A contemporary YA retelling of The Wizard of Oz is in the works at Amazon / Deli Boys renewed, adds Fred Armisen / Chicago Med bringing back Nick Gehlfuss
PLUS: King of the Hill Hulu revival's second season is already completed, with new episodes set to premiere in 2026.
Amazon developing Dorothy, a contemporary, music-infused YA retelling of The Wizard of Oz
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are producing Dorothy, created by The Gates and Holidazed vet Gina Matthews, for Amazon Prime Video. "The series, which Matthews created and will produce under her Little Engine label, is a contemporary, music-infused YA retelling of Wizard of Oz based on L. Frank Baum’s books using the Yellow Brick Road as a metaphor for the challenges and choices facing young adults today," according to Deadline. “I’ve been in love with The Wizard of Oz books since I was a child,” says Matthews. “The story reminds us of the qualities we need to get through hard times, and Dorothy is a symbol of strength who shows us that with a little kindness — and a lot of grit — we can not only achieve great things but also lift up those around us. I’m excited to bring that message to the world, now more than ever.” Stefani adds: “It’s a creative and modern take on a classic, and being part of something that blends music, emotion, and the character of Dorothy is inspiring to me."
King of the Hill Hulu revival's second season is already completed, with new episodes set to premiere in 2026
The King of the Hill revival is a massive hit. According to Vulture's Josef Adalian, Nielsen reported 1.28 billion minutes of viewing minutes for the week of Aug. 4-10, which is second to Netflix's Wednesday. It turns out Hulu already ordered a second season, or 15th season overall. "To be clear, Hulu has not (yet) ordered more episodes of KOTH in response to this month’s strong viewership numbers," says Adalian. "Instead, it turns out that when Hulu announced the KOTH revival back in January 2023, it ordered 20 half-hour episodes, according to people familiar with the matter. While the streamer never publicly specified the size of its episodic commitment — it simply released 10 new episodes as season 14 — that number was no secret to the show’s producers and writers, who were able to plot their story lines accordingly. The fact that Hulu would essentially order two seasons in advance shouldn’t really come as a surprise: Given the long lead times involved with animated projects, doing so was the only way to ensure that, in success, there wouldn’t be a long gap between new seasons of the show. It’s also the model Hulu used when it unfroze Futurama from its decade-long slumber in 2022, though in that case, Hulu revealed its 20-episode order from the start."
Rachel Sennott’s HBO comedy announces I Love LA title and fall premiere date
Premiering Nov. 2, I Love LA will follow “an ambitious friend group navigating life and love” in Los Angeles. Sennott, who created I Love LA, stars alongside Jordan Firstman, Josh Hutcherson, Odessa A’zion and True Whitaker. Leighton Meester, Moses Ingram, Lauren Holt, Elijah Wood, Quenlin Blackwell, Josh Brener, Tim Baltz, Froy Gutierrez and Colin Woodell will guest-star on the eight-episode season.
Hulu renews Deli Boys for Season 2, with Fred Armisen joining as a series regular
Armisen will join Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Poorna Jagannathan on Season 2 of the Hulu comedy. He'll play "a legendary gambling savant with an uncanny ability to read people like cards in the half-hour series," per Deadline. "His casino empire is global, but his crown jewel is in Philly. He is uniquely brilliant and deeply unhinged — a deadly combo if you cross him."
Netflix renews Trainwreck documentary franchise for Season 2
The renewal comes after the ratings success this summer for Poop Cruise, which had 21.1M views. Trainwreck also found success with American Apparel, The Real Project X, Balloon Boy, Storm Area 51 and Mayor of Mayhem.
Chicago Med bringing back Nick Gehlfuss
Gehlfuss, who played Dr. Will Halstead on Chicago Med's first eight seasons, will guest-star in Season 11. It's not yet known how many episodes he'll be back for.
Hulu lands Alex Gibney's Luigi Mangione documentary
The Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, who has been working on the Mangione documentary since shortly after Mangione’s arrest for allegedly gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December, has now sold the project to Hulu. ALSO: Alex Gibney's Elon Musk documentary Musk will get a theatrical release before its HBO Max debut.
Netflix sets kids' show premiere dates for Sesame Street, Ms. Rachel, Gabby’s Dollhouse and more
Sesame Street kicks off Season 55, its first on Netflix, on Nov. 10, Ms. Rachel Season 2 premieres Sept. 1, Gabby’s Dollhouse Season 12 premieres Nov. 17. Netflix also announced premiere dates for Dr. Seuss’s Red Fish, Blue Fish, Blippi’s Job Show, Dr. Seuss’s Horton!, Thomas & Friends: Sodor Sings Together, Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, CoComelon Lane and Creature Cases.
Vivica A. Fox to star in a TV adaptation of the True to the Game film franchise
Fox, who played Shoog in all three True to the Game films, will return in the series alongside Sierra Capri. The series promises to expand the franchise and bring “the electrifying love story of Gena and Quadir to the small screen.” The series is currently being shopped around for a distributor. True to the Game was released in 2017, followed by True to the Game 2: Gena's Story in 2020 and True to the Game 3 in 2021.
