USA Network is rebooting Syfy’s 2000’s prank series Scare Tactics, with Jordan Peele helming the project that will launch this fall.

The hidden camera series will look to turn unsuspecting individuals into the main characters of their very own horror movies, according to the network. The original Scare Tactics series, produced by Scott Hallock and Kevin Healey, ran on Syfy from 2003 to 2009. Shannen Doherty, Stephen Baldwin and Tracy Morgan served as hosts during its run. 

According to USA, the unwitting participants — set up by their family and friends — are put in hilariously twisted scenarios with fully immersive stories that blur the lines of reality, horror and comedy.

The Emmy- and Academy Award-winning Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions will produce the series in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio. Peele, Hallock, Win Rosenfeld, Jamal Watson and Elan Gale will serve as executive producers of the series. 

“As one of the most visionary creators of the day, there is nothing Jordan Peele can’t do. We’re honored to be making our first unscripted series together,” NBCUniversal Entertainment executive VP of unscripted content Corie Henson said in a statement. “This brilliant reimagining of the classic Scare Tactics has it all — laughs, jump scares and outrageous moments. In the hands of Jordan and Monkeypaw, you never know what’s coming next!” 

The return of Netflix's Cobra Kai for its sixth and final season, as well as the launch of Apple TV Plus drama Lady in the Lake lead the list of original series, specials and documentaries debuting this week. 

Cobra Kai, a spinoff of the Karate Kid theatrical film franchise, will debut its sixth and final season on July 18 with the first of three parts consisting of five episodes each, according to the streaming service. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka star in the series along with William Zabka, Martin Kove, Jacob Bertrand, and Mary Mouser. 

Apple TV Plus' seven-episode drama Lady in the Lake premieres July 19 and stars Natalie Portman as a Jewish housewife seeking to reinvent herself as an investigative journalist after the disappearance of a young girl in 1960s Baltimore. Moses Ingram, Y'Lan Noel and Noah Jupe also star in the series. 

Here are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting during the week of July 15-21. For some, viewer discretion is advised.

July 17, The Ark (returning series), Syfy

July 17, Simone Biles Rising (sports documentary), Netflix

July 17, Unprisoned (returning series), Hulu

July 18, Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (animation), Max

July 18, My Spy: The Eternal City (movie), Prime Video

July 18, Those About to Die (drama), Peacock

July 21, Snowpiercer (returning series), AMC

NBCUniversal cable networks Bravo, Oxygen, Syfy, USA Network, and E! will roll out a slew of new shows and returning franchises ranging from E!'s Snoop Dogg-produced unscripted series to Bravo's renewal of several The Real Housewives franchise shows at NBCUniversal's upfront presentation next Monday (May 13).

E! will team up with Snoop Dogg on a new series featuring his daughter, Cori Broadus. The as-yet-untitled project will feature Broadus and her fiancé Wayne Deuce as they navigate life, love, and their upcoming nuptials, according to the network. Shows returning to the network include House of Villains, E! News and Live from E!

On Bravo, the network will launch Making It in Manhattan, which follows several tight-knit New York City-based friends navigating the trials and triumphs of young adulthood, as well as On Safari, which explores the spectacular world of safari experiences in the heart of the South African bush, according to the network. 

Returning to Bravo are long-running shows Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen along with the renewal of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Orange County, Miami, New York City, Potomac and Salt Lake City. Other shows returning include Below Deck, Summer House, Top Chef, Southern Charm and Southern Hospitality.

USA Network this summer will debut new competition series The Anonymous, while Syfy will launch in 2025 a new scripted series Revival, based on the zombie-themed comic book series of the same name. Syfy will also bring back shows Reginald the Vampire, The Ark and SurrealEstate.

Also Read: NBC Affiliates To Get Cut-Ins During Olympic Coverage To Promote Local News

Oxygen will develop several new true-crime series, including Dateline: The Smoking Gun, Philly Homicide, A Plan to Kill, The Girl on the Milk Carton, Deadly Waters with Captain Lee, and Sins of the South. Shows returning in 2024 include Accident, Suicide or Murder, Snapped, Snapped: Behind Bars, Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins, and Real Murders of Atlanta.  

“From Bravoholics to Oxygen’s true-crime junkies and E!’s pop culture mavens to USA’s sports and WWE fans, our cable networks are home to some of the most loyal and passionate audiences across all of entertainment,” NBCUniversal Entertainment chairman Frances Berwick said. “The strength of our individual brands combined with our continued investment in distinctive original content continues to drive deep connection and engagement with viewers.” 

Syfy's drama series Wynonna Earp will return to the small screen in a new special on Tubi Tv set to debut later this year, according to published reports.

The Fox-owned, ad supported streaming service teased the special based on the western-themed, action/drama series -- which ran on Syfy from 2016-2021 -- in an X (formerly Twitter) social media post Thursday that featured the script's cover page. 

The Wynonna Earp: Vengeance special will be executive produced by series creator Emily Andras, with Melanie Scrofano reprising here role as the descendent of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, tasked with killing supernatural beings.

Series stars Tim Rozon and Katherine Barrell will also return for the 90-minute special, according to reports. 

The lineup of live TV sports events set for the Memorial Day weekend stars on the racetrack as  the 107th Indianapolis 500 revs up on Sunday.

NBC will televise the annual flagship IndyCar Series auto race Sunday afternoon from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Nine former Indy 500 champions will compete in the race, including last year’s champion Marcus Ericsson. 

Also on Sunday, Fox will air the NASCAR Cup Coca-Cola 600 race, while ESPN carries the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix event. 

On the basketball court, the Miami Heat will look to close out the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their NBA Eastern Conference Finals series on TNT. If the Celtics win, TNT will televise Game 7 of the series on Memorial Day.

On the ice, the Vegas Golden Knights will look to advance to the NHL Stanley Cup finals with a win against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of their Western Conference Finals series on ABC. If Dallas extends the series to a Game 6, ESPN will televise the action on Memorial Day. 

In WNBA action, CBS on Saturday will televise the Connecticut Sun-New York Liberty game. 

On the pro football field, Fox Saturday will air the USFL game between the Birmingham Stallions and the New Orleans Breakers and FS1 will televise the Philadelphia Stars-Pittsburgh Maulers contest. On Sunday, USA Network televises the Houston Gamblers-Memphis Showboats game, while FS1 offers the Michigan Panthers-New Jersey Generals game. 

On the links, CW will air final round coverage of the Trump National LIV pro golf tournament, while CBS airs the Charles Schwab Challenge PGA tournament and NBC televises the Senior PGA Tournament.

On the soccer field, USA Network, Bravo, CNBC, Syfy and Peacock will team to carry all 10 of the Premier League's “Championship Sunday” schedule of games. 

Syfy has greenlit a second season of its space-themed drama The Ark, a week before the series’ April 19 season finale. 

The series, created by Independence Day’s Dean Devlin, has reached 6.5 million viewers across all platforms. The show drew 1.1 million viewers in its February 1 premiere, the best Syfy series debut since Resident Alien in 2021, according to the network.

The Ark, which stars Christie Burke, Richard Fleeshman and Reece Ritchie, chronicles the travails of a planetary colonization mission launched in an effort to save the future of the human race 100 years into the future. The series is executive produced by Devlin, Jonathan Glasner, Mark Roskin, Rachel Olschan-Wilson, Jonathan English and Steve Lee. 

“The success of The Ark is just another example of delivering on a promise to provide a wide spectrum of quality shows across our linear, cable and streaming portfolios,” NBCUniversal and Streaming President of Scripted Programming Lisa Katz said in a statement. “Heading into space with Dean and Jonathan has  truly been a trip worth taking and we’re  tremendously excited about how this otherworldly adventure continues in season two.” 

USA Network/Syfy drama Chucky has been renewed for season three, and Syfy horror comedy Reginald the Vampire is renewed for season two.

“The cast and crew of Chucky would like to thank fans and critics alike for their overwhelming response to season two, which we’re delighted to announce has now spurred the official greenlight on season three,” said Don Mancini, executive producer of Chucky. “This news has made Chucky very happy. Thank Damballa for that because otherwise Chucky would have been frankly impossible to deal with. Many thanks also to our partners at Syfy, USA and UCP for helping us keep Chucky busy. See you in 2023 for what Chucky himself promises will be his scariest season ever.”

Chucky premiered in fall 2021. It is produced by UCP. Mancini, Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, David Kirschner and Jeff Renfroe executive produce.

