AMC will bring back its drama series Dark Winds, starring Zahn McClarnon, for a third season in 2025. 

The series, which follows a tribal police lieutenant as he seeks to solve crimes in Navajo Country, averaged 1.7 million viewers on AMC in Nielsen live+3 ratings during its second season, which ended earlier this month. The second season of Dark Winds also stars Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Deanna Allison and Jessica Matten. The series featured more than 90 percent of its production team on both sides of  the camera 

Also: Zahn McClarnon Hopes 'Dark Winds' Series Opens Eyes to Native American Actors, Stories

Dark Winds, based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman, is executive produced by McClarnon, Roland Wirth, Robert Redfordn, George R.R. Martin, Anne Hillerman, Chris Eyre, Vince Gerardis and Tina Elmo. 

HBO has renewed its comedy series The Righteous Gemstones for a fourth season as the Danny McBride-created series wraps up its third season. 

The series, which follows the exploits of a famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work, concludes its third season Sunday (July 30). The season is on track to set a viewership high for the series, with episodes this far averaging nearly 5 million viewers, according to HBO. The Righteous Gemstones's audience numbers currently surpass those of McBride’s previous HBO series Eastbound and Down (4.2 million viewers) and Vice Principals (4.8 million), according to the network. 

“Get ready for more of the hilarious adrenaline ride that is The Righteous Gemstones,” HBO and Max Comedy Series head and executive VP of HBO programming Amy Gravitt said in a statement. “As this truly biblical season comes to a close on Sunday night, I am delighted to announce that we are picking up a fourth season.” 

The Righteous Gemstones stars McBride, Adam Devine, John Goodman, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman, Tim Baltz, and Tony Cavalero. The series is executive produced by McBride, Jody Hill, David Bordon Green, John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley and Brandon James.

It didn’t take long for HBO to renew its latest hit drama series The Last of Us, greenlighting a second season two weeks after the show’s debut.

The series, based on a video game of the same name that follows apocalypse survivors trying to escape a brutal quarantine zone, averaged 5.7 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max for its second episode this past Sunday, a 22% increase over its week one viewership, according to the network. 

The series, which stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv and Nico Parker, is executive produced by Craig Mazin, Neil Druckman, Carolyn Strauss, Evan Wells, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Rose Lam.

“Craig and Neil, alongside EP Carolyn Strauss, and the rest of our phenomenal cast and crew, have defined a genre with their masterful debut season of The Last of Us,” Francesca Orsi, executive VP, HBO Programming and head of HBO Drama Series and Films, said in a statement. “After pulling off this unforgettable first season, I can't wait to watch this team outshine themselves again with season two.” ■

The second season of Showtime’s Emmy-nominated drama series Yellowjackets isn't scheduled to debut until March, but that didn’t stop the premium service from renewing the series for a third season.

The series, which will debut its second season on March 24, ended its first season this past January as Showtime’s second most streamed series in its history, according to Showtime officials. 

“With Yellowjackets’ runaway success in season one and the pent-up anticipation for season two, we wanted to maximize the momentum by fast tracking season three now,” said Showtime and Paramount Media Networks President and CEO Chris McCarthy.

The series follows the lives of players from a high school girls soccer team 25 years after surviving a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness, according to the network. The series stars Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Tawny Cypress.

Yellowjackets is executive produced by Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco and Drew Comins. “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including Ashley, Bart, Jonathan, eOne and the Showtime team, for turning this into such a success,” McCarthy added.■

HBO Max has renewed its Mindy Kaling-produced comedy series The Sex Lives of College Girls in advance of the show's season two finale.

The series chronicles the exploits of college roommates attending a prestigious New England college. The second season, which concludes December 15 with a two-episode finale, followed the students as they returned after their fall break to tackle the challenges thrown their way at the end of season one and to face a new semester filled with new faces, parties and predicaments, according to the network.

