Small Screen: ‘Wednesday’ Returns To Netflix, Max Modifies Its Memberships With Additional Cost
Paapa Essiedu - Dave Benett
Broadcast: Paapa Essiedu, is becoming increasingly popular. Recently cast as Snape in HBO's Harry Potter TV series, Essiedu will also star in BBC's Channel 4 drama series, Falling, directed by Peter Hoar. In Falling, Essiedu portrays a Catholic priest devoted to his church and community. However, he unexpectedly falls in love with a nun, forcing him to confront his vows and his relationship with God. The series also stars Rakie Ayola (The Pact) and newcomer Shayde Sinclair. Falling is executive produced by George Ormond and George Faber, with producer Joe Donaldson (Peaky Blinders). Peter Hoar, known for his work on The Last of Us (2023) and Umbrella Academy (2019), is serving as director.
CBS will reveal its 2025-26 schedule for the third consecutive year on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. In addition to having three pilots ready for screening, the network has also pticked up the the spinoff, Sheriff Country. The competition in the comedy category has intensified with the addition of DMV, starring Tim Meadows, and Zarna, headlined by Zarna Garg and produced by Mindy Kaling. DMV has received its third script and has been picked up as a series, while Zarna has not progressed at this time. In the drama category, The Equalizer (2021) starring Queen Latifah, is still in negotiations for its renewal, and there may also be a spinoff of FBI in the works.Though, the spinoff has not yet been officially confirmed. Additionally, CBS has already greenlit Boston Blue, while projects like Cupertino and Eternally Yours are progressing more slowly.
Randall Park - LISA O'CONNOR
Cable: AMC has started production on its upcoming drama, The Audacity, created by Jonathan Glatzer. Thailey Roberge (Reginald the Vampire) has been added to the cast as one of the series' regulars, while Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) will make a guest appearance. Set in Silicon Valley, The Audacity explores a world filled with disillusioned billionaires and bio-hacked tech entrepreneurs. The series addresses the unrealistic dreams and inflated egos of those who consider themselves the inventors of the future. This dark comedic drama tackles themes of reality and privacy. The eight-episode series is executive produced by writer and showrunner Jonathan Glatzer (Succession) and Gina Mingacci (Killing Eve). Lucy Forbes, who directed This Is Going to Hurt (2022), will direct the pilot and the second episode. The series is produced by AMC Studios. The Audacity is set to premiere in 2026, exclusively on AMC and AMC+.
This past Monday, U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang approved a joint request from CBS Studios and former SEAL Team script coordinator Brian Beneker to dismiss a year-old case dating back to February 2024. Beneker, a television writer, filed a lawsuit claiming that he was denied a permanent position on the series SEAL Team (2017) because he is a white straight male and because of the "illegal policy" of diversity, equity, and inclusion measures. Although it had already been announced that SEAL Team would be ending in late 2024, with the last episode airing on Paramount+ on Sunday, October 6, 2024, Beneker wanted $500,000, apparently in lost wages, and requested that the judge order the defendants to offer him a full-time job as producer. While the details of the settlement remain confidential, it appears that there was a payout to Beneker, although it was not a large sum. Additionally, there were no changes to CBS’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies as part of the settlement. This aspect was a significant focus of Beneker's lawsuit, which was supported by the conservative activist group America First Legal Foundation, alongside his desire for a full-time writing and producing position on the now-concluded military drama series.
Streaming: This summer, Wednesday returns to Netflix, and I may be overly enthused, but the trailer looks quite intriguing! Armed with deadly weapons, razor-sharp wit, and perhaps a potion or two, Wednesday has returned to Nevermore Academy. Alongside familiar faces, viewers can expect to see some new characters. Jenna Ortega is, of course, the stoic and fearsome Wednesday Addams. Luis Guzmán plays her father, Gomez Addams, who is overly obsessed with his wife, Morticia Addams, portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones. We also have some returning classmates: Bianca Barclay, played by Joy Sunday, and Wednesday's friend (a term used loosely), Enid Sinclair, played by Emma Myers. Although not officially confirmed, there are rumors that Thandiwe Newton (Westworld), Lady Gaga (American Horror Story: Hotel), and Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) may be joining the cast. During her appearance on NBC's Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ortega mentioned that she hopes the series will focus more on horror elements and less on a love triangle. Season 2 of this hit series is set to be released in August 2025.
