Netflix released a trailer for “Q-Force,” an animated series starring Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, David Harbour, Patti Harrison, Laurie Metcalf, Matt Rogers, Wanda Sykes and Gabe Liedman that launches Sept. 2.
“Q-Force” follows Steve Mayweather, AKA Agent Mary (voiced by Hayes), who was once the leader of the American Intelligence Agency (AIA) until he came out as gay. The Agency was not able to fire him on the basis of his sexual orientation, so they sent him to West Hollywood to disappear into obscurity. Instead, Steve put together a rag-tag group of LGBTQ geniuses, joining forces with the expert mechanic Deb (Sykes), master of drag and disguise Twink Rogers), and hacker Stat (Harrison), making the “Q-Force” squad.
“Q-Force” is created by Liedman, who executive produces alongside Hayes, Todd Milliner, Ben Heins, Mike Schur and David Miner.
Watch the trailer below.
Also in today’s TV news roundup…
PROGRAMMING
HBO Max announced that its “Gossip Girl” continuation series will return in November with the last six episodes of its first season. The series stars Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Zion Moreno, Whitney Peak and Savannah Lee Smith with Todd Almond, Adam Chanler-Berat, Johnathan Fernandez and Jason Gotay. Instead of a Gossip Girl blog that the characters of the original CW series encountered, the new generation faces the pressure of social media, with the titular, anonymous poster using Instagram as its form of reporting. Showrunner Josh Safran executive produces alongside Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of Fake Empire, and Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo of Alloy Entertainment. Lis Rowinski of Fake Empire serves as co-executive producer.
HBO Max will launch the new comedy “Sort Of” this fall. The eight-episode half-hour series follows the journey of Sabi Mehboob, played by series co-creator Bilal Baig, a gender-fluid millennial who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at an LGBTQ bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown hipster family. Commissioned by HBO Max and the CBC, the series is produced by Sienna Films, a Sphere Media company, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund. Baig and co-creator Fab Filippo serve as showrunners. The series is written by Baig, Filippo, Jenn Engels, Nelu Handa and Ian Iqbal Rashid, with Filippo and Renuka Jeyapalan directing. Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny are also executive producers on the series. “Sort Of” is distributed worldwide by Sphere Media with Abacus Media Rights handling international sales.
FIRST LOOKS
Hulu released a trailer for “The D’Amelio Show” starring TikTok influencers Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, along with their parents Heidi and Marc. The series, which premieres Sept. 3, follows the family’s changing dynamics as Heidi and Marc try to protect their teenagers them from the dark side of fame, while they are all also adjusting to a life in Hollywood. “The D’Amelio Show” is executive produced by showrunner Sara Reddy, Esther Frank, and Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman on behalf of The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC).
Watch the trailer below.
CASTING
Ali Stroker, Karen Robinson and Rosanny Zayas have been cast in Netflix’s “Echoes.” The limited series is a mystery thriller about identical twins, Gina and Leni, (both played by Michelle Monaghan) who swap lives, and upend their community when Leni goes missing. Stroker joins the limited series as Claudia, the caretaker of the family home who can’t seem to penetrate the community formed by the twins. Robinson is Louise Floss, a sheriff assigned to Leni’s case, while Zayas is Deputy Paula Martinez, a friend of Leni’s who is caught in the middle of personal feelings and professional duty. Vanessa Gazy created the series and executive produces alongside Imogen Banks and co-showrunners Brian Yorkey and Quinton Peeples.
STREAMING
Verizon announced a new partnership with AMC Plus, in which customers who purchase a 5G phone on a Verizon device payment plan will receive the streaming service included. When activating a new line, a new or existing Verizon customer who purchases a 5G phone with a device payment plan on a Play More, Do More, or Get More Unlimited Plan gets 12 months of AMC Plus included. If a new customer purchases a 5G phone on a Start Unlimited Plan, they receive six months of AMC Plus. When upgrading to one of Verizon’s 5G phones on the same line with a device payment plan, existing customers on a Verizon Unlimited Plan get six months of AMC Plus. When activating new Fios Home Internet service, customers receive 12 months of AMC Plus. AMC Plus includes content from Shudder, Sundance Now, IFC Films Unlimited and BBC America.
DATES
Wondrium and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will premiere “Reporting 9/11 and Why It Still Matters” on Sept. 1. This new two-hour documentary sets out to explore what it was like to be a journalist covering the terrorist attacks in 2001 and includes Tom Brokaw, Scott Pelley, Byron Pitts, Dana Bash, Barbara Starr, David Martin, Major Garrett, Rehema Ellis, Anne Thompson, Ann Compton, Savannah Guthrie, Jane Clayson, Bob Pisani, Jon Scott, Eric Shawn, Linda Wertheimer, Maggie Haberman, William Rashbaum, Aaron Brown, Don Dahler, Jamie McIntyre, John Miller and more. The film comes from executive producers Allison Gilbert and Phil Hirschkorn, who also authored the book “Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalists Report September 11,” which inspired this doc.
Peacock original series, “Born For Business,” will premiere Aug. 23. The 10-episode docuseries, which launches all at once, will highlight the untold stories of four entrepreneurs with disabilities: Qiana Allen of Culture’s Closet, a fashionista with lupus who opened a plus-size clothing boutique; Colette Divitto of Collettey’s Cookies, a baker with Down Syndrome who owns a successful cookie brand that employs people with disabilities; Chris Triebes of The Congregation Presents, a single father with spinal muscular atrophy (Type III), who is engulfed in the music industry; and Lexi Zanghi of Always Reason, a millennial entrepreneur with anxiety, who runs a three-year fashion brand with plans to expand. Each businessperson tackles the complexities of their individual businesses during a pandemic, while showing the inside of also living with a disability. “Born For Business” is produced by Shopify Studios and Bunim/Murray Productions. Tobi Lütke, Pam Silverstein, Gil Goldschein, Jonathan Murray, Julie Pizzi, Erica Ross, Jonathan Stern and Laura Korkoian serve as executive producers, and Jacob Lane and Millee Taggart-Ratcliffe serve as co-executive producers.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Jennifer Mitchell and Tom Canedo have been named presidents of CBS Stations, joining Adrienne Roarck, who began serving as president on Aug. 2. Reporting to Wendy McMahon, president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, Mitchell, Canedo and Roark will work directly with the local general managers and their teams at ViacomCBS-owned stations in major markets across the U.S. Mitchell most recently served as senior vice president of content development at ABC Owned Stations, while Canedo has been at CBS for 22 years and is currently six years into his second stint as general manager at WUPA.
LATE NIGHT
Kenan Thompson, Regina Hall and The Killers will be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” with Sarah Silverman as guest host. “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will have on Kit Harington, Miranda Cosgrove and Duran Duran. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” will have on Jennifer Hudson, with “Late Night With Seth Meyers” featuring Ethan Hawke and Jodie Comer.
