Ellen Pompeo will appear in more Grey's episodes / Lamorne Morris joins Spider-Noir / Hulu reboots Dance Moms
PLUS: Lena Dunham isn't starring in her semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy because "I was just not up for having my body dissected again."
Ellen Pompeo is expected to have a bigger presence in Grey's Anatomy Season 21
Less than a year and a half after Meredith Grey's big sendoff, Pompeo “may return to appearing in a number of episodes traditionally associated with being a series regular," reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "Pompeo is set to be in at least seven of the Season 21’s 18 episodes, sources tell Deadline. That number is likely to grow and could reach as many as 14 episodes, I hear. If the episode count gets into the double-digits, that won’t be far off from the work load of the other veteran Grey’s Anatomy series regulars who, as Deadline reported exclusively, are taking an episode reduction as a cost-cutting measure and will each skip a couple of episodes next season." As Andreeva notes, "after her Season 19 'exit' episode, Pompeo returned for the finale that season. In Season 20, she ended up appearing in half of the 10 episodes, including having a major presence in the season premiere and finale. That is in addition to her remaining an executive producer and doing the voiceover that frames every episode — something that will continue next season."
Lamorne Morris cast as Robbie Robertson opposite Nicolas Cage in Spider-Noir
Morris joins the MGM+ and Amazon Prime Video superhero series, now titled Spider-Noir, as Robbie Robertson, who is described as “driven, hard-working, and won’t take no for an answer. A dedicated journalist trying to make it with the odds stacked against him as a black professional in 1930s New York. He takes on riskier stories that no one else would touch in order to catch attention and a paycheck. He is willing to do whatever is necessary for his career.”
Hulu reboots Dance Moms: Dance Moms: A New Era promises “new mama drama"
"Beloved" dance coach Glo Hampton will assume the Abby Lee Miller role in Dance Moms: A New Era, premiering Aug. 7. Dance Moms originally ran on Lifetime for eight seasons between 2011 and 2019. Here’s the logline for Dance Moms: A New Era: "Glo Hampton, who wants to take her students and prestigious dance school Studio Bleu to the next level – competing nationally every week. But the road to glory won’t be an easy one. Coach Glo must juggle her tiny but mighty dancers, their scheming moms, and ensuing meltdowns, all while ruling with a tender but tough iron fist. Will Glo and her dance team persevere amidst the dramatics?" Watch Dance Moms: A New Era's teaser.
Joe Rogan to star in live Netflix special Burn the Boats
The controversial comedian and podcaster's Burn the Boats, airing live on Aug. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, will mark his third Netflix special and his first in six years. He delivered Triggered for the streamer in 2016 and Strange Times in 2018. Watch the trailer.
Lena Dunham isn't starring in her semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy because "I was just not up for having my body dissected again"
Meg Stalter and Will Sharpe will star in Netflix romcom series Too Much, which is inspired by Dunham's and husband Luis Felber's real-life relationship. Although the story closely references her own life, Dunham told The New Yorker she was reluctant to cast herself in another leading role, in part because, as she put it, “physically, I was just not up for having my body dissected again" after Girls. "I knew from the very beginning I would not be the star of it," said Dunham. "First, because I had seen Meg Stalter’s work, and I was very inspired by her. She’s unbelievable; I think people are going to be so blown away. We know how funny she is. But, then, when she enters a dramatic scene, you’re, like, Oh, we got a little Meryl Streep on our hands! I was thinking a lot about, like, What is it that allows women to be complicated on TV and still be embraced and seen and understood? There’s an openness to Meg’s presence that I think goes a long way. She has whatever the opposite of resting bitch face is. She has resting angel face. I also think that I was not willing to have another experience like what I’d experienced around Girls at this point in my life. Physically, I was just not up for having my body dissected again. It was a hard choice, not to cast Meg—because I knew I wanted Meg—but to admit that to myself. I used to think that winning meant you just keep doing it and you don’t care what anybody thinks. I forgot that winning is actually just protecting yourself and doing what you need to do to keep making work."
