Small Screen: Netflix’s ‘wednesday’ returns to nevermore; animators watch report honors todd harris

Donald faison - Derek White/Stringer

Broadcast: The BBC has announced the cast for its six-part drama Dear England, taken from James Graham's play about Gareth Southgate and his attempts to revive the England men's football team. 

The new cast members include Edem-Ita Duke (War of The Worlds) as Marcus Rashford, Francis Lovehall (A Thousand Blows) as Raheem Sterling, Abdul Sessay (Saturday Night Inside Out) as Bukayo Saka, Jacob Greenway (The Watchers) as Jude Bellingham, Riess Fennell (Doctors) as Jadon Sancho, and Daniel Quincy Annoh (The Recruit) as Ollie Watkins. Produced by Left Bank Pictures, the play follows Southgate's journey to change the team's future, following England's issues with penalty performance. So far it has received five-star reviews and has won an Olivier Award for ‘Best New Play’. Filming takes place in southern England, and the series is set to premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in 2026.

Writer and executive producer James Graham expressed his gratitude for the chance to bring the story to the screen. “Getting to tell this inspiring story of Gareth’s quiet revolution and its themes of redemption, resilience, kindness, and compassion in sport. To kick off its journey on screen now, and on our national broadcaster, is a huge opportunity, and I’m so grateful to world world-class cast and creative team we’ve assembled.”

The hospital comedy Scrubs (2001) is officially returning to ABC. Donald Faison (Remember The Titans) will reprise his role as Dr. Chris Turk, and we can expect more original cast members to return as well. Scrubs originally aired on NBC for the first seven seasons, later airing two additional seasons on ABC. The comedy took place at Sacred Heart Hospital and followed the lives of the interns, doctors, nurses, and the Janitor as they navigated their day-to-day experiences.

“Scrubs means so much to me. I'm incredibly excited for the chance to get the band back together," said series creator Bill Lawrence. 

The reboot will focus on the beloved duo, Turk (Faison) and JD (Zach Braff), as they reunite after a long time apart. Fellow Scrubs alumni Tim Hobert and Aseem Batra will serve as executive producers and showrunners for the new series, with Lawrence also executive producing. Braff and Faison will executive produce in addition to starring in the show.

Faison is represented by UTA and Fuller Law.

PBS's Grantchester is concluding with its final season, Season 11. The series comes from James Runcie's Grantchester Mysteries novels and follows detective Geordie Keating (Robson Green) as he solves crimes in his English village. The latest season also features Rishi Nair (Count Abdulla) as Alphy Kottaram. “At its heart, ‘Grantchester’ is a show about the power of friendship and love. We’ve been so fortunate over the last 11 seasons to experience that, both on and off screen. For over a decade, the cast and crew, many of whom have been with us since the beginning, have gathered each summer to film. It has been an absolute joy,” said series creator, writer, and executive producer Daisy Coulam. 

The final season is executive produced for Kudos, part of Banijay U.K., by Coulam, Emma Kingsman-Lloyd, Green, and Nair.

Premiere Week will begin on Sunday, October 12, 2025, starting with CBS’s release of its fall schedule. The premiere of Watson (2025) Season 2 will take place on Monday. On Tuesday, all of NCIS will air, starting with Season 23. Survivor will return on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, while The Amazing Race (2001) will make its comeback on Monday, October 1, 2025. On Sunday, October 13, 2025, The Neighborhood (2018) and the new series DMV (2025) will premiere. Thursday will feature a comedy hour, including Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (2024), followed by Ghosts (2021), Matlock (2024), and Elsbeth (2024). Fridays will see the premiere of Season 4 of Fire Country (2022) on October 17, 2025.

John Clarence Stewart (P-Valley), will join the cast of NBC’s drama Brilliant Minds as a series regular in its second season, set to debut this September. The show follows Dr. Oliver Wolf, a neurologist, and his team as they explore the human mind while navigating their own relationships and mental health issues. Stewart will play Dr. Anthony Thorne, a charmingly sarcastic ER doctor who is well-established in his career. The cast also includes Ashleigh LaThrop (The Handmaid's Tale), Tamberla Perry (They Cloned Tyrone), Aury Krebs (Leverage: Redemption), and Spence Moore II (All American). Michael Grassi serves as the writer and executive producer, with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, and Will Tennant also serving as executive producers.

