Small Screen: ‘Wednesday’ Receives Third Season, BBC Makes Strides In Diversity
BBC
Broadcast: The BBC surpassed its creative diversity targets by £60M ($80M) last year, spending £140M on qualifying shows. This increase is in part due to the integration of BBC’s Head of Creative Diversity, Jessica Schibli's team.
The BBC’s commitment to creative diversity began around the year 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests, aiming to promote diverse stories, production leadership, and company leadership. In the past year, Schibli’s team of six has worked closely with producers, providing guidance and funding for under-represented talent.
Although a good amount of progress has been made, Schibli emphasized the need for improvement in terms of commissioning shows from a diverse company leadership. “We are starting to build a network we want to share with producers,” added Schibli. “If someone comes to us and says they can’t find a disabled director for a production, we can now say, ‘Actually, have you met this person who’s just directed their first block on EastEnders?’”.
Looking forward, the BBC aims for 25% of production staff to be diverse, disabled, or from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. And while some of the staff have voiced concerns regarding the BBC's news coverage amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Schibli affirmed that the commitment to diversity remains a priority for the organization.
As Paramount Global and Skydance Media approach their $8 billion merger, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expressed his approval regarding Skydance’s plans for reforming CBS during a press conference on Thursday, July 24, 2025. He stated that he was “pleased” with Skydance's commitment to address concerns about media bias and to provide “a diversity of viewpoints” on CBS. This comes alongside Skydance's pledge to eliminate several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, just as Paramount did in February 2025.
Carr pointed out that both Skydance's anti-DEI pledge and its promise to hire a CBS ombudsman would play a major role in the merger approval process. “I think it’s a good thing, they’re addressing issues that I believe require substantial change.”
Carr has also recently weighed in on CBS’s cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015).
“The partisan left’s ritualist wailing and gnashing of teeth over Colbert is quite revealing,” he said on X.
Carr also regurgitated the White House's criticisms of ABC’s The View (1997) in response to co-host Joy Behar's recent comments about Donald Trump envying former President Barack Obama. The White House replied by calling Behar an “irrelevant loser” and threatening to cancel the talk show. “It’s entirely possible that there are issues over there,” said Carr. “Once President Trump exposed these media gatekeepers and shattered this facade, the consequences are still unfolding. I think the ramifications of that are far from over.”
ITV has reported a 30% drop in profits for the first half of 2025, mainly due to proactive advertising during the men’s European soccer tournament. ITV Studios, which produces series such as Rivals (2024) and Fool Me Once (2024), has seen a decline of 20%. It's suspected that such a decline is due to high-margin sales being concentrated in the second half of 2025. ITV Studios' media and entertainment division saw profits cut in half, leading to a decrease of 3%. ITV said that, thus far, its performance is "ahead of market expectations”.
Carolyn McCall, CEO of ITV Studios, stated that ITV is now more agile and digital business-ready, prepared to take hold of new revenue opportunities while delivering strong growth. She also noted that ITV is on track to meet key financial targets next year, with ongoing discussions about a potential sale involving Banijay and RedBird IMI.
Comedian Chris Estrada (This Fool) is set to headline, co-write, and executive produce NBC's new warehouse comedy, Forklift. In the series, Estrada plays Victor, who is promoted from forklift driver to warehouse supervisor. This promotion changes how his friends view him, transforming him from someone they trust to seeing him as part of the problem. The series is inspired by Estrada's own experiences of when he was working at a warehouse when he learned that Hulu had decided to move forward with his comedy series, This Fool (2022).
Recently, Estrada guest-starred in George Lopez's sitcom Lopez vs. Lopez (2022) and will appear in the upcoming Neon feature film Wrong Girls, alongside Lakeith Stanfield from The Harder They Fall (2021). Estrada is represented by UTA, El Centro Management, and Yorn Levine. He is executive producing Forklift alongside Rick Cisario and Comedy Central executives Kent Alterman and Sarah Babineau.
Versant
Cable: Comcast recently announced the members of the inaugural board of directors for Versant Media Group, which includes the former president of Samsung Electronics. As Versant separates from Comcast, it'll transition into a publicly traded company, which is expected to be finalized by the end of 2025. The company will then include several networks and platforms, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy, Golf Channel, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and SportsEngine.
