Why Aren’t FX Shows on FX? Basic Cable Is Dying, But Here’s How Fix Its Branding Conundrum and Inject Some Personality in These Waning Days

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Indie sports media brand Jomboy Media has partnered with regional sports network Bally Sports to air its “Warehouse Games” franchise, which includes ball in play, floorball, blitzball and slapball. Deal reps the first time the games have hit a mainstream linear platform.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Another “Frasier” alum is about to return to the series’ new revival: Harriet Sansom Harris, who originally played Frasier Crane’s agent, Bebe Glazer, is back for a guest role in Season 2. Joining her will be “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Rachel Bloom, who will play Bebe’s daughter, Phoebe Glazer.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Succession” alums Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod are here for “Harry Potter.” Gardiner has been tapped to serve as showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s upcoming new untitled series based on the “Harry Potter” books, while Mylod is on board to direct multiple episodes, as well as executive produce. The news was announced Wednesday by HBO and Warner Bros. TV, which are behind the HBO Original series.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large To paraphrase a long-running network slogan, “It’s Not Max. It’s HBO.” HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys is changing the delineation between what an “HBO show” and a “Max show” is, moving most of Max’s upcoming big-budget, tentpole Warner Bros. IP projects to under the HBO umbrella.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The next time you see Dan Harmon on Instagram doing something other than writing the “Community” movie, please don’t yell at him to get back to work. It’s happening, Harmon promises, but there are so many moving parts that there has never been a precise timeline. “When you see me making fart videos on the Internet, don’t worry that it means I’ve given up making the movie,” Harmon tells Variety.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Jamie Kellner, who made his name as the only exec ever to create two broadcast networks — Fox and The WB (both of which also achieved profitability under his watch), died Friday at his home in Montecito, Calif. He was 77.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Hollywood Creative Alliance has ended its defamation lawsuit against the Critics Choice Association, as both sides announced Friday that they had reached an “amicable agreement.” In a joint announcement between CCA CEO Joey Berlin and HCA CEO Scott Menzel, the two sides said that the Critics Choice Association will once again allow its members to also be a part of the Hollywood Creative Alliance. Also, Berlin has joined HCA’s advisory committee to “provide guidance on the best practices in awards show production and not-for-profit organization management,” and HCA has agreed to advise CCA on “best accessibility practices at its events.” In January, the Hollywood Creative Alliance (which was formerly known as Hollywood Critics Association) sued the Critics Choice Association after that org told its members that they had to resign from the HCA in order to stay members of the CCA.

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.

Emily Longeretta Dick Van Dyke hasn’t worked a day in his life. At least, that’s how it feels to him now. “Everything I did was play.

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 Lionsgate has upped Chase Brisbin to exec VP of international SVOD sales and head of global channels. The news was announced Tuesday by Lionsgate’s worldwide TV distribution prexy Jim Packer.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Longtime AMC PR head Marnie Black, whose tenure included overseeing consumer media relations, brand messaging, special events, talent relations and awards campaigns on hit series including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” and “The Walking Dead” universe, is departing the company after 13 years. Black will exit at the end of the month to explore the next chapter of her career.

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.

Jack Dunn While in development for the Amazon Prime drama “Expats,” creator, writer and director Lulu Wang knew she had to pay tribute to the lives lost during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Having been in China at that time as a child, she remembers how scared she was when her father nearly left to join the protest which ultimately led to the death of hundreds.

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.

Emily Longeretta Romantic drama fans, unite. RomaDrama and Filmed in the South are teaming up for Halloween & Harvest Festival, bringing together fan-favorite actors from “The Originals,” “The Vampire Diaries” and beloved romantic movies seen on Hallmark Channel.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Two more “Frasier” alums are making a comeback: Dan Butler, who played Bulldog — the sports host at Frasier’s radio station on the original series — will visit the “Frasier” revival’s Season 2 on Paramount+, as will Edward Hibbert, who played Gil Chesterton on the O.G. show.

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.