After all of these years, it looks like we’re still “digging up those holes!”, but this time, with a new cast! Disney+ is adapting its 2003 film, Holes, featuring the late Eartha Kitt, into a TV series. The plot thus far echoes its predecessor in terms of the theme; however, there is a difference. The cast is mostly female, and instead of being sent to a juvenile camp, they're sent to a detention center. The series will star a couple of rising actresses: Flor delis Alicea (Love The Skin You're In), Anire Kim Amoda, as well as Iesha Daniels, in which this will be her first television debut. The film originally grossed around $71 million globally, which is a stark contrast to its projected $20 million. Alina Mankin and Liz Phang are executive producers, along with Walden Media, who produced the original film.
This past Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Max added a feature to their memberships. For $7.99 a month, the main account holder can share their account with anyone outside of their household by sending an invite, which allows a separate user to create an account under the primary holder's subscription. Additionally, they're able to choose to transfer a profile along with the viewers’ watch history. Additional member whip features seem to be a trend. On September 25, 2024, Disney+ also added a paid sharing option to their membership options, with an additional fee of $6.99 a month on top of your current membership. Though it may feel like your wallet is being gutted, Netflix executives believe that it has helped limit the amount of password sharing and has increased revenue.
CBS has decided not to go forward with spinoffs The Equalizer (2021) starring Queen Latifah or The Neighborhood (2018) starring Tichina Arnold, and has canceled the pilot episode of Zarna, which comes from comedian Zarna Garg. Instead, the network picked up a couple of new series for 2025-2026. CBS has ordered another FBI series, this one starring Lucifer (2016) Tom Ellis, Einstein starring Criminal Minds (2005) Matthew Gray Gubler, Sheriff Country, a spinoff of Fire Country (2022), Boston Blue, a spinoff of Blue Bloods (2010), as well as a comedy, titled DMV starring Tim Meadows (Grown Ups). For fans of The Equalizer, be on the lookout, as there may be a pickup for season 6, and the series has already been renewed for an eighth and final season.
In terms of DMV, the single-cam comedy starring Tim Meadows (The Benchwarmers) as well as Einstein, starring Criminal Minds’ (2005) Matthew Gray Gubler, CBS has ordered pilots for both of the new series. Meadows plays a grumpy and tired DMV instructor who only wants to be done with the driving exams as quickly as possible. Diana Klein, Aaron Kaplan, Robyn Meisinger, and Wendy Trilling are the executive producers. Gubler plays a descendant of Albert Einstein, Lewis Einstein, a professor who has a run-in with the police, and who is made to help Veronica Paris (Rosa Salazar), a perspicacious and disciplined New Jersey detective, solve cases. Tariq Jalil, Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, Andy Breckman, Laura Beetz, and Randy Zisk will all act as executive producers. The release dates for both series will be announced on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, when CBS’s 2025-2026 schedule is released.
Damon Wayans Sr and Damon Wayans Jr series, Poppas House (2024), has officially been canceled, along with the competition series, The Summit (2024). Poppas House was created by and starred in the father-son duo, Damon Wayans Sr and Jr. Wayans Sr, Poppa, played a divorced radio host whose outlook is challenged upon gaining a female cohost. The series starred Essence Atkins, Tetona Jackson, and Geoffrey Owens. Despite the cancellation, Damon Wayans Sr described his time on the series as a “beautiful experience”. The Summit, a spinoff of an Australian series under the same name and hosted by Manu Bennett, followed contestants as they tackled mental and social challenges whilst climbing a strenuous mountain.
