Andre Braugher passed away following a battle with lung cancer, TMZ has confirmed.
Andre’s rep tells us the Emmy-winning actor was diagnosed with the disease a few months earlier … and he passed away Monday at age 61.
Andre was a beloved member of the TV community … having starred in all 153 episodes of the police comedy series, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
His costar Terry Crews thanked Andre for his advice, kindness, and friendship in an emotional tribute after the tragic news emerged.
Andre was also known for his work on NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” and comedy-drama “Men of a Certain Age” — while his movie roles included “Frequency,” “The Mist,” and “City of Angels.”
The Julliard alum bagged 2 Primetime Emmy Awards during his celebrated career — and on the personal front, was husband to Ami Brabson and their 3 children.
NY Times was the first to break the news that he passed away due to lung cancer.
A highly-rated ABC series is coming to an end with the 2023-24 television season. The Station 19 series will end with its upcoming seventh season of 10 episodes.
A first-responder drama series, the Station 19 TV show stars Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Grey Damon, Barrett Doss, Jay Hayden, Danielle Savre, Boris Kodjoe, Stefania Spampinato, Carlos Miranda, Josh Randall, Merle Dandridge, and Pat Healy. The story revolves around the heroic firefighters at Seattle Fire Station 19. From the captain to the newest recruit, they risk their lives and hearts both in the line of duty and off the clock. The brave men and women are like family; together, they put their own lives in jeopardy as first responders to save the lives of others. Characters include Andy Herrera (Ortiz), Dr. Ben Warren (George), Jack Gibson (Damon), Vic Hughes (Doss), Travis Montgomery (Hayden), Maya DeLuca-Bishop (Savre), Robert Sullivan (Kodjoe), Dr. Carina DeLuca-Bishop (Spampinato), Theo Ruiz (Miranda), Michael Dixon (Healy), Sean Beckett (Randall), and Natasha Ross (Dandridge).
Airing on Thursday nights, the sixth season of Station 19 averaged a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.86 million viewers in the live+same day ratings (includes all DVR playback through 3:00 AM). Compared to season five, that’s down by 22% in the demo and down by 14% in viewership. Despite the year-over-year declines, the show was ABC’s highest-rated show in total viewers. In the live+7 day ratings, Station 19 picks up nearly 40% more viewers in delayed viewing.
Despite the solid ratings and its crossovers with Grey’s Anatomy, Deadline reports the network is pulling the plug after the upcoming season. Station 19 has aired 95 episodes thus far and will end its run with 105 installments.
The decision to cancel Station 19 could have been impacted by the decision to pick up the 9-1-1 first responder series. The latter series is produced by Disney’s 20th Television, drew better ratings during its FOX run, and will occupy the Thursdays at 8 PM timeslot when it debuts on ABC on Thursday, March 10th. Station 19 will kick off its final run on the same night at 10 PM. Only one Grey’s crossover is planned for the final season.
In addition to being impacted by the long industry strikes, the show’s cancellation comes amid some showrunner changes. “For seven seasons, Station 19 has been a highlight of the ABC lineup thanks to Shonda [Rhimes] and Betsy [Beers’] incredible vision, beloved characters and compelling storytelling,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. “With Zoanne [Clark] and Peter [Paige] at the helm of the upcoming farewell season, we have so much to look forward to, most notably the celebration of the show’s milestone 100th episode.”
What do you think? Have you kept up with the Station 19 TV series on ABC? Are you disappointed that this drama is ending with its seventh season?
Check out our ABC status sheet to track the alphabet network’s new series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
Even Oprah, the bonafide queen of TV, needs some comforting now and then … she says she was totally down for Drew Barrymore‘s caressing, even if some fans were cringing.
We got O Tuesday morning as she headed into the Empire State Building, and she told us she enjoyed the personal touch she got on “The Drew Barrymore Show” … saying it actually provided her some solace.
In fact, you could say Drew put the pressure on Stedman Graham — Oprah told us she’s now demanding the same arm-stroking treatment from her longtime partner!
Oprah adds she thought it was endearing, and loved Drew for always being herself.
While she didn’t mind Drew being all over her … it was too much to handle for some viewers who criticized the host for creepily invading Oprah’s personal space by propping her hand under her chin and holding it there.
Getting up close and personal is clearly Drew’s thing … with many of her interviews going viral because of the same thing — so she’s, quite literally, not letting go of it anytime soon.
The lack of Latino showrunners in Hollywood is being addressed by the Alliance of Latinx Executives and Rise Up who are partnering on an advocacy program that will pair 10 high-level executives with 10 high-level writers from the community to increase showrunner opportunities.
