Max has announced that the second season of original series “Our Flag Means Death,” starring Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi, will be released on Oct. 5. The streamer also released a teaser for the new season of the pirate-y, period rom-com series. “Our Flag Means Death” is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet, a would-be pirate of the 1700s. The series follows Stede as he becomes captain of the ship Revenge and encounters the notorious Captain Blackbeard (Waititi), with whom he finds love while at sea.
Returning Season 2 cast members include Samson Kayo, Vico Ortiz, Ewen Bremner, Joel Fry, Matthew Maher, Kristian Nairn, Con O’Neill, David Fane, Samba Schutte, Nat Faxon, and Leslie Jones. New cast members include Ruibo Qian, Madeleine Sami, Anapela Polataivao, and Erroll Shand, and guest stars Minnie Driver and Bronson Pinchot.
Waititi also serves as executive producer alongside creator and showrunner David Jenkins. Season 2 consists of eight episodes and will debut with three episodes on Oct. 5, followed by two every week leading up to the Oct. 26 finale.
Watch the teaser below.
In other TV round up news:
PROGRAMMING
Freeform is celebrating the return of spooky season with the 25th anniversary of their “31 Nights of Halloween” programming event, featuring fan favorite Halloween movies. The programming will feature beloved films like Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Addams Family,” “Halloweentown,” “Cruella,” “Monster’s Inc” and more. Freeform also released a trailer for the special holiday lineup.
“Over the last 25 years, our viewers have grown up with ‘31 Nights of Halloween’ as a time-honored tradition to watch Halloween favorites and connect with their loved ones during this special time of the season,” said Simran Sethi, executive vice president of programming and content strategy, ABC Entertainment and Freeform.
The programming begins on Oct. 1 and runs for the full month of October, with several movies or TV show holiday specials airing every day leading up to Halloween. The final film on the list is “Hocus Pocus,” the 1993 cult classic about 17th century witches who are brought back to life in modern day Salem, MA. The film will air on Oct. 31 at 8:50.
See the full schedule below.
CASTING
Will Arnett, Kandi Burruss, Bethenny Frankel, Ice T and other celebrities have been cast to star in Fox’s upcoming new game show “Snake Oil.” Hosted by David Spade, the show challenges contestants to guess real entrepreneurs from snake oil salesmen with the help of infomercials, interviews with the business owners and input from the show’s celebrity advisors.
The full list of “Snake Oil” celebrity advisors helping identify shams includes Will Arnett, Christie Brinkley, Kandi Burruss, Adam Devine, Bethenny Frankel, Dwight Howard, Ice-T, Natasha Leggero, Brad Paisley, Jay Pharoah, Rob Riggle, Darius Rucker, JB Smoove and Michelle Williams.
The game show is produced by Spade and executive produced by Will Arnett via Electric Avenue Productions along with Marc Forman and Neal Konstantini. Konstantini also serves as showrunner. “Snake Oil” premieres Sept. 27 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
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Voice-over actress Vanessa James has been tapped to serve as the launch promo voice of the nationally-syndicated “Tamron Hall” show, which returns for its fifth season on Sept. 5.
James, known for her distinct timbre and vibrant energetic flow, will serve as the official promo voice for the show. Most recently, James worked on Audible’s 50 Years of Hip Hop, which highlighted Snoop Dogg, the CW Network’s “Run the Burbs” and CBS’ “Superfan.” She is the founder of VJ Media.
“I’m thrilled to collaborate with a show that is doing such groundbreaking work in daytime television,” said James. “I’ve always admired Tamron Hall’s storytelling approach and her commitment to amplifying women and telling our stories. I’m proud to be an honorary member of the #TamFam and I’m honored to shine a spotlight on Season 5.”
FIRST LOOKS
The trailer for “The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime” has been released. The two hour documentary special is set to premiere on Oct. 9 from 9-11 p.m. ET, ahead of the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s passing.
Shepard was the victim of a violent anti-gay hate crime while he was a student at the University of Wyoming in 1998, in which he was brutally tortured and left to die. The hate crime garnered national attention and started debates about the violence and discrimination that LGBTQ+ people face in the United States. The documentary will honor Shepard’s life and legacy and explore how society has changed in the intervening years.