The second season of The Sex Lives of College Girls has been the most-watched HBO Max original series since launching this past November. Last week’s episode release day on the streaming service set a new record for the series by delivering an audience more than double that of the series launch in 2021, said the streaming service.

The Sex Lives of College Girls stars Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, Reneé Rapp, and Alyah Chanelle Scott. The series produced by Kaling, Justin Noble and Howard Klein.

“Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble continue to brilliantly capture the college experience in the most entertaining and relatable way," HBO Max, Executive VP, Original Comedy and Adult Animation Suzanna Makkos said in a statement. "This series is the perfect balance of comedy, sex, curiosity, and chaos, and we can’t wait to see what the next season brings.”■

Starz didn’t wait for the November 6 premiere of Dangerous Liaisons to greenlight a second season of the series. 

The second season of Dangerous Liaisons, the latest iteration of the classic period drama, will begin production in 2023 in Prague, according to the network. The series is based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th century novel focusing on the origin story of how his iconic characters, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, met as passionate young lovers in Paris on the eve of the revolution. 

The eight-episode first season of Dangerous Liaisons launches November 8 on the linear Starz service as well as on the Starz app, all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms, and internationally on the Lionsgate Plus premium streaming platform across Europe, Latin America and Japan, said the network. 

“‘Dangerous Liaisons’ is addictive, provocative and beautifully rendered,” Starz president of original programming Kathryn Busby said in a statement. “This prelude to the famed 18th century novel illuminates pre-revolution Paris at its most decadent. We are confident that by the end of season one viewers will be craving more scheming and seduction.” 

Also: 'Manifest' Streams on Netflix; Starz Debuts 'Dangerous Liaisons': What's Premiering This Week (October 31-November 6)

Dangerous Liaisons stars Alice Englert, Nicholas Denton, Lesley Manville, Kosar Ali, Carice van Houten, Hilton Pelser, Fisayo Akinade, Michael McElhatton, Nathanael Saleh, Colette Dalal Tchantcho, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Tom Wlaschiha, and Paloma Faith.

The series is executive produced by Harriet Warner, Colin Callender, Tony Krantz, Scott Huff, and Christopher Hampton.■

Starz has greenlit a sophomore season for its period drama The Serpent Queen prior to the show’s first season finale this Sunday.

The series, which stars Samantha Morton as the 16th-century monarch Catherine de Medici, who, against all odds, became one of the most powerful and longest-serving rulers in French history. The first season of The Serpent Queen concludes October 30, according to the network.

"The Serpent Queen is distinctly modern, darkly comedic and completely unexpected,” Kathryn Busby, Starz president of original programming, said in a statement. “Catherine de Medici’s story is the perfect compliment to our female-forward slate, and Samantha Morton’s brilliant portrayal of this ruthless, charming and savvy queen anchors the whole production. We’re thrilled to unveil more of her incredible life and reign in season two, which promises to  be even more provocative and sublime.”

Also: Starz Renews 'P-Valley' Drama Series

The Serpent Queen, based on the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda, is executive produced by Justin Haythe, Francis Lawrence and Erwin Stoff. ■

FX’s biker drama series Mayans M.C. will return for a fifth season in 2023, according to network officials. 

The series, a spinoff of FX’s 2008-14 Sons of Anarchy series, follows Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes (played by JD Pardo) and the Mayans M.C. charter on the California-Mexico border, according to the network. Also starring in the series is Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Danny Pino, Carla Baratta, Michael Irby, Raoul Max Trujillo, Emilio Rivera, Sarah Bolger, Frankie Loyal, Joseph Lucero and Vincent Vargas.

Also: FX Renews 'Atlanta' For Fourth and Final Season

Mayans is executive produced by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James. James broke the renewal news to fans at a panel session at San Diego Comic-Con. 20th Television President Karey Burke said there that James signed a new multiyear overall deal with the Disney-owned studio, which co-produces Mayans with FX Productions.

