"Star Trek: Discovery" came to an end this week after a five season run that included some soaring highs, low lows, and, above all else, big swings. Debuting in 2017, "Discovery" was the first of a new wave of "Trek" shows that would come to define the franchise for modern viewers. It did so ambitiously, but it didn't always work for everyone -- especially in the early days. In a new interview with the LA Times, Alex Kurtzman, "Discovery" co-showrunner and head of "Trek" at Paramount+, spoke frankly about the show's initially so-so reception and explained why he thought it might not have worked for "Trek" fans at first.
"I think people felt it was too dark," Kurtzman explained, echoing a sentiment that's popped up in plenty of reactions to the series over the years. While the vast majority of critics have given the show positive reviews over the years, early...
"I think people felt it was too dark," Kurtzman explained, echoing a sentiment that's popped up in plenty of reactions to the series over the years. While the vast majority of critics have given the show positive reviews over the years, early...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Adapted from Joshuah Bearman’s 2012 Playboy article of the same name, The Big Cigar brings another piece of culture writing to mind: New York Times critic James Poniewozik’s “The Comfortable Problem with Mid TV.” The series has some visual panache, a lively soundtrack, a great cast, and an important story to tell. And it makes for a really good thumbnail on the Apple TV+ app. But The Big Cigar lacks the craft and conviction of the “great” shows and films it imitates. It’s good in places, bad in others, but mostly just mid.
The series follows Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton (André Holland) as he attempts to flee the U.S. before the feds can arrest him on a bogus murder charge. Without many allies to call on, Newton enlists the help of sympathetic, if slightly harebrained, movie producers Bert Schneider (Alessandro Nivola) and Stephen Blauner...
The series follows Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton (André Holland) as he attempts to flee the U.S. before the feds can arrest him on a bogus murder charge. Without many allies to call on, Newton enlists the help of sympathetic, if slightly harebrained, movie producers Bert Schneider (Alessandro Nivola) and Stephen Blauner...
- 5/17/2024
- by Ross McIndoe
- Slant Magazine
No one likes a bad review, but few people are so bothered by them that they recruit one of the biggest names in late night to “correct” one. That’s exactly what Nathan Fielder did Thursday night on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” while promoting his latest series, “The Curse.”
Kimmel started the interview as most late night hosts do by praising Fielder and his co-star Emma Stone’s work. The ABC host even want as far as to say that the show has been described as “unsettling and brilliant.” But Fielder, clad in an uncharacteristically over-the-top outfit, had no interest in that praise. After Kimmel complimented his show, Fielder noted that “some other words” had also been used to describe the Showtime series.
When pressed to explain what he meant, Fielder pointed to New York Times chief TV critic James Poniewozik’s review of the series, which called Fielder “a more limited,...
Kimmel started the interview as most late night hosts do by praising Fielder and his co-star Emma Stone’s work. The ABC host even want as far as to say that the show has been described as “unsettling and brilliant.” But Fielder, clad in an uncharacteristically over-the-top outfit, had no interest in that praise. After Kimmel complimented his show, Fielder noted that “some other words” had also been used to describe the Showtime series.
When pressed to explain what he meant, Fielder pointed to New York Times chief TV critic James Poniewozik’s review of the series, which called Fielder “a more limited,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
How intense is the pressure of being CEO of HBO? You’re constantly calling Kim Cattrall, enduring the other execs at Craig’s passive aggressively asking how “Max” is going, and ever since his show ended, dealing with John Wilson filming outside your house. But the worst part of the job is that TV critics can just say whatever they want, like it’s a college campus before 2010. So who can blame the HBO head for carving out a few hours of his day to seek revenge on those critics?
But it all fell apart Nov. 1, when Rolling Stone revealed that six tweets mocking TV critics who wrote negative reviews about HBO shows were actually composed at the direction of Max CEO Casey Bloys under fake names. Most were posted by the account @KellySh33889356, who was “Kelly Shepherd,” a blond “Mom. Texan. Herbalist” who wears a tasteful black striped button...
But it all fell apart Nov. 1, when Rolling Stone revealed that six tweets mocking TV critics who wrote negative reviews about HBO shows were actually composed at the direction of Max CEO Casey Bloys under fake names. Most were posted by the account @KellySh33889356, who was “Kelly Shepherd,” a blond “Mom. Texan. Herbalist” who wears a tasteful black striped button...
- 11/11/2023
- by Joel Stein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO CEO Casey Bloys apologized Thursday to a room of journalists following a Rolling Stone report that he instructed staffers to create fake social media accounts to troll TV critics who gave poor reviews to HBO shows.
