The series adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel “Forever” will premiere Thursday, May 8, on Netflix.
Showrunner and creator Mara Brock Akil is behind the new series, which is based on the 1975 book that follows teenagers and their experience of losing their virginity. The show takes a new angle, presenting “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018,” according to the official logline.
The cast includes Lovie Simone, Michael Cooper Jr., Karen Pittman, Wood Harris, Marvin Winans III, Xosha Roquemore, Niles Fitch, Barry Shabaka Henley, Ali Gallo, Xavier Mills, E’myri Crutchfield, Adriyan Rae and Paigion Walker.
Akil executive produces the drama with Blume, Susie Fitzgerald, Sara White, Erika Harrison, Regina King, Reina King, Anthony Hemingway and Shana C. Waterman.
FIRST LOOKS/TRAILERS
The trailer for the third season of Fox’s “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” has been released. The season premieres March 25 on Fox and sees the MPU searching for a member from its very same police department. The procedural, which takes place in Philadelphia, includes actors Scott Caan, Dania Ramirez, Ryan Broussard, Adeola Role, Diana Bang, Ian Tracey and Alisha-Marie Ahamed.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner is a new addition this season, playing chief inspector Bill Houston in a recurring role and taking on a paternal presence for the MPU.
Sony Pictures Television and Fox Entertainment co-produce the series. Carla Kettner is showrunner and executive producer, working alongside executive producers Jon Cowan, Brandon Sonnier, Brandon Margolis, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Sean Hennen, John Eisendrath and Brad Turner.
Watch the trailer below.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner (right) in “Alert: Missing Persons Unit.”
Courtesy of FOX
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Acorn TV has released a first look at their upcoming art-world crime drama “Art Detectives,” premiering June 9. Starring and executive produced by Stephen Moyer, the series follows detective inspector Mick Palmer, a “whip-smart, art-loving” sleuth who solves murders with the help of “straight-talking DC” Shazia Malik (Nina Singh).
Together, the duo tackle cases “from Banksy street art to medieval manuscript and collectible vinyl.” According to a press release, the six-episode series follows Mick as he “navigates demanding cases while managing a budding romance with museum curator Rosa (Sarah Alexander) and the sudden reappearance of his charismatic father Ron (Larry Lam), one of Britain’s most notorious forgers.”
See a first look image from “Art Detectives” below.
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A woman is forced to confront her killer father in a new trailer for the new Paramount+ series “Happy Face.”
Based on the true story of the Happy Face killer, the show follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) as she comes to terms with her incarcerated father (Dennis Quaid) after he tries to make his way back into her life decades later. In a race against time, Melissa must figure out if an innocent man is going to die for a crime her father really committed. The cast also includes James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey.
“He wasn’t always a monster, he became one. Before that, he was just my dad,” Melissa says in the trailer. The show takes inspiration from the “Happy Face Presents: Two Face” podcast on iHeartPodcasts and the autobiography “Shattered Silence.” It is produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions, iHeartPodcasts and Semi-Formal Productions.
The show will launch with a two-episode premiere on March 20. New episodes drop weekly on Thursdays, streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
Watch the new trailer below.
PROGRAMMING
The National Hockey League has unveiled its animated program for the rest of the 2024-25 season, featuring different distribution partners, content types and formats to showcase on-ice action in an animated environment.
The new programming includes “NHL Showcase presented by Dr Simi+” on March 16, featuring real-time animated data from the Colorado Avalanche-Dallas Stars game, “Hockey Paradise” on March 29, a collaboration between the NHL and Tampa Bay Lightning, “Music City Hockey in Smashville” on April 1, a collaboration between the NHL and Nashville Predators and “Harvey’s Mountain Classic” on April 13, bringing together the NHL, Calgary Flames and Sportsnet.
“The NHL continues to pioneer the use of data visualizations and animated programming,” NHL executive VP David Lehanski said in a statement. “Building on the League’s past animated program successes, we are thrilled to announce another slate of groundbreaking animated data visualizations. As our NHL Edge Positional Data technology continues evolving, we are excited to unlock new growth opportunities for the League, our Clubs, and media rightsholders.”
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Telemundo is adding a live sports show called “El Pelotazo.”
The series premieres March 10 and airs every day. Hosted by Verónica Rodríguez, Pablo Mariño and Diego Arrioja, it will feature sports coverage and analysis as well as guest segments.
“We are proud to introduce ‘El Pelotazo’ and offer our Hispanic audiences a new concept for sports entertainment—different from anything we’ve seen in Spanish-language television,” Joaquin Duro, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises’s executive vice president of sports, said in a statement. “With the growing influence of soccer in the U.S. and the pivotal role of the Latino community in the sports landscape, ‘El Pelotazo’ will fill a void and become a must-watch, solidifying Telemundo as the go-to destination for sports coverage leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Telemundo Deportes serves as producer.
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ABC News’ Aaron Katersky has been promoted to chief investigative correspondent based in New York, across programs like “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “Nightline,” “20/20,” “GMA 3: What You Need to Know,” and platforms including ABC Audio, ABC News Digital, and ABC News 24/7 streaming channel ABC News Life.
“Aaron is a one-of-a-kind and formidable journalist who is always one step ahead, quietly working behind the scenes on the next scoops that make the loudest impact,” ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic said in a statement. “With his extensive investigative experience, he will continue to break stories that dominate the news cycle for years to come.”
Katersky will lead ABC News’ investigative unit, covering public safety, political corruption, and the criminal justice system. Most recently, he broke news on the United Healthcare CEO murder case and reported extensively on both assassination attempts on President Trump.
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Seb Salazar and Kylen Mills will join Ion as co-hosts for its coverage of this year’s National Women’s Soccer League season.
Salazar has experience with soccer coverage on ESPN FC and previously co-hosting “Fútbol Americas” on ESPN+. Mills has a sports broadcasting background that includes stops at NBC Sports, Fox Sports, Big Ten Network and Pac-12 Networks.
“Seb Salazar is an exceptional talent in soccer reporting, bringing a wealth of experience and deep-rooted passion for the game,” Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports, said in a statement. “His work on ESPN and his insightful commentary on ‘Fútbol Americas’ have made him a trusted voice and a household name among soccer fans. Kylen Mills is a distinguished sportscaster whose extensive on-air analyst experience and deep understanding of soccer from her own time on the pitch make her an invaluable addition to our team.”