The film will feature interviews from journalists, community members and celebrities who were impacted by Shepard’s death, including Rosie O’Donnell, Andrew Rannells and Adam Lambert.
The documentary will air on Investigation Discovery. Watch the trailer below.
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The Season 3 teaser for the Syfy/USA Network original “Chucky” series has been released. The slasher show carries on the legacy that began with the 1988 horror comedy film “Child’s Play,” in which a doll is inhabited by the spirit of a murderer and goes on a killing spree.
Created by Don Mancini, the killer doll has starred in an ongoing franchise of films and spin-offs, and continues his journey in Season 3 of “Chucky.” In this season, the doll wreaks havoc in the White House. This is a departure from the first two seasons, which took place in Hackensack, NJ and followed a group of teenagers.
“How did Chucky wind uphere?What in God’s name does hewant?And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure house, all while balancing the pressures ofromantic relationships and growing up?” reads the logline. “Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for ‘Jennifer Tilly’s’ murderous rampage last season.”
Brad Dourif, who has voiced Chucky since the original film, returns for the series. Devon Sawa returns for Season 3 as the President, and Jennifer Tilly, who starred in previous “Chucky” movies, also stars.
Season 3 of “Chucky” will arrive in time for Halloween season with an Oct. 4 premiere date. Watch the teaser below.
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NBC has unveiled the trailer for upcoming political drama series “The Irrational.” based on Dan Ariely’s novel “Predictably Irrational,” the show tells the story of a scientist Alec Mercer played by Jesse L. Martin.
Per the official logline, “’The Irrational’ follows world-renowned professor of behavioral science Alec Mercer as he lends his unique expertise on an array of high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement and corporations. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him and the team on a series of intense, unexpected journeys to solve illogical puzzles and perplexing mysteries.” “The Irrational” also stars Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi.
Ten new episodes of the show will join NBC this fall, an unlikely event for a network during Hollywood’s ongoing strikes. NBC’s decision to postpone the release “The Irrational” helped preserve their fall slate and makes them one of the only networks to have fresh scripted originals this season. “The Irrational” premieres Sept. 25 at 10 p.m.
Watch the trailer below.
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Netflix has shared a first look at the new series “Obliterated,” from the creators of “Cobra Kai.” The action-comedy, set in Las Vegas, follows a special force team as they race to diffuse a bomb. The eight-episode series will premiere Nov. 30 on the streamer.
Per the show’s official synopsis: “After their celebratory party, filled with booze, drugs and sex, the team discovers that the bomb they deactivated was a fake. The now intoxicated team has to fight through their impairments, overcome their personal issues, find the real bomb, and save the world.” “Obliterated” stars Shelley Hennig, Nick Zano, C. Thomas Howell, Kimi Rutledge, Paola Lázaro, Terrence Terrell, Alyson Gorske and Eugene Kim.
The series was directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who serve as writers and show runners alongside Josh Heald. It was produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Hurwitz, Schlossberg, Heald and Hillier.
Take a look at the series below.
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The third season of Starz’s “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” will premiere on Dec. 1, and the pay cabler has released a series of first-look images from the new season.
“With emotions high and the stakes even higher, we return to Southside Jamaica, Queens, right where we left the Thomas family at the end of season two, with the family in turmoil and reeling from the Mob’s coordinated attack on Raquel, Marvin and Lou-Lou,” per the show’s official logline.
“Raising Kanan” stars Patina Miller, MeKai Curtis, Stefano Marchetti, Omar Epps, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, Hailey Kilgore, Joey Bada$$, Shanley Caswell and Antonio Ortiz. New cast members include Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods.
Sascha Penn is showrunner and executive producer, while Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, Chris Selak, Kevin Fox, Santa Sierra and Tash Grey also serve as executive producers.
Check out the first-look images below.
ACQUISTIONS
Canadian drama “Little Bird” has been acquired by PBS and will get its network premiere on Oct. 12. The six-episode series stars a slate of Indigenous actors as they tell the story of Bezhig Little Bird (Dana Contois) on a journey to find her birth family and unveil the secrets of her family history.
“Little Bird” won the Audience Award at the 2023 Series Mania Festival in France. “PBS is proud to bring American viewers the premiere of ‘Little Bird’,” said Maria Bruno Ruiz of PBS. “We aspire to bring authentic programs rich in culture and diversity to our audience and we’re thrilled to add the powerful ‘Little Bird’ story to our platforms.”