During a press event Thursday to unveil HBO and Max’s programming slate for 2024, Bloys addressed members of the media — some of whom being the very critics he trolled — to confess that during the pandemic he spent an “unhealthy amount of time” on Twitter when he discussed using a “secret army” to hit back at reviewers.
During a press event Thursday to unveil HBO and Max’s programming slate for 2024, Bloys addressed members of the media — some of whom being the very critics he trolled — to confess that during the pandemic he spent an “unhealthy amount of time” on Twitter when he discussed using a “secret army” to hit back at reviewers.
- 11/2/2023
- by Cheyenne Roundtree
- Rollingstone.com
HBO CEO and Chairman Chief Casey Bloys led off a presentation about 2024 programming Thursday by addressing a Rolling Stone report that said he had someone troll TV critics on X who didn’t like his shows.
“We’re here to talk about ’24, but I thought we might as well talk about it up front,” he began at the start of the presentation at Warner Bros. Discovery headquarters in New York City. “For those of you who know me, you know I am a programming executive who is very, very passionate about the shows that we decide to do and the people who do them and the people who work on them. I want the shows to be great. I want people to love them. I want you all to love them. It’s very, very important to me what you think of all the shows.”
“So when you think of that mindset,...
“We’re here to talk about ’24, but I thought we might as well talk about it up front,” he began at the start of the presentation at Warner Bros. Discovery headquarters in New York City. “For those of you who know me, you know I am a programming executive who is very, very passionate about the shows that we decide to do and the people who do them and the people who work on them. I want the shows to be great. I want people to love them. I want you all to love them. It’s very, very important to me what you think of all the shows.”
“So when you think of that mindset,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Lynette Rice and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO chief content officer Casey Bloys apologized to reporters Thursday after a recent report revealed that he and and senior vice president of programming Kathleen McCaffrey orchestrated the use of burner social media accounts to argue with TV critics who gave the network’s shows bad reviews.
“Those of you who know me know that I am a programming executive, very, very passionate about the shows that we decide to do, and the people who do them and the people who work on them. I want the shows to be great. I want people to love them. I want you all to love them. It’s very important to me what you all think of the shows,” Bloys told reporters during a Q&a session at a presentation of HBO and Max’s 2024 content slate on Thursday.
“So when you think about mindset, and then think of 2020 and 2021. I’m home working from home,...
“Those of you who know me know that I am a programming executive, very, very passionate about the shows that we decide to do, and the people who do them and the people who work on them. I want the shows to be great. I want people to love them. I want you all to love them. It’s very important to me what you all think of the shows,” Bloys told reporters during a Q&a session at a presentation of HBO and Max’s 2024 content slate on Thursday.
“So when you think about mindset, and then think of 2020 and 2021. I’m home working from home,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
In the wake of allegations that his division used fake Twitter accounts to undermine TV critics posting tepid reviews of HBO programming, network chief executive Casey Bloys addressed the claim during a meeting with the press on Thursday.
At a presentation of HBO’s 2024 content slate, Bloys cast the Twitter accounts as part of a pandemic-era “dumb idea.”
“For those of you who know me, you know that I am a programming executive, very, very passionate about the shows that we decided to do, and the people who do them and the people who work on them, I want the shows to be great,” Bloys said, adding: “So when you think of that mindset, and then think of 2020 and 2021. I’m working from home, spending an unhealthy amount of time scrolling through Twitter. And I came up with a very, very dumb idea to vent my frustration.”
The HBO chief elaborated: “Obviously,...
At a presentation of HBO’s 2024 content slate, Bloys cast the Twitter accounts as part of a pandemic-era “dumb idea.”
“For those of you who know me, you know that I am a programming executive, very, very passionate about the shows that we decided to do, and the people who do them and the people who work on them, I want the shows to be great,” Bloys said, adding: “So when you think of that mindset, and then think of 2020 and 2021. I’m working from home, spending an unhealthy amount of time scrolling through Twitter. And I came up with a very, very dumb idea to vent my frustration.”
The HBO chief elaborated: “Obviously,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Winston Cho and Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO‘s Casey Bloys is due to speak to reporters on Thursday about the allegations that he orchestrated the use of burner Twitter accounts to argue with critics online.
“HBO intends to vigorously defend against Mr. Temori’s allegations. We are not going to comment on select exchanges between programmers and errant tweets,” a spokesperson for HBO told TheWrap, referring to the suit filed by Sully Temori. “We look forward to a full and fair resolution of this dispute. In the meantime, we wish Mr. Temori, a former HBO employee, well in his future endeavors.”
