Too Much TV: Happy Friday Before The Upfronts Day
Today was the traditional "bloodbath before the Upfronts" day for broadcast TV.
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, May 9th 2025:
A BRUTAL DAY FOR BROADCAST SHOWS ON THE BUBBLE
While many traditions have changed in recent years in the broadcast television industry, one thing that remains a constant is the flurry of cancellations that are announced the Friday before the network upfront presentations.
NBC canceled comedies Night Court and Lopez Vs. Lopez after three seasons. It also announced the cancellation of rookie series Suits L.A. as well as Found and The Irrational - both of which aired two seasons. The fate of first-year dramas Brilliant Minds, Grosse Pointe Garden Society and The Hunting Party haven't been officially announced and might not be clear until the network announces it schedule ahead of Monday's upfronts
On the other hand, the networks have also begun making some official announcements of pickups for the next season:
* Fox has handed a series order to The Faithful, a six-episode Biblical limited series from Carol Mendelsohn (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Rene Echevarria (Carnival Row, The 4400) and Fox Entertainment Studios.
* Fox has also given a series order to the drama Best Medicine, based on the hugely popular British series Doc Martin. Josh Charles (The Good Wife, Sports Night) will star in the lead role.
* ABC has renewed a flurry of unscripted shows for this fall, including a ninth season of American Idol, a fourth season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, a 17th season of Shark Tank, a sixth season of Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune and a 36th season of America's Funniest Home Videos. The fate of The Bachelor has yet to be announced.
MORE NEWS ABOUT ESPN AND ESPN+
CNBC's Alex Sherman has some details about Disney's new stand-alone subscription sports app, which will be named ESPN. But it is also not getting rid of the existing ESPN+. Even though the latter will have less programming, despite the + in its name:
Disney executives have referred to the streaming product, which is expected to cost $25 or $30 a month, as “flagship” internally for the past two years as they have developed the service. It will consist of everything ESPN has to offer, including all games; programming on other ESPN cable networks such as ESPN2 and the SEC Network; ESPN on ABC; fantasy products; new betting tie-ins; studio programming; documentaries and more.
This will differ from ESPN’s current streaming product ESPN+, which does not include the most-watched live games, such as Monday Night Football, that currently only air exclusively on traditional pay-TV. ESPN+ costs $11.99 per month and can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for $16.99 per month with commercials. ESPN+ will remain a less expensive offering for consumers, according to people familiar with the matter.
I would be willing to pay extra for a sport streaming service which doesn't include any betting tie-ins or non-stop promotions. I love the games, but the constant repetition of betting lines and fantasy odds makes some of these games feel like the sports equivalent of QVC,
TWEET OF THE DAY
THE WRAP CONTINUES TO REPORT ON VALNET
Despite just having been sued by Valnet for libel of some earlier reporting that described as the company as a "media sweatshop,", The Wrap is back with another well-reported piece today that lays out problematic behavior by some of the company's executives:
But the frustration felt by women staffers at CBR was over a more specific issue: what they called a culture of gender discrimination.
“When I was with CBR, I was constantly trying to get them to hire more women and people of color in higher editorial positions. I would constantly get pushback for that,” a second former senior editor said.
“I have no doubt that he is a misogynist,” the second former senior editor told TheWrap on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, speaking of Monnier. “That’s a running theme throughout the Valnet hierarchy, to be honest.”
While Valnet is one of the worst offenders in the industry, any freelance entertainment journalist likely has plenty of examples of the various ways they have been taken advantage of by editors and companies who know they need the work and will absorb a lot of casual abuse in order to be able to pay the bills.
ODDS AND SODS
* Season two of Peacemaker will premiere Thursday, August 21st on Max.
* The QVC+ late-night talk show Busy This Week - starring Busy Phillips - returns for a second season on Wednesday, May 21st.
* Deadline is touting the "exclusive" news that Prime Video has canceled the Dick Wolf half-hour police series On Call. And while the actual announcement might be "exclusive," people associated with the show have been telling reporters for several weeks that it had been canceled.
* Peacock has ordered an animated Ted series, based on the live-action comedy series and films.
* Latenighter notes that Bravo has yet to renew Watch What Happens Live for a new season.
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY, MAY 9TH:
A Deadly American Marriage (Netflix)
Bad Influence (Netflix)
Gold Rush: Mine Rescue With Freddy & Juan Season Premiere (Discovery)
Long Way Home Season Four Premiere (Apple TV+)
Molly-Mae: Behind It All (Prime Video)
Nonnas (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars Season Ten Premiere (Paramount+)
Summer Of '69 (Hulu)
The Royals (Netflix)
Too Hot To Handle: Italy Series Premiere (Netflix)
SATURDAY, MAY 10TH, 2025:
Love In The Clouds (Hallmark)
The Judd Family: Truth Be Told (Lifetime)
SUNDAY, MAY 11TH, 2025:
BAFTA Television Awards (BritBox)
Secrets Of The Zoo Down Under Season Premiere (NatGeo Wild)
The Bakersfield Three: A Tale Of Murder And Motherhood (Investigation Discovery)
The Love Club Moms: Harper (UP tv)
MONDAY, MAY 12TH, 2025:
Contraband: Seized At The Border Season Premiere (Discovery)
Tastefully Yours Series Premiere (Netflix)
SEE YOU ON MONDAY!