Yvonne Strahovski to lead 1950s spy series / Dancing's Artem Chigvintsev arrested for domestic violence / Oprah Winfrey to host ABC AI special
PLUS: Hollywood Squares revival showrunner Vincent Rubino fired for allegedly making a racially insensitive comment.
Yvonne Strahovski to lead 1950s-set spy series A Woman of Intelligence
The Handmaid's Tale star and Chuck alum will return to her espionage series roots in the Universal Content Productions adaptation of Karin Tanabe’s bestselling 2021 novel A Woman of Intelligence. The Irregulars creator Tom Bidwell will serve as showrunner. In the series, "overwhelmed with the relentlessness and loneliness of motherhood, a 1950’s housewife (Strahovski) finds a way to rediscover herself when she is asked by the FBI to infiltrate the KGB," per Deadline. "But before long, what started as a good way to get childcare fast turns into a nightmare and she realizes that her family’s future and the fate of the western world are in her hands." Strahovski is currently wrapping up the sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Dancing with the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev arrested for domestic violence
Chigvintsev was taken into custody late this morning in Napa Valley on a felony charge of domestic battery, reports TMZ, which adds: "Unclear what led up to Artem's arrest or the circumstances ... but it's worth noting Artem's wife, former WWE star Nikki Garcia, posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday revealing she was in Napa too. At this point, it is unknown if she was involved in any way." A spokesperson for Napa County Sheriff's Office says the victim in the case has asked for total confidentiality. The couple, who have a 4-year-old son together, celebrated their third wedding anniversary earlier this week. Chigvintsev is a 12-season veteran of Dancing, but Variety reports he was not set to be part of the upcoming Season 33, premiering Sept. 17. Last week, Garcia was announced as co-host of Netflix’s competitive eating event, Chestnut VS. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, which streams live on Monday.
Oprah Winfrey to host ABC special AI and the Future of Us, featuring Bill Gates and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
"AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special provides a serious, entertaining and meaningful base for every viewer to understand AI and empowers everyone to be a part of one of the most important global conversations of the 21st century,” ABC says of the Sept. 12 one-hour primetime special. Other guests include YouTube star Marques Brownlee, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson and Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology. Watch the trailer.
Hollywood Squares revival showrunner Vincent Rubino fired for allegedly making a racially insensitive comment
According to Deadline's Lynette Rice, "the veteran game show producer is accused of raising his arms and saying 'don’t rob me' to three persons of color — believed to be Black and Hispanic/Latino — who work as production assistants. Another person allegedly overheard the comment and reported it to HR. Swift action was taken by Jesse Collins Entertainment, which is producing the new Hollywood Squares for CBS with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films, and Rubino was removed from the show, sources said. Rubino declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the studio also declined to comment." Nate Burleson hosts the CBS reboot, starring Drew Barrymore as the center square. Rubino is a veteran of The $100,000 Pyramid, Supermarket Sweep, Million Dollar Password and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
The CW moves Superman & Lois and The Wranglers from Thursdays to Mondays
They'll swap nights with the upcoming game shows Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, which had originally been slated for Mondays. "The move is believed to be in response to ABC creating a 8 PM – 10 PM game show block on Mondays with Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune and Press Your Luck which would’ve gone head-to-head with the CW’s game shows,” according to Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva. “With Tuesdays and Fridays spoken for with the live WWE NXT and Inside The NFL, the network didn’t have many nights to work with." The Wranglers, a reality show about the lives of professional cowboys and cowgirls on a Montana dude ranch, recently replaced The Librarians: The Next Chapter, which moved to TNT. Superman & Lois' fourth and final season will now premiere on Oct. 7, instead of Oct. 17.
Netflix's Vince McMahon docuseries Mr. McMahon finally has a premiere date
Originally announced in fall 2020, the six-part docuseries from Bill Simmons and Tiger King executive producer Chris Smith will be released on Sept. 25. Mr. McMahon will feature "interviews with McMahon prior to his resignation, his family, and some of the most iconic names in wrestling history," says Netflix. "As well as the journalists who uncovered McMahon's allegations."
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place gets a premiere date: Raven-Symoné and Danielle Fishel are on board as directors
The Wizards of Waverly Place sequel series will debut on Disney Channel with two episodes on Oct. 29. Episodes will be available on Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand the next day. Also, Disney Channel alums Raven-Symoné and Danielle Fishel are directing episodes in Season 1.
ABC's Dancing with the Stars and NBC's The Irrational preempted due to CBS' vice presidential debate
The Oct. 1 debate between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz means Dancing with the Stars won't air that week. Instead, ABC will show two episodes on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. The Irrational's premiere has been rescheduled to Oct. 8.