“The Mayans have battled for respect, territory and power through four intense seasons that have set the stage for an explosive fifth season that will test their very survival under ‘EZ’s’ newly claimed leadership,” Nick Grad, president of original programming for FX Entertainment, said in a statement. “Elgin James and the creative team, the brilliant cast, crew and our partners at 20th Television have kept fans coming back for more and we are ready to take that ride with them for another season.” ■

HBO Max has greenlit a third season of its Emmy-winning original drama series Hacks, the network said Thursday.

The series, which stars Jean Smart as Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as her young writer and protégé Ava, ended its second season earlier this month. The series’ first season garnered three Emmy Awards, including an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nod for Smart. 

Also starring in the series are Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Jane Adams, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E. Gibbs, Luenell, Johnny Sibilly, Joe Mande, Ally Maki and Lorenza Izzo.

Hacks is executive produced by Paul Downs, Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, Michael Schur, David Miner and Morgan Sackett. 

“We congratulate Hacks' extraordinarily gifted executive producers and cast, and our partners at Universal Television,” HBO Max Head of Content Sarah Aubrey said in a statement. “We are overjoyed at the audience and press response to the new season, and glad to give viewers more of this gorgeous, hilarious, moving show.” ■ 

Showtime will bring back its drama series The L Word: Generation Q for a third season, the network said Friday.

The show, a sequel to the The L Word series that ran on Showtime from 2004 to 2009, will continue to follow the intermingled lives of characters as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in Los Angeles, the network said. The series stars Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, Katherine Moennig, Arienne Mandi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, Rosanny Zayas, Sepideh Moafi and Jordan Hull. 

According to Showtime, season two found Bette (Beals) dealing with Tina (guest star Laurel Holloman) and Carrie’s (guest star Rosie O’Donnell) engagement, and daughter Angie’s (Hull) search for her birth father; Shane (Moennig) while ramping up her business and her feelings for Tess (Jamie Clayton). Meanwhile, a newly single Dani (Mandi) leaned on Gigi (Moafi) during her father’s trial; Finley (Toboni) and Sophie (Zayas) tried hard to make it work despite Finley’s spiraling addiction; and friends Micah (Sheng) and Maribel (Jillian Mercado) fell hard for each other.  

The L Word: Generation Q season three will be executive produced by Beals, Moennig and Hailey, along with Marja-Lewis Ryan, series creator Ilene Chaiken, Kristen Campo, Allyce Ozarski and Melody DerloshonIn. ■ 

Also: Showtime Tackles Bill Cosby's legacy in New Documentary Series

HBO will bring back its comedy series Somebody Somewhere for a second season, the premium service announced Thursday.

The series, which launched in January and concludes Feb. 27, follows a group of midwestern outsiders who don’t fit in but seek to find their voice together, according to the network. The series stars Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Mary Catherine Garrison, Danny McCarthy and Mike Hagerty.

Somebody Somewhere is executive produced by Everett, Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, Carolyn Strauss, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Patricia Breen and Tyler Romary.

“Bridget Everett brings such warmth to the screen, it’s been an absolute joy to see audiences share a sense of belonging with this ensemble,” HBO Programming executive VP Amy Gravitt said in a statement. “We’re delighted to have Hannah and Paul remind us all where we come from in another season of Somebody Somewhere.” ■ 

Also: HBO Renews 'The Righteous Gemstones' for Third Season  

Starz Wednesday announced it will bring back its wrestling-themed drama series Heels for a sophomore campaign.

The series follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals war over their late father’s legacy. Heels stars Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig, Alison Luff, Mary McCormack and James Harrison.

The Lionsgate TV-produced Heels is executive produced by Michael Waldron, Mike O’Malley, Julie Yorn, Christopher Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley.

"It is clear from the critical and fan acclaim that the stories and characters from the Duffy Wrestling League have made a connection with audiences bringing a community that is not often found to premium Tv," Starz President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch said in a statement. "I'm excited for our amazing cast and executive producers to get back into the ring together for a second season." 

Heels joins comedy series Run The World as freshmen shows recently renewed by Starz. 

