TV News Wrap-Up: New Jason Katims Series Picked Up By Amazon, ‘The Baker and the Beauty’ Canceled, ‘black-ish’ Back on Fall Schedule, and More

It’s the start and summer and networks are working on getting their lineups finalized for the fall. Both ABC and NBC announced the fall schedule this week and have made calls on what’s canceled and what’s getting a second season.

We also saw the first show go back into production after the coronavirus shutdowns, only to be shut down again to expand testing. 

Take a look at some of the highlights from this week’s TV news wrap-up! 

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A new series by Jason Katims has been given a series order at Amazon.

• TV Line reports that Katims’s new series will be centered around three twentysomething roommates who are on the autism spectrum. 
• The series is currently untitled but based on the Israeli series On the Spectrum. 
• Rick Glassman, Sue Anne Pien, and Albert Rutecki, who each identity as living on the autism spectrum will star in the series alongside Sosie Bacon, Chris Pang, and Joe Mantegna. 

The Baker and the Beauty has been canceled by ABC.

• TV Line confirmed the cancellation on Monday citing the series ranking last among the network’s ten freshman dramas. 
• Across the nine-episode freshman season, the series averaged a 0.47 demo rating and 2.5 million total viewers in Live+Same Day numbers. 
• Later in the week, Nathalie Kelley released a statement dinging the network’s tone-deaf cancellation of the series given how important representation is during these times. 
• There is still a chance the series may find a home elsewhere and Kelley is urging fans to sign a petition. 

The Bold and the Beautiful shutdown production after one day back from coronavirus shutdown.

• Variety exclusive reports that the daytime soap opera was the first series to return to production after the shutdowns in March. 
• The production was halted after one day to “better accommodate the large volume of testing needed.” 
• Shooting is set to resume on Tuesday, June 23rd. 

The Sinner has been renewed for Season 4.

• Bill Pullman will continue to play Detective Harry Ambrose on the anthology series, but there is no word on who will replace Jessica Biel, Carrie Coon, and Matt Bomer as the titular sinner.
• TV Line reports that Beil remains attached to the series as an executive producer. 
• The new season is slated for 2021. 

ABC is rushing black-ish back onto its fall schedule citing the series’ importance at this moment in time. 

• According to TV Line, the network previously earmarked black-ish Season 7 for a midseason return.
• Less than 24 hours after announcing their fall schedule, the network announced it would be adding the series to its Wednesday-night block. 
• “black-ish has a long-standing history of shining a light on current events and honoring Black voices through the lens of the Johnson family,” said  Karey Burke, ABC Entertainment President. “After speaking with Kenya [Burns] and our creative partners, we decided it was important to tell these meaningful stories during this moment in time, so we are adjusting our premiere schedule and are committed to doing whatever it takes to bring this series back as soon as we possibly can.”

The Emmys will expand the comedy and drama series categories to include eight nominees each. 

• According to TV Line, the rule change will go into effect with this year’s 72nd Annual Emmy’s.
• Traditionally, these categories had five nominees each, but with more cable and streaming content there has been a wealth of excellent work submitted in this year’s competition. 
• They also announced that this will apply to other categories depending on the number of submissions received, but going forward the comedy and drama series categories will always have eight nominees.
• Overall submissions are up 15% from last year.
• Nominees for this year’s Emmy awards will be announced on July 28th. 

NBC has renewed Manifest for a third season. 

• This news comes exactly ten weeks after the series aired its second season finale on April 6th. 
• TV Line reports that through the series sophomore run it averaged a 0.7 demo rating and nearly four million viewers in Live+Same Day numbers. 
• The Manifest Season 2 numbers are down 40 percent from Season 1, but when Live+7 DVD playback folded in the numbers swell to a 1.5 rating with 7.7 million viewers. Some of the greatest delayed viewing of any NBC program. 

Jodie, a Daria spin-off, starring Tracey Ellis Ross, has landed at Comedy Central.

• TV Line reports that the new series will feature a grown-up version of the iconic Daria character Jodie Landon who is graduating college and is entering a complicated world. 
• The series will satirize workplace culture, Gen Z struggles, as social media artifice as well as explore empowerment along racial and gender lines, and privilege. 
• The spinoff hails from Insecure writer/co-creator Grace Edwards who has also contributed to female-led shows like Unbreakable Kimmi Schmidt and Inside Amy Schumer. 

30 Rock to reunite for a special one-hour revival and upfront event. 

• According to TV Line, the one-hour special will double as an upfront event for the network and Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracey Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer will reprise their roles from the original series. 
• The special event will be shot remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic and will feature guest appearances the NBCUniversal family to highlight new and returning programming.
• The special will air on NBC Thursday, July 16 at 8/7c and will be rebroadcast on NBCUniversal channels including USA, Syfy, E!, Bravo, Oxygen, and CNBC. 
• It will also be available to stream on Peacock beginning Friday, July 17 at 9/8c. 

NBC is letting go of Indebted after one low-rated freshman season.

• TV Line reports that the twelve-episode run averaged a 0.35 demo rating with fewer than 1.6 million total viewers in Live+Same Day numbers. 
• Out of seven sitcoms, NBC aired this season, it ranked next-to-last just above the similarly canceled Sunnyside. 
• The final episode aired on April 16th which will now serve as the series finale. 

ABC has renewed its legal drama, For Life, for a second season. 

• The 13-episode freshman run averaged a 0.56 demo rating in the demo with 2.5 million total viewers in Live+Same Day viewings according to TV Line. 
• According to TV Line, of the ten dramas ABC aired this past season it ranked sixth in the demo but next to last in audience, topped only by The Baker and the Beauty. 
• The series is inspired by the real-life story of Issac Wright Jr and stars Nicholas Pinnock as Aaron Wallace, who is convicted for a drug trafficking charge he did not commit. Serving a life sentence with no parole, he earns a law degree and works as a defense attorney for his fellow inmates while trying to get his own sentence overturned.

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