TV News Roundup: Starz Unveils ‘Outlander’ Season 5 Trailer
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In today’s TV news roundup, Starz has released a trailer for Season 5 of “Outlander,” and Amazon Prime Video announced casting for “The Power.”
CASTINGS
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WWE superstars Sasha Banks, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, Sonya Deville, Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Becky Lynch and Natalya have been cast as participants in Quibi and WWE’s upcoming series “Fight Like a Girl.” Each episode follows each female wrestler as she shares her life experiences with a young woman dealing with personal issues that are holding her back. WWE chief brand officer and executive producer of the series Stephanie McMahon will decide the pairings. Susan Levison, Ben Zierten, Tom Forman, Jenny Daly and Jon Beyer also serve as executive producers.
Amazon Prime Video has announced further casting for its forthcoming series, “The Power.” Adapted from Naomi Alderman‘s novel of the same name, the 10-part thriller imagines a world in which all teenage girls suddenly develop the power to electrocute people at will, eventually spreading to women of all ages. John Leguizamo, Toheeb Jimoh, Ria Zmitrowicz, Halle Bush, Heather Agyepong, Nico Hiraga, Daniela Vega, Leslie Mann and Auli’i Cravalho are among the current cast. Production is scheduled to begin in February.
BET has announced an open casting call for the roles of Heavy D and The Boyz, Mary J. Blige, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Jodeci, Kim Porter and Aaron Hall to appear in its new original limited series, “Uptown.” Executive produced by Andre Harrell and Jesse Collins, the three-part television event will follow the history of Harrell’s New York music label Uptown Records, which played an important role in the careers of numerous musical heavy weights such as Heavy D & The Boyz, Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Father MC, Al B. Sure, Christopher Williams, Teddy Riley, Notorious B.I.G. and Sean “Diddy” Combs. The casting call will take place in Dallas on Jan. 17-18. Those interested can visit the official website for more information.
DATES
“Night on Earth,” Netflix’s latest original nature series, will premiere globally on Jan. 29. With new technology, the six-episode docuseries will showcase the nocturnal activity of wildlife, revealing new behavior and further examining known patterns. Samira Wiley serves as narrator.
FIRST LOOKS
Starz has revealed the trailers for three of its upcoming programs. The first trailer belongs to “Outlander,” which returns for Season 5 on Feb. 16. The upcoming season opens to find the Frasers fighting for their family and home. Jamie (Sam Heughan) searches for a way to save his life in America, while hiding his personal relationship with Murtagh Fitzgibbons — the man he was ordered to kill. Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) desperately works to prevent her family from being torn apart again, but risks losing herself in the process. At the same time, Brianna Fraser and Roger Mackenzie, while reunited, are still haunted by the ghost of Stephen Bonnet. “Outlander” is produced by Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Matthew B. Roberts, Toni Graphia, Andy Harries and Jim Kohlberg.
The Season 2 trailer for “Wrong Man” was also released by the network. The six-episode docuseries details the cases of three different inmates who claim innocence, but are currently serving life sentences for murder. In its second season, Renowned civil rights attorney Ron Kuby, former prosecutor Sue-Ann Robinson, retired NCIS investigator Joe Kennedy, and Ira Todd of Detroit’s Homicide Task Force return for another series of investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts and interrogate the incarcerated. “Wrong Man” Season 2 will arrive on Feb. 9.
Additionally, a trailer was unveiled for “Hightown.” The new series, set in Cape Cod, follows Jackie Qui?ones’ (Monica Raymund) journey to sobriety, which is overshadowed by an unfolding murder investigation after she discovers a dead body on the beach. Riley Voelkel (“Roswell, New Mexico,” “The Originals”), Shane Harper (“Code Black,” “Happyland”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break,” “Deception”) and Atkins Estimond (“The Resident,” “Lodge 49”) round out the cast. Created and executive produced by Rebecca Cutter, “Hightown” is expected to premiere sometime this spring.
AWARDS
This year’s Peabody Awards will move to Los Angeles’s Beverly Wilshire Hotel, marking the ceremony’s first-ever move to L.A. in its 80 year history. Nominees will be announced in April, with the winners revealed in May. All nominees must receive a unanimous vote by the jurors; 60 nominees are selected, 30 of which will be honored with a Peabody Award at the ceremony in June in Los Angeles. The annual ceremony will take place on June 18.
INITIATIVES
“Say Yes to the Prom” will return for its ninth consecutive year, Discovery announced. Joined by returning retail partner, Macy’s, the two entities will partner to give 1,000 high school students the perfect prom look, complete with Kendra Scott accessories as well as hair and makeup consultations. Men will be styled with a complete tuxedo rental from Men’s Warehouse. The initiative offers a production-worthy prom shopping experience including a one-on-one styling session with TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” host Monte Durham. The “Say Yes to the Prom” tour will kick off on Feb. 27 in Knoxville, Tenn., and also making stops in New York, Miami and Waco, Texas before closing in Los Angeles on March 24.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Fox News Channel’s senior Capitol Hill producer Chad Pergram has been promoted to congressional correspondent, effective immediately. Pergram will deliver live reports across all of the Fox News Channel programs and platforms. In his previous position, he covered a series of major stories for the network including the 2010 and 2018 midterm elections, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings, the 2016 presidential election cycle, and various significant legislative moments. Pergram joined FNC in September 2007, after leaving his reporter post at Capitol News Connection.
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