BET has introduced a brand new documentary movie, “Black + Iconic: Style Gods,” starring Billy Porter and produced by Stanley Nelson and Firelight Films. The documentary is a part of the brand new four-part “Black + Iconic” sequence that may showcase the legacy and cultural influence of Black icons throughout music, movie, style and dance.
Porter will narrate, host and government produce the primary documentary within the sequence, with Lynne Robinson directing. Connie Orlando and Jason Samuels developed the sequence with supervising producer Steven Ramey.
“We’re thrilled to be working with BET once more after the success of our first undertaking collectively, ‘Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama,’” mentioned Nelson, who can be a Firelight Films co-founder, in a press release. “I couldn’t consider a greater house for this sequence celebrating Black icons by way of the quite a few mediums by way of which Black creatives have made an indelible mark on the tradition.”
The two-hour first episode of “Black + Iconic” premieres Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. on BET+, BET, BET Her and VH1.
Also in at present’s TV information:
RENEWALS
Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury introduced it has renewed hit present “Family Feud” by way of the 2025-2026 season, which is able to mark the sport present’s fiftieth 12 months on TV.
“Family Feud,” with its iconic host Steve Harvey, is TV’s no. 1 first-run syndicated present for girls ages 25 to 54 – a place it has held for 5 straight years.
Since its 1976 debut, the present has confirmed that outrageous solutions can come from easy questions. The Fremantle-produced format has appeared on community TV and in nationwide syndication over the many years. FOX, CBS, Nexstar, Scripps and Tegna all signed multi-year renewals for the present.
“Demand for a confirmed demo and family scores winner like ‘Family Feud’ has been intense,” mentioned Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein in a press release. “We are extraordinarily happy to have the ability to proceed our long-term relationships with our unbelievable broadcast companions, whereas offering our devoted viewers of all ages with much-needed laughter and pleasure all through the approaching years.”
DEVELOPMENT
Academy Award nominee Robin Swicord, screenwriter Sarah Koskoff, producer Mary Jane Skalski and Echo Lake Entertainment have teamed collectively to inform the story of the Sandy Hook households’ eight-year authorized battle in opposition to firearms producer Remington Arms.
The restricted sequence will inform the real-life story of 9 Sandy Hook victims’ households, who united behind a single aim: to do no matter they might to forestall one other Sandy Hook. The households got down to maintain Remington Arms accountable for manufacturing and advertising and marketing the AR-15 assault rifle used within the taking pictures. After eight years, the households received a landmark settlement for an unprecedented $73 million {dollars} and Remington was ordered to launch 1000’s of inside firm paperwork.
“As a society, we’re used to seeing the most important companies protect themselves from legal responsibility. But these Sandy Hook households discovered a lawyer who had as a lot battle in him as that they had and who was undaunted by the roadblocks they confronted. What Koskoff and the households discovered by way of analysis, discovery, and business whistle-blowers revealed how Wall Street greed drives huge enterprise irrespective of the human price,” Swicord mentioned in a press release.
GREENLIGHTS
Blue Ant Media introduced three greenlights for 2023 that may air on its Canadian specialty TV networks.
Six-part sequence “Haunted by History,” produced by Small Army Entertainment, has a world broadcast premiere set for spring 2023 on T+E and can air on HauntTV within the U.S., U.Ok. and Australia.
The authentic documentary “A Secret to Die For,” which was produced by Blue Ant Studio, may have its world broadcast premiere in 2023 on T+E and air on Total Crime within the U.S.
The new authentic sequence “Secrets within the Sand,” produced by Shark Teeth Films, will premiere on Cottage Life in Canada in summer time 2023.
Blue Ant Media is a global producer, distributor and channel operator that owns and operates manufacturing corporations in North America and Asia-Pacific.
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Paramount+ has greenlit “Transformers: EarthSpark” for a second season.
The sequence continues to be airing its first season, with the subsequent eight episodes of the 26-episode season out there to stream on Paramount+ on March 3. The first 10 episodes premiered in November 2022.
The sequence follows the Malto household and Terrans (Transformers that had been born on earth) by way of adventures that convey to query the true definition of household and what it means to be human.
“The extremely anticipated sequence ‘Transformers: Earth Spark, premiered with a robust launch on Paramount+, rating as one of many high 5 most-watched children & household sequence,” mentioned Tanya Giles, chief programming officer of Paramount Streaming. “In partnership with Hasbro, eOne and our studio associate Nickelodeon, we’re thrilled to proceed telling the story of the Malto household and the brand new technology of Transformers robots.”
The authentic sequence will debut its beforehand launched episodes on Nickelodeon beginning Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m., and can air episodes on Fridays by way of March 3.
Check out the trailer for the subsequent eight episodes of Season 1 beneath.
FIRST LOOKS
Shondaland Audio and iHeartPodcasts introduced the brand new podcast “Unpacking a Toolbox: Scandal Rewatch” with hosts Katie Lowes (Quinn Perkins) and Guillermo Diaz (Huck) from the hit sequence “Scandal.”
Starting Feb. 9, the podcast will drop new episodes every Thursday, and the hosts will share memorable moments, behind-the-scenes tales, enjoyable info and tweets from hardcore “Scandal” followers.
Shonda Rhimes, Tony Goldwin, Liza Weil and Kerry Washington, in addition to different writers and crew members, will make visitor appearances on the podcast.
Fans can hear on the iHeartRadio app or different podcast platforms. Check out the trailer beneath.
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Starz introduced its comedy sequence “Blindspotting” will return for a second season in a two-episode premiere on April 14 at 9 p.m. on the Starz app, in addition to Starz streaming and on-demand platforms.
