Michelle Williams to star in FX's Dying for Sex / Oscars to start one hour earlier / Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden signs overall deal
PLUS: Apple TV+ cancels Swagger after two seasons.
Michelle Williams to star in Dying for Sex, an FX limited series from Liz Meriwether and Leslye Headland
The Emmy-winning former Fosse/Verdon star and five-time Oscar nominee is returning to FX in New Girl creator Meriwether and Russian Doll co-creator Headland's FX adaptation of the Wondery podcast Dying For Sex, which tells "the story of a woman (Williams) diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who leaves her husband of 15 years and begins to explore her sexuality," per Deadline. "She gets the courage and support to go on this adventure from her best friend, who stays by her side all the way to the very end." Williams will serve as an executive producer. Meriwether is reteaming with her Single Parents collaborator Kim Rosenstock, a veteran of Only Murders in the Building, to serve as showrunners on Dying for Sex. Headland will serve as director and executive producer. When Williams starred on FX's 2019 limited series Fosse/Verdon, she won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for playing Gwen Verdon.
Oscars to start one hour earlier, with Abbott Elementary set to air after the telecast
The 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024 will start earlier than any previous edition, at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. The change in scheduling is aimed at ensuring the Jimmy Kimmel-hosted ceremony ends in primetime, before 11 p.m. on the East Coast. The change also puts it in line with the Super Bowl kickoff time of 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET. With the ceremony scheduled to run 3-1/2 hours and end at 10:30 p.m. ET, ABC has scheduled an episode of Abbott Elementary to follow the ceremony in hopes of boosting the Quinta Brunson comedy's viewership. According to The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg, "the decision was driven by a desire to ensure that the show wraps within primetime hours on the East Coast. In years past, there has been a dropoff in viewership as the evening progressed, particularly on the earlier coast, given that most people have to get up for work the following morning." A decade ago, the Oscars started at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Oscars began as late as 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.
Only Murders in the Building is coming to ABC
The first season of the acclaimed Hulu mystery comedy starring Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short will help ABC fill a schedule gap in January. Only Murders' first season will air in two-hour blocks on Tuesday nights over three weeks starting Jan. 2, with a one-hour slot for the season finale on Jan. 23. ALSO: ABC is moving Celebrity Jeopardy! to Tuesday for the final episodes of the season.
Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden signs an overall deal with Amazon MGM Studios
Gladden, who was working as solar contractor when he unwittingly joined the Amazon Freevee hoax reality show, will work with the studio to produce, develop, and star in content across platforms over the next two years as part of his new deal. “Words cannot express how excited I am to officially be a part of the Amazon family,” said Gladden. “Jury Duty was a remarkable experience for me, and one that introduced me to so many creative and inspiring people. I’m now looking forward to utilizing those new relationships to develop projects for Amazon MGM Studios.” Amazon MGM Studios' Lauren Anderson added: “At the heart of Jury Duty was a story about the power of human kindness, selflessness, and empathy. Ronald exemplified this in his ability to genuinely connect with everyone around him, no matter their background, celebrity, or idiosyncrasies. We’re excited to collaborate with Ronald and create more opportunities to bring joy, positivity, and inspiration to Amazon customers.”
Apple TV+ cancels Swagger after two seasons
Creator Reggie Rock Bythewood announced on social media that his drama series inspired by Kevin Durant's childhood playing basketball would not be returning. “What an amazing adventure,” he wrote. “In our two seasons, we have launched careers, disrupted genre, brought forth humanity through our characters, told stories we care deeply about, revolutionized the way to shoot basketball and had fun.”
Charlie Sheen reunites with Two and a Half Men co-star Angus T. Jones on Bookie
The former child actor's cameo on the Max series as himself is notable because Jones has been out of acting for nearly a decade, even calling himself “a paid hypocrite" for his CBS sitcom role. "He was not necessarily going, 'Oh boy. I'm going to act again!'" Chuck Lorre, who co-created Bookie and Two and a Half Men, tells E.T. "But he was game and he was great. He was great at eight and he was great at 28." Lorre reveals Jones' cameo was shot "almost 20 years to the day after we shot the pilot of Two and a Half Men."
Aidy Bryant to host the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards
The SNL alum will helm next year's ceremony on Feb. 25 that will again be streamed on YouTube.
