Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Friday, May 10th, 2024
A lot of 2024-2025 broadcast primetime schedule announcements.
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, May 10th, 2024:
NBC ANNOUNCES ITS 2024/2025 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
NBC unveiled its upcoming primetime schedule on Friday and it includes a modest three new shows: the Reba McEntire multi-cam comedy Happy's Place, the medical mockumentary St. Denis Medical and the drama Brilliant Minds, which is based on the work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks.
The midseason schedule will include the ten-part The Americas, which is narrated by actor, producer, and writer Tom Hanks with music by two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer. Other midseason shows include the competitive reality series Destination X, season two of Deal Or No Deal Island and the procedural drama The Hunting Party, which follows a team of investigators attempt to capture the country’s most dangerous killers.
Here is the complete fall schedule:
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)
MONDAY
8-10 P.M. — The Voice
10-11 P.M. — BRILLIANT MINDS
TUESDAY
8-8:30 P.M. —ST. DENIS MEDICAL
8:30-9 P.M. — Night Court
9-10 P.M. — The Voice
10-11 P.M. — The Irrational
WEDNESDAY
8-9 P.M. — Chicago Med
9-10 P.M. — Chicago Fire
10-11 P.M. — Chicago P.D.
THURSDAY
8-9 P.M. — Law & Order
9-10 P.M. — Law & Order: SVU
10-11 P.M. — Found
FRIDAY
8-8:30 P.M. — HAPPY’S PLACE
8:30-9 P.M. — Lopez vs. Lopez
9-11 P.M — Dateline NBC
SATURDAY
7-7:30 P.M. ET— Big Ten Pregame / Notre Dame Pregame (also live on Peacock)
7:30-11 P.M. ET— Big Ten Saturday Night / Notre Dame Football (also live on Peacock)
SUNDAY
7-8:20 P.M. ET— Football Night in America (also live on Peacock)
8:20-11 P.M. ET— NBC Sunday Night Football (also live on Peacock)
YET ANOTHER BIT OF PROOF THAT DISCOVERY+ IS JUST RUNNING ON AUTOPILOT
Back in early April, I mentioned in the newsletter that the Discovery+ "What To Stream This Weekend" email blast hadn't been updated in weeks.
I just received the latest edition and nothing has changed. From what I can tell, the email hasn't been updated in around two months, which seems on brand for a streaming service that just feels as if has been forgotten by WBD executives.
Which is too bad, because Discovery+ gets watched a lot in the Ellis household. In fact, it's the only streaming service where we pay for the ad-free version.
SHOWS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR FOR THIS WEEKEND:
Here are a few viewing suggestions and/or warnings about the weekend:
* Doctor Who (Disney+)
Despite the Disney PR arguments to the contrary, a new season (not series) of Doctor Who premieres tonight. I'm not going to say much about it until after more people get a chance to see it, but if you're a fan, I think you'll enjoy this latest reboot/redirection of the series. FWIW, here is the official logline of the episode: "While caught in the middle of a devastating war on Kastarion 3, the Doctor must figure out how to save himself, Ruby, and the entire planet after he steps on a landmine and can’t move."
* Mr. Birchum (Sunday, Daily Wire+)
How you feel about this new animated series from the conservative streaming service Daily Wire+ probably will depend a great deal on how funny you think a procession of "anti-woke" jokes can be. The series was co-developed by Adam Corolla, who even in his creative heyday wasn't known as a subtle comedian. And there is certainly nothing understated in this series which follows high school shop teacher Mr. Birchum as he battles phone-obsessed teens, indifferent school administrators and a new pony-tailed social justice warrior Karponzi, who is in charge of the "JEDI" department: "Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion." The production value is solid, so if this slant on the world resonates with, you'll likely enjoy it.
Expedition From Hell: The Lost Tapes (Sunday, Discovery)
This is one of those so-insane-it-sounds-made up stories that has the potential of being a virally buzzy hit. The docuseries follows the story of Mickey Grosman, a former special forces demolitions expert who took a group of amateur adventurers on a nearly impossible 5,000-mile journey across South America. Producers had access to around 700-hours of video Grosman's camera crew had shot for a documentary and it tells a truly deranged story that includes a near death, some kidnappings, a prison escape and a missing person. I have an interview with showrunner/EP Erin Gamble and director/EP David Freid that will post in the morning on AllYourScreens and I'll have a full review posting Sunday morning. But what I can tell you here is that I can't wait to see the rest of the episodes and see where this story ends up.
TWEET OF THE DAY
ODDS AND SODS
* ABC has renewed seven unscripted shows for next season: American Idol, The Bachelor, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Dancing With the Stars, Shark Tank and What Would You Do? The one unscripted series that has yet to be picked up is the long-running America’s Funniest Home Videos, which has been on the air for 34 seasons.
* Hulu has decided not to pick up a second season of The Other Black Girl.
* Longtime KTLA entertainment anchor and reporter Sam Rubin has died at age 64. He reportedly had a heart attack after his Friday segments on Morning News. And watching the video of KTLA anchor Frank Buckley making the announcement on KTLA is something else.
* The new Starz reality series Down In The Valley premieres Friday, July 5th.
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW
FRIDAY, MAY 10TH:
* Blood Of Zeus Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
* Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering The Story Of César Román (Netflix)
* Doctor Who Season Premiere (Disney+)
* Empty Nest Refresh Series Premiere (The Roku Channel)
* Living With Leopards (Netflix) - [first look video]
* Past Lies Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Pokemon Horizons: The Series (Netflix)
* The Simpsons: May The 12th Be With You (Disney+)
* The Ultimatum: South Africa Series Premiere (Netflix)
SATURDAY, MAY 11TH, 2024:
* ABBA: Against The Odds (The CW)
* Kevin Hart: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize (Netflix)
* Mommy Meanest (Lifetime)
* Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die (HBO)
* 2024 Mark Twain Prize For American Humor (Netflix)
SUNDAY, MAY 12TH:
* Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire Season Two Premiere (AMC)
* Blood, Sweat And Cheer (Lifetime)
*Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc (Crunchyroll)
* Expedition From Hell: The Lost Tapes (Discovery)
* Interview With The Vampire Season Premiere (AMC)
* Mr. Birchum Series Premiere (Daily Wire+)
* Naked & Afraid XL Season Premiere (Discovery)
* Sins Of The South Series Premiere (Oxygen)
* Smiling Friends (Adult Swim)
* The Chi Season Premiere (Showtime)
* TIME100: The World's Most Influential People (ABC)
* 2024 BAFTA Television Awards (Britbox)
MONDAY, MAY 13TH:
* After The Flood (Britbox)
* Harry Wild (Acorn TV)
* Nova: Secrets In Your Data (PBS)
* Princess Power (Netflix)
* Spacey Unmasked (Investigation Discovery)
* Summer Baking Championship Season Premiere (Food)
SEE YOU ON MONDAY!