Previously, Stewart had a recurring role in the Starz drama P-Valley (2020) and has appeared in What/If (2021), Luke Cage (2016), Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020), and Fox’s Gotham (2014). He is represented by Innovative Artists Entertainment, Authentic Talent, and Literary Management.

Weruche Opia, known for her role as Terry in HBO's series I May Destroy You (2020), has been cast in ABC's drama RJ Decker. This series is based on the 1987 novel Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. The series will take place in South Florida, following RJ Decker, a disgraced newspaper photographer who reignites his career as a private investigator, taking on cases that quickly go from the odd to bizarre. In the series, Opia will play Shay Bennett, the unpredictable daughter of a powerful and corrupt state senator. If the pilot is successful and moves forward to a full series, there is a possibility that Opia will be retained as a regular cast member.

Paul McGuigan will direct the pilot, along with producers Carl Hiaasen, Carl Beverly, and Sarah Timberman. Opia has received a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a shared Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Ensemble Cast.

Streaming: Spooky season is almost here, and you know what that means, right? Jenna Ortega will be returning to our screens as she reprises her role at Nevermore Academy in season 2 of Netflix's Wednesday! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 6, 2025, when part one of the series will debut, followed by part two on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. How fitting that the show premieres on a Wednesday. In this season, we’ll find Wednesday in another dangerous situation, battling various foes in an attempt to save a friend's life. Fans can look forward to seeing both familiar and new faces, with the original cast returning to their roles. Notably, Joanna Lumley will join the cast as Grandmama Hester Frump, the matriarch of the family, while Joonas Suotamo will play the Addams' trusty driver, and Noah B. Taylor will play a handsome werewolf.

Liza Colon-Zayas (The Bear) and Alfredo Castro (El Conde) have been cast in Onyx Collective‘s drama pilot in recurring roles.

Colón-Zayas will play Rosie, a well-respected and socially minded leader in the Lower East Side city district. She finds herself at the center of an important real estate project that sparks its fair share of rage as it does admiration, as it threatens to destroy the heavily Puerto Rican community she cares for and is a part of. Colón-Zayas is represented by Stewart Talent, Liebman Entertainment, Schreck Rose, and Jill Fritzo PR. Castro will play Jacobo Saladín, the patriarch of the Saladín corporation and a self-made billionaire and real estate mogul who has built many communities; however, due to recent events, he finds his empire suddenly at risk of collapsing.

Castro is represented by Mesala Films. 

Originally picked up in May 2025, the series takes place in Manhattan as two opposing real estate developers risk their careers and family as their ambition, which once made them stand out, turns into obsession, leading to a real estate war.  Patino and Corrigan are writers and co-creators of the pilot. Together, they will also serve as executive producers, with Patino also set as showrunner. Ramírez will executive produce in addition to starring, with Alonso Ruizpalacios (La Cocina) set to direct and executive produce.

Apple TV+'s Acapulco (2021), the comedy series inspired by How to Be A Latin Lover (2017), has had a good run, though sadly, it is coming to an end. The fourth and final season will consist of 10 episodes, with two episodes debuting on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Season four follows Máximo in the present as he attempts to restore Las Colinas to its heyday before its grand reopening, while reminising about the good ol’ days when he had just been promoted to head of operations. The series stars Eugenio Derbez, Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, Rafael Cebrián, Vanessa Bauche, Camila Perez, Carlos Corona, Chord Overstreet, Regina Reynoso, and Regina Orozco. Acapulco is created by Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman, with Austin Winsberg also executive producing along with Sam Laybourne, who serves as the series' showrunner.

The Nacelle Company is developing a new animated series, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, which is based on the 1990s TV show of the same name. Set in the 1800s, the series follows a group of law enforcement officials: Marshal Moo Montana, the Cowlorado Kid, and Dakota Dude, as they work to protect CowTown from the corrupt Mayor, Oscar Bulloney.