Ayo Edebiri (Opus, The Bear) and Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) will both star in and executive produce Apple TV+’s romantic comedy, The Prodigies. The Prodigies explores the challenges within a long-term relationship as it follows Didi (Edebiri) and Ren (Sharpe), childhood sweethearts who, now in their 30s, begin to question their mundane existence. They reflect on the extraordinary lives they were promised as child prodigies, in this twist of a classic rom-com. Edebiri is an accomplished actress, having won a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and an Emmy for her role in The Bear. She is set to star in the upcoming thriller The Hunt and superhero film Thunderbolts.
Mandip Gill, known for her role in Doctor Who (2018), will star in the British comedy series Can You Keep A Secret, led by British Academy Film and TV Awards nominee Dawn French. Gill plays Neha, a local police officer and the wife of Harold, the son of Debbie Fendon. Whose husband has been accidentally declared dead. Fendon (French) is portrayed as a fierce grandmother who deeply cares for and is protective of her family, but it becomes clear that the family needs protection from her as well. Gill has previously starred in Doctor Who as Yasmin Khan and will appear in This Time Next Year (2024) as Leila. Additionally, she is set to star in the upcoming TV series Big Lizard as D.O.R.I.S. The series is produced by Big Talk Studios, Mayhay Studios, and CBS Studios, and it is directed by Simon Hynd. In the UK, Can You Keep A Secret will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while in the US, it will stream on Paramount+.
After his success with Sinners (2025), Ryan Coogler has turned his focus to rebooting the popular 90s sci-fi series The X-Files. It has been reported that Coogler and series showrunner Chris Carter began discussions about the X-Files (1993) reboot in 2023. Coogler plans on developing this project through his deal with Walt Disney Television. The X-Files originally followed supernatural detectives, Agent Mulder and Agent Scully, as they investigated strange and extraterrestrial phenomena, often leading them into dangerous and strange scenarios. Over the years, Coogler has rebooted the Rocky (1976) franchise, starting with Creed (2015), and adapted Marvel's Black Panther (2018). Due to its success, he later created the sequel Wakanda Forever (2022), featuring the late Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, and Angela Bassett.
Unaccustomed Earth, a collection of short stories by author Jhumpa Lahiri, has received the green light for development into a series on Netflix. The series is a drama that follows an Indian American woman living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who begins an affair with a long-lost love. It aims to highlight the struggles of navigating love and belonging within a close-knit community. John Wells, known for his work on Shameless (2011), will serve as the director and showrunner, co-writing the series with Madhuri Shekar, who is known for 3 Body Problem (2024. Additionally, Jhumpa Lahiri, Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow, and Celia Costas will act as executive producers.
Yvette Nicole Brown, known for her role on the sitcom Community (2009), will guest star in an upcoming episode of Suits LA (2025). The series is currently awaiting a decision on its return for a second season, which is expected within a few weeks. In the meantime, Brown will portray a version of herself in the episode airing on Sunday, May 4, 2025, on NBC, with streaming available the following day on Peacock. Brown has also appeared in The Mayor (2017) alongside Taye Diggs, and she played Helen Dubois in Drake & Josh (2004), as well as featured in Disney's Big Shot (2021). She is represented by Innovative Artists. Suits LA is created and executive produced by Aaron Korsh, with David Bartis, Doug Liman, Gene Klein, Anton Cropper, Genevieve Sparling, Rick Muirragui, and Jon Cowan also serving as executive producers.
Alberto Guerra, known for his role in Griselda (2024), is joining the previously announced series regulars Shannon Gisela, Maurice Compte, Brittany Adebumola, and Marta Milans in Peacock’s upcoming crime drama, M.I.A. He will be joined by Edward James Olmos, famous for American Me (1992), and Sônia Braga, known for the supernatural horror film The First Omen (2024). The series delves into South Florida's drug scene, focusing on Etta Tiger Jonze (Gisela) as she is drawn into her family's drug business. Karen Campbell, recognized for her work on Dexter (2006), will serve as the executive producer and showrunner. Alethea Jones, known for High Potential (2024), will direct and also executive produce the series. Dubuque will write Episode 101 and share executive production duties alongside Campbell and Jones, who will also direct. Alberto Guerra is represented by UTA, Artists First, and Coloürs.