Of the 500+ shows in production during the 2021-22 television season, and the approximately 6K writers employed by those shows, less than 20 Latinx writers held the position of showrunner. It’s the second-most challenging roadblock for Latinx writers after breaking out of the entry-level staff writer position, according to the orgs.
The inaugural group of executives includes Joey Chavez (HBO Max), Tom Lerner (A+E Studios), Adam Martinez (CBS Studios), Alejandro Melendez (BBC Studios), Michelle Mendelovitz (Mattel Television Studios), Edy Mendoza (Netflix), Diana Mogollon (Independent) and Nina Tassler (Independent).
They will be partnered with the following writers: Davah Avena, Tawnya Benavides Bhattacharya & Ali Laventhol, Sal Calleros, Chad Gomez Creasey, Luisa Leschin, Evangeline Ordaz, Davy Perez, Carlito Rodriguez & Leah Benavides Rodriguez, Santa Sierra and Al Septien & Turi Meyer.
Over 25 Latinx writers submitted to join the program and were vetted one-on-one by a group of Latinx executives. The program’s goal is to repeat these pairings with new writers and new executives each year. There will be a networking mixer for all writers who submitted and executive members of the Alliance early in the new year.
“For too long, we have heard from studios and platforms that there aren’t enough high-level Latinx writers for them to hire for top showrunning positions. Our goal with this program is to change that perception and bring awareness to the amazing Latinx writers who have worked their way up the ranks on television’s biggest shows to earn consideration for these top jobs,” said John Pollak, a member of the Alliance of Latinx Executives. “We believe that peer-to-peer advocacy and executive-to-executive outreach will help give our program’s writers a voice and an opportunity that has eluded them for too long.”
Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, of Rise Up added, “The job of showrunner is a really difficult one to get whether it’s creating your own series or being brought on to run another series. But the difficulty isn’t in talent or ability – it’s in relationships. It’s in making sure that decision-makers at studios know who you are and believe in you enough to give you a shot. Our goal is to lift up talented, high-level Latinx/e writers and make them visible to run not only series featuring Latinx/e characters, but series of every genre, representing all characters, in any world. The obstacle cannot be a belief that no qualified BIPOC writers exist for these jobs. Here we are. Hire us”.
The Alliance of Latinx Executives consists of over 100 of the highest-ranking Latinx executives in the Entertainment industry. Initially formed to ensure Latinx representation reaches the highest levels of Hollywood, the Alliance has endeavored to create partnerships that use the Executives standing and relationships to elevate other Latinx groups within and outside of the entertainment industry.
The Rise Up initiative was founded by Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, Moisés Zamora, Christina Piña and Jorge Rivera as a commitment to advancing the careers of Latinx writers in Hollywood and breaking down systemic barriers to their progress. Past efforts include collaborating with UTA to introduce lower-level Latinx writers to literary agency readers and pairing them with experienced Latinx upper-level writer mentors, setting them up for success in their writing samples and interview processes.
Freeform has made other plans for next summer. The cable channel has cancelled the Cruel Summer anthology series, so viewers shouldn’t bother looking for a third season.
A teen thriller series, the Cruel Summer TV show stars Sadie Stanley, Lexi Underwood, Griffin Gluck, KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada, and Sean Blakemore, with Paul Adelstein recurring. Season two is set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest and follows the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines in the 1990s leading up to Y2K, the story twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between computer genius Megan (Stanley), mysterious foreign exchange student Isabella (Underwood), and Luke (Gluck), Megan’s best friend. A popular teen goes missing, and a seemingly unrelated girl transforms from a sweet and awkward outlier to the most popular girl in town.
Airing on Monday nights for ten episodes, the second season of Cruel Summer averaged a 0.05 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 131,000 viewers. Compared to season one, that’s down by 59% in the demo and down by 51% in viewership in the live+same day ratings (includes DVR playback through 3:00 AM).
Cruel Summer began as a limited series but became an anthology series with its second season renewal. The final original episode, revolving around a new mystery and set of characters, aired on July 31st.
The Good Trouble series has also been cancelled, and the final episodes of that show will begin airing next month.
What do you think? Have you watched the first two seasons of the Cruel Summer TV show? Are you disappointed this Freeform series wasn’t renewed for a third season?
Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
Cecily Strong did not feel comfortable playing Rep. Elise Stefanik in the ‘SNL’ sketch about the “genocide of Jews” hearing in Congress … and ended up bowing out right before the show started.
