TV News Roundup: ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Sets Season 4 Premiere Date
In today’s roundup, Season 4 of “Schitt’s Creek” gets an air date, while Nathan Lane is set to guest star on “The Blacklist.”
PREMIERE DATES
Pop has announced Season 4 of “Schitt’s Creek” will premiere Jan. 24 at 8 p.m., followed by the series premiere of “Let’s Get Physical” at 8:30 p.m. Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Daniel Levy, and Annie Murphy are returning as the Rose family in the fourth season of “Schitt’s Creek,” while series co-creators Eugene and Daniel Levy continue to executive produce. Jane Seymour (“Wedding Crashers”), Matt Jones (“Breaking Bad”), Chris Diamantopoulos (“Episodes”), and AnnaLynne McCord (“90210”) star in “Let’s Get Physical,” a modern-day comedy capturing the zeitgeist of 1980s aerobics. The series revolves around middle-aged slacker Joe Force (Jones), who makes a reluctant comeback in the fitness industry after his dad, the “Godfather of Aerobics,” unexpectedly passes away and wills Joe the broke-down family gym with eccentric provisions attached to get his actual fortune and estate.
“The Arrangement” returns to E! for a second season on March 11 at 9 p.m. Starring Josh Henderson, Christine Evangelista, Michael Vartan, and Lexa Doig, the drama reveals what it’s like to maintain a high-profile relationship within the confines of the public eye. “The Arrangement” was written by Jonathan Abrahams (“Mad Men”), who serves as executive producer, along with Adam Milch and Robert Duncan McNeill. Jimmy Fox of Main Event Media, Layla Smith and Gregory Lipstone of All3Media America also serve as executive producers. “The Arrangement Post Nup,” the digital companion series to the scripted program, will also return on March 11. Watch the trailer below:
Laff Mobb’s “Laff Tracks” will premiere Jan. 3 at 11 p.m. on truTV. The stand-up comedy series, hosted by Cipha Sounds, will feature appearances by stand-up comics Mark Viera, Rachel Feinstein, Yamaneika Saunders, Nate Jackson, Ayanna Dookie, Tony Baker, and Chaunte Wayans. The series is produced by American Chainsaws Entertainment with Royal Malloy, Colt Straub, Duke Straub, and Mark Therrien serving as executive producers. Cipha also serves as co-executive producer alongside executive producers Edgar Cutino and Jamal Dedeaux, and Laff Mobb Entertainment’s Bob Sumner, Arthur Spivak, and Carlos Koustas.
CASTING
Nathan Lane will guest star in the upcoming 100th episode of “The Blacklist,” which will air in January on NBC. Lane plays Abraham Stern. Loyal to no one, Stern proves that Raymond Reddington (James Spader) isn’t the only dangerous man in a three-piece suit. Using his leverage over the finances of others, he manipulates the desperate into committing illegal and immoral acts in pursuit of his ultimate goal, the claiming of a fortune that is his birthright. “The Blacklist” is currently in its fifth season.
Telemundo has announced that chefs Benito Molina, Claudia Sandoval, and Ennio Carota are the three judges of the first season of “MasterChef Latino.” The culinary competition show, hosted by Aracely Arámbula, will premiere in 2018. On “MasterChef Latino,” the trio of cooking experts will have to choose one among a group of cooking amateurs to select a winner.
Sundance has cast Marlee Matlin, Cheryl Hines, Zach Gilford, and Colt Prattes in “This Close.” The series, set to premiere in early 2018, is a dramedy created by, written by, and starring Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman, both of whom are deaf. “This Close” will explore the relationship between best friends Kate (Stern), who is newly engaged, and Michael (Feldman), who is attempting to move on from his ex-fiance. Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa for Killer Films, Mary Pat Bentel and Paul Young, along with Stern and Feldman, executive produce the show.