Read Also: 'Hightown' Creator Rebecca Perry Cutter Discusses Crime Series' Second Season

HBO will move forward with a fourth season of its drama series Succession, the network said Tuesday.

The Emmy award-winning drama is currently in its third season run on HBO. The Jesse Armstrong-created series drew more than 1.4 million viewers during its Oct. 17 season debut across all HBO platforms, said the company.

Succession, which explores themes of power and family dynamics through the eyes of patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his four grown children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck).

“With each season of Succession, Jesse Armstrong has continued to surpass our wildest expectations, pulling us deeper into the Roy family’s inner sanctum with indelible wit, humanity, and precision,” Francesca Orsi, HBO programming executive VP, said in a statement. “This season is undoubtedly no exception, and we couldn’t be more excited for all that’s in store in this next season ahead.”

Also starring in the series are Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Friedman, J. Smith-Cameron, Dagmara Dominczyk, Justine Lupe, David Rasche, Fisher Stevens, Hiam Abbass, Arian Moayed, Harriet Walter, James Cromwell, Natalie Gold, Juliana Canfield, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Zoë Winters and Jeannie Berlin returning. Additional cast includes Alexander Skarsgård, Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond, Jihae, Adrien Brody, Hope Davis and Dasha Nekrasova.

Starz has greenlit a second season of its dramedy series Run The World, the premium service announced Friday.

The series, which follows a group of thirty-something Black women who live, work and play in Harlem, will return with Rachelle Williams (Mix-ish) as its showrunner. Williams, Yvette Lee Bowser and Leigh Davenport will serve as executive producers.

Read Also: Scripted Shows Shine Spotlight on Sisterhood

The series stars Amber Stevens West, Andrea Bordeaux, Bresha Webb and Corbin Reid.

"Run the World has been so passionately embraced by our audience and we are thrilled to bring fans another season,” said Starz President of Domestic Networks Alison Hoffman in a statement. “Our incredibly talented cast and executive producers Yvette and Leigh are set to return, and we’re excited to welcome Rachelle back into the Starz family leading as showrunner and executive producer.”

Read Also: Starz Renews 'Hightown' for Second Season 

TNT has renewed its original series Snowpiercer for a fourth season in advance of the sci-fi drama series' third season.

Snowpiecer, which stars  Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Rowan Blanchard, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner and Iddo Goldberg, recently finished production on its third season, which will debut on the network early next year. 

Read Also: 2021 Summer TV Premiere Dates 

Snowpiercer follows the passengers of a train that circles the globe carrying the last survivors of humanity. The series is executive produced by Graeme Manson, Aubrey Nealon, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, Matthew O’Connor, Ben Rosenblatt and Scott Derrickson, said TNT.

“‘Snowpiercer has been an incredibly successful series for us that continues to capture the imagination of viewers, grow audience and maintain strong ratings,” said Sam Linsky and Adrienne O’Riain, co-heads of scripted original programming for TBS, TNT and truTV in a statement. “All of our seasons embark on an emotional, unexpected ride and the well-plotted storylines will continue to evolve and remain relevant to audiences. We’re excited to keep the train running into season four.”   

Hulu has renewed its drama Love, Victor for a second season, the streaming service announced Friday.

The series, which ranked as the most watched drama on Hulu during its premiere week this past June, continues to follow the exploits of high school student Victor (Michael Cimino) on his own journey of self-discovery, according to the streaming service.

The series, produced by 20th Century Fox Television, also stars Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, and Rachel Naomi Hilson.

Hulu also renewed its food-themed unscripted series Taste the Nation, hosted by Padma Lakshmi. In its sophomore season, the series will continue to take audiences on a journey across America exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today, said Hulu. 

Starz has renewed its drama series P-Valley for a sophomore campaign, the premium service announced Monday.