Barry Keoghan joins Netflix's Peaky Blinders movie
The Banshees of Inisherin Oscar nominee will co-star with Cillian Murphy and Rebecca Ferguson in a role being kept under wraps.
Maisie Williams to host a BBC podcast devoted to Winona Ryder's career
The Game of Thrones alum will helm the latest installment of the BBC Sounds podcast Famously. Williams will delve into Ryder's career from teenage actress to Stranger Things star. Williams will also explore how Ryder's career mirrors her own.
Baywatch's Gregory Alan Williams: "Baywatch was a show that celebrated European beauty"
The Sgt. Garner Ellerbee actor, who is Black, got emotional on Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun as he reflected on the show's lack of diversity. "I realized that I was not what they were selling. Baywatch was a show that celebrated European beauty," Williams said, per EW. "So, at that point, I put up a wall between myself and the show and decided I would have the fun and make the money, but I wasn't going to let it hurt me. Those were Baywatch lessons."
Tom Brady is already restricted in his Fox broadcasting job as he seeks for a Las Vegas Raiders ownership stake
"Brady is not permitted to attend in-person or online broadcast production meetings and may not have access to team facilities, players or coaches," according to the Associated Press' Mark Anderson and Rob Maaddi. "Fox staff is not subject to these limitations. He also must abide by the league constitution and bylaws that prohibit public criticism of officials and other clubs, but is allowed to broadcast Raiders games." Brady is currently seeking a minority ownership stake in the Raiders.
Alan Wake and Control TV and movie video game adaptations are in the works
Annapurna announced Thursday that is has partnered with Remedy Entertainment, the developer of the popular video games, to develop and produce film, TV and audiovisual projects based on the Alan Wake and Control franchises.
Carl Weathers honored with a posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame star
The Mandalorian and Arrested Development actor, who was named a recipient of a Walk of Fame star last year before his death in February at age 76, was honored today with the second ever Sports Entertainment Walk of Fame star. The first was given to Michael Strahan last year. Among the speakers were LeVar Burton and The Mandalorian director Bryce Dallas Howard.
Wendy's will reportedly celebrate SpongeBob SquarePants' 25th anniversary with real-life Krabby Patties and Pineapple Frosties
According to Fast Food Club, the special menu will be available for a limited time starting on Oct. 8.
Jersey Shore's Snooki says the police who famously arrested her were working for producers
"Those cops weren't on shift for the town," Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi said on the Therapuss with Jake Shane podcast in reflecting on her infamous Season 3 arrest. They were on shift from production to make sure they are protecting us from crazy people," she claimed. "So I don’t even think it's legal because they weren't working for the town but I watched the video back and one of the producers said 'Just arrest her.'"
BBC rejects complaints about Doctor Who episode featuring a historic gay kiss
Two audience members complained about the “inappropriate sexual innuendo” between Ncuti Gatwa's Time Lord and Jonathan Groff's bounty hunter Rogue in a Bridgerton-inspired story.
Twisted Metal adds Bell Curda, Michael James Shaw and Lisa Gilroy for Season 2
They join leads Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz, who already have begun filming the second season.
Tell Me Lies co-stars Grace Van Patten and Jackson White confirms they are dating in real life
The couple, who have been hinting at their romance since Season 1, reveal they have been together since the auditions.
Check out Peter Capaldi in the first look at The Devil's Hour Season 2
Capaldi's sci-fi/fantasy thriller series returns to Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 18.
Julián Ortega, actor on Netflix's Elite, dies at 41
Ortega, who died of cardiac arrest Monday while visiting Zahora Beach in Barbate, Spain, recurred on six episodes of the Netflix YA series as the manager of La Cabana restaurant.
Outer Banks teases Season 4
Chase Stokes’ John and Madelyn Cline’s Sarah return to Netflix on Oct. 10.
Kristen Bell and Adam Brody strike up an unconventional romance in Netflix's Nobody Wants This trailer
The comedy series from Erin Foster in which Bell plays an outspoken agnostic woman and Brody portrays an unconventional rabbi premieres Sept. 27.
Julia Garner makes a deal with the devil in Paramount+'s Rosemary’s Baby prequel Apartment 7A
Garner stars in the TV movie as an aspiring dancer who first lived in the titular apartment before Rosemary. Apartment 7A premieres Sept. 27.
Freeform unveils the trailer for 31 Nights of Halloween
The annual programming event kicks off Oct. 1 with Halloweentown and will feature Hocus Pocus 2 on Oct. 6.
Jordan Peele's Scare Tactics reboot gets a USA Network premiere date and trailer
"Ever wonder what you'd do if you found yourself in a horror movie?" reads the caption for the horror-themed prank show, premiering Oct. 4.