How Indie Outlets Like The Network and Dropout Are Making a Play for Eyeballs and Emmy Noms

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “ER” alum Gloria Reuben has joined the cast of Prime Video‘s upcoming series “The Better Sister,” which also stars Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Banks, Corey Stoll and Matthew Modine. Based on the novel by Alafair Burke, “The Better Sister” stars Biel as Chloe, a woman whose life is upended when her husband Adam (played by Stoll) is brutally murdered — and the prime suspect shocks the family and exposes secrets. Banks plays Chloe’s sister, Nicky, who “hustles to make ends meet while trying to stay clean.” Reuben will play Michelle Sanders, described as “a respected lawyer who has made a career of standing up when she’s told to sit down.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large AMC Networks has staked its claim for more “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire.” The series has been renewed for Season 3 on AMC and streaming outlet AMC+, the outlets announced Wednesday. News comes just days before the show’s Season 2 finale (which airs June 30).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Todd Harthan has been tapped as the new showrunner and executive producer of ABC’s “High Potential,” starring Kaitlin Olson. Harthan was previously executive producer/showrunner of Fox’s “The Resident,” which ran for six seasons and recently was a hit off-net for Netflix. Harthan replaces previous showrunner Rob Thomas, who departed the project earlier this month.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Those of us who grew up with “Sesame Street” still remember Guy Smiley, the stereotypical game show host as originally voiced by Jim Henson. Guy was loud, boisterous and the host of everything from “Here Is Your Life” and “Beat the Time” to “Name That Sound!” Guy Smiley served a purpose for “Sesame Street,” and so did real-life game show hosts. It was a very specific (and also, very non-diverse) group: Bob Barker, Monty Hall, Jack Berry, Bill Cullen, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Richard Dawson, Gene Rayburn, Alex Trebek and many more.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large My colleague Emily Longeretta had a Variety scoop recently that was such a perfect sign of the times. As she reported, FX’s Emmy-winning series “The Bear” — about to premiere its third season at the end of June — finally had its premiere on FX at the start of the month, via a four-night marathon of Season 1 episodes. “Hit FX Series to Finally Premiere on FX,” we joked should be the headline.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Writer/directors Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, who were behind the recent critically acclaimed FX limited series “A Murder At the End of the World,” have struck a deal with indie production shingle Sister to develop, write and produce original film and television projects. The deal, described as a “multi-year creative partnership,” reunites Marling and Batmanglij with Cindy Holland, the global CEO of Sister.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large I think I can say this on behalf of the entire collective of reporters who cover television: Nothing makes us groan more than when a series star or producer refers to the setting as another “character” in their show. (Actually, I take that back, something else causes even heavier eye rolls: When a performer says their co-stars are “like a family.”) And yet, I may have to temper my cynicism.

Architect George Clarke, who hosts Channel 4's George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, has confessed that he hates watching himself on TV, even going as far as to say it makes him feel 'ill'. As well as fronting Amazing Spaces, George also hosts a multitude of other Channel 4 shows, including The Home Show and The Restoration Man.The 50 year old has previously opened up about watching himself back on his programmes, as he confessed he doesn't see himself as a 'celebrity' despite his time in the spotlight. Speaking to Irish News, he said: “I never use the ‘C’ word – which for me is ‘Celebrity’.

Selena Kuznikov “Palm Royale” showrunner Abe Sylvia relied on his “guru” Joni Mitchell (via her song “People’s Parties”) when figuring out the tone for his Apple TV+ comedy: “Laughing and crying are the same release.” “Our show took itself really seriously even as it went absurd,” Sylvia said. “It’s a gay ‘Fantasia,’ right? It’s tone is maximalist gay.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Perhaps the toughest takeaway from Ron Howard’s documentary “Jim Henson Idea Man” is the fact that his sudden death in 1990, at just age 53, robbed us all that “The Muppets” creator might have created in the computer age. Henson was already experimenting with technology before he died — and we can only imagine what he might have done with the tools we now have. “It would have been fantastic,” Howard says.

EXCLUSIVE: Will this lady be for turning?

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The fate of CBS owner Paramount Global remains way up in the air, and the future of broadcast TV in general remains a big question mark. But as CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach said on Tuesday at the Banff World Media Festival, that’s not stopping her from plotting her primetime development plans way into the future.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Reservation Dogs” ended its three-season run back in September, so we’ve had time to accept the sad truth that we won’t be seeing any new stories about this group of Indigenous teens in Oklahoma anytime soon. I would have truly enjoyed another season, and when I get on a Zoom call with series star Paulina Alexis — who played the outspoken Willie Jack — it’s clear she’s also still a bit disappointed that the show has wrapped. “I feel like I could have went way longer, but not my choice,” she says.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large It’s been more than a year and a half since Rob Wade took over as CEO of Fox Entertainment. On Monday at the Banff World Media Festival, Wade made his first extensive public comments about how it’s been going so far — and elaborated on any new acquisition plans he might have for the company, the fate of some of the third party shows still on his air (including “9-1-1: Lone Star”) and the decision behind his recent corporate restructuring network, studio and distribution operations into their own divisions.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Will Arnett is expanding his relationship with Fox Entertainment. The actor and comedian, who hosts Fox’s “Lego Masters,” has sealed an overall producing deal for his Electric Avenue Prods. to produce fare for the network’s in-house production company.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Legendary actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke has made history, winning the 2024 Daytime Emmy award for guest performer in a daytime drama series — via his spot on Peacock’s “Days of Our Lives.” At 98, that makes Van Dyke the oldest actor to receive a Daytime Emmy win. Van Dyke came into Friday’s 51st Daytime Emmy Awards already making a mark as the oldest Daytime Emmys nominee ever. Night one of the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards took place live on CBS on Friday, June 7, from the Westin Bonaventure hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When Peabody holds its 84th awards ceremony on June 9, it will finally be in Los Angeles — after four years of trying. The org had decided in 2020 to move its annual event from New York to the West Coast. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the ceremony went virtual for three years.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large George Russell, one of the most prominent characters in HBO’s sprawling period ensemble “The Gilded Age,” is many things: a self-made man; a loving husband; a titan of industry. But Morgan Spector, the actor who plays George in Julian Fellowes’ fictionalized tale of 19th century New York City, is comfortable calling the character out for who he really is. “Robber baron,” Spector declares on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large A few weeks ago, I ran into Amazon MGM Studios head Jen Salke, and we got to talking about some of Prime Video’s recent success stories. “Fallout” is at the top of that list, but the streamer has also found hits with series like “Reacher,” “Outer Range” and “The Terminal List.” Before that, it was “Jack Ryan” and, of course, the longest running of all Prime shows, “Bosch.” Salke joked that it was good to be in business with “dad TV,” but don’t laugh. It sounds a bit pejorative, but maybe these shows should wear it as a badge of honor.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Scardino was also part of the Fey/Carlock collab that gave us NBC’s “Mr. Mayor,” and I am still a bit angry that not enough people tuned into that sharp series. Ted Danson and Holly Hunter led a workplace comedy that delightfully skewered Los Angeles while setting up some amazing character dynamics.