Apple TV+ Debuts Trailer for Edith Wharton-Inspired Series ‘The Buccaneers’ (TV News Roundup)
Apple TV+ has released the trailer for “The Buccaneers,” a new drama series based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel. “The Buccaneers” will debut its first three episodes on Nov. 8, followed by the release of new episodes weekly every Wednesday through Dec. 13.
Olivia Rodrigo’s “all-american bitch” plays throughout the trailer as a group of carefree, fun-loving American girls enter the tightly corseted London season of the 1870s, according to the release. An Anglo-American culture clash ensues due to the girls’ refreshing disregard for centuries of tradition. The buccaneers’ hearts are set on much more than just securing husbands and titles. “Saying ‘I do’ is just the beginning,” to quote the logline.
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The music-driven series combines 1870 English aristocracy with a modern soundtrack produced by Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint. “The Buccaneers” will feature songs from today’s top female performers including Taylor Swift, Boygenius, Maggie Rogers, Bikini Kill, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Angel Olsen and Brandi Carlile, among others. The series will also include original music from Folick, Lucius, Alison Mosshart, Warpaint, Gracie Abrams, Sharon Van Etten, Bully, Danielle Ponder and more, in addition to series composers AVAWAVES.
“The Buccaneers” stars Kristine Frøseth, Alisha Boe, Josie Totah, Aubri Ibrag, Imogen Waterhouse, Christina Hendricks and Mia Threapleton. The ensemble cast includes Josh Dylan, Guy Remmers, Matthew Broome and Barney Fishwick.
The series is led by an all-female creative team, written by creator Katherine Jakeways and directed by Susanna White. Jakeways and White serve as executive producers alongside BAFTA Award nominee Beth Willis. “The Buccaneers” is produced for Apple TV+ by The Forge Entertainment.
Watch the trailer below.
In other TV roundup news:
AGENCY NEWS
Jay Shetty’s talent agency House of 1212 is launching a speaker division with former Powell Speaker management executive Jeanette Fernandez tapped to run the division.
This new division “will represent visionaries, thought leaders, disruptors and expert orators, whose tangible and actionable takeaways inspire shifts in leadership, inspiration, and social activism.”
The roster includes Jay Shetty, best-selling author and podcast host; Matthew Hussey, best-selling author, podcaster, confidence coach and The Today Show’s resident love expert; Alli Webb, founder of DryBar, best-selling author, Canopy president and co-founder of Squeeze, Brightside and Becket + Quil; Jasmine Star, podcaster, CEO, entrepreneur and business strategist; Dr. Yvonne Cagle, astronaut, aerospace surgeon, inventor and consulting professor for Stanford’s Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Department of Electrical Engineering; and Simon Mainwaring, bestselling author, podcaster, business futurist and CEO of strategic consultancy We First.
House of 1212 is was founded by Rula Zaabri, Brittany Louks, Blaire Zierke and Shetty.
“Our speaking vertical at House of 1212 is instrumental in being a catalyst for change and leading with purpose. We are honored to work with thought leaders who inspire, incite and move their audience to action,” the partners said in a joint statement. “We are so excited to launch this division and further amplify changemakers and tastemakers who move the needle in making a positive impact across the globe.”
Fernandez said, “I am ecstatic to join forces with this extraordinary roster of trailblazers, visionaries, and catalysts for change! Our journey is nothing short of a daring odyssey to reshape paradigms and inject boundless vitality into our global audience.”
FIRST LOOKS
FX and Hulu have released key art and the teaser for Season 3 of the series “American Horror Stories,” which will have a special four-episode “Huluween” event debut on Oct. 26.
“American Horror Stories” is the anthology series spinoff of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s long-running horror anthology series “American Horror Story.” While each season of “American Horror Story” features a new storyline, the spinoff features a new sinister story in each episode.
The show is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Alexis Martin Woodall, Max Winkler, Manny Coto and Jon Robin Baitz. 20th Television produces the franchise.
Watch the teaser and view the key art below:
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Showtime has released the trailer for its upcoming limited series “Fellow Travelers” starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, set to premiere on Oct. 27 on streaming and on demand, for Showtime and Paramount+ subscribers.
The eight-episode romance-political thriller is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon. Bomer stars as Hawkins Fuller, who works behind-the-scenes in politics and avoids emotional attachments until meeting Tim Laughlin (Bailey) an idealistic and religious young man. Their romance blossoms at the same time that Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn declare war on “subversives and sexual deviants.”