Deric Augustine has officially been added to the main cast of ABC’s drama series, The Rookie (2018). Augustine joined the drama in Season 7, portraying the character Miles Penn, and despite being on the task force for two years, Miles is still considered a rookie. In the episode “Three Billboards,” Miles reunites with an old college friend, who shares that he has signed a deal with a pro football team. To celebrate his success, they attend a party, but things take a turn for the worse, causing Miles to lose his job. The series was created and is executive-produced by Alexi Hawley. Other executive producers include Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, Brynn Malone, Moira Kirland, Bill Roe, and Jon Steinberg. The Rookie is produced by Lionsgate Television in partnership with 20th Television.
Michele Weaver, known for her role in Briarpatch (2019) has joined the cast of CBS's new spinoff Sheriff Country. Sheriff Country follows Sheriff Mickey Fox ( Morena Baccarin) as she investigates illegal activity while patrolling Edgewater County. Weaver will portray Cassidy, a deputy within the local sheriff's office who, despite idolizing Sheriff Mickey, must navigate her journey to discover what kind of deputy she wants to become. Weaver is best known for her leading role in the romantic drama series Love Is (2018). She has also appeared as Rosario Dawson’s sister in the USA Network series Briarpatch (2019) and in Netflix’s anthology series Heartstrings (2019). Additionally, she starred in BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013) and NBC’s Council of Dads (2020). She is represented by the Gersh Agency and Luber Roklin Entertainment.
Que Minh Luu
Industry: Snoop Dogg and his production company, Death Row Pictures, have formed a partnership with NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios. Together, they will work on film, television, sports, entertainment, and streaming, starting with a biopic about the artist and business mogul's rise to fame. The film is written by Joe Robert Cole and produced by Snoop Dogg, Brian Grazer, and Sara Ramaker. Additionally, Snoop Dogg is returning to NBC's The Voice (2011) for its 28th season this fall. He'll also continue partnering with NBCUniversal for other projects, thanks to his increased popularity during his coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games. Snoop Dogg is a multi-platinum rapper, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He is represented by WME and the law firm Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.
Author and producer Charles Yu (Sorry For Your Loss) has signed with Blue Marble Management for representation throughout film, television, and other media. Yu executive produced, created, and served as showrunner for Hulu’s Interior Chinatown (2024), based on his novel of the same name. The series was directed by Taika Waititi, with Dan Lin and Garrett Basch as producers. Additionally, Yu was an executive producer for the TV adaptation of the comic, American Born Chinese (2023), available on Disney+ and produced by 20th Television. Yu is currently writing and is the executive producer of the television adaptation of Iain M. Banks’ Consider Phlebas, which is the first novel from the acclaimed Culture series, for Amazon MGM Studios. Yu’s other credits include Westworld (2016), where he received two Writers Guild Award nominations, Legion (2017), Here and Now (2018), and Lodge 49 (2018). In addition to Interior Chinatown, Yu has written the short story My Last Days as Me which won the Robert Olen Butler Prize, and Third Class Superhero which received the Sherwood Anderson Fiction Award in 2004.
Que Minh Luu, the Content Chief of Netflix Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), is leaving the company. Under her guidance at Netflix, Luu oversaw several local original series, including Boy Swallows Universe (2024) and Apple Cider Vinegar (2025), both of which have been ranked very high on Rotten Tomatoes. She will continue with Netflix, not as the chief of content, but as a creative consultant, for ANZ. She originally joined Netflix in 2020, coming from ABC, to oversee original productions in Australia, later expanding her role to include the entire ANZ region in 2021. Luu previously served as executive producer for drama, comedy, and Indigenous content at ABC and held a scripted development position at Matchbox Pictures. Netflix's Vice President of Content for Asia, Minyoung Kim, expressed deep gratitude for Luu's contributions, particularly for establishing the content team in ANZ.
