Gearing up for the holidays, Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses” has dropped the trailer for its second season.
Set after the events of “The Santa Clause” films, the Christmas television series has Tim Allen reprising his role as Scott Calvin/Santa, who decides to retire from the “Santa” position in season one and find a new replacement. However, the end of the first season saw Scott fail to find an individual worthy of the “Santa” title. This time around, Scott is determined to train his son, Cal (Austin Kane), to be the perfect Santa successor.
“The best part of Christmas is spending time with your loved ones,” Scott says in the new trailer. “Which is why I’m so geeked to turn Santa into a family business.”
All doesn’t go smoothly for the Calvin family, though, and there’s a new “Mad Santa” (Eric Stonestreet) who was previously exiled from the North Pole for being a horrible human being. This “Mad Santa” says that he’s the “rightful” Santa and seeks to usurp Scott as reigning Santa.
Popular on Variety
Season 2 of “The Santa Clauses” premieres with two episodes on Nov. 8, with new episodes dropping weekly.
Watch the trailer below.
In other TV roundup news:
FIRST LOOKS
Peacock has released the first teaser for Season 2 of its anthology series “Dr. Death,” starring Mandy Moore and Edgar Ramírez. The eight-episode season will premiere on Dec. 21, along with its companion documentary, “Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman.”
“Dr. Death” explores systemic failures, with Season 2 tackling these issues on a global scale. Focused on the theme of illness, the second season will follow two stories: doctors in Sweden on the verge of a breakthrough and a journalist in New York falling in love. Both revolve around individuals made to feel small and their journey to stand up to something bigger.
Based on the Wondery podcast, Season 2 tells the story of investigative journalist Benita Alexander, who approaches “Miracle Man” Paolo Macchiarini, a charming surgeon renowned for his innovative operations. According to the official synopsis, “As she learns how far Paolo will go to protect his secrets, a group of doctors halfway across the world make shocking discoveries of their own that call everything about Paolo into question.”
Ashley Michel Hoban is the showrunner. Patrick Macmanus executive produces with Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Taylor Latham, Aaron Hart, Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy and Linda Gase. Jennifer Morrison directed and executive produced the first four epsiodes, and Laura Belsey directed the last four. “Dr. Death” is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.
The documentary “Dr. Death: Cutthroat Conman,” following the rise and fall of international conman Paolo Macchiarini, is executive produced by Mary Robertson, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman and Adam Ciralsky. John Pappas is the co-executive producer and director, and the documentary is produced by Maxine Productions — part of Sony Pictures Television — and Universal Television Alternative Studio.
Watch the “Dr. Death” Season 2 teaser below.
*
Max has released the trailer for Season 2 of their comedy series “Rap Sh!t,” premiering Nov. 9 with the release of two episodes.
Season 2 consists of eight episodes total; one will debut weekly following the premiere.
Per the Season 2 logline, “’Rap Sh!t’ follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna and Mia, who reunite to form a rap group. In their rise to fame, Shawna and Mia find themselves at a pivotal moment in their rap career as they are forced to decide if they will stay true to themselves or conform to the demands of the music industry.”
Aida Osman stars as Shawna and KaMillion stars as Mia. Additional cast members include Jonica Booth, RJ Cyler and Daniel Augustin.
The series is executive produced by Issa Rae and Syreeta Singleton, who also serves as showrunner. Montrel McKay executive produced for HOORAE alongside Jonathan Berry, and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Jim Kleverweis. Yung Miami and JT of the hip hop duo City Girls are co-executive producers alongside Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi and Jax Clark for HOORAE. Issa Rae’s audio content company Raedio is in charge of music supervision for “Rap Sh!t.”
Watch the trailer below.
*
Reality dating show “Love Island Games,” a “Love Island” spin-off, has released a trailer.
As per the press release, this new series will follow a group of “fan-favorite Islanders” from iterations of “Love Island” across the globe as they pursue a “second shot at love.” Like the original “Love Island,” “Love Island Games” will feature team and couple challenges as the contestants couple and recouple to avoid elimination.
Filmed in Fiji, “Love Island Games” is hosted by television presenter Maya Jama. Comedian Iain Stirling returns to narrate. The video clip previews the high-stakes drama that is to unfold next month, with the words “two-faced,” “sneaking behind my back” and “snake” thrown out by the contestants. At one point, a contestant’s ex makes a surprise appearance.
“Things are going to be very different this time around,” says Jama in the trailer. “’Love Island Games’ is always full of twists and turns.”
