Television

It’s over for Riches.

Riches creator Abby Ajayi announced on her Instagram account that her show about a wealthy Black British family has been canceled. The series aired on Prime Video in the United States and other territories while it was on ITV in the UK.

“This time last year we launched. Much love to this incredible ensemble of actors and our fabulous crew,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who supported. So proud we got to make this show. I still had many more stories to tell…And it was gonna be [fire].”

Many fans, including other Black television creators, reacted to the news on Ajayi’s post, including Bob Hearts Abishola creator Gina Yashere.

“We binged the entire thing in one night, then waited patiently,” she wrote. “The execs who make these decisions…..uggggh.”

The Challenge: Aftermath‘s Devyn Simone also weighed in, writing, “You create such beautiful work Abby.”

Riches star Adeyinka Akinirnade also responded to the news, writing, “Thank you for telling this story.”

BBC Radio presenter Jomoke Fashola, who also starred in Riches, wrote, “Such a privilege to have been part of the cast of this show…what a vision you had @abbyajayi. And the Yoruba was authentic!”

A fan of the series chimed in with a perspective that a lot of fans probably share.

“This is deeply disappointing. Anything intelligent and uplifting for Black people gets canceled,” they wrote. “While I know there’s an audience for certain types of shows, we are so much more than drug dealers, criminals and reality show caricatures. This is NOT okay. This was an EXCELLENT show!”

This sentiment is something that is loosely addressed in Riches star Emmanuel Imani had to say about starring in the series.

“Unfortunately, in the U.K., we’re not there yet where America is in terms of seeing this representation and being given characters that are of color and are beyond just two dimensional,” he said to Shadow and Act in 2022. “Never find out why they’re doing what they’re doing, who they’re supporting at home, and what journey they’ve been on. Our fantastic showrunner, Abby, gives everybody some truth and a journey, a path, a story, and a backstory. She’s breathed life into these characters in such a way, and then we take it further. But yeah, it’s incredible to be a part of something like this that’s never been done out of the U.K., quite frankly, ever.”

Another fan also echoed the sadness surrounding the series’ cancellation, but they also suggested that perhaps Riches could find another studio. This isn’t a farfetched suggestion, since several series have found new life elsewhere. If the outcry is strong enough, perhaps Riches could find a new home yet. But that remains to be seen.

Part 6 of Netflix‘s hit comedy The Upshaws is on its way.

Netflix announced that it has renewed The Upshaws for a Part 6 ahead of the Part 5 coming to the streamer in Spring 2024. Production of the 10-episode Part 6 will start next year. In terms of season, Part 6 marks the fourth season of the show, which splits each season into two parts.

The series has found a home with fans who love the series for its portrayal of working-class Black life. Starring Mike Epps, Kim Fields and Wanda Sykes, the series follows a working-class man who is learning more about himself and fatherhood as he endures life lessons. According to Netflix:

Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps), the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family — wife Regina (Kim Fields), their two young daughters (Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine) and firstborn son (Jermelle Simon), the teenage son he fathered with another woman — and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law (Wanda Sykes), all without a blueprint for success. But the Upshaws are determined to make it work, and make it to the next level, together. In this upcoming part, the Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family.

The series is created by Sykes and Regina Hicks. Both Sykes and hicks also serve as showrunners and executive producers. Epps, Page Hurwitz, Niles Kirchner, Annie Levine & Jon Emerson and Mark Alton Brown also executive produce.

Netflix has dropped the first trailer for the upcoming series, Griselda. The series is set to premiere on Jan. 25, 2024.

The series features Sofía Vergara in the lead role and she also serves as executive producer.

Apart from Vergara, the cast includes Alberto Guerra, Christian Tappan, Martín Rodríguez, Juliana Aidén Martinez and Vanessa Ferlito. Andrés Baiz directed all episodes of the series, which was created by Eric Newman, Doug Miro, Ingrid Escajeda and Carlo Bernard. Escajeda and Miro are the showrunners.

Who does Karol G play in ‘Griselda’?

The newly released images provide a first look at Carolina Giraldo, also known as Colombian reggaeton and pop star Karol G, portraying the character Carla in her on-screen debut. The character, a close friend of Griselda’s from Medellín, plays a crucial role in the series. Arriving in Miami with a group of sex workers, Carla becomes one of Griselda’s most trusted confidants.

Here’s the official description: GRISELDA is inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history. In 1970s-80s Miami, Blanco’s lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as “the Godmother.”

Watch the trailer below:

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NBC’s decision to bank on Black-led procedurals Found and The Irrational has paid off, since NBC has renewed both series for second seasons.

Found and The Irrational are both overseen by female showrunners (Nkechi Okoro Carroll for Found and Arika Lisanne Mittman for The Irrational). The series also both star Black actors, Shanola Hampton (Found) and Jesse L. Martin (The Irrational). NBC commented in an official statement about how these series with fresh perspectives have resonated with audiences.

“These shows are a testament to the incredibly passionate work of our showrunners Nkechi Okoro Carroll (Found) and Arika Lisanne Mittman (The Irrational), both of whom have executed their visions flawlessly,” said Lisa Katz, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s president of scripted content. “A huge thank you to the talented cast, producers and crews for their tireless commitment and dedication, which has clearly paid off with audiences making these series must-see television on both NBC and next day on Peacock.”

The Irrational earned the title of being the number one new show this season in total viewers, and Found was also named the number one new drama this season in the 18-49 age demographic. Both series are also number one and number two, respectively, in total viewers this season with Black audiences. Digital audiences also loved both series, becoming the top digital launches to-date across all major platforms.