The series, which follows the characters working and attending a strip club in the Mississippi Delta, is among the top five most-watched new premium series for Black viewers in 2020, said network executives. Katori Hall serves as creator and executive producer of the series, which launched on Starz July 12 and stars Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan and Shannon Thornton.

“P-Valley has quickly become this summer’s newest must-see television series as critics and audiences alike are taken up by the authentic and compelling characters that make The Pynk come alive,” said Starz president of original programming Christina Davis in a statement. “Katori has delivered a provocative drama that looks beyond the glitz and into the hearts and minds of these fully realized and compelling characters, exploring them through a female gaze that invites the audience to take a walk in their stilettos. We know Katori has a lot of incredible stories to tell and a lot in store for these women in a second season.”

HBO has renewed its comedy series Betty for a second season, the network said Thursday.

The series, which follows a group of diverse young female skateboarders, stars Dede Lovelace, Moonbear, Nina Moran, Ajani Russell, and Rachelle Vinberg. Betty's freshman campaign ended June 5.

“It’s been a joy to ride through the streets of NYC with the inspiring women of Betty, and we’re grateful to them and to Crystal for sharing their stories and friendships with us,” Amy Gravitt, executive VP, HBO Programming, said in a statement. “We can’t wait to watch where our beloved Bettys go next.”

BBC America Friday renewed its Emmy-winning drama series Killing Eve for a fourth season in advance of the show's third season debut later this year.

The series, which stars Emmy winner Jodie Comer and Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh, will debut season three later this Spring. New cast members set to appear in the show's third season include Dame Harriet Walter (Succession), Danny Sapani (Harlots), Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) and Camille Cottin (Call My Agent).

“How could we not have massive confidence in Killing Eve?,” said Sarah Barnett, President, AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios in a statement. “Season three lead writer Suzanne Heathcote takes Eve, Villanelle and Carolyn to places more thrilling, twisted and surprising than ever. Our addicted fans will not be disappointed.”

Killing Eve, based on the on the Codename Villanelle novellas by Luke Jennings, is produced by Sid Gentle Films Ltd. for BBC America. 

AMC will bring back its long-running zombie drama The Walking Dead for a 10th season in October, the network said via social media Monday.

The series, which will return for the second half of its ninth season Sunday (Feb. 10) will continue the saga of survivors trying to survive the a zombie apocalypse beginning next October, according to an AMC Twitter posting earlier this afternoon.

The 10th season will be the first without series star Andrew Lincoln, who left the show during the first half of season nine and will star in several The Walking Dead movie spinoffs. The series has also yielded a successful series spinoff, Fear The Walking Dead.

[embed]https://twitter.com/WalkingDead_AMC/status/1092528299102949378[/embed]

Pop announced Tuesday that it has renewed comedy seriesSchitt’s Creekfor a fifth season.

The series, which stars Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, will increase its episode order to 14 episodes in the fifth season from 13 episodes for the fourth season, according to network officials.

The announcement comes as the fourth season ofSchitt’s Creekis delivering its biggest season ever in terms of viewers and young adults in Nielsen L+7 ratings, scoring solid double-digit increases over season three, according to Pop. 

“It is rare to find a television series that continues to deliver fanfare, critical acclaim and audience growth season after season,” said Brad Schwartz, President of Pop in a statement. “This gem of a show and its amazing ensemble cast, including the brilliant Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, bring Emmy-worthy performances to the screen that are both comedic and heart-warming. We couldn’t be more proud of how the show continues to find new viewers and creatively flourish into one of the finest series on television.”

Viacom managed to pull a rabbit out of its hat Thursday (April 21), landing a multi-year renewal with Dish Network that seems to give both sides what they wanted – a reasonable rate increase for the programmer and OTT rights for several Viacom networks for Dish’s Sling TV service. But while Viacom shareholders breathed a sigh of relief over landing the deal – uncertainty over Dish carriage has been a major albatross for the stock for months – the rest of the content industry also should be able to exhale. According to reports and people familiar with the matter, Viacom was able to extract mid-single-digit percentage rate increases from Dish, although the actual structure of the deal isn’t known. And Dish is finally able to carry Viacom’s youth-oriented channels on its millennial-focused Sling TV OTT service, which should help expand that product’s popularity.

