Mass Effect TV series is officially in the works / Rashida Jones pays tribute to dad Quincy Jones / Outer Banks bosses are open to spinoffs
PLUS: Reality TV history book Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV to get the docuseries treatment.
Mass Effect TV series is officially in the works at Amazon
F9: The Fast Saga co-writer Daniel Casey is on board to write a TV adaptation of the hit video game for Amazon MGM Studios. "Exact plot details are being kept under wraps," reports Variety's Joe Otterson. "It was previously reported in 2021 that Amazon was in negotiations to develop a Mass Effect TV series, but there have been no updates on the project until now. There had also been various attempts to develop a feature film based on the games but the project never materialized." As Otterson notes, Mass Effect, which debuted in 2007, "revolves around Commander Shepard, a human soldier in the 22nd century trying to save humanity from a race of aliens known as the Reapers. Andromeda moved the games much further into the future with a new protagonist, with a fifth game also in the works."
Rashida Jones pays tribute to her late father Quincy Jones
The former Parks and Recreation star was very close to her iconic father, who died Sunday at age 91. She co-directed and co-wrote the 2018 Netflix documentary Quincy that captured her dad's life. "My dad was nocturnal his whole adult life. He kept ‘jazz hours’ starting in high school and never looked back,” Jones wrote on Instagram Thursday. “When I was little, I would wake up in the middle of the night to search for him. Undoubtedly, he would be somewhere in the house, composing (old school, with a pen and sheet music). He would never send me back to bed. He would smile and bring me into his arms while he continued to work...there was no safer place in the world for me. He was a giant. An icon. A culture shifter. A genius. All accurate descriptions of my father but his music (and ALL of his work) was a channel for his love. He WAS love. He made everyone he ever met feel loved and seen. That’s his legacy. I was fortunate enough to experience this love in close proximity. I’ll miss his hugs and kisses and unconditional devotion and advice. Daddy, it is an honor to be your daughter. Your love lives forever."
Outer Banks bosses are open to spinoffs
“We are excited for Season 5, and we’re excited for other stories in this universe down the line,” series’ co-creators/executive producers co-creators and executive producers Jonas Pate, Josh Pate and Shannon Burke said in an interview with Deadline on the Season 4 finale. According to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, "no projects are currently in the works but it is logical for Netflix to attempt to extend one of its top series — something it has already done with shows like Stranger Things and Bridgerton and is exploring for Virgin River. Netflix has hinted at its bigger plans for Outer Banks — expanding the OBX brand into other areas: video games, with the recently released mobile game Stories: Outer Banks; and live events, with the annual Pougelandia fan music fest. There are also licensing deals for OBX merchandise from such brands as PacSun, Lottie London and Byrd." ALSO: Outer Banks break down the shocking Season 4 finale.
CBS gives full-season orders to Poppa’s House and NCIS: Origins
With the pickup of Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr.'s father-son sitcom and the NCIS prequel series, CBS has picked up all four new scripted series, including the Kathy Bates-led Matlock and the Big Bang Universe prequel Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
Two ousted Fox News veterans helped NewsNation become the first network to call the 2024 presidential election for Donald Trump
In January 2021, Fox News fired Chris Stirewalt and Bill Sammon for their early call of the state of Arizona for Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election. Stirewalt is now NewsNation political editor. He reteamed with Sammon and Decision Desk HQ to help call the 2024 presidential election first for NewsNation at 1:22 a.m. Wednesday morning. Fox News followed less than 30 minutes later.
Bill Maher sets his 13th standup special for HBO
Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? will tape in Chicago and be released in January 2025. “I almost called this special ‘You Won’t Feel Safe’, because if you’re purely a team player in American politics, you won’t. This one is for the 80 percent of Americans who want to see crazy called out no matter where it comes from. And the last twenty minutes on my sex life, that’s for everybody,” Maher said in a statement.
Reality TV history book Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV to get the docuseries treatment
Topic Studios, the company behind films including Spencer and Spotlight, has snapped up the rights to New Yorker critic Emily Nussbaum’s Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV. The book, released in June, "explores the tricksters, innovators and stars who invented the genre; its transformation from a few scrappy experiments into a huge industry; and the morally charged, liberating, sometimes tragic consequences of trying to extract something real from something fake," per Deadline. Cue the Sun! delves into such shows as An American Family, Queen for a Day, Candid Camera, Survivor, The Bachelor and The Real World.
The Daily Show Election Night audience members had no idea Donald Trump was winning until Jon Stewart said "F***CK!"
Audience members were instructed to turn off their phones at 10:30 p.m. ET, 30 minutes before broadcast. So they had no idea Trump was winning until Stewart looked despondent, according to Variety's Ethan Shanfeld, who notes that the break music grew more morose throughout the taping.