Reginald the Vampire is based on the book series by Johnny B. Truant. The show premiered in October.

“The only thing better than getting the opportunity to make a season of television with Syfy is to get the opportunity to do it again,” said executive producer Harley Peyton. “All of us–cast and crew, writers, producers–can hardly wait.”

Reginald the Vampire is produced by Great Pacific Media Inc., Modern Story Company, December Films and Cineflix Studios. Peyton, Jeremiah Chechik, Todd Berger, Lindsay Macadam, Brett Burlock and Peter Emerson executive produce.

Watch trailers for Chucky and Reginald the Vampire below: ■

Season two of horror series Chucky arrives on USA Network and Syfy October 5, and viewers will see a new look for the demented doll. The show description goes, “An idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage ‘Good Guy’ doll turns up at a suburban yard sale. Soon, everyone must grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town’s deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets.”

Showrunner Don Mancini teased the new look for the main character at a TCA Press Tour event. “The look does evolve at times, because sometimes we need to change his look to suit certain specific story elements that we might have in a specific movie or a season of the TV show,” he said. 

Brad Dourif voices Chucky. Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Devon Sawa and Jennifer Tilly are in the cast, too. 

Tilly said of the new look: “I think it is very exciting for the fans, every year, to see the new incarnation of Chucky. It keeps us fresh and new. He is recognizable, but you mix it up a little bit and it is fun for them to see.”

She added about Dourif: “Brad gives them all different personalities, but they are all still Chucky because Brad does the voices so brilliantly. They are different aspects of Chucky's character.”

Chucky dates back to the 1988 slasher film Child’s Play. A murderer known as Charles Lee Ray is killed, and transfers his evil soul to the doll.  

Dourif also spoke about voicing the different Chuckys. “I do a different voice for each one, or at least a different low, medium, and high kind of thing,” he said. “And then there's a bit of a personality that comes from reading the script. And I go from beginning to end, in one character, and then go back to the beginning and do the second character. Go back and do the third character. 

“That's the way I have done it before this season,” he concluded, declining to reveal aspects of the new season. 

Mancini shared that he spends an awful lot of time in the head of his frightful doll. “I spend an unholy amount of time thinking about Chucky,” he said. “Too much. But one of the benefits of that is you have a lot of ideas. You have ideas for characters that he can develop relationships with, different realms that he can operate in. You kind of develop those and put them in a drawer.”

If viewers are looking for a beer to drink while watching the new season, Elysian Brewing has produced Chucky: A Killer Wit Beer. ■

The television industry kicks off October and the Halloween season with several scary series and movie debuts this week, while a DC Comics-themed series returns on a streaming service. 

Showtime will look to thrill audiences with the October 9 premiere of original vampire-themed series Let The Right One In. The series, which stars Demian Bichir, Madison Taylor Baez and Anika Noni Rose, follows a father’s efforts to keep her 12-year old vampire daughter alive by any means necessary. 

Netflix on October 5 will debut the horror film Mr. Harrigan’s Phone. The movie, based on a Stephen King story, stars Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan, a reclusive billionaire who, from the grave, communicates with a young boy who befriends Harrigan and continues to call Harrigan’s phone after the billionaire's death.

HBO Max on October 6 will launch the third season of DC Comics-based series Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler. The series, which follows the exploits of Bruce Wayne’s butler prior to him meeting Wayne’s parents, moves to the streaming service after its first two seasons aired on Epix.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for multiple shows debuting the week of October 3 to October 9 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

October 4 – Cherish the Day (returning series) – OWN

October 4 – Sherwood (drama) – BritBox

October 5 – Chucky (returning series) – Syfy

Also: TV Scares Up New Original Programming for Halloween

October 5 – Reginald the Vampire (dramedy/horror) – Syfy

October 6 – A Friend of the Family (drama) – Peacock

October 6 – Monster High: The Movie (movie) – Nickelodeon

October 7 – Hellraiser (movie) – Hulu

October 7 – Luckiest Girl Alive (drama) – Netflix

October 7 – The Midnight Club (drama) – Netflix

October 7 – The Redeem Team (documentary) – Netflix

USA Network, Syfy and Elysian Brewing have teamed up on Chucky: A Killer Wit Beer. The limited-release collaboration arrives before the season two premiere of horror series Chucky Oct. 5 on USA and Syfy. 

The beer will be available in 225 places around the country, including Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando. Big-box retailers in several states will display a Chucky QR code in stores that will “unleash” an augmented reality version of Chucky on phone screens. 

With pumpkin and cranberry flavors, the beer has a 5.3% ABV. Elysian also mentions hints of chamomile and cinnamon.  

“Chucky is one of Halloween’s most iconic, beloved characters and we have found the perfect partner in Elysian Brewing to capture his spirit this season,” said Ellen Stone, executive VP, entertainment consumer engagement and brand strategy, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “This custom pumpkin beer provides a fresh, unique way for fans and beer fanatics alike to quench their thirst with a taste of Chucky ahead of the season two premiere.”   

Don Mancini created the show, which is inspired by the 1988 slasher film Child’s Play. A murderer known as Charles Lee Ray is killed, and transfers his evil soul to the doll.

Elysian is based in Seattle. 

“Just like Chucky is synonymous with Halloween, Elysian’s pumpkin beers have become synonymous with the season. Seeing Chucky’s iconic, freckled face on our cans feels like a match made in… ah… hell,” said Joe Bisacca, Elysian Brewing’s co-founder. “This release is exactly what makes brewing pumpkin beers interesting. You can iterate with so many styles using the same common gourd ingredient, like we do with the beers in Elysian’s Pumpkin Variety Pack. Chucky: A Killer Wit Beer is super drinkable and light, we think that it’ll be enjoyed by a wide variety of palates. From the blood-red cranberry to the cinnamon notes, this limited-edition wit encapsulates many of the fall flavors our drinkers love.” ■

Resident Alien has been renewed for a third season. Alan Tudyk stars in the Syfy show.

Season two began earlier this year, and restarts August 10.

Based on a comic franchise from Dark Horse, Resident Alien follows a crash-landed alien named Harry, played by Tudyk, whose secret mission is to kill all humans. In season two, Harry remains stranded on Earth, where he must confront the consequences of having failed on his mission to destroy humankind. The second half of season two picks up in the immediate aftermath of the shocking action Asta (Sara Tomko) took to save Harry’s life. They must deal with the emotional fallout of the night while searching for the alien baby.

Corey Reynolds, Elizabeth Bowen, Levi Fiehler and Meredith Garrettson are also in the cast.

UCP produces Resident Alien in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment. Chris Sheridan adapted the project to television and executive produces, along with Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, and Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV. ■

This weekend’s lineup of TV sports events starts on  the golf course with coverage of the final rounds of the PGA Championship golf tournament.

ESPN and CBS will offer third round coverage on Saturday and championship round coverage on Sunday from Tulsa. Will Zalatoris, Mitro Pereira, Justin Thomas, Rory Mcllroy and Bubba Watson are among the golfers in the hunt for the top prize.

The NBA and NHL continue their respective playoff runs with games on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, ABC Will air game three of the Miami Heat-Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals series, while on Sunday, TNT will televise the third game of the Golden State Warriors-Dallas Mavericks Western Conference series.

The NHL Playoffs continue Saturday with second round coverage with TNT’s Colorado Avalanche-St. Louis Blues game on TNT. On Sunday, ESPN will televise the Florida Panthers-Tampa Bay Lightning contest, ESPN will air the Carolina Hurricanes-New York Rangers match and ESPN2 will showcase the Calgary Flames-Edmonton Oilers contest. 

ESPN will travel to the Big Apple for its Sunday Night Baseball telecast between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. 

The USFL enters its sixth week with coverage of the Tampa Bay Bandits-Philadelphia Stars on NBC and the Michigan Panthers–Birmingham Stallions. On Sunday, FS1 will carry the Pittsburgh Maulers-New Orleans Breakers game and Fox will televise the Houston Gamblers-New Jersey Generals contest. 

On Sunday CBS will televise the Professional Bullriding World Finals, while NBC begins its coverage of the French Open tennis tournament. Also Sunday, NBC, CNBC, Golf Channel, SyFy and USA Network will all carry live Premier League contests. ■ 

Syfy series Chucky and Resident Alien will lead a lineup of new and returning series that also includes the return of formerly canceled series SurrealEstate to the NBCUniversal-owned network.