“This relaunch encompasses everything we love — it is imaginative, nostalgic, and full of heart — and it’s a key component of what we are building with the NacelleVerse.”

This initiative is part of the company’s plan to create a combined universe including toys, comic books, arcade games, and cartoons, known as the NacelleVerse. Scheduled for release in 2027, this new series will connect the universe and timeline with two other projects: RoboForce, executive produced by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, and Biker Mice From Mars, executive produced by Volk-Weiss, Ryan Reynolds, and Maximum Effort.

FX has picked up a new comedy pilot, Movers. The workplace comedy follows the chaotic lives of a moving crew. The cast includes comedian Maz Jobrani, Darius Homayoun (Tehran), Tanael Joachim (Son of Haiti), Manny Montana (Ironheart), and Cathy Shim (30 Miles From Nowhere). 

The series is executive produced by Stacey Sher, Peter Principato, and Jonny Shipes. 

Cathy Shim is represented by Global Artists Agency and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Maz Jobrani is represented by CAA and Mainstay Entertainment, and Darius Homayoun is represented by Gersh. Tanael Joachim is represented by Artists First, Manny Montana by Innovative Artists, and Trademark Talent. Shim recently appeared in Anderson. Paak's comedy, K-Pops (2024), has also been featured in Superior Donuts (2017), The Cleveland Show (2010), and Bajillion Dollar Properties (2016).

JD Pardo (Mayans M.C.), Robert Wisdom (Terminal List) and Kirk Acevedo (Band of Brothers) have all been cast in Netflix's new drama, Trinity.  Executive-produced by Jed Mercurio, the series follows a female Naval officer who becomes involved with the charismatic Secretary of Defense, only to discover he may be at the center of a dangerous conspiracy.

Pardo will portray Tom Reyes, a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. Wisdom will play Admiral Griff Tatum, and Acevedo will play as Captain Jock Campbell.

Jimmy Mulville will also serve as an executive producer, alongside Michael Cuesta, who will direct the first two episodes of the series. Pardo recently appeared in ABC's High Potential (2024), but he is best known for playing Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes on Mayans M.C. (2018) which is the spinoff of Sons of Anarchy (2008). Additionally, Pardo appeared in the 1989 remake of Road House (2024), starring Jake Gyllenhaal. He is represented by UTA, TFC Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, and Teller.

Kiah Clingman (Bruiser) and Brittany Inge (The Ms. Pat Show) have landed recurring roles in Hulu's drama series, Reasonable Doubt. Clingman will play Kristin, the devoted sister of Ozzie, while Inge will take on the role of Kendra, Bill’s no-nonsense wife.

Reasonable Doubt is part of the Onyx Collective and is created, written, and executive produced by Raamla Mohamed. Kerry Washington will also serve as an executive producer alongside Pilar Savone, Larry Wilmore, Anton Cropper, and Lena Cordina. The co-executive producers include Shawn Holley, Jon Leshay, Tamara Gregory, Erika Harrison, and Zahir McGhee.

After much competition, Apple has finally received approval to develop a TV series based on Elissa Sussman’s novel, Funny You Should Ask. Regé-Jean Page, (Bridgerton), will serve as an executive producer for the project. Funny You Should Ask is a love story that follows a young journalist who interviews a Hollywood star. Ten years later, they reunite, and she discovers his true feelings for her.

This series will be Page’s big return to television since his time on the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020). Prior to that, he was a series regular on Shondaland’s For The People (2018), and most recently, he starred in Steven Soderbergh’s thriller Black Bag (2025). He is represented by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and the law firm Johnson Shapiro, Slewett & Kole.

Jason Isaacs, known for his role as Lucius Malfoy, has recently defended Paapa Essiedu in light of the backlash Essiedu has received for his portrayal of Professor Severus Snape in the upcoming Harry Potter series. In a recent interview, Isaacs criticized fans who have expressed issues with Essiedu taking on the role of Snape.

"Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life. I've noticed some people online being rude about him. What they are displaying is racism," Isaacs said. "The entire cast of the new Harry Potter TV series is incredible. Hopefully, they will be amazed—digitally speechless—when they see what Paapa accomplishes on screen."