Lilly Singh to guest on Shifting Gears
She'll play a new friend to Kat Dennings' Riley. The two moms click instantly, but their budding relationship is derailed by “unexpected mama drama,” per the official character breakdown.
Fox-YouTube TV dispute will not impact NFL Sunday Ticket
Here's what an NFL spokesperson has to say about YouTube TV subscribers potentially losing access to Fox if they have Sunday Ticket: “The games in the NFL Sunday Ticket package on YouTube and YouTube TV only include out-of-market Sunday afternoon regular-season NFL games. NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers will continue to have access to all out-of-market games (both CBS and FOX). Games in the local market are not available within NFL Sunday Ticket and would be impacted on YouTube TV if the potential dispute is not resolved by the start of Week 1.”
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce their engagement
"Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married," Swift wrote on Instagram, two years after she and the NFL star became the talk of the NFL with their relationship.
South Park trolls Elon Musk with a post calling out Randy Marsh’s ketamine use
The show’s official X account posted a meme this morning with its character Randy Marsh holding a ketamine nasal spray with the message: “Just like any tech company, we are expanding our minds by microdosing ketamine.” The account added alongside the meme, “Randy knows the real secret to becoming a tech mogul.” Musk, a former time South Park guest-star, was open about his ketamine use in an interview with Don Lemon last year.
YouTube remains the No. 1 streamer for the sixth consecutive month
Nielsen‘s monthly Gauge report found that YouTube commanded 13.4% of all TV viewing in July, followed by Disney's 9.4%.
Soap legend Tamara Braun is joining The Young and the Restless
The two-time Daytime Emmy winner for Days of Our Lives and for General Hospital will play Sienna Bacall, who is described as someone having "personal connections to several characters" in Genoa City.
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula sets Season 2 premiere date, adds Jennifer Tilly as guest judge
The competition show blends high-concept drag artistry with physical challenges returns to AMC+ and Shudder on Oct. 7.
IShowSpeed joins YouTube's first NFL game as an alternative streamer
The popular YouTuber, whose real name is Darren Watkins, will host one of four “Watch With” streams available during the Sept. 5 Chiefs-Chargers game. IShowSpeed has 43 million subscribers, making him one of the most widely consumed creators in the world.
Turns out Fox banned Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy from all Big Ten stadiums for Big Noon Kickoff
On Monday, Front Office Sports reported Ohio State banned the controversial Michigan alum from Ohio State's stadium for Fox's Big Noon Kickoff this Saturday. Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork said that, actually, it was Fox that barred Portnoy. A Big Ten spokesperson added that Portnoy will not appear on Big Noon Kickoff’s main stage inside the stadium of any conference school this year. Meanwhile, Portnoy insisted Ohio State banned him, saying: "You banned me, you’re scared of Michigan."
NewsNation is departing from its news format with weekend opinion show hosted by "MAGA lefty" Batya Ungar-Sargon
Titled Batya and launching Sept. 20, the new opinion show is a departure from much of NewsNation’s schedule, billed as offering unbiased news coverage.
Hazbin Hotel sets nationwide sing-along screenings
A24 announced that it is bringing Season 1 sing-alongs of Vivienne Medrano's Amazon Prime Video adult animated musical comedy to theaters nationwide in 25 cities.
Apple TV+ shares the first look at The Sisters Grimm
Based on Michael Buckley’s bestselling books and premiering Oct. 3, The Sisters Grimm is primed to be a cross between Once Upon a Time and Gravity Falls.
Check out the first look at Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2
Adjani Salmon’s aspiring filmmaker Kwabena take on diversity challenges in the world of period drama in the BBC series that will be again be released on Showtime in the U.S.
Amazon releases the first look at Pilou Asbæk's Danish drama series Snake Killer
The Game of Thrones and Foundation vet plays a charismatic officer who is notorious for its extreme methods and often breaks the law to enforce it in the Prime Video crime thriller inspired by real events in Copenhagen’s narcotics patrol.
Peacock unveils the trailer for Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan and Marin Ireland star in the drama series that tells "“the heartbreaking stories of Gacy’s victims and the immense grief and trauma that their families endured. It also highlights the systemic failures, missed opportunities and societal prejudices that allowed his crimes to go unnoticed for so long," per the official description. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy premieres Oct. 16.
Watch NBC's trailer for Jimmy Fallon's On Brand marketing reality show
Hosted by Jimmy Fallon and featuring Bozoma Saint John, On Brand premieres Sept. 30. The 10 contestants include a toy industry veteran known as “The Toy Coach" and a marketing professor.
Jessica Chastain plays an investigator infiltrating extremist groups in Apple TV+'s The Savant trailer
Premiering Sept. 26, The Savant “follows an undercover investigator known as ‘The Savant’ as she infiltrates online hate groups in an effort to stop domestic extremists before they act," per the official description.
Glen Powell's Chad Powers meets Eli Manning's Chad Powers in the trailer for Eli's Places Season 3
The third season of Manning's ESPN+ college football docuseries premieres Aug. 27.
Billy the Kid gets a Season 3 trailer and premiere date
The Tom Blyth-led MGM+ period Western drama series returns Sept. 28.