Syfy is bringing back paranormal drama series SurrealEstate for a second season after initially canceling the series in 2021. SurrealEstate stars Tim Rozon as the head of a real estate agency that deals with haunted houses.

Also on the docket are new episodes of Chucky, which revolves around an evil doll that wreaks havoc on a small town, and Resident Alien, which follows the exploits of an alien who passes himself off as a doctor as he plots to kill all humans. Chucky will once again be simulcast on both Syfy and USA Network. 

New series coming to Syfy include dramedy Reginald The Vampire, space drama series The Ark and original movie Bring it On: Cheer or Die. Freshman series Astrid & Lilly Save The World was not part of the slate but a decision on whether or not to renew it has not been made yet, Next TV was told.

Syfy descriptions for the three new projects appear below. 

Reginald The Vampire 

Imagine a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires. Reginald Andres (Jacob Batalon) tumbles headlong into it as an unlikely hero who will have to navigate every kind of obstacle: the girl he loves but can’t be with, a bully manager at work and the vampire chieftain who wants him dead. Fortunately, Reginald discovers he has a few unrecognized powers of his own. A new show with a lot of heart and just enough blood, “Reginald the Vampire” proves the undead life is just as complicated as life itself. The series also stars Mandela Van Peebles and Em Haine.  

Reginald the Vampire is produced by Great Pacific Media, Modern Story Company, December Films and Cineflix Studios and executive produced by Harley Peyton, Jeremiah Chechik, Todd Berger, Lindsay Macadam, Brett Burlock and Peter Emerson. The series is based on the book series by Johnny B. Truant. 

The Ark 

The Ark takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft known as Ark One encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life. With more than a year left to go before reaching their target planet, a lack of life-sustaining supplies and loss of leadership, the remaining crew must become the best versions of themselves to stay on course and survive. The series stars Christie Burke, Richard Fleeshman, Reece Ritchie, Stacey Read and Ryan Adams. 

Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner (Stargate SG-1) are co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment. Jonathan English of Balkanic Media and Steve Lee serve as producers. 

Bring It On: Cheer or Die 

A cheer squad's plan to have a secret practice at a nearby abandoned school on Halloween takes a terrifying turn when their teammates begin disappearing one by one. 

The film is written by Rebekah McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring) and Dana Schwartz (“Noble Blood” podcast) from a story by Alyson Fouse (Bring It On: Fight to the Finish), executive produced by Beacon partners Armyan Bernstein and Charlie Lyons, produced by Griff Furst (You Might be the Killer), and co-produced by Tony Gonzalez (Bring It On franchise) and C. Eve Stewart (Tales from the Hood 3). Tony Gonzalez also returns as the choreographer to create the franchise’s iconic stunts. ■    

HBO's costume drama The Gilded Age and Lifetime's documentary series on the Playboy empire highlight an otherwise light week for show premieres on cable and streaming services this week. 

The Gilded Age, from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, debuts January 24 and follows events and characters surrounding the American Gilded Age in the late 19th century, according to the network. Cynthia Nixon, Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector star in the series.

Also premiering on January 24 is A&E's documentary series Secrets of Playboy. The 10-episode examines the Playboy empire and the far-reaching consequences it had on our culture’s view of power and sexuality, said the network. 

Also: What A&E Wants You to Know About 'Secrets of Playboy'

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of January 24 to January 30 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Jan. 24 – Snowpiercer (returning series) – TNT

Jan. 26 – Astrid & Lilly Save The World (comedy) – Syfy

Jan. 26 – Resident Alien (returning series) – Syfy

Jan. 27 – The Fallout (movie) – HBO Max

Jan 27 – Gomorrah (returning series) – HBO Max

Jan. 27 – grown-ish (returning series) – Freeform

Jan. 28 – The Afterparty (comedy) – Apple TV Plus

Jan. 28 – Home Team (family) – Netflix

Jan. 28 – Ice Age: Adventures of Buck Wild (animation) – Netflix

Jan. 28 – Janet Jackson (documentary series) – Lifetime

Jan. 28 – The Woman in the House Across The Street from the Girl in the Window (comedy) – Netflix

Jan 30 – We Need to Talk About Cosby (documentary series) – Showtime

 Syfy will debut the second season of its series Resident Alien on Jan. 26, the network announced Thursday.

The series stars Alan Tudyk as an alien whose secret mission is to kill all humans, but the second season begins as he confronts the consequences of his having failed thus far to destroy the human race, according to Syfy. Also starring in the series are Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds and Elizabeth Bowen. 

Resident Alien’s mid-season finale is set for March 16, with additional episodes set to debut in the summer, according to network officials. 

Syfy also announced the premiere of new scripted series Astrid & Lilly Save the World, which follows two high school friends as they accidentally crack open a portal to a quirky monster dimension. As creepy creatures get released and threaten mankind, it’s up to the friends to save the world.

Astrid & Lilly Save The World stars Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin, and is executive produced by Noelle Stehman, Betsy Van Stone, Lance Samuels, Daniel Iron and Samantha Levine. ■ 

Horror series Chucky premieres on USA Network and Syfy Oct. 12. Don Mancini created the show. 

“An idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage ‘Good Guy’ doll turns up at a suburban yard sale,” said USA/Syfy. “Soon, everyone must grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town’s deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets.”

Chucky dates back to the 1988 slasher film Child’s Play. A murderer known as Charles Lee Ray is killed, and transfers his evil soul to the doll.  

“Exploring Charles Lee Ray's origins has been something that the fans have wanted to see and have been asking for literally for decades now,” said Mancini at a TCA Press Tour event. “And one of the reasons I was excited about taking the franchise into the medium of television was because having so much storytelling real estate, eight hours of Chucky, that provided such a great opportunity for exploring that stuff, among other stuff. But one of the things I was most excited about doing with the show was exploring Charles Lee Ray's origin.”

Brad Dourif voices Chucky. Zackary Arthur, Devon Sawa and Jennifer Tilly are also in the cast. 

Chucky is produced by UCP and executive produced by Don Mancini, David Kirschner, Nick Antosca and Alex Hedlund. Harley Peyton is also executive producer. Mancini is the showrunner. 

Mancini said the series pushes the boundaries in terms of edgy content. “One of the things that was important to me was that we'd be able to retain all of the aspects of the franchise that the fans love, one of which is the gore, the other of which, of course, is Chucky's propensity for dropping f-bombs,” he said. “And the networks Syfy and USA, when we pitched the project, assured us that there would be no compromise in these departments.” 

Syfy on Sunday released the first trailer for its upcoming horror series Chucky, based on the Child’s Play killer doll movie franchise.

The series, debuting Oct. 12 on Syfy and USA Network, follows high school teenager Jake (Zackary Arthur) who stumbles across a familiar-looking doll at a local yard sale. Soon the town is forced to grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town’s deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets, according to the network.

Chucky is executive produced by Child's Play creator Don Mancini, David Kirshner, Nick Antosca and Alex Hedlund.

Read Also: NBCU Gears Up for Olympics 

The final season of fantasy drama Van Helsing begins on Syfy April 16. It is season five and 13 episodes remain. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the world of Van Helsing is covered in ash after a volcano blows, blocking out sunlight and allowing vampires to rule America.

The new season sees Vanessa, Violet and Jack risk everything to finally bring an end to the Dark One. The Van Helsings must figure out ways to escape and evade the obstacles in their path that stand to prevent them from their mission, leading to a final showdown between the Van Helsings and the Dark One. 

“Who will win the battle between light and dark?” wonders Syfy. 

Kelly Overton, Jonathan Scarfe, Tricia Helfer, Aleks Paunovic, Kim Coates, Keeya King, Nicole Munoz and Jesse Stanley are in the cast. 

Van Helsing is produced by Nomadic Pictures, Dynamic Television and Echo Lake Entertainment. The executive producers are Chad Oakes, Michael Frislev, Jonathan Lloyd Walker, Neil Labute and Dan March.

Syfy has ordered a second season of dramedy Resident Alien. The first season began Jan. 27 and has 10 episodes. Alan Tudyk stars as Harry. 

Based on the Dark Horse comic from Peter Hogan and Stephen Parkhouse, Resident Alien follows Harry, an alien that crash-lands on Earth and passes himself off as a human doctor. Arriving with a secret mission to kill all humans, Harry starts off living a simple life. But things get rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world. 