House of the Dragon hits a Season 2 high with 8.4 million watching Episode 4 battle
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery is saying that the Season 2 premiere, which drew 7.8 million, is now approaching 25 million viewers with delayed viewing.
Britain's Channel 4 greenlights Go Back To Where You Came From, a social experiment reality show
Based on an Australian format, Go Back To Where You Came From will have British people experience the reality of crossing perilous refugee routes to the UK. The show will "drop people whose views on immigration differ wildly into Mogadishu in Somalia and Raqqa in Syria, before they have to live in poverty and travel to countries on migrant routes through Africa, the Middle East and Europe into the UK, facing scenarios and experiences which continually challenge their views," per Deadline, which notes: "The commission comes with UK immigration proving a hot-button topic for the new Labour government."
Nahnatchka Khan sets Killer Potential series as she re-ups her Universal Television deal
Khan, creator of Fresh Off the Boat and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and co-creator of Young Rock, will continue to create, develop, write, supervise and produce new projects for Universal TV. That includes Killer Potential, based on the upcoming debut novel by Hannah Deitch. Khan also has the comedy series Laid coming up at Peacock.
The Magicians author Lev Grossman’s upcoming novel The Bright Sword is being developed as a series
Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment have acquired The Bright Sword, which hits shelves July 16. The book is described as “the first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings.” Grossman’s book The Magicians was previously adapted as a 2015-2020 Syfy series.
ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore will begin calling WWE later this summer
Tessitore, who will continue calling college football and boxing for ESPN, will lead a three-man booth featuring color commentators Corey Graves and Wade Barrett on WWE broadcasts. It's unclear if he's joining Raw or SmackDown.
BET Awards viewership was up 10% over last year
About 3 million watched the BET Awards across 10 Paramount networks, becoming the most-watched cable awards show of this year.
Mo adds Simon Rex and Johanna Braddy
Mo Amer’s Netflix comedy series has booked Rex as “a hot new chef in Houston’s vibrant culinary scene and Mo’s romantic rival," while Braddy will play Austin, “a vivacious and slightly unhinged Texan and the sister-in-law to Mo’s good friend Hameed (Moayad Alnefaie).” Both will guest-star.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy adds Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard and George Hawkins
All three will co-star with Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti. Shepard makes her return to Paramount+ after previously starring on Wolf Pack.
Taylor Sheridan's Landman gets a November premiere date
The 10-episode Paramount+ drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Hamm, Ali Larter and Demi Moore, described as “a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs,” premieres Nov. 17 with two episodes, followed by a weekly release.
Wings stars reunite
Steven Weber shared a photo of him and co-star Tim Daly on Threads. Weber and Daly co-starred on NBC sitcom Wings from 1990 to 1997.
Netflix's Sirens rounds out its cast with Josh Segarra, Jenn Lyon and six more
Felix Solis, Trevor Salter, Britne Oldford, Lauren Weedman, Erin Neufer and Emily Borromeo will also recur on the limited dark comedy series starring Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock, Glenn Howerton and Kevin Bacon.
Longtime SNL stage manager Bob Van Ry dies at 89
Van Ry, who died July 2, worked on Saturday Night Live from its debut in 1975 through 2001. "We all loved this man so much. Sending sympathy to his entire family," Adam Sandler wrote in tribute to Van Ry on Instagram.
Lisa Kudrow leads a "crack team of expert thieves” in Apple TV+'s Time Bandits trailer
Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi co-created the first-ever television adaptation of the cult classic movie of the same name that’s in the works for Apple. Time Bandits premieres with two episodes on July 24, followed by a weekly release.
The Umbrella Academy's final season trailer reveals Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally's mysterious characters
They'll play Dr. Gene Thibedeau and Dr. Jean Thibedeau in the fourth and final season of the Netflix series, which returns Aug. 8.
Netflix unveils Too Hot to Handle's Season 6 trailer
"For the first time ever this year's naughty nymphos think they know what they signed up for, but retreat warden LANA has some tricks up her sleeve with a new prize, new twists and some old, familiar faces," Netflix says of the dating reality show, returning July 19.