According to Comcast, Versant’s brands are projected to reach over 65 million U.S. homes and generate approximately $7 billion in yearly revenue. David Novak, the chairman of the board and a longtime Comcast board member, will resign from his Comcast position at the time of the Versant spin-off. Once finalized, Comcast plans to appoint David Eun to the Versant board of directors. Previously, Eun was the president and chief innovation officer at Samsung Electronics, where he established Samsung NEXT, an innovation group that focused on startup investments, mergers, and acquisitions. He began his career at NBC and later held senior leadership roles at Google, YouTube, and Time Warner. Currently, he serves on the board of Howard Hughes Holdings.
Streaming: Netflix recently made it into Nielsen's top three in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge, and despite its offering of a variety of series, both streaming and non-streaming, the platform often ranks lower than others. In fact, YouTube continues to hold the top position in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge, marking June the fifth consecutive month.
According to Nielsen, Google’s video platform had a 6% surge increase amongst children aged 6 to 17 during this summer break, reaching 12.8% of all viewing. However, these statistics only account for views through TV sets within the U.S. Disney, which has benefited from ESPN viewers during the football season, has also held a top position for several months, and according to Nielsen, Disney accounts for 10% of all viewing. However, YouTube is still in the lead, surpassing Disney by 2.8 percentage points, the largest margin thus far.
I'm not sure what's in the air, but a lot has happened recently in the streaming world. Nhu-y Phan, Netflix's former labor lawyer who previously worked for the Directors Guild of America, is suing the company. She claims she was fired after raising concerns about racial discrimination and sexual harassment within the organization. Phan began working at Netflix in 2021, and three years later, after voicing her concerns, she was dismissed.
During her time at Netflix, Phan and other women of color were reportedly blacklisted from certain opportunities that their white male colleagues were offered, such as participating in the Directors Guild of America (DGA) negotiations. This was despite her previous experience with the guild and her positive working relationship with its executives.
British director Hasraf 'HaZ' Dulull (The Beyond) is adapting his indie game Astro Burn into an animated TV series through his new transmedia company, Beyond the Pixels. The series will follow a humorous astronaut returning to Earth, which has been engulfed by a mysterious structure. Surprisingly, the animation will feature a pixel art style reminiscent of classic video games such as Stardew Valley and Chrono Trigger. According to Dulull, Hollywood has shown promising interest in developing video games for television, particularly those with a strong fan base. Games that excel in building communities often influence his studio’s approach. Beyond the Pixels plans to engage with its audience throughout the creative process using platforms like Discord and Reddit, so if you're interested in this series, be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming posts
Paramount+ has promoted Ci Hang Ma from a recurring role to a series regular for the third season of School Spirits (2023). In Season 3, Maddie is faced with saving her best friend while unraveling the mystery at Split River High School. Season 2 of School Spirits sported rave ratings during its debut with an average audience of 3.9 million viewers in the first month. A surprising 94% increase from the first season.
The executive producers of School Spirits are Nate Trinrud, Megan Trinrud, Oliver Goldstick (Bridgerton), and Peyton List, who also stars in the series. Ci Hang Ma is represented by Play Management.
Daniel Dae Kim stars in Prime Video’s new spy series Butterfly as presumed-dead agent David Jung. Faking his death to protect his family, Jung returns to reunite with his daughter and together, take down the organization that they both work for. Though all isn't so simple. In addition to handling the guilt of abandoning his daughter, he must avoid being shot at, almost blown up, long enough to make things right. The series is set to debut on Prime Video on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Peacock has renewed the daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives, for an additional two seasons, extending the series to its 63rd season. Originally airing on NBC. Days of Our Lives was the longest-running soap opera until it transitioned to streaming on Peacock in 2022. The main cast features James Reynolds, who has played Abe Carver since 1981, along with Raven Bowens, Elia Cantu, Jackée Harry, and Cherie Jimenez. The series has been nominated for 13 Daytime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, marking the highest number of nominations since moving to Peacock. The series has also won a total of 62 Emmy Awards.