“With Resident Alien, everything just came together in perfect harmony – a script by Chris Sheridan that leapt off the page, a lead performance by Alan Tudyk, whose nuance between comedy and menace was pitch perfect, and a team of producers, cast and crew who were all striving to do something great,” said Lisa Katz, president, scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “The appeal of this show transcended the sci-fi genre in a way that enabled us to bring in a broader audience, and as the series continues we hope to encourage more and more fans to discover Harry’s very particular perspective on humans.”  

The series also stars Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund and Levi Fiehler.

Syfy said the show is the most watched new cable drama in the last year in terms of total viewers. The series premiere drew 9.3 million viewers across all platforms and NBCU networks. 

The season finale is March 31. The first three episodes are available on Peacock. A new one will drop every Friday.  

From UCP, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted by executive producer Chris Sheridan. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment exec produce along with Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV. David Dobkin executive produced and directed the pilot. Robbie Duncan McNeill executive produced and is producing director.

Sheridan was initially sent the comic, and was keen to adapt it. 

“I loved the story, I loved the character, and I could see it as a show,” he said. 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Jan. 31.

On the strength of 404.6 million TV ad impressions, a Syfy promo for sci-fi comedy-drama Resident Alien takes first place. CBS, which grabs second and third place to promote, respectively, The Equalizer and Clarice, is the only traditional broadcaster to make our top five.

Rounding out the ranking are Disney Channel with a general network promo in fourth, and Hallmark Channel, which gives some love to its new original movie Snowkissed in fifth.

Notably, the Snowkissed spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (113) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) Resident Alien, Syfy

Impressions: 404,558,517

Interruption Rate: 1.88%

Attention Index: 106 (6% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 91%, Local 7%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $2,586,281

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,128,079

2) The Equalizer, CBS

Impressions: 197,639,909

Interruption Rate: 1.69%

Attention Index: 102 (2% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 89%, Local 9%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $3,113,723

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

3) Clarice, CBS

Impressions: 178,266,194

Interruption Rate: 1.94%

Attention Index: 90 (10% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 88%, Local 10%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $2,418,647

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $6,511

4) Disney Channel network promo, Disney Channel

Impressions: 171,765,322

Interruption Rate: 5.82%

Attention Index: 96 (4% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $2,547,852

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Snowkissed, Hallmark Channel

Impressions: 157,566,055

Interruption Rate: 2.63%

Attention Index: 113 (13% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 99%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $363,423

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

Resident Alien, a dramedy about an alien that crash-lands on Earth and passes himself off as a small-town doctor, premieres on Syfy Jan. 27. Chris Sheridan adapted the Dark Horse comic property for television. 

Alan Tudyk plays alien Harry. “Arriving with a secret mission to kill all humans, Harry starts off living a simple life… but things get a bit rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world,” said Syfy. “As he does so, he begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his mission and asking the big life questions like: ‘Are human beings worth saving?’ and ‘Why do they fold their pizza before eating it?’” 

Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund and Levi Fiehler are also in the cast. 

The show comes from UCP, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment. Executive producing alongside Sheridan are Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, and Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV. David Dobkin executive produced and directed the pilot.

HBO Max will bring Warner Bros.’ drama movie The Little Things to the small screen as one of several original movies scheduled to debut this week.

The Little Things, which premieres on HBO Max Jan. 29, stars Denzel Washington and Rami Malik as law enforcement officers embroiled in the search for a killer who is terrorizing Los Angeles.  The Little Things debuts on HBO Max day and date with the movie’s theatrical release -- one of several 2021 Warner Bros' films that will premiere side-by-side on the streaming service and in theaters. 

Read also: Five things to know about WarnerMedia’s new day-and-date movie release strategy

Other scripted movies debuting this week include Apple TV Plus’ Jan. 29 premiere of Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake, and Lifetime’s Jan. 30 premiere of its bio movie Wendy Williams: The Movie.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Jan. 25-to Jan. 31 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Jan. 27 -- Bonding (returning series) -- Netflix

Jan. 27 -- Resident Alien (sci-fi) -- Syfy

Jan. 29 -- The Great Escapists (reality) -- Prime Video

Jan. 29 -- We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (sports documentary) -- Netflix

Jan. 31 -- The Lady and the Dale (documentary) -- HBO

Season two of Snowpiercer is on TNT Jan. 25. About a train whizzing around the world carrying the world’s last survivors, Snowpiercer has Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connelly and Sean Bean in the cast.

The series premiered in May. With so many people stuck at home due to the pandemic, a yarn about people trapped on a train offered a unique take on escapism. Showrunner/executive producer Graeme Manson mentioned “an all around sense of watching something close to home,” and said he was pleased with how Snowpiercer landed. 

“It made it feel of the zeitgeist,” he added. “There were political parallels going on at the time, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I like to squirm.”

Season two offers some hardy head-to-head battles, including Connelly’s Melanie and Bean’s Mr. Wilford. 

Snowpiercer shoots in Vancouver. Manson doesn’t ride trains much in his “walkable” nabe, he said, but mentioned having crossed Canada twice on trains and digging the experience. “I love train lore and I love train songs — a Western song with a train in it,” he said. 

Dark as it may be, Snowpiercer also shows the decency of humankind. “Season two develops a theme of hope,” said Manson, “and the strength it takes to have hope.”

Resident Alien starts on Syfy Jan. 27. A mix of comedy and drama, the series follows Harry, an alien that crash-lands on Earth and passes himself off as a doctor in a small Colorado town. 

Chris Sheridan, longtime Family Guy writer, is showrunner and exec producer. The folks at Amblin sent him the graphic novel to gauge his interest in adapting it. “I loved the story, I loved the character, and I could see it as a show,” he said. 

Alan Tudyk plays Harry. Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds and Alice Wetterlund  are also in the cast. 

Sheridan notes “slight similarities” between Resident Alien and Family Guy, but “very different worlds.” Producers can get away with stuff on Family Guy because the characters are animated, he said, and on Resident Alien because the main character is an alien. 

The series begins with Harry trying to kill a boy who knows he’s an alien. “That’s not a likeable trait, wanting to kill a kid,” said Sheridan. “But you forgive him, and the horrible things he might do, because he’s an alien.”

While Harry is on Earth, he’s searching for a device he lost when he crash-landed. He needs the thing to complete his mission, according to Sheridan. 

He called Fargo an influence. “We go for a similar tone,” he said. “Resident Alien has dramatic things in it and it’s also got some dark comedy. And the setting is specific to the show.” 

Syfy will preview its new late night series, The Movie Show, over Thanksgiving weekend on Nov. 27 and Nov. 29 at 11:35 p.m.

The comedy show, with puppets hosting a fictional public access movie review program, will officially launch in its regular timeslot on Dec. 3 at 11 p.m.

The puppets--Deb and Wade, voiced by Adam Dubrowsky and Alex Stone--will comment on upcoming blockbusters and look back at classic fan favorites as well. There will also be deleted sciences from famous films and silly interview guests, such as Bruce, the shark from Jaws and Steven King’s Laptop.

The Movie Show is produced by Line by Line Media with Dubowsky, Stone, Bob Unger and Sam Sarkoob serving as executive producers.

The first week of Fall will feature the debuts of several high-profile cable series.

FX will bring back its successful anthology series Fargo for a fourth season on Sept. 27. Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, Uzo Aduba, Timothy Olphant and Jack Huston are set to star in this season’s version.  

Also debuting on Sept. 27 is Showtime’s The Comey Rule, a four-hour miniseries based on former FBI director James Comey’s book A Higher Loyalty surrounding the 2016 Presidential election.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Sept. 21 to Sept. 27 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Sept. 22 -- Jack Whitehall:Travels With My Father (reality) -- Netflix

Sept. 22 -- Kal Penn Approves This Message (talk/reality) -- Freeform

Sept. 23 -- Agents of Chaos (documentary) -- HBO

Sept. 23 -- Enola Holmes (movie) -- Netflix

Sept. 24 -- The Murders at White House Farm (drama) -- HBO Max

Sept. 25 -- Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (documentary series) -- Disney Plus

Sept. 25 -- Sneakerheads (comedy) -- Netflix

Sept. 25 -- Tehran (drama) -- Apple TV Plus

Sept. 25 -- Utopia (drama) -- Prime Video

Sept. 25 -- A Wilderness of Error (miniseries) -- FX

Sept. 26 -- Wild Life (animation) -- Syfy

Chris McCumber, who has overseen NBCUniversal cable networks USA and Syfy, said he has decided to leave the company after nearly 20 years. 