The story is told over four decades and follows characters Marcus (Jelani Alladin), Lucy (Allison Williams) and Frankie (Noah J. Ricketts) in addition to Hawkins and Tim. The show depicts Vietnam War protests, the drugs and music of the ’70s and the AIDS crisis of the ’80s in addition to the characters’ interpersonal issues.
The series will debut on air on Oct. 29 on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET. “Fellow Travelers” was created by Ron Nyswaner, who also serves as executive producer. Bomer, Robbie Rogers and Dee Johnson also executive produce. Daniel Minahan executive produces and directs the first two episodes. Fremantle and Showtime co-produce the series.
Watch the trailer below.
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The trailer has been released for “Navajo Police: Class 57,” HBO’s three-part docuseries which is set to have a two-episode premiere on Oct. 17. The final episode will air on Oct. 18.
According to the synopsis, the series takes place in the Navajo Nation and tracks “a group of recruits over the course of one year, as they fight their way through the Navajo Police Training Academy and out into the field, where they must contend with rising crime and centuries of neglect to hold their community together. For this cadre, known as Class 57, the pressure is fierce, and the stakes are high as the survival of their sovereign nation depends in part on the success of this academy.”
The series features interviews with law enforcement officers Lt. Donnie Kee, Sgt. Rob Williams, Sgt. Lucy Dan and Sgt. Eldon Foster. It also features interviews with recruits Shawvan Levi, Cheyenne Pettigrew, Antwan Gray, and Nora Allen; Council Delegate of the Navajo Nation, Eugenia Charles-Newton; as well as community activist Shandiin Yazzie.
“Navajo Police” was directed by Kahlil Hudson, Alex Jablonski and David Nordstrom. It is executive produced by Hudson, Jablondski, Blackhorse Lowe, Nordstrom, Myles Estey, Nicole Stott, Jonathan Silberberg, Davis Guggenheim and Laurene Powell Jobs. Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller and Tina Nguyen executive produced for HBO.
Watch the trailer below.
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Hulu released the trailer for “Black Cake,” an original series executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Marissa Jo Cerar. The first three episodes will premiere on Nov. 1, and the remaining episodes will come out every Wednesday through Dec. 6.
The series is based on Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel, a family drama and murder mystery that spans decades and takes place in Jamaica, Rome, Scotland, England and Southern California.
In the late 1960s, Covey, a runaway bride disappears off the coast of Jamaica. She is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder. Fifty years later in California, after widow Eleanor Bennett loses her battle with cancer, she leaves her estranged children with a flash drive detailing the untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America. These stories challenge everything her children thought they knew about their family’s origin.
The cast includes Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Chipo Chung, Ashley Thomas, Lashay Anderson, Faith Alabi and Glynn Turman. Ahmed Eljah, Simon Wan and Sonita Henry are recurring guest stars.
The adaptation was written by Cerar, who also serves as the showrunner. Winfrey and Cerar executive produce with Aaron Kaplan, Carla Gardini, Brian Morewitz, Charmaine Wilkerson and Michael Lohmann. “Black Cake” is a Two Drifters, ABC Signature, Harpo Films and Kapital Entertainment production.
Watch the trailer below.
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“AKA Mr. Chow,” the upcoming HBO Original documentary about prominent artist, actor and restaurateur Michael Chow, has dropped a trailer.
Directed by Nick Hooker, “AKA Mr. Chow” tells the personal story of Chow, owner of the “Mr. Chow” restaurant chain, as more than the persona he created for himself. Following Chow from his birthplace of China to England, the documentary chronicles the racism Chow faced in building his career and his approach to artistry.
Jean Tsien (“Scottsboro: An American Tragedy”) serves as writer and editor. Tsien, Graydon Carter (“9/11”) and Annabelle Dunne (“Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold”) executive produce. Diane Quon produces.
The documentary includes interviews with Chow’s family members and artists. It also features the man himself providing reflections on culture and identity.
“My father was completely an artist. Revolutionized the Beijing Opera,” Chow explains. “He said to me, ‘Wherever you go, always remember, you are Chinese.’”
The film will be available to stream on Max starting Oct. 22.
Watch the trailer below.
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Showtime has shared first look images of “The Curse,” starring Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. The series will have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 12, screening the first three episodes. The NYFF will then present the remaining seven episodes of the 10-part series. This marks the first time the festival is theatrically sneak-previewing an episodic series over the course of its original airing season.
The genre-bending series follows a newly-married couple — portrayed by Stone and Fielder — who are trying to conceive a child while starring in their own home-improvement show. The couple is forced to navigate an alleged curse said to disturb their relationship.