The Peacock Original series premieres Nov. 1, with new episodes streaming Sundays through Fridays, only on Peacock.
Watch the trailer below.
*
The series premieres Nov. 1, with new episodes streaming Sundays through Fridays, only on Peacock.
Watch the trailer below.
Science-fiction thriller “Beacon 23,” starring Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) and Stephan James (“Homecoming”), has released a trailer.
Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Hugh Howey, the MGM+ Original Series follows former government agent Aster (Headey), who finds herself trapped in a Beacon, a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers, after her ship crashes. Running the Beacon as Beacon-keeper is ex-military man Halan (James), who refuses Aster’s requests for information. The two are thrown together to find out exactly what the object “The Artifact” is while facing a threat in the form of artificial intelligence — and their suspicion of one another.
“Don’t you think we should try and cooperate?” Halan asks Aster in the trailer.
“There is no we, because I don’t trust you,” replies Aster.
“We don’t have much of a choice now, do we,” Halan says.
The series will premiere Nov. 12 on MGM+.
Watch the trailer below.
PROGRAMMING
Actors Awkwafina, Angela Bassett and Jeremy Renner will each narrate one of National Geographic’s new natural history shows.
Coming off from voicing seagull Scuttle in “The Little Mermaid,” Awkwafina returns to the animal kingdom with “A Real Bug’s Life.” Inspired by the original Pixar/Disney 1998 film “A Bug’s Life,” the series will showcase the world of tiny critters. According to the press release, audiences will go on a journey into nine different bug worlds, all the while accompanied by “fun and witty guide Awkwafina.”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” queen Angela Bassett will narrate “Queens,” a seven-part series that spotlights females and how they secure power in the natural world. Bassett will also serve as executive producer on this series, which is spearheaded by a female-led production team.
“The Avengers” star Jeremy Renner will narrate “Incredible Animal Journeys,” about the momentous journeys of animals. Renner will follow a range of animals as they traverse their landscapes, from a monarch butterfly to a barn swallow.
“From Awkwafina’s wit to Jeremy’s warmth and Angela’s Shakespearean sense of drama, we feel both very excited and very proud to have such powerful storytellers guiding our audiences on these epic wildlife journeys,” said Tom McDonald, executive vice president of global and unscripted content for National Geographic.
*
Roku has ordered second seasons of Roku Original series “Reptile Royalty,” “UFO Cowboys” and “Lincoln Log Masters.”
The first seasons of each show introduced viewers to different aspects of the natural world. “Reptile Royalty” followed Jay Brewer and his team running the Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley, California, and the over 600 rare exotic reptiles that reside in the Reptile Zoo. “UFO Cowboys” saw a group of ranchers, called the Cowboy Sky Watchers, looking for extraterrestrial activity across the American West. In “Lincoln Log Masters,” based on Hasbro’s childhood toy Lincoln Logs, audiences witnessed a log home building company build log homes across Oregon.
“Each of these series invites viewers into unbelievable, everyday realities,” said Brian Tannenbaum, head of originals at Roku Media. “We look forward to building on strong foundations from season one and bringing our audience more of ‘Reptile Royalty,’ ‘UFO Cowboys,’ and ‘Lincoln Log Masters.’”
The first seasons of “Reptile Royalty,” “UFO Cowboys” and “Lincoln Log Masters” are all available to stream on The Roku Channel.
*
National Geographic has greenlit the show “No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski,” a travel docuseries with Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert on Netflix’s “Queer Eye.”
Produced by Studio Ramsay Global, led by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, this globe-trotting series will take Porowski and celebrities across locations including South Korea, Italy, Senegal, Malaysian Borneo and Germany. U.S. locations include New York and Texas. As they travel, Porowski and each guest will engage in dialogue surrounding food, culture and family heritage.
From Ramsay Global’s side, Porowski, Ramsay and Lisa Edwards executive produce. Robin O’Sullivan serves as showrunner. From National Geographic’s side, Betsy Forhan executive produces. Celebrity guests will be announced over Porowski’s social media in the lead-up to the premiere.
Ramsay described the show as a “fascinating, feel-good series” in a press release.
“I’m really thankful to our celebrities who came on this journey, taking us to all corners of the globe, inviting us into their lives and trusting us to tell their family’s food stories along the way,” said Ramsay.
*
MTV’s “Cribs” will return with its new season on Nov. 15 at 9:30 ET/PT, giving viewers an inside look into their favorite celebrities’ homes.
