Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points For Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024
A former Minnesota casting director for minor actors left a trail of sexual abuse charges across two states.
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024:
PRODUCTION NOTES
As I mentioned on Monday, this newsletter will be taking Thursday and Friday off for the July 4th holiday weekend. It's a bit of a tough decision because about 1/3 of my subscribers are based outside the U.S. But it's generally a slow news period internationally as well. If some really big news breaks, I'll send out a special note. But otherwise I am going to try and relax a bit, work more on my book and build up stamina for next week's kick-off of the Television Critics Association press tour.
Aside from that, it's a slow news day, so today's newsletter will be shorter than usual. But I will add the complete listings through next Monday to help out with your viewing decisions.
MATTHEW FEENEY WAS MINNESOTA'S QUIET ON SET MOMENT
While there are several events recounted in the recent four-part documentary Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV that are difficult to watch, perhaps the most jarring one tells the story of Drake Bell, who goes on-camera for the first time to talk about being the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of then-voice coach Brian Peck.
But Bell's story might sound sadly familiar to some people in Minnesota's acting community, who remember the case of Matthew Feeney:
In March 2012, charges were filed against Feeney in Washington County, MN, after a local parent came forward to accuse the casting agent of the sexual abuse of her two sons while they were clients of his agency. The charges alleged the local victims were aspiring actors who met Feeney in 2007 and that he provided them with casting opportunities, acting classes, and entertainment.
According to the criminal complaint, Feeney had befriended the boys' mother and would often spend time alone with the boys on camping trips, at film festivals, entertainment parks, and in his home.
On March 2nd, 2012, the boys' mom was on her home computer, posting pictures of her kids on Facebook when one son asked her to not post pictures of him "because he did not like people looking at his body," the complaint stated.
According to the mother, he became upset and when she pressed him about the reason, she said he fell to the ground and started crying, telling her Feeney had touched his privates.
“I almost passed out. For a second, everything stopped,” she said. “Everything in my world stopped.”
She then called her oldest son in and watched as her 6-foot-tall teen also fell to the floor in tears, saying, “Oh no.... mom. He molested me too.'”
Read the entire piece. While the piece runs 2,600 words, this is just the bare bones telling of a really horrific story.
ODDS AND SODS
* Yes, Twitter/X really sucks now. But one reliably entertaining account to follow is "ID4InRealTime," which tweets "the sights, sounds, & news from 1996's historic alien attack & subsequent global (read: American) military response in real time."
* Amazon Prime has canceled Outer Range after two seasons. It also canceled the surf documentary series Make Or Break after two seasons.
* Vanity Fair has a great look back at the under-appreciated sci-fi series V.
* Apple TV+ has renewed the comedy The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin for a second season. I really enjoyed the first season and I interviewed star Noel Fielding and producer Kenton Allen just before the show premiered in February.
* The third season of Marvel’s Disney+ show What If…? will be its last.
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3RD:
* All Up In My Grill Season Four Premiere (Tastemade)
* Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)
* Hope In The Water Finale (PBS)
* Trying Season Four Finale (Apple TV+)
THURSDAY, JULY 4TH:
* A Capitol Fourth 2024 (PBS)
* Barbecue Showdown Season Premiere (Netflix)
* Carl Weber's The Family Business Season Five Premiere (BET+)
* Days With My Stepsister Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* Failure Frame: I Became The Strongest And Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* Land Of Tanabata Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Macy’s 4th Of July Fireworks (NBC)
* Pseudo Harem Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* Red Cat Ramen (Crunchyroll)
* Rhythm + Flow France Season Premiere (Netflix)
* Senpai Is An Otokonoko Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
* Space Cadet (Amazon Prime) - [first look video]
* The Cafe Terrace And Its Goddesses (Crunchyroll)
* The Family Business Season Premiere (BET+)
* Twilight Out Of Focus (Crunchyroll)
FRIDAY, JULY 5TH:
Cardfight Vanguard Divinez (Crunchyroll)
Desperate Lies Series Premiere (Netflix)
Down In The Valley Series Premiere (Starz)
Family Empire: Houston Series Premiere (OWN)
Goyo (Netflix)
Mirzapur (Prime Video)
NieR:Automata Ver1.1a (Crunchyroll)
Quality Assurance In Another World (Crunchyroll)
Power Book II: Ghost Season Four, Part One Finale (Starz)
Roots Of Comedy With Jesus Trejo Season Finale (PBS)
Temptation Island Mexico Series Premiere (Prime Video)
The Imaginary (Netflix) - [photo gallery]
The King Of Zanzibar (Max)
The Real Bros Of Simi Valley: High School Reunion (The Roku Channel)
SATURDAY, JULY 6TH:
Amish Affair (Lifetime)
Dahlia In Bloom: Crafting A Fresh Start With Magical Tools Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
The Elusive Samurai Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
The Incredible Dr. Pol: The Grand Finale (NatGeo)
SUNDAY, JULY 7TH:
Attack Of The Red Sea Sharks (NatGeo)
Belly Of The Beast: Bigger And Bloodier (Discovery)
Carnival Eats Season Premiere (Cooking Channel)
Couples Retreat Murder (Lifetime)
Jaws vs Leviathan (Discovery)
Makozilla (Discovery)
Psi Cops Series Premiere (Adult Swim)
Raising Fame Series Premiere (TV One)
Sydney Shark Invasion (Discovery)
Uncensored Season Premiere (TV One)
MONDAY, JULY 8TH:
All-American: Homecoming Season Premiere (The CW)
BBQ Brawl Season Premiere (Food)
Big Shark Energy (Discovery)
Bodies In The Water (Investigation Discovery)
Great White Serial Killer: Sea Of Blood (Discovery)
Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc (Netflix)
POV: Is There Anybody Out There? (PBS)
Shark Fenzy: Mating Games (Discovery)
The Bachelorette Season Premiere (ABC)
SEE YOU ON MONDAY!