“The Curse” will premiere on Paramount+ on Nov. 10 and air Nov. 12 on Showtime. The series is a co-production from Showtime and A24. Safdie and Field are co-creators and executive producers of the show. Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting and Josh Safdie also executive produce.
See below for the series’ first look photos.
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Apple TV+ has released first look images for its new crime thriller “Criminal Record.” The eight-episode series, starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo, will debut its first two episodes on Jan. 12 and then release new episodes every Friday through Feb. 23.
From Paul Rutman, “Criminal Record” follows Capaldi and Jumbo as detectives involved in a tug of war over a high-profile murder case. Capaldi portrays a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy, while Jumbo plays a young woman in the early stages of her career. Set in London, the two are forced into a confrontation over an old murder case after an anonymous phone call. The series explores issues of race, institutional failure and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain.
Capaldi and Jumbo are joined by Charlie Creed-Miles, Dionne Brown, Shaun Dooley, Stephen Campbell-Moore, Zoë Wanamaker, Maisie Ayres, Aysha Kala, Cathy Tyson and Tom Moutchi.
Tod Productions and STV Studios produce “Criminal Record” for Apple TV+. Elaine Collins, Rutan, Capaldi and Jumbo executive produce, and Jim Loach and Shaun James Grant directed the series.
See below for the series’ first look photos.
DEVELOPMENT
Paramount+ has announced a documentary that will spotlight boy bands and their place in pop culture.
Music manager Johnny Wright (New Kids On The Block, *NSYNC, Britney Spears) joins Gunpower and Sky CEO Van Toffler (MTV VMAs, “Tupac: Resurrection”) to produce this project exploring the boy band-obsessed era of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Bruce Gilmer, Paramount’s president of music, music talent, programming and events and Paramount+’s chief content officer of music, made a statement on the upcoming project: “The ’90s boy band era made an indelible impact and will be forever woven into the pop culture landscape. Boy bands remain bonafide global sensations to this day, as seen in the fan frenzy heard around the world during *NSYNC’s on-stage reunion at this year’s VMAs and the ever-spreading domination of K-Pop’s biggest groups like BTS, Stray Kids and TXT.”
The documentary will include the songs, band members and personalities who defined the time period and explain the popularity of boy bands.
Toffler said of the documentary, “If you think back to groups like The Jackson 5, who paved the way for boy bands, this music has dominated the charts for decades, but there’s always been a stigma attached. The reality is, these are insanely talented guys who led the requests each week when I was running TRL in the ’90s and early 2000s. And, just when we all think the fervor for boy bands has dissipated, One Direction or BTS emerge, and their disciples like Harry Styles and Justin Timberlake overtake pop culture.”
Tamra Davis is slated to direct the documentary.
SPECIALS
Roku Originals will exclusively stream “A Very Demi Holiday Special” featuring Demi Lovato on Friday, Dec. 8.
The holiday special will feature music and surprises, including Lovato’s friends; the celebrity guests that will be revealed at a later date.
Lovato will perform beloved holiday songs including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock” in addition to some of her original music.
“The holidays are such a special time of year, and I can’t wait to put my special twist on the celebrations!” Lovato said.
“Together with Demi and the OBB Pictures team, we’ve created a truly fun and unique holiday experience for viewers to connect with and laugh over,” said Brian Tannenbaum, head of originals at Roku Media. “We can’t wait for audiences to unwrap this one-of-kind Roku Original special.”
“A Very Demi Holiday Special” is produced by OBB Pictures and executive produced by Demi Lovato as well as Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Kfir Goldberg and Simone Spira for OBB. Toff Yasui also executive produces.
CLIPS
Just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month, “Lotería Loca” has released a new preview clip. The first episode of the season premiered Oct. 2.
From CBS, “Lotería Loca” is a new reality game show hosted by actor and singer Jaime Camil. Per the show’s casting page, two contestants must “compete head-to-head to get four in a row — or Lotería — by picking numbers off a board and earning the money behind each card.”
According to the rules of this high-stakes game, a contestant must get Lotería twice in order to move onto the Lotería Loca round and win the prize money. However, there’s a catch: each player has only four lives, and every card picked not on the player’s table will cost them a life.
“We took a 400 year old beloved Mexican bingo game and blew it up into a loud, vibrant, and high-octane format. The set, the style, the tone and the flavor is all pure Latin,” said Jeff Aploff, who serves as creator, showrunner and executive producer.