J.K. Rowling, the author of the series, addressed fans' concerns regarding her stance on Essiedu's casting. She stated on social media, "I don’t have the power to dismiss an actor from the series, and I wouldn’t use that power if I did." Prior to Harry Potter, you may have seen Eseidiu In I May Destroy You (2020), which earned him an Emmy and BAFTA nomination.

Millicent Shelton, a two-time Emmy nominee, has signed with Innovative Artists Entertainment for literary representation. Earlier this year, Innovative Artists received an investment from Coral Tree Partners, which acquired a minority stake in the agency. Innovative Founder and CEO Scott Harris, along with his management team, will continue to lead the agency.

Shelton has directed episodes of The Morning Show (2019), End of the Road (2020), starring Queen Latifah, The Night Agent (2023), Truth Be Told (2019), and Insecure (2016) as well as Black-ish (2014).  She’ll continue to be managed by Anne Damato and attorney Nina Shaw from Del, Shaw Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein, Lezcano, Bobb & Dang.

Comedian Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians) has joined the cast of Hulu’s upcoming revival of King of the Hill (1997)  as the voice of the sarcastic Kahn Souphanousinphone. Chieng will appear as a recurring guest star in Season 14, which is set to premiere on Monday, August 4, 2025. Kahn is the sarcastic, arrogant, and extremely competitive neighbor of Hank Hill, the husband of Minh, and the father of Connie. The new season of King of the Hill will follow the Hill family after years of working at a propane site in Saudi Arabia. Upon returning home to Arlen, Texas, they reconnect with old friends Dale, Boomhauer, and Bill, only to find that things have changed. Meanwhile, Bobby is living his dream as a chef in Dallas, enjoying his 20s with Connie, Joseph, and Chane.

Chieng recently released a Netflix special, Ronny Chieng: Love to Hate It (2024), which was named the best comedy special of 2024 by The New York Times. He has also cohosted The Daily Show (2022) with Trevor Noah, American Born Chinese (2023), and Interior Chinatown (2024). Additionally, he will appear in the upcoming Peacock series titled The Miniature Wife.

Netflix's upcoming series, The Altruist, has added several new cast members: Eugene Young (Veep), Madison Hu (The Brothers Sun), Karan Soni (Deadpool), Naomi Okada, and Marianna Phung (Y: The Last Man).  In the series, Young will portray Gary Wang, Hu will play Constance Wang, Soni will take on the role of Nishad Singh, Okada will depict Claire Watanabe, and Phung will play Lily Zhang. 

The eight-episode series will follow Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, two intelligent and ambitious young idealists who attempted to revolutionize the global financial system in a short span of time, ultimately enticing and convincing each other to launder $8 billion. Moore and Jacqueline Hoyt will serve as executive producers and co-showrunners, alongside Julia Garner, James Ponsoldt, Vinnie Malhotra, and Jessie Dicovitsky, who will also serve as executive producers.

Disney+ and the U.K. network, ITV have come together to share a selection of television series across both platforms. Disney+ will feature Mr. Bates vs The Post Office (2024) and Love Island (2015), while ITVX will showcase The Bear (2022) and Andor (2022). 

Clingman has previously guest-starred on Fox’s The Resident (2025) and NBC’s Ordinary Joe (2021), as well as having supporting roles in Peacock’s The Comeback (2023). She is represented by Buchwald and CT Media. Inge is known for her role as Ashley James on the BET+ series The Ms. Pat Show (2021) and was a lead in Lena Waithe’s BET series Boomerang from 2019 to 2020. She is represented by Buchwald and Marque Entertainment.

Starting Wednesday, July 16, 2025, both platforms will stream approximately 70 to 100 hours of content for free, with the selection being updated every couple of months. Karl Holmes, General Manager of Disney+ for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), stated that the goal of this collaboration is to attract ITV's older audience to Disney+ while also introducing Disney+ users to ITV titles. Both companies are optimistic about the potential of this partnership, especially since Disney has previously commissioned shows from ITV.

HBO Max's Duster has been unexpectedly canceled after just one season. 