The simple fact that Viacom was able to secure a deal at terms that frankly appear to be well above what many industry pundits thought were beyond the realm of possibility at a time when it was most vulnerable, is frankly amazing. Some analysts have said privately they believed that a best case scenario would have been maintaining the old rate. Viacom’s stock has been hammered over the past two years – prior to the Dish deal, it was down nearly 60% since 2014 – as declining ratings and the threat of cord cutting and cord shaving have eroded pay TV’s subscriber base. Viacom management has been taken to task by activist investors who claim they haven’t a clue how to run cable networks and are more concerned with siphoning big paydays from the struggling company. 

After the Dish deal, Viacom shares, which were down about 3.4% this year, crossed into positive territory at $42.56 each. On Friday, the stock was trading in the $44 range.

On the other side, Viacom says its successes have been overlooked – it has secured several carriage deals over the past two years with companies like AT&T, Charter Communications, Frontier Communications, Mediacom Communications and several smaller regional distributors with a total of more than 44 million subscribers.

“In 2017 and beyond, these deals will drive Viacom’s annual affiliate fee growth with our traditional distribution partners at solid mid-single-digit rates,” Viacom said in a statement.

That is key,  because it puts the company at the high end of previous guidance of low-to-mid-single digit affiliate fee growth. And already some analysts are taking notice.

Shortly after the Dish deal was announced, Credit Suisse media analyst Omar Sheikh raised his 12-month price target on Viacom stock to $55 per share from $50, adding in a note to clients that with more visibility on fees, rising ad rates and the cash it could get from a planned sale of an interest in its Paramount movie studio, “we see the potential for a material expansion in Viacom's multiple from current distressed levels.”        

Looking at the bigger picture, many analysts were looking to the outcome of this deal as being either the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning for pay TV networks. For Viacom, losing Dish would have been a major blow in that it would have likely led to much tougher negotiations with other distributors. The implications for other programmers could have been similarly dire – if the one group of channels catering to the most sought after audience segment for advertisers can’t secure big enough rate increases, who can?

Other networks are feeling ratings pressure, too as viewing habits shift and if a major programmer like Viacom were to fall, it could embolden  distributors to take a harder stand and even risk a prolonged or permanent blackout of channels.

Dish wasn’t without vulnerability either. As it moves toward being a “connectivity company” in chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen’s words, it has been bleeding satellite TV subscribers. The risk of losing even more in a  prolonged Viacom blackout may have been too great.

One small cable operator I talked to shortly after the deal was done said there was really no doubt that Dish would sign an agreement.

“Charlie has to have the content,” the operator said, adding that if Dish permanently dropped Viacom, competitors would benefit in both lower future programming costs and having the content Dish didn’t.

But that operator also pointed to the 50-60 small cable companies that have already dropped Viacom channels – including Cable One and Suddenlink Communications.  The operator said when Viacom’s next renewal cycle starts, more smaller ops are likely to follow suit.

Somewhat surprisingly, the operator, who asked not to be named, said that online viewing is giving distributors insight into consumer habits that they hadn’t had access to before.

“We’re beginning to see better what people care about more and what we can do without,” the operator said.

There have been big carriage fights, dating back to Cox Communications’ 2003 scuffle with ESPN  that led to a moderation in annual rate increases. Some have backfired for the operators – Time Warner Cable’s decision to darken CBS stations in several big markets in 2013 led to their largest-ever quarterly subscriber loss and helped send them into a tailspin that made them an acquisition target. 

In a blog posting Friday, MoffettNathanson said the Dish renewal “reflects the fact that distributors don't really want to disrupt their customers' product offering and that content companies don't want to lose distribution.  Again, the dynamic of this particular resolution may be never be known, but today’s agreement throws cold water on the idea that Viacom's channels have lost their value.”

