Small Screen: Ramon Rodriguez Celebrated For EP’ing ‘Will Trent,’ shonda rhimes recieves edinburgh fellowship

ramon rodriguez - Aliah Anderson/Stringer

Broadcast: The BBC is in warm water with its viewers! The British corporation recently came under scrutiny for unintentionally releasing a couple of spoilers for its season finale of Doctor Who (2023), starring  Ncuti Gatwa. According to the BBC’s website, viewers were “unhappy” about the online article that was released, stating “Ncuti Gatwa regenerates into Billie Piper as he leaves Doctor Who”. Admittedly, that is a pretty major spoiler alert. “Some people contacted us to complain that the headline gave away the ending, spoiling this Doctor Who episode for them...Others requested that the BBC be more conscious of spoilers going forward, particularly in the use of headlines.”

In its response to the concerns, the BBC stated that “BBC journalists are of course entitled to use their judgment to decide which stories to cover and how they are reported. We also want our headlines to be as informative as possible. Although every story is different, we have discussed your concerns on this occasion with senior editors, and we will be mindful of your views for future coverage”. The network also promised to be more "mindful" in the future.

Doctor Who recently came to a close this past May 2025; however, there is still a bit of uncertainty regarding the series' future with Disney.

Ramón Rodríguez (The Wire, The Affair) has recently gained attention for his work as the executive producer of ABC’s Will Trent (2023). 

Rodríguez initially felt apprehensive about taking on a role beyond acting. However, he soon realized that a series like Will Trent, when crafted with passion and supported by a talented creative team, could lead to a high-quality TV show. His involvement serves as a bonus for his community, allowing them to see themselves represented through his actions and through the performances of many respected names from the community in Hollywood, such as John Ortiz (The Madness), Yul Vazquez (Hotel Cocaine), and Gina Rodriguez (Not Dead Yet). Rodríguez expressed his excitement and love for the series, highlighting the pride he feels in his fanbase and the audiences who are enjoying the show.

Toya Turner, known for her role as Officer Kiana Cook on NBC’s Chicago P.D., has announced her departure from the series and, unfortunately, will not be reprising her role for the 13th season. She stated, “My time on Chicago P.D. has come to a close. This show challenged me, sharpened me, and revealed what I’m made of. I’ve evolved through this experience, both as an artist and in my craft. I’m walking away with depth, clarity, and momentum for whatever comes next.”

Currently, the series is casting for a new female series regular to join the cast. Turner originally joined Chicago P.D. in July 2024, following Tracy Spiridakos’s exit as Detective Hailey Upton after eight seasons, which was marked by the Season 11 finale. Before her time on Chicago P.D., Turner appeared in Netflix’s Warrior Nun (2020), Easy (2016), NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam (2018), and Fox’s Empire (2015) alongside Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson.

Streaming: Selena Gomez is returning for the second season of the Disney spinoff series, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place! Originally set to air in October 2024, the series follows Justin Russo ( David Henrie) as he mentors a new young wizard. In Season 2, Justin mentors Billie, a new wizard, and subsequently trains his children, Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko), in preparation for the Family Wizard Competition. However, as the competition intensifies, the stakes become higher, and a mysterious threat reveals itself—one that could jeopardize the Russo family. Gomez and Henrie serve as executive producers, while the writing team includes Jed Elinoff, Scott Thomas, Gary Marsh, and Jonas Agin.

Sepideh Moafi, who previously starred in The L Word: Generation Q, has been cast as a series regular in the second season of The Pitt. She will play an attending physician in the series, which was surprisingly renewed for a second season in February, just one month after its debut. The Pitt offers a realistic perspective on the challenges faced by healthcare workers from their viewpoint.

Moafi previously starred in HBO's The Deuce (2017) as Loretta, and has recently starred in Class of '09 (2023) on FX/Hulu and the Apple TV+ miniseries Blackbird (2022). She has also appeared in I’ll Be Right There (2023) and Best Man In The Dark (2014). Moafi is represented by Principal Entertainment LA, Gersh, ID Public Relations, and Schreck Rose. The series is executive produced by R. Scott Gemmill and Noah Wyle, along with John Wells and Erin Jontow from John Wells Productions, Michael Hissrich, and Simran Baidwan.

Netflix has officially greenlit the new thriller series created by Jed Mercurio, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw set to star. While the title is still under development, one of the potential titles being considered for the series is “Trinity.” The series follows Naval Officer Commander Katherine Decker (Mbatha-Raw), who becomes involved with the Secretary of Defense (Richard Madden). As the story unfolds, she discovers that he’s at the center of a dangerous conspiracy.

Mercurio will serve as the executive producer alongside Wendy Mericle (Arrow). Michael Cuesta (Dexter) will also direct and executive produce the series. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is currently starring in the Apple TV+ series Surface (2022), which aired its second season earlier this year. Her previous work includes appearances in Apple TV’s The Morning Show (2019), Disney+’s Loki (2021), and an episode of Black Mirror titled San Junipero (2016). She has also starred in Concussion (2015) alongside Will Smith and the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2017). Mbatha-Raw is represented by CAA, Curtis Brown Group, Anonymous Content, and Hansen Jacobson.