Making Stories Without End
Tamara Tunie and James Reynolds - Quantrell Colbert/CBS/Peacock
In this episode of Making Stories Without End, hosted by Natalie Moore, she explore the challenges faced by daytime soap operas and their ripple effects throughout the television industry.
To begin, Moore introduces us to James Reynolds, who has portrayed Abe Carver on Days of Our Lives since 1981. Reynolds shares his experiences with roles he was offered before joining the show, describing them as "not good" and often quite racist. One character he was offered was named Kong, along with other roles that included names and stereotypes he didn't want to be associated with. When asked about the previous struggles within soap operas and how things may have changed, Reynolds explained:
“The way characters and stories were handled in years pass, were very similar if you were Black or if you were Hispanic or Asian, and I often say, and this is with life in general, we kind of live with a thousand papercuts, and no matter what the day brings, it brings aother little paper cuts and that was the case, and i think that is the case frequently in entertainment, when it coms to characters of color… Characters were asked to suffer indignities that didn't look on the surface as if it was something that was wrong or difficult to adhere to, but was, and asked to take a back seat in certain instances that didn't enhance your character. It may have played well with other characters, for White characters, but it didn't play well for your character. And it was not only potentially embarrassing but demeaning…”.
Moore continues her discussion, bringing in Tamara Tunie, who stars in CBS's newest soap opera, Beyond The Gates (2025), and has portrayed Cissy Houston in the autobiographical film I Wanna Dance With Somebody (2022). For many years, Tunie was known for her role as Jessica Griffin in the soap opera As the World Turns (1987-2009). She describes her character as very intelligent, driven, and an independent, strong Black woman who comes from humble beginnings. Tunie often served as a voice for proper representation within the room and recounts an instance when the writers received a letter from a viewer regarding a romantic storyline she had with a white man.
“Jessica was in a relationship with Roy, and that didn't work out, and Roy is a black character.. Jessica was in a relationship with Blake. Blake is a Black character that didn't work out. But now she's in a relationship with the Scottish man, and this is the relationship that's held as successful, and why is that? What are you saying? And my response to Rob Calhoun (As The World Turns producer) was when you only have one Black character on the show and they are the only ones ‘representing’, then you really have to understand that what you say, and do with that character speaks volumes… and until you have multiple Black characters on the show, where you can show multiple stories of Back people, then you’re always gonna have, always gonna be held up to that kind of standard. You're always gonna be questioned in this way”.
Although it took some time, eventually, more Black characters appeared in the series; this is partly due to Tunie’s contributions and input for more representation beyond one or two Black characters, who, if they were male and female, were bound to be placed in a relationship together.
Soap writer Jamey Giddens goes over a moment when former Young and the Restless star Victoria Rowell filed a lawsuit against CBS. Allegedly, Rowell claims CBS Studios retaliated against her due to her outspokenness regarding the lack of Black representation within the production of the series. Giddens mentions a conversation he had with a friend where they explained that an executive producer said,
“...it's a known fact that Black people are the largest audience for daytime, but it's basically that Black people will watch White people, but White people won't watch Black people.”
According to Giddens, forty percent of soap opera viewers are Black women. This makes me wonder if Black stories are seen as not having much worth to those who aren't directly reflected. Conversely, Black individuals are often portrayed in media where they don't see themselves reflected. The imbalance in this situation is striking.
Moore also spoke to Shannon Peace, a former breakdown writer for General Hospital, and in all her years, she has been the only Black woman in the writer's room, constantly advocating for more Black and realistic content. This is what she had to say:
“Daytime still really suffers a problem not with the fact of the representation, you see the faces, they're there. They're “on contract,” but what are the storylines? Why do we still feel often that they're being backgrounded or they're being support staff to prop up other characters or other families. And when I say other characters and other families, I mean white characters and white families. That is to me the issue in daytime. That is the biggest difference between daytime and primetime. Don't feel that in Primetime. Primetime, for the most part, has done away with the Black sidekick. Or the Black friend, and you have a Black character in meaningful front-facing roles that are driving the story. I don't see that in daytime”.