Viacom is by no means out of the water yet – it still has a lot of issues to resolve. But getting the Dish deal done gives the time to address them more fully.

“Viacom continues to face challenges from shifting consumption of children's video content to new platforms; a portfolio of network brands which is arguably too large; and an underperforming studio. None will be easy to fix, but the Dish renewal now gives the management team the space to address these complex problems,” Sheikh wrote.

Comedy Central will melt down again with Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjani.

The service has ordered an eight-episode sophomore season of The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail.

Hosted by Nanjani and Ray features live stand-up shot in documentary style at Meltdown Comics.

“We are very pleased to be doing a second season of the show, if only to have another classic ‘Kent Alterman quote’ in a press release,” said Ray, Nanjiani and executive producer Emily Gordon. “No Comment,” said Kent Alterman, president, content development and original programming, Comedy Central.

Bravo will engage in another round of its first original scripted series, as the NBCU service ordered a second season of Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.

The series, starring Lisa Edelstein and produced by Universal Cable Productions, hit its Nielsen high with its ninth installment on Jan. 27, which tallied 1.5 million watchers on a live+3 basis.

Production on a second 13-episode season is scheduled to begin this summer.  The show is created and executive-produced by Marti Noxon.

“Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce has struck a chord with Bravo viewers with its sharp-witted humor and emotionally honest take on divorce and starting over,” said Lara Spotts, senior vice president of development for Bravo Media.  “We are extremely proud of the talent and creative team, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for [series protagonist] Abby McCarthy.”

HRTV has reached the winner's circle on a carriage renewal pact with the National Cable Television Cooperative.

The network for horse sports said it has reached a long-term extension of its master affiliate agreement with NCTC, ahead of the parties' current contract that was set to expire at year-end.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

With the pact, HRTV’s mix of live thoroughbred racing, premiere horse competitions and equestrian lifestyle programming remains available for distribution to the more than the 800 co-op members affiliated with the NCTC.

HRTV said its base of "co-op" partners traverses a wide field, with a number of systems looking to add value to their digital sports tiers serving rural markets, where non-race fare, centering on English and Western competitions and the equestrian lifestyle, is of interest to many subscribers.

HRTV’s programming features horseracing from top U.S. and international racetracks, the aforementioned English and Western events, news, original programming and award-winning documentaries covering the broad world of horse sports.  

Stateside, HRTV counts some 19 million subscribers via carriage contracts with cable, satellite and telco distributors, and is available to some 40 million homes in this nation.

Starz has greenlit its top original series, Black Sails, for a third season.

The pick-up, announced on Oct. 11 at New York Comic Con, comes on the boots of Starz' announcement that the second season of the prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island will commence on Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

It also trails the premium network's renewal of Survivor's Remorse, the basketball comedy executive-produced by LeBron James and Tom Carsey.

Black Sails notched a Starz viewership record for the opening weekend of an original series last January. More importantly, its maiden-season voyage averaged 5.3 million viewers per episode across platforms and encores. The show is distributed in about 130 countries and territories worldwide.  

The series is created by Jonathan Steinberg (Jericho, Human Target) and Robert Levine (Touch) and executive-produced by Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, producers on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Purge.

“The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in season two.  Flint’s journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal, and redemption for the other characters that we believe will keep fans of the show coming back for more,” said Carmi Zlotnik, managing director of Starz. “We think that season three will bring even more of the drama and lore that has made it a hit both in the U.S. and internationally.”

Season two begins where the tale left off—The Walrus crew is stranded, with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the precious Urca gold. And with their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) must join forces in a desperate bid for survival.

Meanwhile, Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) struggles to maintain her grip on Nassau, as a new breed of pirate arrives in the form of Ned Low (Tadgh Murphy), a man for whom violence isn’t just a tool … it’s a pastime. As blood is spilled, and tensions mount, Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) must decide which he values more: Eleanor’s life, or the respect of his men.