Paramount+ is changing its name from Paramount+ with Showtime to simply Paramount+ Premium, following a similar move by HBO.  Announced June 23, Paramount+ Premium will offer two packages: Paramount+ Premium, which will not have ads other than those included in the live local feeds, and Paramount+ Essential, which will run with ads. “Since we recently introduced a sampling of Showtime programming to the Essential plan, the Premium plan name reflects the broad and diverse offerings across both plan tiers,” the company said in a notice on its customer-support site about the name change. “Showtime programming remains an important part of Paramount+, and is still prominently represented on the service!”

Included in Paramount+ Premium, Dexter: Original Sin (2024), Yellowjackets (2021, and The Chi (2018), as well as livestreams of CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ, and Mixible news and pop culture. According to Paramount, based on the device that a customer may be using, they may not be able to see the name change of their plan; however, “if you sign up for the Premium plan while it’s still Paramount+ With Showtime, your plan benefits will not be impacted!”.

In the Season 4 finale of Godfather of Harlem (2019), Elsworth “Bumpy” Johnson (Forest Whitaker) partners with the Italian mob to run heroin and cocaine in Harlem, all while striving to become a legitimate businessman to honor his friend Malcolm X (Jason Alan Carvel). Whitaker commented on Bumpy’s struggle to stay legitimate despite the temptation of falling into his old habits, highlighting the significant shifts in Season 4 and hinting at the upcoming changes.

“ It was extremely painful, because Bumpy feels that if he earned the money, he should be able to use it. He’s been offered several opportunities by Columbo to acquire an equal stake in the five families’ business, but he doesn’t take it because what he’s trying to do is show that Black men can have their own. But ultimately, whenever he tries to do that, he’s always being pulled backward. It’s really disappointing. 

If you're a fan of Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us) or enjoy heartwarming adventure stories featuring an impressive cast, be sure to check out Hulu's Washington Black, which is set to premiere on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Based on the novel by Esi Edugyan, the series will follow the journey of an 11-year-old slave named George Washington Black (Ernest Kingsley Jr.). His life takes a dramatic turn when he meets the scientist inventor Christopher Wilde. Throughout the story, George undergoes significant transformations—as a slave, an inventor, and ultimately as a young man on the run—striving to carve out his own path in history before his time runs out.

Shonda Rhimes - Savion Washington

Industry: Shonda Rhimes, the acclaimed producer of Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Bridgerton (2020), is receiving the first-ever Edinburgh Fellowship at this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival!

This inaugural fellowship honors individuals whose work has significantly impacted culture and creativity. Rhimes, who has also produced Private Practice (2007) and Scandal (2012), is recognized for being the first woman to create three dramas that have reached 100 episodes. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to the UK and founded The Rhimes Foundation to support arts, education, and activism. The 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival will take place from August 19-22, with the full program announced in mid-July.

Director and writer Paris Barclay has signed with Innovative Artists Entertainment for literary representation.

Barclay has a long background in television, having directed episodes of well-known series such as NYPD Blue (1993), ER (1994), The West Wing (1999), Lost (2004), The Good Wife (2009), CSI (2000), Sons of Anarchy (2008), House (2004), and Glee (2009). He has received considerable recognition for his work, including two Emmy Awards and seven additional Emmy nominations for both producing and directing. Barclay has also earned ten Directors Guild nominations and made history as the first director to receive nominations in both comedy and drama categories in the same year. In the spring of 2021, he was honored as an Honorary Life Member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), one of the Guild’s highest honors, in recognition of his career achievements and leadership within the industry. Additionally, Barclay has collaborated with Ryan Murphy on several projects, including Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, The Watcher, and FX’s American Horror Story.

“I’m incredibly excited to begin this new chapter with the Innovative team, many of whom I’ve had fruitful collaborations with over the years,” Barclay stated. “I’m already building new relationships with their help and look forward to seeing what blossoms.”

Barclay is managed by Steve Lovett and represented by attorney Jim Hornstein.

Wednesday morning, June 15, 2025, BET’s CEO Scott Mills alerted his employees that many of the departments will go through a “thinning” out process amidst news of Paramount Global’s latest layoffs.

There are currently no exact numbers for how many employees were laid off; however, Paramount aims to lay off 3-5% of its workers, a move that has affected multiple positions. Back in 2024,  BET went through another series of layoffs, affecting around 15% of its staff, and towards the end of the year, the company had around 18,600 global employees.

In a memo written by Mills, he wrote that BET “This is a very difficult moment—the departure of talented team members who have been great collaborators, colleagues, and friends; team members who have so meaningfully contributed to BET’s success and who share our passion for BET’s mission and purpose”.  A large part of the layoffs is due to the decline in linear television views and advertising. Streaming, the ever-growing preference of many viewers, has grown within different economies beyond traditional television. Additionally, Paramount has also faced a merger process with Skydance Media, totaling around $8 billion in combination with Skydance Media. The deal has been in a legal stagnation process due to a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump. 

United Talent Agency (UTA) has appointed Darnell Strom as the head of its UK office. This move aims to transform London into a significant international hub. As the head of the UK office, Strom, who has represented notable figures such as Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum) and Malala Yousafzai (education activist), will oversee UTA’s operations in the UK and manage the agency's continued expansion across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Strom began his journey at UTA in 2019 as the head of the Culture and Leadership division and later took on the role of Head of Culture & Commerce, a position he will retain alongside his new responsibilities in the UK.

“This marks an exciting new chapter for UTA…Darnell has long been a connector across departments, industries, and geographies. His deep relationships and creative vision make him uniquely suited to lead this next phase of our international expansion,” said CEO David Kramer.