The clip sees contestant Quanya participate in the “Scramble Dance.” Four dancers wearing different letters appear. Faced with a set of clues, Quanya must unscramble what word they spell to get two thousand dollars.
“We are so proud to bring this to a broad American audience as well as an underserved Latin audience that deserves to have their culture celebrated,” said Aploff.
Check out the clip below.
DATES
After a WGA strike impacted delay, Season 2 of “The Jennifer Hudson Show” premiered on Oct. 2. The premiere week will feature guests including Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan and Shaquille O’Neal, Taye Diggs and Cedric the Entertainer.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” is produced by JHUD Productions and Warner Bros. Hudson, Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Graehme Morphy, Walter Williams III and LaNeé Griffin executive produce the show.
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“The Talk” will kick off its 14th season on Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
This comes after “The Talk” pushed back its originally scheduled Sept. 18 premiere date, announcing it would delay its premiere following Drew Barrymore’s decision to pause her show after facing backlash from the WGA for her previous decision to bring back her show during the strikes. The show originally halted production in May after the strike began. And when “The Talk” planned to return on Sept. 18, the show filmed a rehearsal show — which was picketed.
“The Talk” is co-hosted by Jerry O’Connell, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales and Sheryl Underwood.
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A new “Kennedy” docuseries will premiere on the History Channel on Nov. 18, 60 years from the time of former president John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
Taking place over three nights, this eight-part docuseries event about Kennedy’s life and policies is narrated by Emmy Award-winner Peter Coyote. It is directed and produced by composer and filmmaker Ashton Gleckman.
“Kennedy” will feature more than 70 interviews about the 35th president of the United States with notable individuals such as Kennedy’s niece Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, comedian and JFK Library Foundation board member Conan O’Brien and “Thirteen Days” actor Bruce Greenwood.
“John F. Kennedy’s time as President of the United States serves as a timeless example of how empathetic leadership coupled with charisma, idealism, and the use of spoken word, transcends time,” Gleckman said. “I hope this intimate yet epic story about public service, personal growth, and leadership connects with young people, both this generation and future generations, as it did with me.”
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On Oct. 10, the 60th anniversary of beloved French singer Édith Piaf’s death, TV5Monde will air “Étoile sans lumière” in honor of Piaf’s legacy. The 1946 French film stars Piaf as Madeleine, a young maid who becomes a rival to a successful actress.
Today, Édith Piaf is known for her trademark song “La Vie En Rose.” Known as “The Little Sparrow” by the French public, she was — and continues to be — a significant figure in French history. Piaf was the subject of the 2007 biographical film “La Vie En Rose,” in which she was played by Marion Cotillard.
TV5Monde programs are available for streaming on tv5mondeplus.com.
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Lulu Wang’s “The Expats,” a limited series adapted from Janice Y. K. Lee’s bestselling 2016 novel “The Expatriates,” is set to premiere January 26, 2024, on Prime Video.
Centering on three wealthy American women living in Hong Kong, the series stars Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue and Ji-Young Yoo as Margaret, Hilary and Mercy, respectively. The three women find their lives intertwined after Margaret’s youngest son vanishes.
Wang previously wrote and directed 2019’s acclaimed film “The Farewell.” “The Expatriates” is Wang’s first foray into television as writer and director.
Although Wang describes herself as an “outsider” to Hong Kong, she was interested in the parallels between Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy protests and her own parents’ experiences leaving Beijing during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. For that reason, Wang decided it was important to shoot the series onsite in Hong Kong.
“One of the reasons I did the show was to be able to capture Hong Kong as it’s changing and just give Hong Kong more visibility in the world,” Wang told Vanity Fair.
Kidman and Wang serve as executive producers on this six-part series.
Check out the first look photos here.
INITIATIVES
Creative talent discovery platform Husslup will launch a new tool to track and manage talent hires for the film and television industry on Oct. 16.
With currently over 7,000 users signed up, Husslup is an invite-only platform that works with studios and companies to staff productions. Some of its partners include horror maven Blumhouse, Film Independent and NBCUniversal.
To develop its new staffing rosters tool, Husslup partnered with Showbiz Software, a budgeting product, to easily track personnel and finances. Husslup users will export their roster to their Showbiz budget. Showbiz will also be able to transfer their list of available positions over to Husslup to streamline the hiring process.
The staffing rosters tool is based on an existing network of creative professionals. Executives will first create a roster of open roles for their projects, then fill those roles in using the established network. However, non-Husslup members are also able to be added by invitation.