The move by McCumber, whose title is president, entertainment networks, comes after a reorganization led by new NBCU CEO Jeff Shell that consolidates the company’s broadcast, cable and streaming assets. 

As part of that reorg, Frances Berwick was named head of NBCU’s entertainment business overseeing the company’s networks, reporting into Mark Lazarus, who was named chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming earlier this year.

In an email to colleagues and friends announcing his plans to depart--following a period of transition--McCumber essentially endorsed the new structure.

“After nearly 20 years at this tremendous company, this has not been an easy decision. Yet I believe wholeheartedly that NBCUniversal is taking the right steps by creating a new organization built for the future,” he said. “I know that change is not always easy, but I believe that periods of disruption always open new doors. I encourage you all to seize every opportunity that comes your way. You’ve got a front row seat to the evolution of the television business… what a gift!”

McCumber joined USA Network in 2001 as senior VP, on-air promotion, and has been its top exec since 2011. USA has been the top rated entertainment network for 14 years and under McCumber greenlit, developed and launched series including Suits, Mr. Robot, Psych and Monk.

He added oversight for NBCU’s Syfy network in 2016. 

Before joining USA, McCumber was creative director for the media and entertainment practice at Lee Hunt Associates and Razorfish. He began his career at MTV Networks as associate producer, before joining the on-air promotion team that launched Comedy Central. 

An accomplished commercial film director, he helmed 14 short films for NBC’s Saturday Night Live, titled Fuzzy Memories by Jack Handy.

Here is the email from McCumber:

Friends and Colleagues –

I’ve always promised to be open and transparent – and it is in that spirit that I wanted you to be the first to hear that I have decided to leave NBCUniversal, following a period of transition.

After nearly 20 years at this tremendous company, this has not been an easy decision. Yet I believe wholeheartedly that NBCUniversal is taking the right steps by creating a new organization built for the future.

It’s difficult to encapsulate two decades into one note. Together as a team, we helped make USA Network the #1 cable entertainment network for a record 14 years, rebooted SYFY with a fan-first perspective, won a slew of awards, and created some of television’s most popular programs of all time. But beyond all the successes and accolades, what I’ll remember most is the special bond that we had as a team. A bond built on trust, mutual respect, and of course, having a lot of fun making great content.

I know that change is not always easy, but I believe that periods of disruption always open new doors. I encourage you all to seize every opportunity that comes your way. You’ve got a front row seat to the evolution of the television business… what a gift!

I’m forever grateful and proud to have had the privilege of working alongside each and every one of you, and to call you my teammates and friends.

Thank you for the honor –

Chris

NBCUniversal’s Syfy network said it will debut the first two original shows for its TZGZ late-night animated block on Sept. 26.

The series will air back-to-back, with Magical Girl Friendship Squad appearing at midnight and Wild Life at about 12:15 a.m. ET/PT. The network said both series feature pandas.

Magical Girl Friendship Squad is about twenty-somethings who get magic powers and features the voices of Ana Gasteyer, Quita Brunson and Anna Akana. Gasteyer plays a panda named Nut, who claims to be the creator of the universe.

Produced by Cartuna, the Magical Girl Friendship Squad franchise was created by Kelsey Stephanides, who also serves as showrunner. James Belfer, Adam Belfer and Max Benator executive produce, along with Hallie Cantor who is also the lead writer.

Wild Life is a comedy about a gang of zoo animals hanging out after the apocalypse. Voices are provided by John Reynolds, Claudia O’Doherty, Baron Vaughn, Reggie Watts, SkittLez Ortiz and Natalie Palamides. Ortiz plays the show’s panda.

The six episode series is executive produced by creator Adam Davies, as well as Alex Plapinger, Dylan Dawson, Valparaiso Pictures and Octopie.

It is a summer like no other for the various networks offering shark-centric stunts. Sharks around the world have had more freedom to roam with so many humans stuck at home, offering scientists a unique opportunity to chronicle their true behavior. Discovery, home of Shark Week, mentioned how fewer people hanging out at the beach “has given sharks the opportunity to reclaim the oceans.”

Shark Week runs Aug. 9 to Aug. 16, and vows to go where none of the 31 Shark Weeks before it have gone. “It’s a really unique, almost once in a lifetime opportunity to study great whites in a way they’ve never been observed before, without the influence of human activity on the water,” Howard Swartz, Discovery senior VP of production and development, said. “There are really surprising observations, surprising results.”

National Geographic, for its part, expanded its SharkFest event from three weeks last year to five weeks, going from July 19 to Aug. 8 on Nat Geo and Aug. 9 to Aug. 22 on Nat Geo Wild. Geoff Daniels, Nat Geo executive VP of global unscripted entertainment, said the absence of the Olympics and most pro sports on television spelled serious opportunity for other content, including shark stuff. “The appetite is almost insatiable,” he said. “We saw there being a real good opportunity to expand and grow our following.”

RELATED: Nets Strutting Out Stunts This Summer

While conditions may be ideal this year for shark TV on the content side, there are good reasons why Discovery has been doing Shark Week since 1988 and why other networks have followed that lead: viewers tune in and sponsors turn up. Shark Week averaged , for one,1.36 million total viewers during prime last year and made Discovery cable's top non-news network in prime for adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. In total-day ratings, Discovery was cable’s No. 1 network during Shark Week in adults 18-49 and 25-54.

Fintastic Fare

In terms of pandemic-themed programming, Shark Week offers Shark Lockdown, about how the hunting patterns of great whites off New Zealand may have changed without many people in the water, Aug. 9. Sharks of Neptune is on Aug. 13, looking at how great whites in Australia “are returning to their natural behaviors” without mankind getting in the way.

Shark Week also offers new Air Jaws films dedicated to great whites leaping out of the water. Those include Ultimate Breach Off, an examination of how the shark population is holding up (that kicks off Shark Week Aug. 9) and Air Jaws 2020, which celebrates 20 years of flying sharks under the Air Jaws rubric, and is on Aug. 13. Great White Double Trouble looks at the rising wave of shark attacks in Australia, and premieres Aug. 10.

Mike Tyson, Will Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Snoop Dogg are some of the celebrities hanging out with the apex predators during Shark Week.

In its eighth season, Nat Geo’s SharkFest offers 17 premiere hours, including Sharkcano, which sees a shark scientist reveal the peculiar connection between sharks and volcanos; and Raging Bull Shark, about why the bull shark is becoming increasingly dangerous. There’s also Sharks vs. Dolphins, which sounds like a bit of a mismatch on paper, but actually is not, according to Kevin Bachar, president and executive producer/director at Pangolin Pictures, which produced the film. Dolphins’ brains, he said, are a pretty good match for sharks’ sharp teeth. “Dolphins are able to go toe-to-toe with sharks,” he said. “In fact, they’re able to turn the tables on sharks.”

SharkFest will not focus on how COVID has affected shark habits — at least not this year. “I think it’s probably too early to really understand the impact the pandemic is having on shark life and shark behavior,” Daniels said. “But it did give us the opportunity to get into oceans that were not as influenced by human presence, an opportunity to see sharks behave completely unaffected by the human presence.”

Daniels said he “wouldn’t be surprised to see that become part of the stories going forward.”

Last year’s SharkFest, which went for three weeks, reached 20 million total viewers across Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild. It averaged 555,000 total viewers on National Geographic and 215,000 on Nat Geo Wild.

Syfy might not have the nonfiction pedigree of Discovery and Nat Geo, but the network is also pushing hard on a shark stunt. One Last Bite of Summer, marking its fifth year, airs on the network Aug. 22 to Aug. 28. The half-dozen Sharknado films are featured, as for the first time is an array of high-camp original films, produced by Syfy and third-party outfits. The six Sharknado movies — including Sharknado: The 4th Awakens and Sharknado 5: Global Swarming — air Aug. 22. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid play fearless shark killers in the over-the-top horror movies, which offer loads of celebrity cameos.

In press materials, Syfy called One Last Bite “the only week of sharks you need this summer.” The rest of the stunt offers, among other movies, 5-Headed Shark, 6-Headed Shark, Planet of the Sharks, Zombie Tidal Wave and Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf.