The alleged practice was unearthed by Rolling Stone in a new article that involves an ongoing wrongful termination dispute. According to text exchanges that were reviewed by the publication, during at least six instances that occurred between June 2020 and April 2021, Bloys and senior vice president of programming Kathleen McCaffrey used what they referred to as...
“HBO intends to vigorously defend against Mr. Temori’s allegations. We are not going to comment on select exchanges between programmers and errant tweets,” a spokesperson for HBO told TheWrap, referring to the suit filed by Sully Temori. “We look forward to a full and fair resolution of this dispute. In the meantime, we wish Mr. Temori, a former HBO employee, well in his future endeavors.”
The alleged practice was unearthed by Rolling Stone in a new article that involves an ongoing wrongful termination dispute. According to text exchanges that were reviewed by the publication, during at least six instances that occurred between June 2020 and April 2021, Bloys and senior vice president of programming Kathleen McCaffrey used what they referred to as...
- 11/1/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
HBO has responded to allegations arising from a wrongful termination dispute with an ex-employee that accuse Casey Bloys, the network’s then-president of original programming, of commanding a “secret army” to push back against TV critics posting tepid reviews of HBO titles. In a statement, the company did not challenge claims that Bloys and another executive directed ex-hbo executive assistant Sully Temori to post from fake accounts, with the aim of undermining high-profile critics, as well as anonymous commenters on articles.
“HBO intends to vigorously defend against Mr. Temori’s allegations,” a spokesperson said. “We are not going to comment on select exchanges between programmers and errant tweets.”
The story was first reported by Rolling Stone. It draws upon a trove of messages that will be filed in a lawsuit from Temori against HBO, Warner Media, Kathleen McCaffrey, HBO’s senior vice president of drama programming, and Francesca Orsi, HBO’s head of drama.
“HBO intends to vigorously defend against Mr. Temori’s allegations,” a spokesperson said. “We are not going to comment on select exchanges between programmers and errant tweets.”
The story was first reported by Rolling Stone. It draws upon a trove of messages that will be filed in a lawsuit from Temori against HBO, Warner Media, Kathleen McCaffrey, HBO’s senior vice president of drama programming, and Francesca Orsi, HBO’s head of drama.
- 11/1/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s not easy to deal with a negative review. But while most people shrug it off and move forward, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys employed a…unique approach. On multiple occasions, Bloys orchestrated the use of fake accounts to troll the critics on Twitter.
Between June 2020 and April 2021, as first reported by Rolling Stone, Bloys and his SVP of drama programming Kathleen McCaffrey repeatedly discussed using burner accounts to directly combat critics of their shows on Twitter. According to the publication, there were at least six different text-message exchanges between the two executives that involved using a fake Twitter account to harshly respond to TV critics who gave negative reviews to HBO shows. The messages were reviewed and verified via their metadata.
The texts were provided to Rolling Stone by Sully Temori, a former HBO staffer who filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against HBO, McCaffrey, HBO head of drama Francesca Orsi,...
Between June 2020 and April 2021, as first reported by Rolling Stone, Bloys and his SVP of drama programming Kathleen McCaffrey repeatedly discussed using burner accounts to directly combat critics of their shows on Twitter. According to the publication, there were at least six different text-message exchanges between the two executives that involved using a fake Twitter account to harshly respond to TV critics who gave negative reviews to HBO shows. The messages were reviewed and verified via their metadata.
The texts were provided to Rolling Stone by Sully Temori, a former HBO staffer who filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against HBO, McCaffrey, HBO head of drama Francesca Orsi,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
It has been nearly 20 years since Dr. Crane “left the building,” bidding farewell on the NBC series “Frasier” that took home 37 Emmy Awards including five for Comedy Series. But now Kelsey Grammer has stepped into the role of his most enduring alter ego once more in a revival of the show on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the new series — which introduces a new ensemble cast surrounding Grammer as Frasier moves back to Boston, Ma — debut on Oct. 12 on the streamer.
By most accounts, critics have embraced Frasier’s idiosyncrasies all over again. As of this writing, the series has a 61 score on Metacritic, indicating “generally favorable” reviews. It has a similar 63% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, with their critical consensus reading, “With Kelsey Grammer safely back in the role he was born to play, ‘Frasier’ scores as comfort viewing even if it can’t quite compare to the classic original series.