The former “Saturday Night Live” star was supposed to return as a guest star in the cold open skit, and she went through a dress rehearsal as Stefanik. But, she “was uncomfortable with the sketch” … according to a NY Post report.
The sketch tackled last week’s explosive hearing on Capitol Hill, where Rep. Stefanik grilled university presidents about antisemitism on campuses … leading to some cringeworthy responses and a resignation at UPENN.
Instead of Cecily making her first ‘SNL’ appearance since December 2022, when she left the NBC show after 11 seasons, she was replaced on air by Chloe Troast.
The report also cited sources claiming the writing of Saturday’s cold-open sketch was slightly rushed … and that Cecily backed out for “a variety of reasons.”
It’s unclear if her issue was the bit’s obvious political slant in mocking a staunch Donald Trump supporter — namely, Rep. Stefanik — or its lack of humor. Kenan Thompson really had the only decent laughs in the skit.
Cecily might have seen the bullet coming, and decided to dodge it — the sketch is getting terrible reviews and Chloe is getting dragged for her role in it.
Kim Zolciak y Kroy Biermann tienen un montón de problemas, y ahora el juez en su caso de divorcio está tomando medidas enérgicas, ordenando a la mediación en un intento de llegar a un acuerdo.
De acuerdo con los nuevos documentos legales, obtenidos por TMZ, a Kim y Kroy se les ordena completar una sesión de mediación antes de la fecha límite del 31 de enero.
El juez dice que Kim y Kroy tienen “numerosos problemas sin resolver” y cree que podrían beneficiarse de la mediación a través del programa de resolución alternativa de disputas del condado.
Obviamente, la mediación no siempre funciona ni garantiza que Kim y Kroy resuelvan sus problemas, pero el tribunal al menos los está obligando a intentarlo.
TMZ.com
Como te hemos dicho, Kim y Kroy se están divorciando en medio de toneladas de problemas financieros y ha habido varias visitas de la policía a su casa de Georgia por peleas explosivas.
Kim y Kroy también tienen cuatro niños pequeños, por lo que resolver los problemas de custodia a través de la mediación puede no ser pan comido.
The Coterie is closing. The Good Trouble series has been cancelled so Freeform won’t be making a sixth season. The fifth season resumes next month.
A drama series, the Good Trouble TV show stars Cierra Ramirez, Tommy Martinez, Emma Hunton, Sherry Cola, Zuri Adele, Josh Pence, Bryan Craig and Booboo Stewart. Maia Mitchell and Brooke Nevin recur. The story centers on Mariana (Ramirez) from The Fosters series and the other residents of the communal living apartment building called The Coterie in Downtown Los Angeles. These young people juggle careers, love, and the growing pains at a time in your life where your friends are your family. In the fifth season, they face their toughest obstacles yet as they’re confronted with evolving relationship challenges and new career opportunities. Through highs and lows, romance and heartbreak, The Coterie crew lean on each other while they navigate the next stage of adulthood.
The first half of the fifth season of Good Trouble averaged a 0.04 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 101,000 viewers. Compared to season four, that’s even in the demo and up by 9% in viewership in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM).
The remaining episodes of season five begin airing on Tuesday, January 2nd. Word is that additional scenes may be filmed for the finale to wrap up the series.
Cruel Summer, an anthology mystery series, has also been cancelled. That show’s final episode aired in July.
What do you think? Have you kept up with the Good Trouble series on Freeform? Are you glad that this drama has been renewed for a sixth season? Did you think the show would be cancelled?
Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
From writer Tracy Oliver, Harlem is a comedy following four best girlfriends in Harlem NYC, the mecca of Black culture in America, starring Meagan Good as “Camille,” Grace Byers as “Quinn,” Shoniqua Shandai as “Angie,” Jerrie Johnson as “Tye,” and Tyler Lepley as “Ian”.
In Season 2, after blowing up her career and disrupting her love life, Camille had to figure out how to put the pieces back together. Tye tried to figure out how to make meaningful connections while navigating a nasty divorce. Quinn sought out balance as she rode the emotional roller coaster of life, and Angie looked for luck at every turn as she tried to find her place in the world. Together, the women continued to level up into the next phase of their careers, relationships, and big city dreams.
According to the release, Season 3 will return with the ambitious and stylish foursome continuing to navigate life while leveling up in New York’s vibrant city of Harlem.
“The only thing more fun than making season 2 of Harlem was getting to travel across the country and watch it with our fans,” said Oliver. “Thanks to everyone who showed up to support and watch it at home! We’re so grateful for all the love and can’t wait to bring you an even juicier season three.”