RELATED: Sponsors Keep Biting at Discovery's Shark Week

Val Boreland, executive VP, content strategy & acquisitions for the NBCUniversal Entertainment & Lifestyle Group, said the Syfy stunt is most definitely not Shark Week.

“It’s all in fun,” she said. “It’s very campy, the most ridiculous shark experience you
can have.”

Might there be more Sharknado movies? “I never say never,” Boreland said.

While Discovery and Nat Geo shoot their shark projects year-round, the pandemic nonetheless caused a bit of havoc in the production process. Discovery deployed extra boats to better allow crews to socially distance, and protocols were set up to keep the virus at bay. “It added complexity, it added expense, it added time spent putting things together,” Howard Swartz said. “It definitely created some agita, but we were able to be patient and work through it.”

Geoff Daniels said that SharkFest projects may be in production for one and a half to two years, so COVID-19 challenges were less of an issue for Nat Geo. “There are no shortcuts to be able to tell groundbreaking, thrilling, entertaining stories,” he said.

Tooth Seekers

Asked why viewers appear to be so fascinated with sharks, multiple sources cite the 1975 Steven Spielberg smash Jaws. As the wide array of horror films and series across our TV dial will attest, people simply love to be scared to death. “For some reason we gravitate to roller coasters, we go see scary movies,” Bachar said. “We’re fascinated by things that terrorize us.”

Mary Dalton, professor of communication at Wake Forest University, called shark programming “a manageable risk:” it’s scary and it’s fun, and if it gets too scary, one can simply change the channel or leave the room. “There’s the adrenaline rush, and a sense of relief when it’s over,” she said.

Dalton likens the shark stunts on TV this summer to something else that tickled our desire to be frightened: Netflix smash Tiger King. “The lure, and lore, of big cats is not that different from the lure, and lore, of sharks,” she said. “Both are exotic.”

(Also exotic? Tiger King star Joe Exotic.)

Viewers simply enjoy watching a “perfect hunting machine,” in Swartz’s words, in action. “Sharks are massive and have lots of really big teeth. People are fascinated by that.”

As Tiger King took off in the early days of the COVID lockdown, shark content may work even better for a viewing population that has been stuck at home for a good chunk of 2020, spending much of its time watching frightful tales of pandemic and protest on the news. Daniels mentioned feeling “incredibly happy” after watching SharkFest cuts from the South Pacific and the Caribbean. “It offers viewers a really wonderful and hopeful escape from the everyday,” he added.

Discovery’s Swartz suspects increased hunger for shark content this summer. “It’s a nice respite from all the news of the world, and all the realities that are going on,” he said. “People love sharks.” 

NBCUniversal Checkout, which lets viewers buy items seen during programming, will make its debut Aug. 1 during Syfy Wire After Dark, a new interactive special.

Retail partners include Dark Horse Comics, Goodr Sunglasses and Graphitti Designs. Viewers will be able to see those companies’ products during the show.

Syfy Wire After Dark, hosted by Jackie Jennings and her talking cat Mr. Scribbles, takes viewers inside the world of nerd fandom, covering comic books, super heroes, water toys and summer movies.

“Syfy Wire After Dark not only gives our passionate viewers a chance to learn and geek out about the coolest genre stuff of summer, but also connects them directly with many of the products they see on screen,” said Sandy Deane, senior VP of Syfy Wire. “Being the first brand to utilize the NBCUniversal Checkout experience is groundbreaking for Syfy, giving us opportunities to integrate shopping and product discovery in the future.”

Viewers can instantly buy what they see in the program, including graphic novels from some of Dark Horse Comics’ most popular properties, The Witcher, Umbrella Academy, or the soon-to-be Syfy series Resident Alien, to Goodr Sunglasses' limited edition “Wonder Woman 1984” sunglasses, to Superman, Dark Nights: Death Metal or The Sandman products from Graphitti Designs. Viewers scan the NBCU Code displayed on screen with their smartphone camera, and are taken to a seamless, native Checkout experience to complete their purchase. 

“The Syfy audience embodies fandom, and we’re thrilled to bring NBCUniversal Checkout to market for the first time on the network,” said Josh Feldman, executive VP, Head of Marketing & Advertising Creative at NBCUniversal. “With this special, we’re creating an interactive pop culture moment for fans by blending engaging content with a seamless shopping experience, all in partnership with Dark Horse Comics, Goodr Sunglasses, and Graphitti Designs.”

Syfy said it has acquired Dallas and Robo, an animated series starring John Cena and Kat Dennings.

The series will appear during Syfy’s late night Tzgz animation block starting Aug. 8. Episodes will also be available on Syfy on Demand.

Dallas and Robo is a comedy following stock car racer turned interplanetary trucker Dallas (played by Dennings) and her artificially intelligent sidekick Robo (Cena). 

The show is from ShadowMachine and YouTube Originals. Executive producers are series creator Mike Roberts, showrunners Matt Mariska and Andy Sipes, with Cena, Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico.

In addition to its time slot, Tzgz comes alphabetically after Syfy. On July 24, the block adds Devil May Care, Wild Life, Magical Girl, Friendship Squad and Hell Den. 

SYFY Monday said it will air later this month an original documentary based on comic book creator Todd McFarlane as part of its SYFY Fan Fest programming block. 

Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Won't will air July 25 on SYFY and will spotlight the life and career of the legendary artist, credited with creating such iconic comic books as Spawn and Venom, said SYFY. The the documentary provides an exclusive in-depth view of McFarlane, the creative mastermind of some of Marvel Comic’s most well-known artwork, as well as illustrates McFarlane’s struggles to navigate and upend the status quo in the comic and toy industries, said the network. 

The documentary kicks off the network's SYFY Fan Fest, a week-long, on-air celebration of sci fi-themed specials, series and movies airing on the network from July 25 to Aug. 2, said network officials. 

Syfy offers shark-themed One Last Bite of Summer Aug. 22-28. Syfy will air every Sharknado movie between Aug. 22 and Aug. 28. Last Sharknado: It’s About Time kicks things off on the morning of Aug. 22, and Sharknado’s 1-5 also roll that day. 

Sharknado debuted on Syfy in 2013 and concluded, after six movies, in 2018. The movies are Sharknado, Sharknado 2: The Second One, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time.  

Ian Ziering and Tara Reid play fearless shark killers in the over-the-top horror movies, which offer loads of celeb cameos.

Syfy will also air “the craziest shark-themed movies of all time,” it said, including 5-Headed Shark Attack, 6-Headed Shark Attack, Dinoshark, Sharktopus, Sharktopus Vs. Whalewolf, Trailer Park Shark and Planet of the Sharks. 

The fun ends on the afternoon of Aug. 28. 

Discovery holds its Shark Week event Aug. 9-16. Nat Geo started Sharkfest July 19 and Nat Geo Wild picks it up Aug. 9. 

Syfy said it has “the only week of sharks you need this summer.”

A number of new and returning reality-themed series highlight this week's lineup of new and returning cable network and streaming service shows.

National Geographic this week fully dives into its eighth-annual SharkFest programming stunt that will run over the next five weeks, according to network officials.

Other reality-themed shows include the July 23 debut of TBS's The Lost Resort and the July 22 premiere of Netflix's Love on the Spectrum. 

On the scripted front, HBO on July 24 will debut the fourth and final season of its drama anthology series Room 104.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of July 20 to July 26 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

July 21 -- Street Food: Latin America (reality) -- Netflix

July 22 -- Corporate (comedy) -- Comedy Central

July 23 -- The Dog House (reality) -- HBO Max

July 23 -- Tig n’ seek (animation) -- HBO Max

July 24 -- Radioactive (drama) -- Prime Video

July 24 -- Raven About Bunk’d (special) -- Disney Channel

July 25 -- Surviving Joe Exotic (reality) -- Animal Planet

July 26 -- Wynonna Earp (returning series) -- Syfy 

Season four of Wynonna Earp begins on Syfy July 26. Six episodes will air weekly, with a mid-season finale Aug. 30. Production on the remaining six episodes of the season resumes later this summer in Calgary, the holdup a result of the pandemic. 

Emily Andras is the creator and showrunner. Melanie Scrofano, Shamier Anderson, Tim Rozon, Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell are in the cast.

Wynonna Earp follows legendary lawman Wyatt Earp’s descendant, Wynonna (played by Scrofano), who inherits his mystical gun, Peacemaker.

