TV Hot Premieres - Anticipating the Next Big Hit

Posted by seomypassion12 on August 12th, 2023

Once upon a time, the weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day were a sure bet for some new hits. That’s a little less true this summer, with the writers’ strike delaying many in-production series 티비핫

TVLand’s Hot in Cleveland is back for a second season. But can it avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor?
NBC’s “Songs of Ourselves”

After a summer break, 2022 TV’s back in session with a new batch of shows. NBC’s Issa Rae-produced reality series based on black millennials in their mid-20s returns with a four-episode premiere this August before the rest of its 10-episode season rolls out weekly. The series stars the teen cast from last season as well as new additions like Pete Davidson and Blac Chyna’s ex-husband.

Also returning is the raunchy CBS comedy show “Survivor.” The reality competition series takes place on a fictional island where contestants must take part in challenges such as transferring food from one’s mouth to another. Though the network has yet to reveal this season’s exact schedule, expect it to run a similar format as its 2021 predecessor, which was the highest-rated freshman drama of the year.

Other returning shows include the final season of “Riverdale” (CW), a second season for “Broad City” with Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, and FX’s adaptation of the best-selling book “Dear Mama” with Jennette McCurdy and Phoebe Bridgers. Elsewhere, the Yellowstone empire expands on Paramount+ with a prequel to the film 1923, and George Jones and Tammy Wynette are remembered in Showtime’s “George and Tammy.”

Also worth checking out: The second season of Pop TV’s sketch-comedy “Hot Date,” starring Emily Axford and Brian K. Murphy as heightened versions of themselves; this time around, the couple will try to navigate marriage and parenthood in New Orleans. Plus, “The Last Tycoon” (CBS) features Milo Ventimiglia and Sigourney Weaver as a pair of con artists who plan to get rich by selling a timeshare on the moon.
CBS’ “True Lies”

A TV reboot of James Cameron’s 1994 action-comedy movie about a suburban housewife who finds herself in the world of international espionage has found its way to CBS. It’s not quite the same as having Arnold Schwarzenegger take out enemies by the dozen in a slickly-produced action flick, but it does deliver some heart-racing fun with a serious dose of spycraft. Steve Howey and Ginger Gonzaga are a good match as Harry and Helen Tasker, who naively discovers that their seemingly ordinary computer consultant husband leads an extraordinary life of international spies for the U.S. intelligence agency Omega Sector. When she impresses the higher ups with her formidable skills (which are largely thanks to Tae Bo and yoga), they start going on missions together, shaking things up in their household and career lives.

While the show hasn’t found a wide audience, it is consistent in its ratings and a solid performer in its time slot. However, it remains one of CBS’ lowest-rated scripted series at the moment. With NCIS: Los Angeles preparing to wrap up its seventh season with a two-part finale event this month, it’s unclear what the future holds for True Lies.

It seems unlikely that the show will get a second season after the first eight episodes have already aired. But a look at some of the other series on the network’s midseason schedule and the other shows getting renewed or cancelled by other networks may offer some clues as to what might happen next.
HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”

John Oliver’s show is a corrective to the news-exhausting, social-media-swallowing, often misguided coverage of major world events. It’s satirical and intelligent and fiercely funny. It’s also topical and meticulously researched. While other late-night shows (real and fake) fling mud at politicians and parties and media figures in predictably partisan fashion, Oliver concentrates on the actual issues. That makes it harder to dismiss.

Having spent years honing his act on the London student circuit and dodgy basement venues, Oliver brings a unique sensibility to HBO. He grew up in Bedford, England, a formerly proud industrial town that he describes as “a bit of a rough area.” During his summer stint filling in for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, Oliver traveled with colleagues to Afghanistan and spent time on the front lines with American service members.