“Harlem has continued to tell outrageously hilarious stories through the perspective of these uniquely special characters. Fans can look forward to more laughs, wit, and cultural commentary from the brilliant mind of Tracy Oliver and the amazing cast, Meagan, Grace, Jerrie, and Shoniqua,” added Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “This critically acclaimed series has been embraced by so many and it is a privilege to bring season three to our global Prime Video customers.”
Harlem is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Universal Television, in association with Paper Kite Productions. In addition to Oliver, Paper Kite’s Amy Poehler and Kim Lessing also serve as executive producers, alongside 3 Arts’ Dave Becky, Britt Matt, Pharrell Williams and Mimi Valdés.
The man convicted in the murder of Drew Carey‘s ex-fiancee was just sentenced to spend the rest of his days behind bars … more than 3 years after she fell to her death.
Gareth Pursehouse was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Wednesday after he was convicted of killing Dr. Amie Harwick … where a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder with a special circumstance allegation after a trial in September.
Prosecutors alleged he broke into Harwick’s home in February of 2020 and waited for her to return before attacking … and ultimately threw her off a third-story balcony.
The prosecution said his crime stemmed from not being able to get over their prior relationship — which had ended years ago. Interestingly, Harwick had apparently expressed fear to friends and confidantes over Pursehouse not long before she died.
Pursehouse’s defense team acknowledged in court he had, in fact, illegally entered Harwick’s house that night — but argued that he never intended to kill her … claiming Harwick might’ve climbed over the balcony herself and fell on her own, noting the prosecution hadn’t definitively proven their client was the one who threw her off. Obviously, the jury disagreed.
TMZ broke the story … Pursehouse was arrested quickly after Harwick’s death, and investigators pinpointed him as the prime suspect with the help of surveillance video.
As for Drew, he and Hawick had been engaged in 2018 but ended their relationship less than a year later. Still, he was devastated by her murder — and attended her wake.
Riches will not be returning for a second season. Prime Video has cancelled the British drama that was released on the streaming service in December 2022. Six episodes were produced.
Starring Deborah Ayorinde, Hugh Quarshie, Sarah Niles, Adeyinka Akinrinade, Ola Orebiyi, Nneka Okoye, and Emmanuel Imani, the drama follows the very successful Richards family. As the adult children deal with the death of their father, they also try to figure out who will take control of the family business.
“This time last year we launched. Much love to this incredible ensemble of actors and our fabulous screw. Thank you to everyone who supported. So proud we got to make this show. I still had many more stories to tell… And, it was gonna be 🔥 🔥 🔥.”
What do you think? Did you watch Riches on Prime Video? Did you want to see a second season of this drama?
Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
One of the most polarizing series on Netflix is gearing up for its last episodes.
The first four episodes of The Crown Season 6 launched earlier this month and were as controversial as ever.
Will the series be able to go out on a more low-key note with the second batch of episodes?
We’re not sure that’s possible, but it would be interesting.
The last batch of episodes are set to premiere on Thursday, December 14, 2023.
Once again, the hit drama is doing the time warp by leaping forward to find William (Ed McVey) and Harry (Luther Ford) growing up while trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of their mother, Diana.
In Part 2, “Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion,” Netflix teases.
“As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the Queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new Royal fairy tale in William and Kate,” the logline concludes.
It’s a wild thought that we’re reaching the end of this journey because, while it’s covered various moments in British history, it has done so with a whole lot of controversy.
There have been calls for disclaimers that it’s a work of fiction and even for it to be purged from existence.
Many people like the Royal Family, so many vocal fans will likely speak about how these final six episodes bring the series to a close.
Many moments remain for the series to chart, including the first meeting between William and Kate Middleton.
Their love story won them many fans, and they’re still together all these years later.
Watching the origins of their relationship should be interesting, but again, it all comes down to how it’s handled.
They look pleased to finally be walking down the aisle in the photos, but will the series capture everything that went on between them?
We’ll need to wait until next month to find out, and given the series’ handling of other topics, there’s no telling what’s about to happen.
The cast is rounded out this season by Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce as Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, with Dominic West as Elizabeth’s eldest son, Prince Charles, and Lesley Manville as Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret.
These episodes mark the first appearances of McVey, Bellamy, and Ford, marking the final casting shifts for the veteran drama.
The Crown typically recasts roles every two seasons, but thanks to the accelerated timeline of the final season, there had to be some changes here.
If you’re not ready to say goodbye to the Royal Family, you’ll probably be happy to know that a prequel series is in the works.
According to creator Peter Morgan, it will take us way back in time.
“If I were to go back into The Crown,” the creator shared in a recent interview.
