TV News Wrap-Up: ‘Killing Eve’ Season 2 Preview, Mary McDonnell Joins ‘Veronica Mars’ Revival, and CBS All Access Interested in ‘One Day at a Time’
We’re heading into finale season, but there are still a lot of spring shows to premiere. There are a lot of premieres coming which have been highly anticipated including Killing Eve and Game of Thrones.
Take a look at some of the latest TV news includign casting, teasers, and production news.
Teasers and Spoilers
Killing Eve returns on Sunday, April 7th, and Sandra Oh previewed the deadly Season 2. A TV Line article states thesecond season picks up 30 seconds after the Season 1 finale. Oh promises that fans won’t have to wait long for Eve Polastri and Villainelle to come into contact again and showrunner Emerald Fennell mentioned that Season 2 could cut into the main cast. “What’s important for me is that no one needs to survive any scene,” Girls like Villanelle don’t last very long, and women like Eve don’t last very long, because they’re playing a very dangerous game. So I had to come into this season thinking no one is safe… Villanelle’s absolutely not safe anymore. And neither is Eve.”
HBO has released another very vauge teaser for the final Season of Game of Thrones. The countdown begins for Game of Thrones final season on April 14th. Fortunately, HBO then released another trailer with everyone worried about the impending war.
Hallmark has announced it’s Christmas movie line up with a record-breaking 40 new titles. Entertainment Weekly reports the two sister sites will debut 40 new titles between them with Hallmark Channel airing 24 new titles and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries airing 16 new titles. This is up from the 33 new titles they aired last year. It’s also the tenth anniversary of their Countdown to Christmas Event which kicks off October 25th and the two networks have debuted 176 yuletide movies between them.
Renewals and Cancellations
Ricky Gervais’s After Life has been renewed for a second season by Netflix. According to TV Line, the series will continue to explore life after an untimely loss, and the second season will be comprised of six half-hour installments. “After Life has moved audiences from laughter to tears around the world and we are thrilled to announce that Ricky Gervais will be back with a second season on Netflix,” said Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos in a satement. “We are so proud to play host to Ricky’s brilliant stand-up comedy, specials, original films and series and join in the joy of the fans with his latest hit.”
The Umbrella Academy has been renewed for a second season by Netflix. According to Vulture all seven of the main cast members are set to reprise their roles and the second season will be comprised of ten epiosdes each an hour long. Production on Season 2 will begin this summer in Toronto.
Casting News
There’s a JAG reunion in the future. According to TV Line, Catherine Bell is joining David James Elliot on NCIS: Los Angeles reprising her role as Lieutenant Colonel Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie. “Her character paved the way for other strong female leads,” sayshowrunner R. Scott Gemmill, who served as a writer/producer on NCIS sire JAG. Not only is it great to be working together again as friends, but to be able to write for Catherine and have her same character interact with our NCIS: Los Angeles characters now, that’s wonderfully surreal. It feels like everything has come full circle.”
Michael Urie and Zach Creggar have been cast in an NBC sitcom pilot called Friends-in-Law. According to TV Line, “The potential series finds the duo starring as polar opposites who must quickly figure out how to coexist when their respective best friends decide to get married.” The newlyweds in questions will be played by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s Vella Lovell and Brooklyn Nine-Nine scribe Gil Ozeri. This will be Ozeri’s first major onscreen role.
Mary McDonnell has joined the Hulu revival of Veronica Mars in a mystery role. A TV Line exclusive revealed that the Battelstar Galactica and Major Crimes vet will come to Neptune High as Jane, a warm-hearted therapist. A Hulu rep confimed the casting but has not given any details on the length of her stay or who she might be treating.
Production News
CBS All Access might be interested in saving One Day at a Time, but the real question is will Netflix let it? In a report from Vulture, there is a hiccup in the original deal with Sony that could prevent Netflix from releasing the series for the next two years. Series creator Norman Lear has reached out to Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos to help move the process along but the streaming service has not shown any interest in releasing the show.
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What is your favorite bit of TV news from this past week? Let us know in the comments below.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.