Each episode reveals unseen footage showcasing celebrities’ unique home design choices — from themed rooms to fully-stocked refrigerators.
This season’s guests include Amanda Seales, Atsuko Okatsuka, Bobby Berk, Dita Von Teese, Emelia Hartford, Gus Kenworthy, Jenna Jameson, Kaila Novak, Margaret Cho, Martha Hunt, Mena Suvari, Rumer Willis, Taye Diggs, Vanessa Williams, Vinny Guadagnino and Vivica A. Fox, among others.
“Cribs” is executive produced by Adam Gonzalez for A Game Productions with MTV Entertainment Studios. Elena Diaz serves as executive producer for MTV Entertainment Studios. Liz Kim serves as executive in charge of production.
CASTING
The Savannah College of Art and Design is launching a new casting office at its digital media center in midtown Atlanta, the school’s second casting office in addition to its first location in Savannah. The casting offices offer opportunities to SCAD students in professional film and TV shows and provide mentorship with leading casting directors and agents.
“Georgia’s growing importance in the film and television industry made opening the second Casting Office an easy decision,” said John Buckovich, vice president for SCAD Atlanta and university operations. “As SCAD Atlanta expands with increased enrollment and the B.F.A, Acting degree program now being offered at this university location, the casting office is a vital resource for our students, alumni and faculty, as well as the entertainment industry.”
Andra-Reeve Rabb, SCAD’s dean of the School of Film and Acting, first opened the Savannah casting office in 2009. She will oversee the new Atlanta office while professor Alpha Tyler oversees day-to-day operations.
TECHNOLOGY
Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas now features a holographic experience where guests can interact with Kimmel and Guillermo, Kimmel’s former security guard and late-night talk show celebrity.
The two will primarily appear as recorded holograms through the holographics communication platform, Proto. From a white box, they will welcome guests to the club venue. At other times, they may appear as holograms in real time with other celebrities from where the show is based in Los Angeles. This is Las Vegas’s first permanent installation of a Proto unit, according to the press release.
“I grew up on late night TV—studying the talk show hosts seemed as important as school for me because I wanted a career in broadcasting,” said David Nussbaum, inventor and CEO of Proto. “That’s why it’s such an incredible honor to have the public see Jimmy, Guillermo and the top comics who will be beaming to Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in the Proto Epic.”
PODCASTS
Spotify is launching a new original podcast, “What Now? with Trevor Noah,” premiering Nov. 9, with a new episode debuting every week.
Trevor Noah will speak with special guests from a variety of backgrounds, including entertainers, CEOs, actors, athletes and thought leaders. Per the official release, “These are the kind of conversations that happen behind the scenes, full of radical candor, authentic back-and-forths, and honest reactions, with Trevor bringing to bear his classic, effortlessly playful and equally probing style.”
The podcast is executive produced by Trevor Noah and Ben Winston with Jenna Weiss-Berman and Max Linsky. It is produced by Day Zero Productions, Fulwell 73 Productions and Audacy’s Pineapple Street Studios.
EXECUTIVES
Elita Fielder Adjei has been named vice president of communications for CBS Stations.
“Elita is a proven communicator and strategist who is perfectly suited to help us shine a light on the exceptional work being done by CBS Stations,” said Christa Robinson, executive vice president of communications at CBS News and Stations, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome Elita to our team, where the breadth of her experience will be an asset to the entire CBS News and Stations organization.”
Adjei will support CBS Stations leadership across its 27 television stations in 17 major U.S. markets. She has an extensive background in local television stations and national television networks, in addition to years of leading communications and publicity in diverse industries including sports, healthcare and energy sectors.
Adjei was most recently vice president of corporate communications at Disney General Entertainment, where she oversaw National Geographic Content’s internal, external, crisis and executive communications. She previously served as the director of publicity and communications at Disney’s ABC Owned Television Stations Group, spearheading the development and communications strategies for ABC’s race and culture content team, data journalism initiatives and docuseries publicity campaigns.
“It is an honor to join CBS News and Stations during this momentous period, under the leadership of Wendy McMahon,” Adjei said in a statement. “From digital-first newsrooms to an increase in live local news on its streaming platforms, CBS Stations continue to rise to the ever-changing demands of audiences across the country. I’m looking forward to working closely with some of the most talented news executives and award-winning journalists who are dedicated to delivering impactful local news to the communities they serve.”