The new season, which airs Sunday nights at 11 p.m., finds Oliver sifting through the news of the week to expose how politicians and media are deceiving us. He and his writers are able to discuss serious topics like net neutrality, elections, and nuclear weapons while making us laugh. And the show has become a viral hit on YouTube, where Oliver’s rap-like explanation of AI and his breakdown of Jair Bolsonaro’s anti-gay rhetoric have garnered millions of views.
NBC’s “Party Down”

Failed actor Henry Pollard (Adam Scott) returns to work at the Party Down catering company led by Ron Donald (Ken Marino) and works small-time gigs while waiting for his big break. The gang, which also includes Casey Klein (Lizzy Caplan), Roman DeBeers (Martin Starr) and Lydia Dunfree (Jane Lynch) has some high-profile clients. For instance, George Takei shows up and is tricked into eating food off a tray that was meant for another customer.

The cast is joined by a host of familiar faces including J. K. Simmons as Leonard Stiltskin, a foul-mouthed film producer who appears in the season 1 episode “Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen” and in season 2’s “Precious Lights Pre-School Auction”. Joey Lauren Adams plays Diandra Stiltskin, the unhappy wife of Leonard.

NBC’s “Party Down” premieres on March 20 and is executive produced by Adam Scott, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge and Paul Rudd with John Enbom serving as showrunner. The sitcom stars an ensemble cast that also includes Ryan Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Megan Mullally and Martin Starr. The original two-season run of the comedy debuted in 2009 and 2010. This is its first new season since then. The series stars Scott, Marino, Caplan, Hansen, Coolidge and Mullally in supporting roles with other notable guest appearances by Jane Lynch, Megan Fox and Jennifer Garner. Starz president of original programming Christina Davis says that fans have been asking for the revival.
Starz’s “The Reluctant Traveler”

Eugene Levy, who played the co-owner of the Rosebud Motel in Schitt’s Creek, is not a natural traveler. So when Apple TV+ producers approached him to host a series that would see him visiting hotels across the globe, he insisted he was the wrong guy for it. He explained that he wasn’t the type to “spend four figures on a hotel and never leave the property.” Those producers must have been very persuasive, because The Reluctant Traveler premieres Friday on Apple.

Using his deadpan delivery, the 76-year-old actor gets pushed way outside of his comfort zone in this eight-episode show. He rides a dog-sled in Finland (despite hating snow); soars over the Maldives on a seaplane (despite his fear of heights); and takes part in a gold leaf workshop in Japan (despite his distaste for ostentatious displays of wealth).

The show also has the potential to serve as a helpful guide for timid travelers who want to get the most out of their trips. That’s because in each episode, Levy is paired with local guides who take him on adventures that help him find the spirit of the place he’s visiting. For instance, in a visit to a family-owned workshop where they make gold foil for restaurants and jewelry stores, Levy is invited to try his hand at the craft of hammering gold into sheets. He’s soon hooked.
Hulu’s “Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne”

In January 2023, Hulu gave the streaming world a first look at Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne. The two-minute trailer features a voice over from the Only Murders in the Building actress and promises an exploration of sexuality and intimacy around the globe. The six episode series premieres on Valentine’s Day and will be available to stream for those who have a Hulu subscription. This also includes access to many of the company’s other originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, Fleishman is in Trouble and others.

The show certainly appears to deliver on its promise of being an unfiltered and authentic examination of human sexuality. As the title suggests, Delevingne travels to Los Angeles, Tokyo, Berlin and other locations on a quest to learn everything she can about sexuality. From learning about sex education to attending a women-only sex party, there’s no topic that’s off limits.

The documentary does carry a TV-MA rating so there will be some topics and situations viewers may not be comfortable with watching. That’s something the series’ creator Simon Andreae addressed in a panel discussion at MIPCOM. He said that he and Delevingne wanted to avoid “the classic Hollywood fence-sitting because you don’t want to offend anyone” in the effort to get at the truth about sexual orientation. If the show’s success can be attributed to its willingness to explore big questions without averting its gaze, it’s poised to become the next great hit in its genre.