The series starred Rachel Hilson (The Good Wife) and Keith David (Princess and The Frog) and was co-created and executive-produced by LaToya Morgan and J.J. Abrams. In a statement, HBO Max expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to work with Abrams and Morgan, along with their partners at Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. Duster was set in the American Southwest during the 1970s and followed a getaway driver for a crime family. The plot took a turn for the worse when a young, ambitious agent, played by Hilson, arrived in town to take down the family. 

The cast also included Sydney Elisabeth, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez, and Benjamin Charles Watson.

Jessica Henwick (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) has joined Netflix's limited series Vladimir as a series regular. She will be joined by Mallori Johnson (Is God Is) and Tattiawna Jones (Murderbot). In Vladimir, Henwick will play Cynthia, Johnson will play Edwina, and Jones will take on the role of Alexis. This eight-episode series follows a woman's life as it unravels due to her obsession with a new colleague, driving her to make her fantasies a reality. Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini will direct three episodes, including the pilot. They will serve as executive producers alongside Rachel Weisz, Sharon Horgan, Stacy Greenberg, and Kira Carstensen.

Nisha Ganatra has stepped down as the director of Netflix's upcoming drama series Unaccustomed Earth due to scheduling conflicts. Ritesh Batra will take her place to direct and executive produce both the first and second episodes. Ganatra is currently directing the upcoming movie Freakier Friday, which overlaps with the preparation for Unaccustomed Earth.

Unaccustomed Earth follows a close-knit Indian American community as they navigate the complexities of love and belonging. The story revolves around a devoted wife who reconnects with her long-lost love, sparking the beginning of a forbidden affair. John Wells will also serve as an executive producer alongside Ganatra. Other executive producers include Jhumpa Lahiri, Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow, and Celia Costas.

Henwick received a BAFTA nomination for her drama, Bus Girl (2022), and can be seen in Apple’s dystopian drama Silo (2023). She has also appeared in Game of Thrones (2011), Marvel's Iron Fist (2017), Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks (2020), and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). She is also set to appear in the A24/StudioCanal thriller Huntington. Henwick is represented by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Tulsa King (2024) spinoff NOLA King is set to change showrunners, with Dave Erickson stepping down. Sources suggest that Erickson's departure may be due to a scheduling conflict. Samuel L. Jackson will guest star in multiple episodes of season 3 of Tulsa King before moving over to NOLA King. While details about his character are being kept under wraps, it'ss been revealed that Jackson will portray a notorious gangster in New Orleans, similar to Tulsa King's Dwight "The General" Manfredi. Taylor Sheridan serves as an executive producer for NOLA King, alongside David C. Glasser, with MTV Entertainment Studios handling the production.

Max, formerly known as HBO Max, is finding that changing their name on X, formerly Twitter.com (so many name changes, right?), is more complicated than they thought. The streaming platform recently tweeted, “Twitter won’t let me change my name back,” on X/Twitter. Representatives for X did not respond to comment requests. 

After two years as Max, the streaming platform has reverted to HBO Max, and despite the decision, which  President and CEO of the platform has said was influenced by consumer needs and  “WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach…” the branding idea was ultimately a fail and was continuously criticized online. On Wednesday morning, July 2, 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that starting Wednesday, July 9, 2025, customers would begin seeing the effects of the rebranding across all applications that previously said “Max”. Although HBO Max had planned on releasing the name change this summer, they had yet to decide on a specific date. Executives wanted to restore the “HBO Max” name before the Emmy nominations announcements, taking place Tuesday, July 15, 2025. 

Todd Harris - Natasha Campos 

Industry: Todd Harris is being honoured in the 2025 Animators to Watch Report for his upcoming animation, Eyes of Wakanda, premiering on Disney+, Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
Having worked as a storyboard artist for the Black Panther (2018) universe, Harris will act as the showrunner and director for the new animation. He has also worked on popular titles such as Avengers: Endgame (2019), Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), and credits his consistency for his success in animation, specifically in his professionalism and artistic output. One of his goals for Eyes of Wakanda is to offer a more in-depth view of the history of Black Panther and to educate its viewers.  

“It’s art and science, and that’s very much what Wakanda represents,” he says. “That’s what the show represents and what animation represents, because it is artistry pushed forward by technology and innovation.”