TCA: Apple TV Plus Taps Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Billy Porter for New Season of 'Dear…' Docuseries

Apple TV Plus has greenlit a second season of its unscripted biography series Dear …, which will debut March 4.

The new season of the series, which features leaders, entertainers and athletes gaining insight on their contributions to society by reading letters written by their fans, will feature the late fashion icon André Leon Talley, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ava DuVernay, Billy Porter, Sandra Oh, Malala Yousafzai and Laird Hamilton.

By reading these letters, each influential figure learns how they have unknowingly impacted others and gain new insight into how their work has made a unique contribution to the global community, said the streaming service.

The docuseries is executive produced by R.J. Cutler (Apple TV Plus's Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry) along with Jane Cha Cutler, Todd Lubin, Jay Peterson, and Donny Jackson.

Slow Horses

Gary Oldman stars in "Slow Horses" (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The streaming service also announced an April 1 premiere date for its new espionage series Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman.

The six-episode drama series, based on Mick Herron’s novels, follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 – Slough House. Apple TV Plus will premiere the first two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday. ■

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.