TV News Roundup: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Team Launches Women’s Rights Campaign with Equality Now
By Tara Bitran
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In today’s roundup, “The Handmaid’s Tale” launches a campaign with international womens’ rights organization, Equality Now, while the Paley Center for Media reveals their upcoming screening series, which is set to feature a reunion of “West Side Story” cast members George Chakiris, Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn, and Eliot Feld.
FIRST LOOKS
Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and international women’s rights organization “ Equality Now ” have partnered up to launch a new campaign to fight for equality under the law and urge for people to speak out in support of women and girls’ rights. The centerpiece of the campaign is soon-to-be-released short film “Hope Lives in Every Name,” which features series showrunner Bruce Miller, executive producer Warren Littlefield, and actors Joseph Fiennes, Samira Wiley , Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle , Amanda Brugel, and Alexis Bledel. In the video , they share testimonies that may sound like lines from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” but are in fact the words of real women with personal experiences and issues covered in the hit show such as sexual violence, trafficking, and female genital mutilation.
EVENTS
The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills has announced two selections for PaleyLive Summer 2018. The summer programs include “CNN’s The 2000s: A Look Back at the Dawn of TV’s New Golden Age,” which will offer a look at the most groundbreaking television shows of the decade, as well as “A Special Evening with Dionne Warwick: Then Came You,” celebrating Warwick’s career. Their Fall 2018 selection is “Words on Dance: Jerome Robbins and ” in honor of the director and choreographer’s centennial. The screening is also set to feature a reunion with original cast members George Chakiris, , Russ Tamblyn, and Eliot Feld.
DATES
ABC has revealed that the fifth season of “Bachelor in Paradise” will return this summer on Tuesday, August 7 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The series premiere of “Castaways” will air immediately afterwards from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“Serial Killer with Piers Morgan,” hosted and executive produced by Morgan, will debut on Oxygen Media with two episodes on Monday, July 16 at 7 p.m. and Monday, July 23 at 7 p.m. In the series, Morgan will enter maximum security prisons to explore the minds of the most depraved serial killers for the first time.
The
CW has announced the premiere dates for its new six-night primetime schedule starting in October 2018. “The Flash” and “Black Lightning” are the first series returning, on Tuesday, Oct. 9, then followed by “Riverdale” and new series “All American” premiering on Wednesday, Oct. 10. “Supernatural” will come back for its 14th season starting Thursday, Oct. 11, while “Dynasty” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” are set to return Friday, Oct. 12. “Supergirl” and “Charmed” will hold court on the network’s new Sunday block beginning October 14. The new season of “Arrow” premiere Monday, Oct. 15, with “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” premiering the following week, Monday the 22nd. “The Originals” spinoff “Legacies” will launch Thursday, Oct. 25. The 2018 iHeartRadio Music Festival will also air on the CW on Sunday, Oct. 7 and Monday, Oct. 8 in a two-night exclusive telecast.
Iliza Shlesinger took to Instagram to post the premiere date for her upcoming Netflix special, “Elder Millennial,” which will launch on the streaming service on July 24. Shlesinger teased how the special was shot on her 35th birthday and takes a look back at “what it’s like meeting someone, why women don’t typically hit on men, [and] first (filthy) apartments.”
Digital network Brat has set their first multicam sitcom “Hotel Du Loone” to premiere on June 27th on the Brat YouTube channel. Set inside a “wacky and wondrous” hotel, the show stars 9-year-old Hayley LeBlanc, Chris Tallman (“The Thundermans“), Alex Rose Wiesel (“Hart of Dixie“), and Jason Earles (“Hannah Montana“).
Justin Simien is heading to KCRW with new podcast “Don’t @ Me” starting June 26. Each episode features unfiltered conversations with the stars, artists, and creators shaping our culture with Lena Waithe (“Master of None,” “The Chi“) and Misha Green (“Underground“) appearing on the first episode. Simien explains the title of the show as “an attitude.” “It’s when you want to say something on your Twitter or Instagram without getting hit by immediate ‘well, actually’s’ or think pieces without thought. This is a safe space for trendsetters and troublemakers to get together without filter or interruption. If you’ve seen my show and film, ‘Dear White People,’ you know we’re going to get into how race, gender, and sexuality impacts our lives and shapes our work. So gather around, sip your tea, and let’s dig into this thing we call ‘culture,’” he said.