“Blindspotting” follows Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) as she strikes in along with her incarcerated husband Miles’ mom and sister. The lighthearted however nuanced comedy depicts the household navigating her chaotic life within the Bay Area. The second season begins 9 months after Ashley and Miles’ jail nuptials within the Season 1 finale, and Ashley is close to her breaking level elevating her son Sean alone.
Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs co-created, wrote and executively produced the sequence, and Casal additionally acts within the sequence with Cephas Jones and Helen Hunt. Jess Wu Calder and Keith Calder of Snoot Entertainment, Emily Gerson Saines, Ken Lee and Tim Palen additionally served as government producers within the second season, with Casal and Wu Calder directing 4 and two episodes, respectively.
Check out the first-look photographs beneath.
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Patrick Wymore
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MGM+ dropped the trailer for its six-episode restricted sequence “A Spy Among Friends,” which illustrates the true story of Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby, two lifelong buddies who additionally occur to be spies.
Based on the bestselling guide by Ben Macintyre, Philby finally ends up a infamous British defector and Soviet double agent, gutting each American and British intelligence.
“A Spy Among Friends” stars Damian Lewis (“Homeland,” “Billions”) Guy Pearce (“Jack Irish,” “Mare of Easttown”) in addition to Anna Maxwell Martin (“Motherland,” “Line of Duty”), Stephen Kunken (“Billions,” “The Handmaid’s Tale”) and Adrian Edmondson (“Back to Life,” “The Pact”).
Nick Murphy directed the sequence, and Lewis executively produced the present together with his manufacturing firm Ginger Biscuit Entertainment. Alexander Cary created and produced the present with Patrick Spence, Murphy and Chrissy Skinns. Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer and Peter Jaysen executively produced the present for Veritas Entertainment Group. ITV Studios produced the sequence in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television.
The sequence premieres March 12 on MGM+. Check out the trailer beneath.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Laura Ling, award-winning journalist and veteran of tv information and documentary manufacturing, has been promoted to vp of Hearst Television’s Very Local. Ling previously served as Hearst Television’s director of programming for its streaming video providers group.
Ling will now oversee the technique and staff chargeable for new, locally-focused authentic programming for Very Local. The Very Local staff produces authentic non-scripted programming throughout genres to greater than two dozen native media markets, growing greater than 100 hours of content material a 12 months.
“Laura is an distinctive inventive thoughts and chief whose work highlighting native communities throughout the United States has damaged new floor for Hearst Television, permitting us to inform extra authentic tales celebrating localism,” mentioned Hearst Television president Jordan Wertlieb.
“Laura is among the most proficient executives and documentarians I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Her sense of storytelling, her innate intuition for the narratives that commemorate the folks and communities we serve, and her mentorship and management of inventive expertise are all unparalleled,” mentioned Andrew Fitzgerald, Hearst Television’s senior VP of streaming video providers. “She is a grasp producer, with a watch to each element and a thoughts to the general technique.”
STREAMING
Bloomberg Media has launched its new streaming model, Bloomberg Originals. Guided by its tagline “enterprise as you’ve by no means seen,” the service will function documentary-like deep dives, speak exhibits, dwell occasions and video podcasts on matters resembling local weather change, expertise, finance and sports activities – all on the intersection of enterprise and tradition.
“On the heels of 20% development in video income in 2022, we proceed to see robust viewers demand for sensible enterprise programming and model companions searching for progressive options,” mentioned M. Scott Havens, Bloomberg CEO. “We attain 100 million fashionable leaders month-to-month throughout our digital platforms, and establishing the Bloomberg Originals model clarifies our imaginative and prescient for delivering them authentic and artistic programming. Bloomberg Originals is the right complement to Bloomberg TV’s sensible and insightful dwell international market protection — a tandem designed to fulfill enterprise leaders’ rising urge for food for sensible content material that informs and educates.”
Bloomberg Originals could be discovered on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs and Android TV in addition to Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, Amazon’s information app on Fire TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi and VIZIO WatchFree+. The originals may also be broadcast on Bloomberg TV and BTV+ and stream on Bloomberg.com.
PROGRAMMING
Bloomberg Originals’ “Getting Warmer With Kal Penn” premieres Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. on Bloomberg channels on Samsung TV+, LG Channels and Fire TV in addition to Bloomberg.com
Former White House aide Kal Penn takes viewers by way of sustainability-related matters and daring local weather options, whereas infusing humor and optimism. The premiere tackles plastic utilization, society’s relationship with plastic, recycling myths and monetary deterrents.
The present is a part of Bloomberg Originals, the Bloomberg Media model that launched Feb. 1. Check out the trailer on Bloomberg.com.
AWARD SHOWS
TV creator and showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser will obtain the Writers Guild of America West’s (WGAW) 2023 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement. The award goes to a guild member who “superior the literature of tv and made excellent contributions to the occupation of the tv author,” based on a press launch.
Bowser’s portfolio contains “Living Single,” which made her the primary Black feminine present creator, “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” “For Your Love” and “Unprisoned.”
In addition to her almost 600 TV episodes, she has additionally served as a trainer and mentor, serving to to begin WGA’s Showrunner Training program.
Past recipients of the award embrace Merrill Markoe, Jenji Kohan, Diane English, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Bochco, Susan Harris, Stephen J. Cannell, Shonda Rhimes, David Chase, Marta Kauffman & David Crane, Larry David, Garry Marshall and Alison Cross.
“I’m deeply moved to hitch such distinguished firm and to be acknowledged for telling various tales,” Bowser mentioned in a press release. “There’s no higher skilled reward than being seen by my friends.”
The WGAW ceremony will happen on March 5.