Days of Our Lives is executive produced by Ken Corday, with Noel Maxam serving as co-executive producer. Randy Dugan is the producer, while Sara P. McCormick is the coordinating producer. The head writers are Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford.
Hulu's revival of the ’90s hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) has cast Faly Rakotohavana (Unprisoned) as Hugo and Sarah Bock (Severance) as Gracie. While specific plot details are still being finalized, it has been reported that the pilot will introduce a new vampire slayer, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning as Buffy.
Originally released as a film in 1992, Buffy the Vampire Slayer transitioned to television five years later when the series premiered on The WB. The first five seasons aired on The WB, with the final two seasons broadcast on the United Paramount Network. Rakotohavana is represented by Media Artists Group, The ESI Network, and Katz Public Relations. Bock is represented by Kutalent Agency, Amplified, and Hansen Jacobson. Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman will write, showrun, and executive produce the pilot. Chloé Zhao will direct and also serve as an executive producer. Gellar, along with Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton, will all serve as executive producers for this project.
Kyla Pratt, known for her role in Disney's The Proud Family (Heeeyyy, Sugar Mama!), is joining the fourth season of Fox's Animal Control as a recurring guest star. She will play Daisy, a confident and fearless addition to the Seattle Animal Control squad and a partner to “Templeton Dudge”. Daisy will appear in eight episodes in the upcoming season, including the premiere, which is expected to air later this year on Fox. Animal Control is produced by Fox Entertainment Studios and is executive produced by Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg, Dan Sterling, Tad Quill, and McHale.
Many of you are likely familiar with Pratt from her various roles, including Eddie Murphy's Doctor Dolittle (1998), Penny Proud in The Proud Family (2001), Breanna Barnes in the sitcom One on One (2001), and the classic story Love and Basketball (2000). She is represented by The Gersh Agency, OPE Partners, LAB Public Relations, and Mays Law Group, PC.
Set in beautiful Italy, Hotel Costeria is Prime Video's new action series starring Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy, Detroit: Become Human) as the charming Daniel De Luca. Working for the hotel owner, De Luca's main responsibility is to "take care of the guests." However, everything changes when unexpected trouble arises, placing the family he must protect in danger.
Octavio Pisano is returning for the season opener of Law & Order: SVU this fall. In May, it was reported that both Pisano and Juliana Aidén Martinez would not be returning as series regulars for the series' 27th season. The decision was believed to be influenced by budget cuts within NBC, which affected the cast, episodes, and other resources. However, it remains unclear whether these financial issues were the reason for Pisano and Martinez's not returning. NBC has not yet announced its fall premiere dates. Juliana Aidén Martinez has recently sealed the deal to join CBS’s FBI for its upcoming eighth season, but details about her character have not yet been disclosed.
NBC has decided not to move forward with its comedy centered on a Native American community. Created by the trio of Sierra Teller Ornelas, Jackie Keliiaa, and Bobby Wilson, the series followed the employees of a Native community center in Oakland, CA, who work hard to keep the center running while supporting one another. Earlier this year, NBC ordered three comedy pilots. The other two pilots, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, starring Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe, and Stumble, created by Jeff Astrof and Liz Astrof, have both been picked up for series. Unfortunately, while it received positive feedback, the series did not build much momentum or excitement and ultimately did not make the cut.
Hulu and 20th Television are collaborating to create a new comedy series titled Please See HR. Although the details of the plot are still being finalized, the series will take place in the Human Resources department of Miser Perpetuale, a major for-profit healthcare “provider”. Evan Waite, who is a co-executive producer for Family Guy (1999), will serve as the writer and executive producer. Waite has previously written for series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015), NBC's Sunnyside (2019), and Three Busy Debras (2020).
Wow, Netflix’s Wednesday (2022) is on a roll! Just before the debut of its second season, the series has already been confirmed for a third! With 250 million views during its first season and 12 Emmy nominations, it's no surprise that Netflix wants to keep this spooky momentum going. Wednesday stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, who is expelled from her school and sent to a private academy for the strange. In Season 2, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo are promoted to series regulars, along with new cast members.
