TV News Wrap-Up: ‘Black Widow’ Heads to Disney Plus, ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Returns, CBS Wants More ‘FBI’

Revivals, spinoffs, and early renewals continue to dominate television, while Disney+ adds a new movie to its Marvel lineup.

Suit up and check out this week’s news!

‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Sets Season 2 Return Date

Ground-breaking comedy series A Black Lady Sketch Show is making its long-awaited Season 2 return Friday, April 23, per Variety.

Creator/star Robin Thede tweeted, “See..see…Season 2 of @ablackladysketchshow is coming April 23 to @hbo and streaming on @hbomax! On TWO platforms, tuh! I cannot WAIT for you all to see what we have in store….#ABLSS #ablackladysketchshow.”

New featured players Laci Mosley and Skye Townsend will join original cast members Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, and Gabrielle Dennis.

The show will try to top its stellar Season 1 guest stars with TV favorites Gabrielle Union, Jesse Williams, Skai Jackson, Laz Alonso, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Kim Wayans, and executive producer Issa Rae among the Season 2 appearances.

A Black Lady Sketch Show Season 2 premieres Friday, April 23 on HBO.

Marvel Moves ‘Cruella’ and ‘Black Widow’ to Disney+ for Hybrid Opening

Disney has reshuffled the schedule for a number of its upcoming films, including setting Black Widow and Cruella for Disney+ Premier Access, simultaneous with their theatrical openings.

Variety reports, Black Widow, the next entry in the MCU, will now hit screens July 9. Cruella, which stars Emma Stone in a prequel about the 101 Dalmatians villain, will still debut May 28.

Black Widow focuses on Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff as she deals with her past following The Avengers’ breakup in Captain America: Civil War.

The schedule change moves the theatrical release of another MCU movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, to Sept. 3.

Disney+ will also premiere the Pixar film Luca, starring the voices of Jacob Tremblay and Maya Rudolph, on Friday, June 18.

Cruella premieres on Disney+ Premier Access Friday, May 28.

Black Widow premieres on Disney+ Premier Access Friday, July 9.

The CW Shares ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Spinoff With HBO Max

The CW and HBO Max are sharing the broadcast rights to What We Do in the Shadows spinoff Wellington Paranormal, per Variety.

The series, which has already aired three seasons in New Zealand, follows “Officers O’Leary (played by Karen O’Leary) and Minogue (played by Mike Minogue). As part of the Wellington paranormal unit, they investigate local supernatural activity — of which there is a surprising amount — as supervised by Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu).”

The show is also created and executive produced by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi, alongside co-executive producer Paul Yates.

All three seasons of Wellington Paranormal have been acquired by The CW, with episodes streaming on HBO Max, as well as, the CW app and CWTV.com the day after they’re broadcast.

Wellington Paranormal is expected to debut during the Summer.

 CBS Renews ‘FBI’ and ‘FBI: Most Wanted, Picks Up ‘International’ Spinoff

CBS is expanding its FBI universe, with renewals for FBI and FBI: Most Wanted, as well as, a pick up for the new spinoff FBI: International.

Variety reports, FBI will be back for Season 4, while Most Wanted will return for Season 3.

Per CBS, FBI: International will follow “elite agents who work in the bureau’s international division with the mission of protecting Americans wherever they may be.” International will debut next season during a crossover with all three shows.

FBI airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS. FBI: Most Wanted airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS.

Netflix Acquires Steven Yeun, Ali Wong Dramedy ‘Beef’

Steven Yeun and Ali Wong are teaming up for the Netflix dramedy Beef, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Netflix won a hotly contested bidding war for the series, which follows “two people involved in a road rage incident, both of whom let it burrow into their minds until it slowly consumes their every thought and action..”

Yeun and Wong are executive producing alongside creator Lee Sung Jin.

“Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, A24, and Netflix. It’s a dream team, and I’m honored to be collaborating with them,” said Lee. “I’m also grateful to the guy who yelled at me in traffic three years ago. I did not let it go, and now we have a show.”

Yeun was recently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Minari.

Wong can be seen as Doris in American Housewife.

‘Snowfall’ Renewed for Season 5

With Season 4 only three episodes in, FX has renewed Snowfall for Season 5, per Deadline.

The crime drama follows Damson Idris as drug dealer Franklin, as he rises up the ranks during the crack epidemic in 1980s South Central Los Angeles.

Season 4 has seen the series’ ratings jump 41 percent vs. the same period in Season 3, while averaging 5.1 million viewers across all platforms.

Snowfall airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.

Another Fan-Favorite Character is Returning to Grey’s Anatomy

Chyler Leigh is the next to return to Grey’s Anatomy for a guest spot. 

Her character, Lexie Grey, was killed off in Season 8. Lexie joins Derek and George as characters from Meredith’s past, returning to her on a beach — while really, Meredith is currently in a coma. The episode airs next week.

The news comes shortly after the announcement that Sarah Drew would also be returning to the series for a guest appearance.

Watch the promo for Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 Episode 10:

Mr. Mayor Renewed for Season 2

Ted Danson gets another term as Mayor of Los Angeles, as NBC has renewed Mr. Mayor for Season 2, per TVLine.

The comedy stars Danson as Neil Bremer, a businessman who becomes Mayor of Los Angeles, and is hilariously unprepared for the job.

The show co-stars Holly Hunter, Bobby Moynihan, Vella Lovell, Kyla Kenedy, Mike Cabellon, and was created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.

Don Cheadle Joins ‘The Wonder Years’ Pilot as Narrator

ABC’s The Wonder Years reboot pilot has found a superhero to be its narrator. Oscar and Emmy nominee Don Cheadle will be the voice of adult Dean Williams in the new version of the ’80s classic, per Deadline.

The series, which is written by Saladin Patterson and directed by original star Fred Savage, focuses on “the Williamses, a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, AL, in the turbulent late 1960s made sure it was the Wonder Years for them too.”

Elisha “EJ” Williams stars as teenager Dean Williams, Dule Hill, and Saycon Sengbloh play his parents, and Laura Kariuki is his sister Kim.

Patterson and Savage are executive producing with Lee Daniels.

Cheadle recently appeared as Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. His Showtime comedy Black Monday has its Season 3 premiere Sunday, May 23.

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