Andy Cohen on Donald Trump's victory: "That is democracy, and that is OK"
“I know, after last night’s election, half the country woke up feeling depressed, angry, and scared; the other half was very excited. That is democracy, and that is OK,” Cohen said on his Watch What Happens Live "Mazel of the Day." “Feel those feelings today, but please, for the love of God, don’t give up or threaten to move to Canada or anywhere else. The truth is, we need you right here in this fight. You matter, and so do all the issues that made you vote in the first place.”
Christina Applegate apologizes for firing back at commenters in wake of Donald Trump's victory
“Please unfollow me if you voted against female rights. Against disability rights. Yeah that. Unfollow me because what you did is unreal,” Applegate tweeted in response to Trump's victory. “Don’t want followers like this. So yeah. Done. Also after today I will be shutting down this fan account that I have had for so many years because this is sick.” Applegate's tweet led to people challenging her and/or trolling her, which she responded with by going after individual tweeters, telling them to "f*ck off." Applegate later apologized, tweeting: “I apologize. I’m still reeling and sobbing. But I’m not angry anymore. Just going to go back to my bubble and watch a shit ton of Bravo shows So peace to all. I suggest you do the same. Very soothing.”
Drake Hogestyn “signed off” on his Days of Our Lives character John Black's death scene before his own death
“I wanted to make sure Drake signed off on this, and he was totally in favor of it," Days executive producer Ken Corday tells Soap Opera Digest. "He trusted me. Had Drake, God willing, beaten this, he would’ve come back, and it would’ve been something different. But [the story] had to be told. It was extremely difficult and painful for us to tell it — for the cast, for everybody. Drake was a big part of the show. The consummate actor. Always a team player and pretty good-looking, too.”
Zarna Garg heads to Hulu for her second standup special
The Indian-born comedian and screenwriter, who released her debut special One in a Billion last year on Amazon Prime Video, is the latest comedian to join Hulu's "Hularious" standup initiative.
Ryan Reynolds: I'm too busy to host the Oscars
Deadline recently reported that Reynolds and his Deadpool & Wolverine co-star, former Oscars host Hugh Jackman, were "in the mix" to host next year's ceremony. Reynolds says that while he'd love to host one day, he has too much on his plate.
Jeff Probst explains why he ate Survivor contestants' food
"I just want it be noted," he says while laughing on his On Fire podcast, per EW. "I give everything for this show! I'm willing to risk bacterial infections, viral infections, parasites, or just general illness just to encourage future players to apply to be on Survivor!"
Netflix's Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight announces its broadcast team
Kate Scott (née Abdo) will serve as the main host of the Nov. 15 event, while former world champion Andre Ward serving as lead booth analyst. The ringside play-by-play commentary will be led by Mauro Ranallo, with ringside analysis by Roy Jones Jr. and Rosie Perez.
Sam Nivola joins Connie Britton on Hulu comedy pilot Phony
The Perfect Couple star will co-star with Britton on the coming-of-age mystery. Per the official logline, Phony follows “a teenager (Nivola) who wakes up in the hospital after a car accident to discover his mom (Britton) — his only parent and his best friend — appears to have been replaced by an impostor.”
Tennis Channel launching a direct-to-consumer streaming service
Debuting Nov. 12, the streaming Tennis Channel will cost $9.99 per month or $109.99 annually.
Elwood Edwards, voice of AOL's iconic greeting "You've Got Mail," dies at 74
Edwards, who died Tuesday, had a voice that became a fixture in the 1990s after recording four iconic lines for what was then a little-known company called America Online: “Welcome,” “You’ve Got Mail,” “Files done" and “Goodbye." Edwards was recommended by his wife, who worked for AOL's predecessor company. Edwards' "You've Got Mail" fame led him to guest roles on Arli$$ and The Simpsons, where he played a virtual doctor on a 2000 episode. In 2015, Edwards visited Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show as part of an "Audience Suggestion Box" segment.
Kirk Herbstreit announces the death of his beloved dog Ben
Herbstreit announced today that his golden retriever Ben has died of cancer at age 10. “This is really hard to write but so many of you have loved and cared about Ben that I wanted to let you know," Herbstreit tweeted. “We found out today the cancer had spread throughout Bens organs and there was nothing left we could do-we had to let him go. I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 (of) 1. He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-inquisitive-and welcoming to all. Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate." Since fall 2023, Ben Herbstreit has become a fixture on his owner's three broadcasts that has him traveling the country in the fall: ESPN's College Gameday, Amazon's Thursday Night Football and ABC's Saturday Night Football. One year ago this week, Herbstreit announced that Ben had been certified as his Emotional Support Animal.