Pandemic News

• The Tony awards committee has announced that 18 productions will be eligible for the 2020 awards. Significantly down from the 34 productions eligible last year pre-pandemic.
• We will not bother reporting a huge collection of news items about various TV dramas that are going back into production post pandemic. We will just note that some of them will not even begin production until late September or early October which is usually the time when they would be premiering.
• Marvel’s “New Mutants” earned $7 million at the box office last weekend which would normally be a disaster however considering the pandemic and only 62% of all cinemas are open that is considered pretty good. Stock prices on movie chains were up last Friday to celebrate the reopening of many theaters.

Renewals, Coming Soon, and Casting News

• TVLine has released a calendar showing premier dates for new fall TV series. See the first link at the bottom of the page. It gives a calendar of September premieres as well as links to articles about the fall premieres of all five major networks. Note however that many shows have been delayed because the pandemic and will not premier until October or November rather than the usual September.
• As we previously reported if you want to see the new live-action word of Disney’s “Mulan” you will not only need a subscription to Disney+ but it will also cost an extra $30. It will be available September 5. However today they announced that starting December 4 you can watch it with nothing more than a regular Disney+ subscription for free. So if you can wait till December, don’t waste your money now.
• Disney+ has announced that season 2 of “The Mandalorian” will premier October 30.
• The cast of “The West Wing” will re-create episode of season three in a stage production to promote Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” campaign. It will appear on HBO Max sometime before the election.
• The CBS All Access remake of Stephen King novel “The Stand will premier December 17. I’ve never read the book but I really liked the 1994 miniseries version. Do we really need a story about a global pandemic right now?
• NBC has greenlit a TV series about “Tiger King” Joe Exotic. Kate McKinnon will play Carol Baskin.
• CBS will air over broadcast the first season of “Star Trek Discovery” which was available only on streaming CBS All Access. Also the first season of the reboot of “One Day at a Time” previously only available on Netflix. Also “Manhunt: Deadly Games” which was previously only available on demand for Spectrum customers. These will fill up their fall schedule until scripted series can premier sometime in November.
• Netflix has canceled sci-fi series “Altered Carbon” after 2 seasons.
• “The Masked Singer” season 4 will premier September 23.
• John Harlan Kim who plays Chimney’s younger brother on “911” has been promoted to series regular.
• It’s bad enough that we had to get an animated comedy version of Star Trek with the new “Star Trek: Lower Decks”. Now w down e have word that Fox is developing an animated comedy spinoff of “The X-Files”.
• The cast of “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” will be reuniting for a special celebrating the 30th anniversary of the show. The reunion will be on HBO Max.
• AMC has canceled horror series “NOS4A2” after two seasons. I never got into it.
• Chinese science-fiction epic “The Three Body Problem” is going to be adapted to a series for Netflix and be produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss who previously produced “Game of Thrones”. I haven’t read the novel but I heard great things about it. I may have to check it out.
• HBO Max withdrawing a common special by British comedian James Veitch following allegations of rape and sexual assault. He’s been dropped by his agent and is been edited out of a show on Qubie .
• Black-ish will have an election themed , parsley animated episode currently scheduled for October 4 but it may get pushed if the NBA finals run that long.
• Kevin Hart will host a star-studded “get out the vote” comedy special for ABC September 14. It is billed as a nonpartisan event to encourage people to vote.
• This week’s winner of the “Chris Young’s Sure Sign of the Coming Apocalypse Award” goes to “Dancing With The Stars” who announced that next seasons cast of celebrity contestants will include Tiger King’s Carole Baskin. See the link below for more details. DWTS is based on a British series “Strictly Come Dancing” which this season will feature its first-ever same sex couple. I’ve been wondering when DWTS would do that.

Politics and Showbiz

• Facebook announced it will stop taking political ads one week before the November 3 election.
• A judge has rejected Roman Polanski’s bid to be reinstated in the Motion Picture Academy so that he can vote on the Oscars. He was banned from the Academy after being found guilty of relationship with a teenage girl.

Miscellaneous News

• Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery will have transgender and non-binary characters for the first time in Star Trek history.
• Disney has filed for a patent to use drones to control show elements. So look for dancing drones to make an appearance at Disney parks sometime soon.
• Chadwick Boseman final tweet announcing his passing has set a record for the most liked tweet ever.
• Magician/stuntman David Blaine set a YouTube record when he flew over the Arizona desert using helium balloons. At one point 770,000 people were watching live stream.

In Memoriam

• Actor Chadwick Boseman who appeared in iconic roles such as Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and James Brown. Oh yeah I think he was in a couple of Marvel movies too. Age 43 colon cancer.
• Joe Ruby animator and cocreator of Scooby Doo. Age 87.
• YouTube star Landon Clifford age 19 after spending six days in a coma however no cause of death has been revealed the preferred released.
• Riley Gail lead singer of the Texas thrash metal band “Power Trip” age 34 no cause released
• David S. The show Cass Sr. a veteran stuntman and TV director. Age 87
• Ceasar Cordova character actor known for “Scarface” and “Carlito’s Way” age 84. Natural causes.
• Former NBA All-Star and “Survivor” contestant Cliff Robinson. Age 53.
• Leslie H. Freas twin sister of Linda Hamilton who appeared with her in “Terminator 2” age 63. No cause revealed.
• Erick Morillo DJ who was known for his music hit “I like to Move It” which was famously featured in the film “Madagascar” age 49. No cause released. He was scheduled to appear in court on a sexual battery charge on Friday.
• Timothy Graphenreed composer who penned 2 songs for “The Wiz”. Age 68 no cause released.
• Ian Mitchell bass player for the Bay City Rollers age 62.

Links of Interest

Fall TV 2020: Your Handy Calendar of 80+ Season and Series Premiere Dates
‘The Masked Singer’ EP Craig Plestis Talks Secrecy Protocols, Upcoming Fourth Season And Status Of Spin-Offs ‘The Masked Dancer’ & ‘I Can See Your Voice’
The Handmaid’s Tale’s Bradley Whitford Talks Season 4 Restart and West Wing Reunion: Josh Lyman ‘Could Not Imagine the Stakes of This Election’
‘Dancing With The Stars’: ABC Unveils Season 29 Cast Including ‘Tiger King’s Carole Baskin & Rapper Nelly