Don't expect another Virgin River Christmas special for Season 6
“No, I don’t know if I would do the holidays again. It’s sort of, been there done that, and I feel like we did it in a big way that I wouldn’t even know where to start to explore,” showrunner Patrick Sean Smith tells Deadline, in discussing the newly released two-part Christmas special. “I think we’re probably looking at a 10-episode season moving forward.”
Chicago Fire's Alberto Rosende to depart after four seasons
Rosende, who joined the NBC drama series as Blake Gallo in Season 8, will exit the NBC drama series in the Season 12 premiere on Jan. 17. According to Deadline, his departure was "fully amicable." Rosende is the latest cast member to depart Chicago Fire. Kara Killmer is also exiting in Season 12.
MSNBC shakes up its weekend schedule, canceling The Mehdi Hasan Show and adding panel show The Weekend
Ayman Mohyeldin Reports will expand to two hours on Saturdays and Sundays as it takes over Mehdi Hasan's timeslot. MSNBC will also launch The Weekend, a panel show co-moderated by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Michael Steele and airing Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET. Alex Witt, one of the longest-serving news anchors on MSNBC, will get an expanded 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. timeslot on both Saturday and Sunday. “As Decision 2024 ramps up, the show will provide thoughtful analysis and coverage on the state of our country from three trusted voices familiar to the MSNBC audience,” said Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, in a memo to staffers.
Anthony Bourdain liked to say on Parts Unknown he wanted to punch Henry Kissinger in the face
“I hate him, yeah,” the late Bourdain once said on his CNN show, using a four-letter word that was edited out on the broadcast. “Because in my travels, I’ve stumbled upon his good works everywhere I go.” Bourdain's hate for the controversial secretary of state went viral after news of Kissinger's death at age 100 was reported last night. “I’m not asking what you’d do, but would it displease you if I walked over and punched Henry Kissinger in the face? Would you find that entertaining?” Bourdain said in a 2018 episode that aired months after Bourdain he died by suicide. “Would you feel that justice is, in some small way, served?” ALSO: Al Franken recalls rejecting Henry Kissinger for SNL tickets.
Jimmy Kimmel borrows Josh Meyers' Gavin Newsom impersonation from Seth Meyers' Late Night
Josh Meyers, who has long played the California governor on his brother's Late Night show, appeared as Newsom last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to debate James Adomian's Mike Lindell. "I usually DESPISE promoting the work of a fellow Strike Force Fiver, but I got to admit the kid they got playing Gavin Newsom on (Kimmel) is incredible," tweeted Seth Meyers, adding: (@JAdomian's Mike Lindell amazing as always)" Kimmel recently appeared on the Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers podcast and enlisted Josh Meyers to sing a song for the final Strike Force Five episode.
Variety's Actors on Actors reveals its pairings, including Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy
The Barbie star and the Oppenheimer star will have a "Barbenheimer" conversation for the annual award season series.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May film final The Grand Tour
The trio have recently returned from filming a Grand Tour special in Zimbabwe that is expected to wrap up five seasons, though options for a new incarnation are being explored.
Amazon confirms Jeremy Clarkson's Clarkson's Farm will continue for Season 4
Prime Video has renewed Clarkson's Farm for a fourth season months after reports suggested it would be canceled over Clarkson's Meghan Markle tirade.
Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow disses tonight's Fox News Gavin Newsom-Ron DeSantis debate
"We have a debate. Gavin Newsom versus Ron DeSantis. Yawn," Kudlow said of his Fox News colleague Sean Hannity's debate between the Democratic California governor and the Republican Florida governor.
The CW picks up Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy calling the game
The college football bowl game airing Dec. 30, will feature the controversial Portnoy and his Barstool personalities.
Watch Sofia Vergara rise through the cartel ranks in 1980s Miami in Netflix's Griselda trailer
The former Modern Family star takes on the role of female cartel leader Griselda Blanco in the limited series from the Narcos team. Griselda premieres Jan. 25.
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo are police detectives in Apple TV+'s Criminal Record trailer
The eight-episode crime thriller, premiering with two episodes on Jan. 10, is described as a “character-driven drama set in the heart of contemporary London."
HBO unveils the trailer for comedian Leo Reich's first standup special
Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?! premieres Dec. 16.