The new season sees the infamous Earp Curse broken. Demon hunter Wynonna would love to be celebrating with cold whisky and hot donuts, but she has to rescue everyone she loves, save the town of Purgatory, and take on her most diabolical enemy yet -- all without the trustworthy gun she inherited. 

Syfy, CTV Sci-Fi, IDW Entertainment, SEVEN24 Films and Cineflix Media produce Wynonna Earp.

HBO will premiere its re imagining of the classic Perry Mason drama series while Showtime and AMC bring back two of its most popular series during the week heading into the official start of summer.

HBO’s Father’s Day (June 21) premiere of Perry Mason will resurrect the character made famous by actor Raymond Burr in the series that ran on CBS in the late fifties and early sixties. In the reboot, Mason is played by Matthew Rhys (The Americans) who, as a young private investigator, works on a child kidnapping case.

Series returning this week include the June 21 premieres of Showtime’s The Chi and AMC’s NOS4A2, as well as the June 17 second season debut of Netflix comedy series Mr. Iglesias.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of June 15 to June 21 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

June 15 -- Hidden (returning series) -- Acorn TV 

June 15 -- Tender Touches (returning series) -- Adult Swim

June 17 -- Love, Victor (dramedy) -- Hulu

June 18 -- Karma (competition series) -- HBO Max

June 18 -- Syfy’s Wire’s The Great Debate (reality) -- Syfy

June 19 -- 7500 (thriller) -- Prime Video

June 19 -- Feel The Beat (movie) -- Netflix

Comcast’s USA Network and Syfy are working with GLAAD to mark National Gay Pride Month in June.

A multiplatform campaign includes program marathons, custom short-form videos, fan testimonials and new podcast episodes.

On USA, linear marathons will be wrapped with custom content featuring BD Wong. Other events featuring on-air talent and social initiative are in the works.

“During a time when many Pride events have been cancelled, Syfy and USA are offering viewers a place to celebrate and feel celebrated with specialty content in honor of National Pride Month,” shared Chris McCumber, president of USA and Syfy. “We are so grateful for GLAAD’s partnership and advocacy towards positive representation, and look forward to joining together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community throughout June.”

Syfy’s campaign is presented by Syfy Fangrrls. The network will alter its slogan from “It’s a Fan Thing” to “It’s a Pride Thing” and use a rainbow logo during the month.

Syfy will feature marathons of the Wynonna Earp on Wednesdays and Xena Warrior Princess on Thursdays. The season one finale of Vagrant Queen will air June 4.

The network will also be running a Brand Anthem Video discussing the importance of representations and inclusivity, a series of “Pride Burst” Factoids, interstitials featuring strong female characters and fan-made Pride spots.

At USA, there will be marathons of curated episodes of Law & Order:https://youtu.be/mF6NKuKvfVY SVU, Modern Family and Talk Stoop.

USA will also feature a pride logo during the month.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of March 23 to March 29 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

March 23 -- Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (movie) -- Acorn TV

March 24 -- Dark Side Of the Ring (returning series) -- Vice TV

March 24 -- One Day At A Time (returning series) -- Pop

March 25 -- Crip Camp (documentary) -- Netflix

March 26 -- Behind Her Faith (documentary) -- UMC

March 26 -- Tacoma FD (returning series) -- truTV

March 27 -- Making the Cut (reality competition) -- Prime Video

March 27 -- Ozark (drama) -- Netflix (pictured)

March 27 -- Uncorked (drama) -- Netflix

March 27 -- Vagrant Queen (sci-fi) -- Syfy

March 28 -- Danger Force (family) -- Nickelodeon

March 29 -- Beef House (comedy) -- Adult Swim

March 29 -- Three Busy Debras (comedy) -- Adult Swim

March 29 -- Vice (returning series) -- Showtime 

The second week of January features a bevy of new and returning show premieres from cable networks and streaming services.

Paramount network on Jan. 15 will premiere 68 Whiskey, a new drama series chronicling army medics serving in Afghanistan, while Apple TV+ on Jan. 17 launches a new family-themed series Diary of a Future President.

On the returning series front, Netflix will launch the sixth season of its comedy series Grace and Frankie on Jan. 15, while the next day  Freeform will launch the third season of grown-ish.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Jan. 13 -- Ackley Bridge (dramedy) --Acorn TV

Jan. 13 -- The New Pope (drama) -- HBO

Jan. 15 -- Good Trouble (dramedy) -- Freeform

Jan. 15 -- The Magicians (returning series) -- Syfy

Jan. 16 -- Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (comedy) -- Freeform

Jan. 17 -- Endlings (sci-fi) -- Hulu

Jan. 17 -- Little America (drama) -- Apple TV+

Jan, 17 -- Sex Education (dramedy) -- Netflix

Jan. 17 -- Troop Zero (family) -- Prime Video

Jan. 19 -- Avenue 5 (comedy) -- HBO

Jan. 19 -- Curb Your Enthusiasm (returning series) -- HBO

Several returning series and documentaries highlight new programming debuting this week.

On Dec. 13, Amazon Prime Video will premiere the fourth season of The Expanse -- the first three seasons of the sci-fi series aired on Syfy -- while Marvel’s Runaways will return to streaming service Hulu for a third and final season.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Dec. 10 -- Belichick & Saban: The Art Of Coaching (sports documentary) -- HBO

Dec. 11 -- Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements (documentary) -- HBO

Dec. 13 -- 6 Underground (action/thriller) -- Netflix

Syfy's will launch the fifth season of its fantasy series The Magicians on Jan. 15, the network said Monday.

Based on the best-selling novels by Lev Grossman, The Magicians centers on a group of friends as they discover their magical abilities and ward off evil creatures who threaten to destroy the magical world they’ve come to know, according to Syfy. 

Content distributors this week will get into the Halloween spirit early with the debut of several horror-themed shows.

Scary content targeted to kids are on tap to premiere during the week of Oct. 7 to Oct. 13, including the Oct. 11 debut of Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Hulu’s Little Monsters (pictured). Also on Oct. 12, Syfy debuts a more sinister rendering of the 1970’s Saturday morning children show The Banana Splits.

Also dropping this week are several music-themed shows, including Netflix’s Oct. 9 competition series Rhythm + Flow and AMC’s Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America (Oct. 13)

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Oct. 7 -- Primal (animation) -- Adult Swim

Oct. 10 -- Torn Apart: Separated at the Boarder (documentary) -- HBO

Oct. 11 -- The Birch (horror) -- Facebook Watch

Oct. 11-- Fractured (movie) -- Netflix

Oct. 11 -- El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (movie) -- Netflix

Oct. 12 -- The College Admissions Scandal (movie) -- Lifetime

Oct. 13 -- Inside The Actors Studio -- (Ovation)

The 2019-20 Fall TV season officially kicks off this week with several cable and streaming services debuting shows as the broadcast networks launch their new and returning series.

Epix’s drama series Godfather of Harlem debuts Sept. 29, and stars Forest Whitaker as notorious gangster Bumpy Johnson, who looks to take back the Harlem underworld in the late 1960s after a long jail stint.

Streaming service Shudder on Sept. 26 will launch a reboot of the classic horror anthology series Creepshow, while Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 27 debuts a special musical finale for its Emmy-winning series Transparent.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

Sept. 23 -- Team Kaylie (comedy) -- Netflix

Sept. 25 -- Buzz (documentary) -- HBO

Sept. 25 -- Cake (animation) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Crank Yankers (returning series) -- Comedy Central

Sept. 25 -- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (returning series) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Liza on Demand (returning series) -- YouTube

Sept. 26 -- Untold Stories of Hip Hop (music series) -- WEtv

Sept. 27 -- In the Shadow of the Moon (movie) -- Netflix

Sept. 27 -- The Politician (drama) -- Netflix

Sept, 27 -- Van Helsing (returning series) -- Syfy

USA Network’s premiere of Suits spinoff drama series Pearson and Netflix's reality series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee lead the list of new and returning shows debuting this week.

Pearson, which premieres July 17, stars Gina Torres as lawyer Jessica Pearson, who moves to Chicago to work for that city’s mayor after being disbarred in New York, according to USA Network.

The series’s debut follows the premiere of the ninth and final season of Suits.