By most accounts, critics have embraced Frasier’s idiosyncrasies all over again. As of this writing, the series has a 61 score on Metacritic, indicating “generally favorable” reviews. It has a similar 63% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, with their critical consensus reading, “With Kelsey Grammer safely back in the role he was born to play, ‘Frasier’ scores as comfort viewing even if it can’t quite compare to the classic original series.
- 10/12/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
“I’m a Virgo” certainly has a unique premise. The Amazon Prime Video series, which premiered on June 23, tells the story of a 19-year-old named Cootie (Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome) who’s 13 feet tall and hidden away from the world until he sets out and meets a superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins). That summary is less surprising when you realize the series was created by Boots Riley, the filmmaker behind the outlandish satire “Sorry to Bother You.” But what do critics think of his foray into television?
If TV journalists are any indication, “I’m a Virgo” is an early Emmy contender for 2024. As of this writing it has a MetaCritic score of 86 based on 17 reviews that have been counted thus far — all of them positive. It also has a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 97% based on 33 reviews, only one of which is listed as rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says,...
If TV journalists are any indication, “I’m a Virgo” is an early Emmy contender for 2024. As of this writing it has a MetaCritic score of 86 based on 17 reviews that have been counted thus far — all of them positive. It also has a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 97% based on 33 reviews, only one of which is listed as rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
John Goodman was last nominated for an Emmy way back in 2010 when he earned a Limited Series/TV Movie Supporting Actor bid for “You Don’t Know Jack.”; he lost that race to David Strathairn (“Temple Grandin”). The TV vet could be about to make a return to the Emmys for the first time in a lucky 13 years thanks to his ongoing role in the “Roseanne” sequel series “The Conners.”
“The Conners” follows the titular working-class family struggling through day-to-day life in Illinois after the sudden death of the original show’s title character Roseanne (Roseanne Barr). Goodman plays Dan Conner, who was the husband to Roseanne and the father to their four children: Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson), DJ (Michael Fishman), and Jerry Garcia (who was retconned in “The Conners”).
As Dan, Goodman exudes the warm, everyman charm he has long had a high currency in throughout his career.
“The Conners” follows the titular working-class family struggling through day-to-day life in Illinois after the sudden death of the original show’s title character Roseanne (Roseanne Barr). Goodman plays Dan Conner, who was the husband to Roseanne and the father to their four children: Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson), DJ (Michael Fishman), and Jerry Garcia (who was retconned in “The Conners”).
As Dan, Goodman exudes the warm, everyman charm he has long had a high currency in throughout his career.
- 4/27/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
“Beef” is rocketing up our Emmy predictions charts as the positive reviews continue to pile in for this Steven Yeun and Ali Wong vehicle. This limited series on Netflix was created Lee Sung Jin, who has a smattering of TV credits as a writer and a producer including “Dave,” “Silicon Valley,” “2 Broke Girls,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Jin helms the series finale while Hikari and Jake Schreier split the rest of the directing duties between them.
“Beef” follows the after-effects of a road-rage incident that consumes two people — Yeun’s Danny and Wong’s Amy. Danny is a down-on-his-luck contractor trying to piece together a living while literally living out of a motel with his brother (Young Mazino), who he is constantly at odds with. Amy, meanwhile, is a successful business owner trying to navigate the sale of her business to a larger company while stuck with...
“Beef” follows the after-effects of a road-rage incident that consumes two people — Yeun’s Danny and Wong’s Amy. Danny is a down-on-his-luck contractor trying to piece together a living while literally living out of a motel with his brother (Young Mazino), who he is constantly at odds with. Amy, meanwhile, is a successful business owner trying to navigate the sale of her business to a larger company while stuck with...
- 4/24/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
It’s 1994, and the people of Northern Ireland are nearly three decades into a violent conflict known as the Troubles. Civilians — thousands of which died during the fray — are generally divided between Protestant unionists, who want to keep the country under United Kingdom control, and Irish Catholics, who call for a united Ireland. Day-to-day life in Derry involve armed military checkpoints, customary bomb disposals, and the constant hum of danger. Family members are in prison. Others are dead. An end to the Troubles is in sight, but for the teenage girls attending Our Lady Immaculate College, this is the only life they’ve ever known. That it may come to an end right as they graduate only instills further anxiety over the responsibilities of adulthood.
This is “Derry Girls” — or, at least, a version of “Derry Girls” if viewed through a popular storytelling vantage point; a version where the pain,...
This is “Derry Girls” — or, at least, a version of “Derry Girls” if viewed through a popular storytelling vantage point; a version where the pain,...
- 10/11/2022
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
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