Programming

The CW is taking another swing at a Supernatural spinoff. The network’s first pilot orders of the 2022 cycle include The Winchesters, a Supernatural prequel following the parents of Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) in the long-running series that concluded in 2020. The network has also ordered a pilot for Walker: Independence, a prequel to Padalecki’s current series, and Gotham Knights, a DC Comics show from three Batwoman writers. Additionally, The CW has ordered six more scripts for a Zorro drama that counts Robert Rodriguez among its executive producers.

There’s a wealth of provocative and creative Black-focused programs in February, looking deep into the past to examine topics such as the roots of slavery and the achievements of towering figures including Frederick Douglass. The post-George Floyd onset of racial reckoning and the subsequent backlash have coincided with the growth of streaming and its voracious need for content, a two-fold incentive for TV to pay heed to the sweep and nuance of Black experience.

The Games are central to the network’s brand, and NBC will have to navigate complications resulting from the pandemic and politics.

The new ABC sitcom by Quinta Brunson about a Philadelphia public school is a relatable balm during a period of intense stress for educators.

The ranch drama starring Kevin Costner and from creator Taylor Sheridan has been renewed for a fifth season on the ViacomCBS-owned basic cable network. The family drama capped a record-breaking season in January when the finale drew 10.3 million total viewers, an all-time high for both the series and Paramount Network. (The show is the last scripted original on the linear network.)

Big Brother: Celebrity Edition finally returned to CBS after three years. The spinoff series of the long-running competition series made a splash with its premiere topping demo ratings on Wednesday night. Per fast affiliates, the CBS series nabbed a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demo and 3.66 million viewers.

A+E Networks has named former NBC News exec Sharon Scott to lead its unscripted division. Scott will take on oversight of the company’s nonfiction content unit, which includes Category 6 Media and Six West Media. Steve Ascher, previously EVP of Six West Media, has been upped to head of development for the entire division, reporting to Scott.

The Media Rating Council, the industry’s measurement watchdog, said that Comscore’s national and local TV measurement products are currently in the accreditation process and are undergoing an MRC audit. The MRC said the update is part of an effort to be more transparent.

NBC Sports’ presentation of the game from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles marks NBC’s 20th Super Bowl broadcast and the debut Super Bowl presentation on NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. In addition, Telemundo becomes the first-ever Spanish-language broadcast network to air the Super Bowl.

Rudy Giuliani was unmasked as an exiting costumed contestant in last week’s taping of the first Season 7 episode of Fox’s popular primetime series The Masked Singer. Deadline hears that as soon as they saw Giuliani, judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke quickly left the stage in protest.

With China’s strict policy about those who test positive for COVID-19, most of NBC’s announcers for the Beijing Games are stationed stateside. NBC isn’t alone in keeping its announcers home. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has almost all its analysts and announcers working out of studios in Toronto and Montreal. The BBC is also keeping announcers at studios outside London.

NBC’s This Is Us scored the nightly demo win while CBS’s FBI copped Tuesday’s biggest audience. On Fox, The Real Dirty Dancing debuted to just 1.5M and a 0.2, while The Resident (3.2M/0.4, returned steady after an eight-week hiatus.

SkyShowtime, the joint streaming venture between Comcast and ViacomCBS, has received full regulatory approval. It will launch in Europe later this year. SkyShowtime’s CEO Monty Sarhan, who was put in charge of the project last month, will lead the rollout.

Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, claimed in a class-action lawsuit filed Tuesday that the NFL discriminated against him and other Black coaches in their hiring practices.

Juicy, soapy Korean series have been a staple on Netflix for years, but following the Squid Game phenomena, audiences around the world can’t get enough of not only the typical K-drama fare but also Korean thrillers and reality series. Korean zombie thriller All of Us Are Dead, which features a familiar Squid Game face (Lee Yoo-Mi) made its debut on the streamer’s non-English language TV Top 10 list for the week of Jan. 24-30, coming in at No. 1 with 124.79 million hours viewed.

The action came a day after Goldberg’s comment during a discussion on The View that race was not a factor in the Holocaust. Goldberg apologized hours later and again on Tuesday’s morning episode, but the original remark drew condemnation from several prominent Jewish leaders. “While Whoopi has apologized, I’ve asked her to take time to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments. The entire ABC News organization stands in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues, friends, family and communities,” ABC News President Kim Godwin said in a statement.

The British public broadcaster moved a youth-focused channel online, but now it’s changing course as viewing habits continue to mutate. Above, shows on BBC Three, which is aimed at younger viewers, include RuPaul’s Drag Race U.K. vs the World (left), Freeze: Skating On The Edge and Fleabag.

Fox Entertainment and Hulu have struck a major deal that allows the streaming service to run all out-of-season episodes of key Fox unscripted and animated series. Hulu will have the right to stream all episodes of Fox’s unscripted series, including The Masked Singer, Lego Masters, I Can See Your Voice, Name That Tune, The Masked Dancer, Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back, MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. 

NBC’s celebration of the late Betty White on Monday night drew 4.1 million total viewers and a 0.5 demo rating, placing second for the night in both measures.

Fox will sizzle and serve up two additional helpings of its hit culinary competition series Hell’s Kitchen, renewing the Gordon Ramsay-led show for Seasons 21 and 22. Last season, Hell’s Kitchen was the No. 1 cooking show on television across broadcast and cable among the key, adults ages 18-49 demo, and its total multiplatform audience grew 8% from Season 19 up to 48% in Season 20’s P2+ streaming audience.

Her last week atop the syndicated game delivered a 6.6 rating, an increase of 2% from the week before and a gain of 12% from last year at this time.