TV News Wrap-Up: ‘The 100’ Ending with Season 7, 2019 Emmys Going Host-less, ‘Game of Thrones’ Creators Sign Production Deal with Netflix, and More

Getting into August, it’s hard to believe that summer is almost over.

Summer television is starting to wind down, and we’re still almost a month away from the start of new network shows.

The networks have started teasing bigs of information at their Television Critics Association Summer Press Tours and that means there’s,  once again, a lot to look forward to. 

Check out this week’s TV News Wrap-Up for highlights in casting news, production announcements, and more. 

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Showtime announced that Daveed Diggs is going to play Fredrick Douglas in the limited series The Good Lord Bird. According to TV Line, Showtime announced the casting at their television critics association summer press tour. The series is based on James McBride’s novel of the same name and “…chronicles the bond between abolitionist John Brown (played by Ethan Hawke) and a slave known as Onion (Joshua Johnson-Lionel). Both men eventually take part in the 1859 raid on a United States arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Va., a critical event that sparked the Civil War.” 

Afton Williamson posted to Instagram on Sunday, August 4th, detailing the racial bullying and sexual harassment she experienced on the set of The Rookie.  Williamson details several incidents and says that production did not follow human resources procedures or open an investigation leading to her decision to walk away from the drama’s second season. In the days since the production studio has responded saying they are investigating, and Williamson has identified the parties she says bullied, harassed, and assaulted her.  

Jason Rothenberg broke news to fans of The 100 that the dystopian drama will end with the previously announced Season 7. The news came days before The 100 Season 6 Episode 13, “The Blood of Sanctum” aired. Take a look at our complete breakdown of the news here.

Jensen Ackles has teased a Supernatural revival at the show’s farewell Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour. According to TV Line, Ackles said, “I’m not ever ready to close doors or burn bridges. I think that’s foolish. Am I saying there’s something in the works? No. Am I open to having a conversation in the future? What’s the harm in that?” Supernatural‘s final season will begin on October 10th. 

A Million Little Things Season 2 has revealed its episode count for its sophomore season. In a TV Line exclusive, series creator DJ Nash said that the new season will be comprised of 19 episodes. ABC wanted 22 episodes, but they settled on 19 because Nash wanted to preserve the quality of the storytelling. “I feel like the compliment our show gets that means the most to me is that it’s authentic,” Nash said. “And yet the thing I love most about our show is flipping cards. For instance, you think Katherine [Grace Park] is horrible and she ends up being someone you love. We flip cards — that’s how we’re built. I don’t want to flip cards so much that it feels inauthentic. So that’s why I said, ‘I gotta do 18.’ And then they said, ‘How about 19?’ And I said, ‘OK.’”

The OA has been canceled by Netflix. TV Line has confirmed that the streamer has canceled the series five months after Part II dropped on Netflix. The series starred Brit Marling as Prairie Johnson, a young blind woman who disappeared two years ago. Now called “The OA” she confides in a small group of locals who she is recruiting on a mission. The sixteen chapters of The OA are now available on Netflix. 

Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 will not be doing weekly crossover events. In May, ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke alluded to the two dramas crossing over weekly. She walked back her statement on Monday saying that the series wouldn’t be crossing over, but feel more blended, including an inter-show romance that will blossom between a Grey’s Anatomy character and a Station 19 character. Check out more details about this development here. Plus, a character is being eyed for a return to Season 16. Find out which one here. 

The creators of Game of Thrones, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have signed a development deal with Netflix. Deadline reports that Benioff and Weiss have reportedly signed a nine-figure deal to develop new movies and tv shows for the streamer. “We’ve had a beautiful run with HBO for more than a decade and we’re grateful to everyone there for always making us feel at home. Over the past few months, we’ve spent many hours talking to Cindy Holland and Peter Friedlander, as well as Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber,” said Benioff and Weiss. “We remember the same shots from the same 80s movies; we love the same books; we’re excited about the same storytelling possibilities. Netflix has built something astounding and unprecedented, and we’re honored they invited us to join them.”

Alicia Silverstone and Mark Feuerstein have joined the cast of Netflix’s Baby-Sitter’s Club series. According to entertainment weekly, the streamer announced that Alicia Silverstone will play Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer, mother to Kristy Thomas, and love interest to Watson Brewer, played by Feuerstein. The series has received a 10-episode order from the streamer and is based on the popular book series by Ann M. Martin. 

The 2019 Emmys will take a cue from the Oscars and go host-less this year. TV Line reports that Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier said at the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Wednesday that the decision was made so it wouldn’t take time away from saluting the amazing shows they’ll be honoring including Game of Thrones, VEEP, and The Big Bang Theory. “If you have a host and an opening number, that’s 15, 20 minutes you can’t use to salute the shows. I look at the honor that is broadcasting the Emmys — we’re excited to do it — and our production team… really have had to balance those tradeoffs. We will go host-less this year. I think it will give us more time to honor those shows.”

American Crime Story Season 3 will focus on Monica Lewinsky with Beanie Feldstein last he star. In a report from TV Line, the third season, entitled Impeachment: An American Crime Story. The principal cast also includes Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp and Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones. The script will be written by Sarah Burgess and based on the book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President by Jeffrey Toobins. Lewinsky will also serve as executive producer on the project. The series goes into production in February and is set to premiere September 27, 2020. 

Sara Ramirez won’t return as a series regular for Madam Secretary‘s final season. According to TV Line, the Grey’s Anatomy vet won’t be making regular appearances on Madam Secretary Season 6 but might make a guest appearance on one of the series’ final ten episodes. Ramirez’s exit follows news of a creative shakeup for the series final season. Madam Secretary premieres October 6th and picks up with the cast two years after the finale where Tea Leoni’s character is answering to a very different title, President of the United States.

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