The show was created by Jennifer Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch. Podemski serves as showrunner and Moscovitch as head writer of the series.
RENEWALS
Roku is bringing back “NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” for another season. The streamer will once again partner with NFL Films and Skydance Sports for an upcoming documentary about the 2024 NFL Draft Weekend.
“NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” followed the Carolina Panthers, the Indianapolis Colts, the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2023 draft pick weekend as they welcomed Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Deuce Vaughn to their teams. The documentary had the highest premiere weekend performance of any Roku Original doc, according to the streamer.
“The NFL Draft has become one of the biggest events on the sports calendar,” said Ross Ketover, NFL Films senior executive. “And taking a peek behind the curtain of what goes on in those draft rooms is endlessly fascinating for football fans. All of us at NFL Films take great pride in bringing viewers to places they have never been before.” The upcoming 2024 draft pick documentary will film over three days during the April 2024 NFL draft, with the featured teams set to be announced at a later date.
DATES
The CW Network and NFL Films have set a Sept. 5 premiere date for the upcoming season of its Emmy Award-winning weekly studio series “Inside the NFL,” hosted by Super Bowl champion and studio analyst Ryan Clark.
Clark will be joined by former Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, pro bowl quarterback Jay Cutler, pro bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson and two-time Super Bowl champion defensive end and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award-winner Chris Long.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Channing, Jay, Chad and Chris to The CW family as we prepare ‘Inside the NFL’ for its broadcast television debut,” said president of the CW Network Dennis Miller. “Not only do they all possess a deep understanding, knowledge and passion for the game, but they also bring a unique sense of humor and fun to the table. Plus, they are not afraid to voice their opinions on any topic. This season of ‘Inside the NFL’ will be a must-watch for all football fans.”
Each week, Clark, Crowder, Cutler, Johnson and Long will review unseen highlights and exclusive NFL Films footage throughout the NFL season.
“Every day I showed up to work it was always about the next step… I dreamed of being a host, but not even in my wildest dreams did I think it would be the host of ‘Inside the NFL,’” said Clark. “I played against all the analysts who will be with me on Tuesday nights and always admired the way they approached the game of football. I’m excited to see that same passion poured into the new ‘Inside the NFL’ now that we are all on the same team.”
“Inside the NFL” is executive produced by Ross Ketover, Pat Kelleher and Keith Cossrow.
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Hip hop artist Swizz Beatz and his son Nasir Dean (also known as Note Mercato) are set to star in onyx Collective’s forthcoming automotive docuseries “Drive with Swizz Beatz,” which will premiere Nov. 16 on Hulu.
“Drive with Swizz Beatz” will spotlight Swizz Beatz and Dean as they travel to various destinations, learning more about the car culture in each location. Across its six episodes, the father-son duo will travel to Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Atlanta, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The series is produced by Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, Raymond Garcia, Emmet Dennis and Christian Sarabia.
EVENTS
The Savannah College of Art and Design will once again host the SCAD AnimationFest in Atlanta. The festival honors creatives and executives from animated programming, and extends its focus this year into gaming and virtual production.
Key award recipients include Adam Muto, EP of “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake” and Ted Ty, global head of character animation at DNEG. Festival goers will get to catch an exclusive preview of Dan Harmon’s upcoming comedy “Krapopolis” and other animated work from SCAD students including “The Last Dungeon” from SCAD Animation Studios.
SCAD AnimationFest 2023 is set to run from Sept. 28 to 30 in SCAD’s all-new SCADshow theater.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
NewsNation has named Blake Burman as the permanent anchor of The Hill. Starting on Sept. 5, Burman will move from chief Washington correspondent into his new role during the 5 p.m. segment.
“Blake is an excellent discussion leader with a great understanding of how the decisions in Washington impact everyday Americans across this country,” said Cherie Grzech, a senior VP at NewsNation. “We are thrilled to welcome him as the official moderator of a program that combines the vast resources of the network.”
In his new role at The Hill, Burman will be supported by rotating contributers including Chris Stirewalt, Johanna Maska, Sean Spicer and The Hill’s Bob Cusack and Julie Manchester. Burman will continue reporting on news coming out of Washington.
