Netflix Announces ‘Death to 2021,’ Releases Teaser (TV News Roundup)

Netflix announced the comedy event “Death to 2021” will premiere Dec. 27.

The special tells the story of yet another dreadful year through a documentary style, mixing archival footage gathered over the year with commentary from fictitious characters played by Hugh Grant, Lucy Liu, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Joe Keery, William Jackson Harper, Stockard Channing, Cristin Milioti, Diane Morgan, Nick Mohammed and more.

In a first-look clip from the special, which you can watch below, an “average British citizen,” played by Morgan, shares her experience with online dating during the pandemic. “I got on quite well with one of them,” says the character. “We even had a cuddle.” The scene then cuts to the pair on a virtual date over Zoom, awkwardly leaning towards their computers.

“Death to 2021” is executive produced by Annabel Jones and Ben Caudell. Nick Vaughan-Smith produces, and Jack Clough and Josh Ruben direct. The special was written by Caudell. It is a Broke and Bones production.

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

FIRST LOOKS

HBO Max released a trailer for upcoming limited series “Station Eleven,” premiering with three episodes on Dec. 16 followed by two episodes weekly until the finale on Jan. 13. Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel of the same name, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic world and tells the stories of survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild while holding onto what’s been lost. Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Daniel Zovatto, David Wilmot, Matilda Lawler, Philippine Velge, Nabhaan Rizwan and Lori Petty star with Gael Garcìa Bernal and Danielle Deadwyler in recurring roles. Patrick Somerville serves as creator and showrunner and executive produces along with Scott Steindorff, Scott Delman, Dylan Russell, Jessica Rhoades, Hiro Murai, Jeremy Podeswa and Nate Matteson. Nick Cuse and David Nicksay are co-executive producers. Murai, Podeswa, Helen Shaver and Lucy Tcherniak direct. Paramount Television Studios is the studio. See the trailer below.

Amazon Prime Video debuted a trailer for “Reacher,” a drama series based on the novels by Lee Child and premiering on Feb. 4. The series follows Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life as a drifter, carrying no phone as he travels the country. When he arrives in Margrave, Ga., he is arrested in a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years and must work to prove his innocence and uncover a conspiracy. Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Chris Webster, Hugh Thompson, Maria Sten, Harvey Guillén, Kristin Kreuk, Currie Graham, Marc Bendavid, Willie C. Carpenter, Maxwell Jenkins and Bruce McGill also star. Showrunner Nick Santora, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost Skydance executive produce for Skydance Television along with Lee Child, Don Granger and Scott Sullivan. See the trailer below.

ABC unveiled a behind-the-scenes look at the series “Women of the Movement,” which premieres Jan. 6 at 10 p.m. The series tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley, who in 1955 risked her life to find justice after her son Emmett was brutally murdered in the Jim Crow South. The behind-the-scenes trailer features various cast members explaining the history of the events, as scenes from the series are stitched throughout. The series stars Adrienne Warren, Tonya Pinkins, Cedric Joe, Ray Fisher, Glynn Turman, Chris Coy, Carter Jankins and Julia McDermott. “Women of the Movement” is produced by Kapital Entertainment, Roc Nation and Westbrook Studios. Creator Marissa Jo Cerar executive produces alongside Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor, Shawn Carter, Jay Brown, Tyran Smith, Will Smith, James Lassiter, Rosanna Grace, Alex Foster, John Powers, David Clark and Gina Prince-Bythewood. The first episode is written by Cerar and directed by Prince-Bythewood. Tina Mabry, Julie Dash and Kasi Lemmons also serve as directors. Watch the video below.

DATES

ABC News announced the docuseries “Let The World See” will premiere Jan. 6, 2022 at 10:01 p.m. and will air for three consecutive Thursday nights in step with new episodes of ABC’s “Women of the Movement.” “Let The World See” offers a deep examination of Mamie Till-Mobley’s contributions to the civil rights movement, from her fight to bring her son’s body home to Chicago to her pivotal yet heartbreaking decision to have an open-casket funeral. The program will also illustrate how the Till family has continued her legacy since her death in 2003, featuring interviews with Rev. Wheeler Parker, Ollie Gordon, Amos Smith, Thelma Wright, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Lent Rice, Dan Wakefield and Betty Pearson, as well as contemporary authors Angie Thomas, Christopher Benson, John Edgar Wideman and Michael Eric Dyson. Salaam Remi composes an original soundtrack for the series, which is produced by ABC News Studios in association with Roc Nation, Westbrook Studios, Kapital Entertainment and Cobble Hill Films. Jeanmarie Condon and Fatima Curry direct as well as executive produce. Other executive producers are Shawn Carter, Tyran Smith, Jay Brown, Will Smith, James Lassiter and Aaron Kaplan.

CASTING

Allblk announced that Daniel Augustin, Mike Merrell, Juan Gil, Xavier Avila and Nazanin Mandi have been cast in upcoming dramedy series “À La Carte,” set to premiere in spring 2022. The series follows Mahogany Rose (Pauline Dyer), a 20-something Black overachiever who holds herself to high moral standards until she finds Kaleb (Courtney Burrell), the man of her dreams, who is already in a relationship. Augustin will play the recurring role of Adam, a Yale graduate and elementary school teacher described as an “all-around good guy.” Merrell will play Rodney, the longtime boyfriend of Mahogany’s roommate Shyra Clemons (Jenna Nolen). Gil will play Derek, an Instagram model and fitness trainer with a secret OnlyFans account who guides Mahogany through being a “side chick.” Avila will play Ziyad, a smart young lawyer who is gay and appeals to Mahogany’s moral compass. Mandi will play Bianca, a stylish woman whose career ambitions keep her on the move. “À La Carte” is executive produced by director Dijon Talton and The Talton Company, Breanna Hogan, Meagan Good and Allblk’s general manager Brett Dismuke and senior vice president of development and production Nikki Love.

PROGRAMMING

ABC announced “Jeopardy! National College Championship” will debut on Feb. 8, 2022 at 8 p.m. and “American Idol” Season 5 will premiere on Feb. 27, 2022 at 8 p.m. Hosted by Mayim Bialik, “Jeopardy! National College Championship” will feature 36 students from 36 colleges from across the country battling it out for nine days: Feb. 8, 2022; Feb. 9, 2022; Feb. 10, 2022; Feb. 11, 2022; Feb. 15, 2022; Feb. 16, 2022; Feb. 17, 2022; Feb. 18, 2022; and Feb. 22, 2022, all at 8 p.m. “Jeopardy! College National Championship” is executive produced by Michael Davies. “American Idol” Season 5 on ABC (and 20th season overall) will feature judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie with host Ryan Seacrest. “American Idol” is produced by Fremantle and Industrial Media’s 19 Entertainment and executive produced by Megan Wolflick, Jennifer Mullin, Trish Kinane, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman.

LATE NIGHT

Blake Shelton, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch will appear on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” while Riz Ahmed, Nicole Byer and Norah Jones will be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will feature Mahershala Ali and Jason Reynolds. Bill Burr, Glenn Howerton and Meghan Trainor will be on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”

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