PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Showtime is developing a television series adaptation of The Kingkiller Chronicle, exec-produced by Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), with producer John Rogers (Leverage, The Player) serving as showrunner. Miranda will also compose music for the series, which is based on Patrick Rothfuss’ best-selling contemporary fantasy trilogy. Produced by Lionsgate, the series follows a pair of wandering performers on their adventures through the unique and startling fantasy world of Temerant.
Production is underway for season 3 of Paranormal Lockdown, starring Nick Groff and Katrina Weidman. New season will premiere on Destination America in 2018.
Indie production house Morgan Creek Productions is rebranding as Morgan Creek Entertainment Group. The company, behind such titles as the films Ace Ventura and Dead Ringers, and Fox TV series The Exorcist, will introduce its existing brands to new audiences via reboots, as well as develop new cross-platform strategies. MCEG’s newly established television unit will offer reboots of IP and original scripted and non-scripted content for all broadcast, OTT, pay and basic cable platforms.
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
Up TV is going to the cats. The net is launching linear series Meow Manor: Keeping Up With the Kattarshians and digital complement 24/7 Cat Cam (found on uptv.com) on Wednesday, November 8 at 8p. The series, which takes viewers inside a posh kitty mansion, will be preceded this Saturday, October 28, with a “Caturday” feline-focused set of America's Funniest Videos eps.
Snuggle up and get ready for season 2 of Polar Bear Town, debuting on Smithsonian Channel on Wednesday, November 22 at 8p. Three-part series returns to the isolated town of Churchill, Manitoba, where each fall 10,000 tourists arrive to converge with nature in what’s known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.”
The second half of family drama The Fosters will return to Freeform on Tuesday, January 9, at 8p.
Raise your glass, IFC acquired season 3 of all-female sketch comedy series Baroness von Sketch Show. The network acquired first two seasons earlier this year from Banijay Rights, and they debuted this summer. New episodes will air on IFC in 2018.
Generic suburban homes will get a shot of personality in new HGTV home renovation series Hidden Potential, slated to premiere in July 2018 Builder and designer Jasmine Roth will turn builder-basic houses in suburban Southern California into dream homes that have personalized layouts and standout amenities.
COMING UP
TV One will premiere Unsung: Hollywood featuring the legendary rapper/actor Tupac on Sunday, October 29 at 10p. The show explores the “B side” of Tupac’s career in entertainment—his body of work in film and TV.
Cinelatino will treat viewers to a chilling lineup of films to celebrate Halloween on its US feed starting at 8p Monday, October 30. Among titles are sci-fi thriller Aulas Peligrosas (The Faculty), and horror flick El Cuervo (The Crow).
H Is for Hawk: A New Chapter premieres Wednesday, November 1 at 8p on PBS. Show is the next iteration of an adaptation based on Helen Macdonald's best-selling book H Is for Hawk, the story of a grieving daughter who found healing after her father's death, in the form of a goshawk named Mabel.
The North American Soccer League (NASL) announced its national broadcast television partner, beIN Sports, will be the exclusive carrier of the league's four-team postseason tournament that kicks off on Sunday, November 5.
Discovery will premiere automotive special Max Grundy on Monday, November 6 at 10p. Designer and builder Grundy, a fierce competitor in the competitive custom car world, is in the spotlight.
JFK: The Smoking Gun will return to Reelz on Monday, November 6 at 6p. The two-hour doc, extensively researched by veteran police detective Colin McLaren, is based on his four-and-a-half year investigation into JFK’s death including inspecting more than 30,000 government documents.
Freeform’s first original Christmas movie, Angry Angel, will take flight Monday, November 27 at 9p, during the network’s annual “Countdown to 25 days of Christmas” promotion. The film is directed by Jamie Travis (Scream: The TV Series) and stars Brenda Song as a young woman-turned-angel who is stuck on Earth and can’t seem to pass through the pearly gates into heaven.
CASTING
Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) snagged the lead in History’s scripted drama series Blue Book. In addition, Maleficent director Robert Stromberg will direct the first two episodes.
Evan Peters, Kate Mara, James Van Der Beek and Tatiana Maslany joined the cast of Ryan Murphy and FX Network’s Pose.
AWARDS SHOW NEWS
dick clark productions and ABC announced Selena Gomez will perform her new single “Wolves” at the 2017 American Music Awards, airing live from LA on Sunday, November 19, at 8p on ABC.
Liam Payne, Travis Scott and French Montana joined the chorus of headliners for the 2017 MTV EMAs, which will air live in the U.S. Sunday, November 12 beginning at 2p with the hourlong preshow, leading into the main show at 3:p.
KIDS NEWS
Nickelodeon’s new CG-animated preschool series Top Wing flies in Monday, November 6, at 12:30p. Series follows a team of eager young birds as they work together to help their island community, go on adventures and earn their wings as full-feathered rescue birds.
In other Nick news, the network is going big for the 91st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The net debut a Paw Patrol balloon and Shimmer and Shine Float at this year’s event, broadcast live on Thursday, November 23 from 9a-noon on NBC.
ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP
Bridgestone will be a Eurosport presenting partner for the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang as part of a new deal between the companies. Bridgestone and its brand campaign “Chase Your Dream, No Matter What” will have a prominent position across all Eurosport platforms and screens from TV and on-demand, to social media and digital services across 50 European markets both leading up to and during the Games.