Also premiering this week is the new season of Netflix’s reality series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, starring Jerry Seinfeld and featuring appearances by Eddie Murphy, Seth Rogen, Ricky Gervais and Jamie Foxx.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

July 15 -- Girl Cruise (reality series) -- VH1

July 16 -- Behind Closed Doors (documentary) -- HBO

July 16 -- Human Discoveries (animation/comedy) -- Facebook Watch

July 16 -- Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein (comedy series) -- Netflix

July 19 -- All of Nothing: Carolina Panthers (reality sports) -- Prime Video

July 19 -- Killjoys (returning series) -- Syfy

July 19 -- Queer Eye (returning series) -- Netflix

July 21 -- Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted (reality series) -- Nat Geo

A slew of new and returning series on deck this week to premiere on cable and streaming services.

On June 16 HBO premieres its new drama Euphoria starring Zendaya, while Showtime debuts its crime drama City On The Hill. The first episode of the series, which stars Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge (pictured), is already available online.

With regard to returning shows, OWN debuts the fourth season of its drama series Queen Sugar on June 12 while Netflix premieres the third and final season of Netflix’s series Marvel’s Jessica Jones.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

June 10 -- Straight Forward (drama series) – Acorn Tv

June 11 – Pose (returning series) –FX

June 11 – Ice On Fire (documentary) – HBO

June 12 – Krypton (returning series) – Syfy

June 12 – Younger (returning series) – TV Land

June 13 – Baskets (returning series) – FX

June 13 – Strange Angel (drama series) – CBS All Access

June 14 – Absentia (retuning series) – Prime Video

June 14 – 16 Shots (documentary) – Showtime

June 14 – Jett (drama series) – Cinemax

June 14 – Los Espookys (comedy series) – HBO

June 14 – Murder Mystery (comedy movie) – Netflix

The last season debut of HBO’s Emmy award-winning series Veep headlines a busy week of show premieres.

The sixth and final season of the multi-Emmy winning series Veep, which stars Julia Louise Dreyfus as politician Selina Meyer, debuts March 31 with seven episodes, according to HBO.

New series premiering this week include Fx’s vampire-themed mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows (March 27) and Prime Video’s Hanna (March 29).

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

March 25 -- Knightfall (drama series) -- History

March 25 -- One Nation Under Stress (documentary) -- HBO

March 25 -- Jesus: His Life (documentary series) -- History

March 27 -- Happy (comedy series) -- Syfy

March 28 -- Tacoma FD (comedy) -- truTV

March 29 -- Osmosis (sci-fi/drama) -- Netflix

March 31 -- Barry (comedy) -- HBO

USA Network’s reboot of Fox broadcasting's reality series Temptation Island and Showtime’s Wall Street-themed comedy series Black Monday headline the scripted and reality shows premiering on cable this week.

On the streaming front, Netflix’s reboot of the 1999’s animated series Carmen Sandiego and YouTube’s original drama series Wayne launch this week.

Here are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week:

Jan. 15 -- Temptation Island (reality series) – USA Network

Jan. 16 – Deadly Class (drama) -- Syfy

Jan. 16 – Wayne (drama) -- YouTube

Jan. 17 – A Discovery of Witches Shudder/Sundance Now

Jan. 18 – Carmen Sandiego (animated) -- Netflix

Jan. 20 – Black Monday (comedy) -- Showtime

Game of Thrones has done pretty OK, and Syfy is hoping for a bit of success with Nightflyers, a psychological thriller series based on a novella by the author that inspired GoT, George R. R. Martin. Nightflyers follows maverick scientists on an expedition aboard spaceship The Nightflyer in 2093. Episodes one through five were rolled out Dec. 2-6, and episodes six to 10 go live Dec. 9-13.

Jeff Buhler, executive producer and showrunner, refers to Nightflyers as “a haunted house story on a spaceship.”

Buhler comes from horror movies, and is eager to see if he can sustain high levels of horror across 10 episodes. “The biggest challenge is keeping the scares consistent, keeping the tension consistent,” he said.

Eoin Macken and Gretchen Mol are in the cast.

Martin’s novella came out in 1980. Buhler said the project is “so smack-dab in my wheelhouse.” He took on the project with a film in mind, but decided it was better suited for television. “There’s so much world in there, so much character, so much mystery, so much story,” Buhler said.

Does Nightflyers have anything in common with Game of Thrones, besides the author? Buhler notes both projects’ “complex, flawed characters” and worlds where “things are not black and white.”

Nightflyers’ futuristic setting, and the debate it raises about the fate of mankind, make it unique, Buhler believes. “Hopefully that approach makes us stand out,” he said, “among the 18 million shows out there.”

And unscripted Unanchored starts on Bravo Dec. 3. It follows a group of close friends on a “life-changing journey,” in Bravo’s words, full of wanderlust and self-discovery. The friends took part in The BucketLust, a floating festival of 35 catamarans cruising through the Bahamas. “They take over the whole island with an army of like-minded people,” said executive producer/showrunner Bill Langworthy.

Langworthy also runs Vanderpump Rules. He was drawn to covering a BucketLust bunch because he’d heard of people who returned home after the experience and felt the trip changed their life.

The cast is unique because they value a rich experience more than material things. “Every penny they have, they put toward traveling the world,” Langworthy said.

Captaining the boat is Jack Royds, a swashbuckling figure who comes from British aristocracy. Langworthy likened him to “a character out of a British novel.”

While the castmates are close friends, the Bahamas experience brings out some things they didn’t know about each other. Langworthy describes their “history … and secret history.”

There’s no place to hide on a catamaran. “If something goes wrong,” Langworthy said, “you don’t have the option to go away for a few days — unless you’re a very strong swimmer.”

The annual Comic-Con International show commenced July 19 with cable networks and streaming services offering first-look trailers of upcoming series and specials.

Along with executive and talent-based panels, an estimated 100,000 Comic-Con attendees will also be treated to trailers for some of TV’s most popular and successful shows.

A sampling of those videos appear below and will be updated throughout Comic Con International’s four-day run.

Amazon's 'The Man In The High Castle'

IFC's 'Stan Against Evil' 

CBS All-Access -- Star Trek Discovery

Nickelodeon's 'Invader ZIM'

Syfy’s 'Nightflyers'

Nickelodeon’s 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'

AMC's 'Better Call Saul'

BBC America’s 'Doctor Who'

AMC’s 'Fear The Walking Dead'

AMC’s 'The Walking Dead'

A critically praised but audience challenged space drama The Expanse will have a fourth season -- on Amazon Prime -- after its recent drop by Syfy. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos broke the news on Friday at an event where he appeared with cast members of the show, which is in the midst of its third season on Syfy. 

RELATED: Amazon Sets May Premiere For 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'

"The Expanse is saved," Bezos said to cheers at the International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles, The Verge noted, including one of many cellphone videos of the moment that soon made the rounds on Twitter.

[embed]https://twitter.com/MikeMongo/status/1000227792527671296[/embed]

NBCUniversal-owned Syfy -- which only had rights to the series’ first run on the network in the U.S. -- could not pull in enough viewers to keep the show going.

RELATED: Syfy Renews 'Killjoys,' Cancels 'Dark Matter'

But Amazon, which as The Verge noted has been trying to find Game of Thrones type hits, has opted to continue the Expanse voyage, pleasing the fans whose #SaveTheExpanse hashtag can now convert to past tense.

The series, based on novels by James S.A. Corey (a pen name for two writers), is set centuries into the future, when humans have colonized the solar system, per the Syfy description. "The U.N. controls Earth. Mars is an independent military power. The planets rely on the resources of the Asteroid Belt, where air and water are more precious than gold. For decades, tensions have been rising between these three places. Earth, Mars and the Belt are now on the brink of war. And all it will take is a single spark."

RELATED: Syfy Renews 'Krypton'

The current season of The Expanse has aired seven episodes so far (Wednesdays at 9/8c). 

Syfy has picked up its DC Comics-themed drama series Krypton for a second season in advance of the show’s May 23 finale, the network said Tuesday.

The series, set two generations before the destruction of Superman’s home planet Krypton, follows the Man of Steel’s grandfather as young man who is faced with a life and death conflict – save his home planet or let it be destroyed to restore the fate of his future grandson.

The first season of Krypton has averaged 1.8 million viewers on a Nielsen Live+3 basis to date, Syfy’s most watched season for any scripted series on the network since Defiance in 2015, according to network officials. The second season of Krypton is expected to return in 2019, Syfy said.

Krypton is produced by Warner Horizon Scripted Television and is executive produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) alongside Cameron Welsh, who also serves as showrunner.