Dave Filoni to lead Star Wars into the future as Lucasfilm's chief creative officer / Black Mirror renewed for Season 7 / Top Gear benched

PLUS: Matt Rife ignites a firestorm of controversy over domestic violence joke and mock apology linking to special needs helmets.

Dave Filoni promoted to Lucasfilm's chief creative officer: Ahsoka creator will have a bigger say in Star Wars TV shows and movies
Two decades after helping George Lucas on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka creator Filoni will now work more directly with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and alongside Carrie Beck, a veteran producer turned head of development, to originate and shepherd the next generation of Star Wars shows and movies. Filoni previously served as executive creative director for Lucasfilm. “Now I’m what’s called chief creative officer of Lucasfilm,” Filoni tells Vanity Fair. “In the past, in a lot of projects I would be brought into it, I would see it after it had already developed a good ways.”  Filoni added: “I’m not telling people what to do. But I do feel I’m trying to help them tell the best story that they want to tell. I need to be a help across the galaxy here, like a part of a Jedi Council almost.” Filoni describes his new responsibilities as understanding the intent of the filmmakers and being a resource to them, based on his mentorship under Lucas himself, and his years spent steering The Clone Wars, Rebels and Ahsoka. “Literally, hours now of Star Wars storytelling I have done,” he said, before pausing to rethink his syntax. “See…I even phrased that like Yoda.”

Black Mirror renewed for Season 7
Charlie Brooker's hit Netflix dystopian sci-fi series is set to begin production on a seventh season later this year after its successful return for Season 6 in June after a four-year hiatus, reports Variety. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Matt Rife ignites a firestorm of controversy over domestic violence joke and mock apology linking to special needs helmets
The comedian's Nov. 15 special Natural Selection kicks off with a joke about domestic violence, which prompted backlash. In response, Rife issued a fake apology on his Instagram Stories saying: "If you've ever been offended by a joke I've told, here's a link to my official apology." The link goes to a website for special needs helmets. Hours later, Rife responded to the new controversy by saying "We on the naughty list."

BBC confirms it is benching Top Gear "for the foreseeable future"
The hiatus is expected since Top Gear has been off the air since host Andrew Flintoff experienced a "life-alteringly significant" injury following a crash last year, resulting in a payout worth $11.2 million. "Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future... We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do," BBC said in a statement this morning. 

Fox News announces details of DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are scheduled to debate each other in a 90-minute live format on Fox News at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 30 from Alpharetta, Georgia. The debate won't feature a live audience.

Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan team for a new Karate Kid movie
With The Karate Kid sequel series Cobra Kai ending with the upcoming Season 6, Macchio isn't done playing Daniel LaRusso. In the new Karate Kid movie, Chan will reprise his role as Mr. Han, the kung fu master who helped Jaden Smith fend off bullies in Sony’s 2010 Karate Kid remake. Details of the film are being kept under wraps.

Beef creator Lee Sung Jin signs overall deal with Netflix
Lee's new multi-year deal will encompass TV shows and movies.

Andrew Zimmern and Zoë François team for a Christmas/Hanukkah mashup Magnolia Network special
Premiering Dec. 3, Holiday Party with Andrew and Zoë will feature the duo throwing a mashup Christmas/Hanukkah party for mutual friends in their hometown, Minneapolis. 

General Hospital's Roger Howarth confirms his exit after 11 years
“Several weeks ago, I got a phone call from somebody I’ve known for a very long time who I love very dearly (executive producer Frank Valentini) telling me that when my contract was up at ABC,” Howarth told Soap Opera Digest. “I would not be offered a new contract and that the character of Austin would be killed, and that this was something that both wanted and needed to do to move (the) story.”

Netflix shares the first images of Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen
Theo James, Kaya Scodelario and Vinnie Jones star in the series loosely based on Ritchie’s 2019 film starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, Jeremy Strong and Michelle Dockery.

ESPN’s 30 for 30 to focus on The Great Heisman Race of 1997 between Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson
ESPN will follow this year's Heisman ceremony on Dec. 9 with the premiere of the 30 for 30 documentary focusing on how Woodson became the rare defensive player to win the Heisman, beating out Manning and third-place finisher Ryan Leaf and fourth-place finisher Randy Moss.

Amy Poehler to teach a MasterClass improv course
The Parks and Recreation and co-founder of the improve comedy theater company Upright Citizens Brigade will teach the principles of improv that she says "have made me more creative, more resilient and more collaborative."

NCIS: Sydney’s debut has huge viewership on Paramount+
The latest NCIS series has amassed nearly 10M total viewers across CBS and Paramount+. It has also become the most-streamed CBS network premiere ever on Paramount+.

Watch Jon Cryer in CBS' Extended Family trailer
Abigail Spencer and Donald Faison also star in the Mike O’Malley-created sitcom about a divorced couple who “decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them," even as Faison wins the heart of Spencer's character. Extended Family premieres Saturday, Dec. 23 before moving to its regular Tuesday timeslot on Jan. 2.

Hallmark's The Way Home Season 2 gets a premiere date and teaser
The multigenerational family drama led by Andie McDowell returns Jan. 21.

HBO releases the trailer for docuseries Murder In Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning
Premiering Dec. 4 and made in partnership with The Boston Globe, Murder In Boston explores how the murder of the 1989 pregnant lawyer sent the city into a tailspin of fear.