Husslup CEO and Founder H Schuster expressed that the initiative is intended to “create efficiencies” for both Husslup and Showbiz users.
“We believe this is one of the most useful innovations we have launched in our staffing workflow to date,” said Schuster. “Our goal is to help Hollywood get back to work quickly.”
DEALS
Five new digital action and adventure sports channels are set to arrive in the fall of 2023.
Channel provider acTVe and media company The Arena Group have struck a deal to provide and launch content drawn from across The Arena Group’s media brands.
The move marks The Arena Group’s entry into the Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) space. The company is currently home to notable brands Sports Illustrated, Men’s Journal and Parade, among others.
Each of the five channels will source from the libraries of Powder Mag, Surfer Magazine, Transworld Skateboarding, Bike Mag and Snowboarder. Content featured will include live events, original series and documentary features. AcTVe will handle global distribution and syndication.
“We continue to expand and diversify our Company, and FAST channels will propel our strategic expansion into the highly lucrative and rapidly growing digital video and connected TV markets,” said Ross Levinsohn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Arena Group.
With more platforms expected in 2024, the five channels are currently slated to launch across multiple free-to-watch streaming platforms such as FreeCast and Connected TV (CTV) apps like Roku.
For acTVe CEO Geoff Clark, this business endeavor indicates the globalization of sports content. It also has a more personal touch.
“As an action sports filmmaker, enthusiast and lifelong fan of these brands, it’s an honor to be in a position to make the kinds of content I grew up watching available to audiences for free, worldwide,” Clark said.
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Theater streaming company BroadwayHD has inked a deal with NBCUniversal to stream their award-winning musical productions. This agreement will make NBCUniversal’s recorded live theater accessible to BroadwayHD subscribers.
Musical productions available for streaming include “Shrek the Musical” on Oct. 15 and “The Sound of Music Live!” on Nov. 1. There will also be an exclusive U.S. premiere of “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical,” an adaptation of the DreamWorks 1998 animated feature “The Prince of Egypt.”
“We developed BroadwayHD to bring the magic of theatre into the homes of fellow theatre lovers,” said Stewart F. Lane, president and co-founder of BroadwayHD. “I couldn’t be more excited about the continued growth of BroadwayHD and for NBCUniversal’s faith in us to bring their broadcast musical productions to a wider audience.”
For a preview of the upcoming productions being streamed:
October 15 – “Shrek the Musical” (2013)
November 1 – “The Sound of Music Live!” (2013)
November 15 – “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” (2023)
December 1 – “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” (2018)
PARTNERSHIPS
The “Star Trek” franchise is partnering with rapper Kid Cudi on a new Kid Cudi song, a Fortnite gaming experience and streetwear collection, all set to debut Oct. 12 at the New York Comic Con (NYCC) convention.
The collaboration is part of “Star Trek’s” “Boldly Be” campaign celebrating the franchise and was announced back in early September. The campaign will kick off with the release of a “Star Trek”-inspired song, “Heaven’s Galaxy,” written by Kid Cudi. It will be available on all streaming platforms starting Oct. 12.
Fans of “Star Trek,” Kid Cudi or both will be able to see new merchandise from the Kid Cudi x “Star Trek” collection at Comic Con on Oct. 12. The streetwear collaboration features crewnecks, T-shirts and even a leather varsity jacket emblazoned with “Star Trek” decals. The collection is exclusive to NYCC attendees to preorder until Oct. 16, when it becomes available to the public online.
At NYCC will be a booth dedicated to previewing the “STAR TREK X KID CUDI: MIRROR MAYHEM” Fortnite gaming experience, which sees players partnering with Captain Sykes (Kid Cudi) on a mission to defend a planet. The game will launch later this October.
EVENTS
PaleyFest NYC, the Paley Center for Media’s annual TV festival, will kick off Oct. 11 with “Live with Kelly and Mark” co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. After a screening specially selected for the event by the producers, there will be a Q&A and discussion with Ripa and Consuelos about their lives as co-hosts and spouses.
The discussion will be moderated by David Muir, anchor and managing editor of the ABC show “World News Tonight with David Muir” and co-anchor of ABC’s “20/20.”
Featuring a slate of interactive conversations with TV stars and professionals at the Paley Center theater, PaleyFest NYC begins on Oct. 11 and ends on Oct. 17. Other guests in the PaleyFest NYC lineup include the “Shark Tank” cast and producers, former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and writers from satirical news site “The Onion.”
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