on live-saving treatments; inaccurate depictions of CPR; inadequate representation of caregivers; and clichéd storylines.
“Stories about dying are stories about being human and provide writers with fresh ideas from the profound to the absurd,” said Tracy Wheeler, End Well executive director. “If people could also learn a bit about what they can do to craft their own end of life story, we might begin to create a culture where end of life is truly part of life.”
STREAMING
AcTVe and Ott Studio are partnering to launch the new FAST channel Almost Friday on Amazon Freevee.
Expanding the presence of Almost Friday Media, which targets the male Gen Z demographic, the channel is described as providing “a mix of original and nostalgic programming, including content from numerous filmmakers, leagues, content creators, and others from their incredible network encompassing tens of millions of monthly fans.”
The channel also includes sketch comedy, the Almost Friday podcast from comedians Will Angus and Liam Cullagh, and content from Almost Friday TV’s YouTube channel.
“We partnered with AcTVe and OTT Studio to deliver the Almost Friday brand into the FAST ecosystem,” said Almost Friday president/COO Andrew Kenward in a statement. “Through this partnership there is an incredible and deep library of classic comedy TV and film which has greatly inspired the original content that’s also available on the channel. We’re thrilled to be available on Freevee. We’ve built an amazing brand of comedy that brings people together and our FAST channel is continuing that mission. It’s the ultimate hub of then-and-now comedy on FAST.”
FAST channels offered on Amazon Freevee can be found through the Freevee app, Fire TV and Prime Video.
DEALS
NBCUniversal has acquired “Commitment to Life,” a documentary about Los Angeles’s role in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (“Vito”), the film “gives a historical account of the intrepid group of Angelenos, including doctors, bar owners, activists, studio moguls and celebrities, who changed the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” according to the press release. Along with archival footage, the doc will also feature new interviews with DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, actor and author Alison Arngrim and television host Karamo Brown as well as with HIV/AIDS activists including Robert Contreras, Rev. Steve Pieters, Stephen Bennett, Bamby Salcedo and Bill Misenhimer.
“Commitment to Life” is produced by APLA Health. Ron Sylvester serves as executive producer, with Aimée Flaherty as producer. The film premieres Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, on Peacock. A cable release is slated for early 2024 on MSNBC.
“‘Commitment to Life’ give us an opportunity to shine a light on the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the people who laid the groundwork for awareness, prevention and treatment,” said Val Boreland, executive vice president, entertainment content acquisitions at NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Our hope is that the premieres on Peacock and MSNBC will inspire our viewers to take action on World AIDS Day and beyond.”
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Streaming platform Roku and mixed martial arts organization UFC will bring a three-part Roku Original docuseries titled “Fight Inc: Inside the UFC” to The Roku Channel. The docuseries celebrates the 30th anniversary of UFC and will chronicle three decades of the organization, giving a behind-the-scenes look for audiences.
The series description reads: “‘Fight Inc: Inside the UFC’ will provide fans with unprecedented access to UFC CEO Dana White and his team as they peel back the curtain for a look at the daily grind and endless problem-solving in the fight business, including rebuilding fight cards on the fly for major events.”
“We’re excited to team up with Roku to give UFC fans a rare look at this sport and this organization as we plan for our biggest events during a year filled with huge moments,” said Craig Borsari, chief content officer and executive producer at UFC. “The storylines happening outside of the Octagon — the ones fans often don’t see or hear about — are compelling in their own right. We’re very proud of this project and we’re looking forward to debuting it on The Roku Channel next year.”
“Fight Inc: Inside the UFC” will premiere on The Roku Channel in 2024.
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Digital broadcast network entrepreneur Jonathan Katz is partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate and Gray Television to launch over-the-air streaming channels that are free to consumers. Called Free TV Networks, the broadcast-driven company will feature programming targeted for African American audiences with films like “Dear White People,” “I Am Legend” and “Purple Rain” through its flagship diginet (“digital broadcast network”) brand, The365 (“Black, All Day, Every Day”). Another over-the-air network, Outlaw (“The Western Channel”) will highlight Westerns like “Pale Rider,” “Unforgiven” and “Wyatt Earp.”
FTN will also launch free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) networks with streaming versions of The365 and Outlaw. Included in those FAST networks are VCR Action and VCR HaHa, channels featuring films and series from the VCR era.
“Serving diverse communities is a key piece of our strategy at Gray andhas served us well for decades,” said Pat LaPlatney, president and co-CEO of Gray Television. “Our partnership with Free TV Networks is another illustration of our strong commitment to the continued growth of broadcast television within today’s media ecosystem and the importance of delivering high-value entertainment without high costs to our viewers.”
The first two diginets will launch in 80% of the U.S. on Jan. 1.