Tim Burton, the executive producer of the series, and Jenna Ortega recently confirmed that a spinoff is in the works, though details about it remain scarce.
“It’s been a dark delight to watch Wednesday cast her spell over audiences across the globe—one deadpan quip at a time. We’re beyond thrilled she’ll be returning to stalk the halls of Nevermore in Season 3. This time, she’ll unearth more of the school’s sinister secrets and descend even deeper into the Addams family crypt. Or, as Wednesday would say: ‘Nothing brings a family together like a good exhumation,'” said co-writers Gough and Millar.
MALCOLM jAMAL wARNER - Santiago Felipe
Industry: Malcolm Jamal Warner, who starred in the 1980s family sitcom, The Cosby Show (1984), has sadly passed away at just 54 years old. Warner portrayed the eldest sibling, Theodore Huxtable, and was also known for his roles as Malcolm McGee in Malcolm and Eddie (1996), Eric in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), and, most recently, Dr. AJ Austin in Fox's The Resident (2018).
Tragically, Warner's death occurred while he was vacationing in Costa Rica. During his time swimming in the ocean, he was pulled underwater and was later rescued by bystanders on the beach. Unfortunately, by the time first responders arrived, he was unresponsive. Many of his friends have come forward to pay tribute, with Morris Chestnut describing him as a “kind and genuine” man, and Bill Cosby describing his death as the same feeling as the death of his son Ennis Cosby.
Throughout his career, covering more than 40 years, Warner worked as both an actor and director. His directorial credits included season 6, episode 7 of The Resident, season 1, episodes 15 and 16 of Read Between the Lines (2011), and the biographical film One on One With Magic Johnson (1994).
Warner is survived by his wife and young daughter.
Kenneth Washington, the main cast member of the CBS series Hogan's Heroes (1965), sadly passed away on Friday, July 18, 2025, at the age of 88. He was born in Ethel, Mississippi, and later moved to California, where he was raised in San Francisco. He later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in, though he later attended school to earn his college degree from Loyola Marymount University, becoming an instructor and teaching a course focused on Black actors in film.
Throughout the 1960s, Washington guest-starred in numerous television series, including Star Trek (1966), My Three Sons (1968), The Name of the Game (1969), Petticoat Junction (1969), Marcus Welby, M.D. (1970), Adam-12 (1968), and Dragnet (1967). He also appeared in the 1973 film Westworld, as well as in Hook, Line and Sinker (1969), Changes (1969), and The Birds and the Bees (1956). His final on-screen appearance was in NBC's A Different World (1989), alongside Jasmine Guy. He is survived by his wife, Alice Marshall; his brother and sister; and his three children, Kim Lee, Kenneth Jr., and Quianna Stokes-Washington. He is also survived by three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Soapy: Sheila Ducksworth, the executive producer of CBS’s Beyond The Gates, was recently interviewed, where she discussed her love of soap operas and the process of creating Beyond The Gates. She mentioned that her love and excitement for soaps had begun way before the creation of Beyond The Gates. "I was a huge fan of Generations, but I should backtrack and say I was also a big fan of General Hospital, Edge of Night, and many other shows along the way. When Generations came out, I was already an adult," she explained. After Generations ended, Ducksworth's fascination with soap operas intensified, and she felt an immediate urge to create her own. "Truly, when the show concluded, I just said, ‘I need to find a way to make a soap opera…’”.
Living in New York City at the time, Ducksworth eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she met Vivica A. Fox. "She and I became friends, and she was playing Mya in Generations, among other roles.” During their conversations about soap operas, Ducksworth expressed her desire to create one. "I was working in television at the time, and we had a project going. I told her, ‘I really want to make a soap,’ and she responded, ‘If you want to make a soap opera, then you need to meet Michele Val Jean.’ She actually introduced me to her."
Ducksworth and Val Jean later met to discuss their ideas and plans for a soap opera. "We got together and talked about how we would do it and all of these details," Ducksworth recounted. Despite a significant decline in interest in soap operas at that time, her passion for the genre kept her motivated. "I always believed it would happen because good ideas are here to stay; that's how I see it."