GREENLIGHTS
Nickelodeon has given a 20-episode order to “Star Falls,” slated to premiere in 2018. From Breakthrough Entertainment, “Star Falls” centers on Sophia, a strong-willed teen who persuades a Hollywood movie star and his family to live in her house while he shoots a movie in town, with the hopes of setting him up with her mom. Created by George Doty IV (“Scooby Doo,” “Loch Ness Monster”), the series stars Siena Agudong (“Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn”) as Sophia Miller, along with Kamaia Fairburn (“Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B”) as Diamond Brooks, Tomaso Sanelli (“The Passenger”) as Nate Rex, Jadiel Dowlin (“Annedroids”) as Phoenix Brooks, and Marcus Cornwall as Bo Brooks. Deadline first reported this news.
El Rey Network has greenlit “Lucha Underground” for a fourth season. Production for the wrestling series will begin in Los Angeles in early 2018. The series introduces American audiences to the high-flying aerial maneuvers, slingshot moves, dramatic masks, intricate, rapid-fire wrestling combinations, and techniques of lucha libre, one of Mexico’s most popular sports. Mark Burnett, Robert Rodriguez, showrunner Eric Van Wagenen, Brian Edwards, Dorian Roldan, Alejandro Garcia, Antonio Cue Sanchez-Navarro, John Fogelman, Cristina Patwa, and Skip Chaisson executive produce.
FIRST LOOKS
National Geographic shared an clip of Tuesday night’s episode of “The Long Road Home,” exclusive to Variety. The clip features Kate Bosworth’s character saying goodbye to her husband (Jason Ritter) as he is being deployed. The miniseries, created by Mikko Alanne, is based on the 2007 book of the same name by Martha Raddatz. In addition to Bosworth and Ritter, “The Long Road Home” also stars Michael Kelly, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Noel Fisher, Jon Beavers, E. J. Bonilla, Jorge Diaz, Ian Quinlan, Darius Homayoun, and Patrick Schwarzenegger. Its third episode, titled “Into the Unknown,” airs Nov. 14.
RENEWALS
Nickelodeon has renewed “I Am Frankie” for Season 2. The series follows Alex Hook as Frankie Gaines, who looks like any other human girl but functions as a high-tech computer, complete with internet access and extensive memory. In Season 2, Frankie explores what it means to be human, along with the help of her best friend Dayton (Nicole Alyse Nelson), as new threats force Frankie to keep her true identity a secret. Created by Marcela Citterio, “I Am Frankie,” also features Carson Rowland, Kyson Facer, Sophia Forest, Mohana Krishnan, Uriel Baldesco, Kristi Beckett, Jayce Mroz, and Armani Barrett. Deadline first reported this news.
DEVELOPMENT
truTV has ordered an additional 10 episodes of its live late-night series “The Chris Gethard Show,” which will premiere in spring 2018. The series debuted in August and stars Gethard as he leads a panel of comedian friends and guests who participate in games and stunts. “The Chris Gethard Show” is produced by Funny Or Die. Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Owen Burke, Chris Gethard, JD Amato, Anna Wenger, Brian Stern serve as executive producers. New episodes currently air live Thursdays at 11 p.m. ET on truTV.
Oxygen Media is expanding its development slate with four new projects. The series in development include the working titles of “Up and Vanished,” “Buzzfeed: Behind the Crime,” “License to Kill,” and “Unhinged.” “Up and Vanished” is based on the podcast of the same name, which showcases a small town mystery. “Buzzfeed: Behind the Crime” follows Buzzfeed’s Kelsey Darragh as she investigates unsolved mysteries kept alive through the internet. Plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow investigates cases of murderous doctors and nurses in “License to Kill,” while journalists Troy Roberts and Stephanie Bauer expose unanswered true crime cases in “Unhinged.”
PROGRAMS
The Educational Theatre Association will expand its JumpStart Theatre program due to a personal donation from NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt. The expansion, and Greenblatt’s support, is being celebrated at “Thespians Go Hollywood,” a benefit cabaret to raise funds for growing access to theater in underserved schools. JumpStart Theatre equips non-theater teachers with the skills and resources to produce their school’s first musical through mentoring and training. The program was developed in partnership with NYC-based companies Musical Theatre International and iTheatrics. The Shubert Foundation also announced a grant to support the program’s expansion.
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