Found airs Tuesdays at 10/9c NBC and, after its Dec. 12 episode, the series will return Jan. 9 for the final two episodes of the season. The Irrational will air its final four episodes Jan. 29 at 10/9c.

Along with Hampton, Found also stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta and Karan Oberoi. The series focuses on a woman who was once kidnapped but now does everything she can to save other marginalized missing people.

According to NBC:

In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. Public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (series star and producer Shanola Hampton) — who was once herself one of those forgotten ones — and her crisis management team now make sure there is always someone looking out for the forgotten missing people. But unbeknownst to anyone, this everyday hero is hiding a chilling secret of her own.

Carroll, Sonay Hoffman, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman and Lindsay Dunn executive produce. Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions produces with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television.

The Irrational follows a behavioral science professor who uses his powers of observation and psychological expertise to solve crimes involving the top movers and shakers of American life. According to NBC:

The Irrational follows world-renowned professor of behavioral science Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) as he lends his unique expertise on an array of high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement and corporations. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him and the team on a series of intense, unexpected journeys to solve illogical puzzles and perplexing mysteries.

Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz, and Arash DeMaxi star alongside Martin. Mittman, Mark Goffman, Sam Baum and David Frankel executive produce. The series is based on Dan Ariely’s book, Predictably Irrational. Universal Television produces.

Reggie Rock Bythewood is giving Swagger fans the tough news that the Apple+ basketball drama isn’t coming back.

Bythewood announced the news of Swagger’s cancellation on social media. In his statement, he wrote that the two seasons were able to bring NBA star Kevin Durant’s experiences as a youth basketball player to audiences.

“What an amazing adventure. In our two seasons, we have launched careers, disrupted genre, brought forth humanity through our characters, told stories we care deeply about, revolutionized the way to shoot basketball and had fun,” he wrote. “That’s a blessing. KD [Kevin Durant], Brian [Grazer], Rich [Kleiman], Imagine, and CBS Studios, thanks for your trust. Apple, while you are not ordering a season three, I made the show I wanted to make. Thank you for that. Cast, writers and crew, you have my gratitude.”

“Walk on the set with Swagger. Walk off the set with Swagger. For our FAMbase, you lifted us in ways we could have never imagined,” he continued. “To the industry, don’t take your foot off the gas. Keep telling our stories.”

#Swagger pic.twitter.com/oY1oT8zByW— Reggie R. Bythewood (@RocktheFilm) November 30, 2023

Swagger stars O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isaiah Hill, Quvenzhané Wallis, Shinelle Azoroh, Tristan Mack Wilds, Caleel Harris, Tessa Ferrer, James Bingham, Solomon Irama, Jason Rivera, Christina Jackson, Ozie Nzeribe, Sean Baker, Orlando Jones and Shannon Brown. The series follows a group of high school basketball players as they embark on adulthood and fame.

Bob Hearts Abishola is leaving CBS next year.

CBS announced that Bob Hearts Abishola will end after its fifth season. The fifth season will premiere Feb. 12, 2024 on CBS. The series finale will air May 13, 2024.

There’s no official word on why the series has been canceled, but CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach said in a statement how the series has helped expand CBS’ programming.

“We are so proud to call Bob Hearts Abishola a CBS comedy as it helped establish a new generation of programming at the Network,” she said. “This series expertly showcased a family love story and workplace comedy about the immigrant experience with heartfelt humor and emotion while also authentically portraying Nigerian culture. It’s a testament to the incomparable Chuck Lorre, the amazing creative team led by Al Higgins, Gina Yashere and Matt Ross, and the talents of Billy Gardell, Folake Olowofoyeku and the entire cast for making this show and its characters come to life and resonate with viewers. We plan to celebrate it this spring and give fans the most amazing episodes to remember it by.”

Executive producers Gina Yashere, Matt Ross and Chuck Lorre also released a statement about the series’ end.“Bob Hearts Abishola is about an unlikely love story, but also the premise that immigrants make America great,” they said. “We’ve loved bringing these stories to life and are excited for fans to see the final chapter of these two families, and the incredible work of this talented cast and crew.”

The series stars Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku as a seemingly mismatched pairing of a white businessman and a Nigerian cardiac nurse. The two meet after Bob suffers a heart attack and Abishola is his attending nurse. Bob then goes through lengths to win Abishola over and start a relationship with her. The series is described as a “comedic examination of immigrant life in America.”

When the series first premiered during the 2019-20 season, it was hailed as the No. 1 new comedy and has since outpowered NBC, FOX, and ABC shows in its timeslot in terms of viewership.

Kelsey Grammer gave fans an update on the possibility of a Girlfriends reboot– or a revival series, rather– in his latest interview with Deadline.

When speaking to the outlet about the currently-running Frasier revival, Grammer answered if he had any update on rebooting Girlfriends, the show he produced starring Tracee Ellis Ross, [other actors]. He said he’d love to get it back on the air.

“I would love to reboot Girlfriends. Of course, it would probably be a different kind of show, but we got The Game back on and that was wonderful,” he said. “I don’t know if Paramount+ is gonna grab another season of that but you never know. I think they should because I know many people who love that show and love those characters and would like to see them continue. We’ll see what happens.”

“…I would love to reboot Girlfriends and I would love to see Tracee in that role again, he continued. “She was terrific in that. The show was a wonderful opportunity to see all those young women start out. It’s such a beautiful ensemble effort and I was very proud to be connected to that.”

Grammer has talked in the past about his love for Girlfriends and what it was like getting it on the air back in 2000. As he told Blavity’s Shadow and Act in 2022, he wanted to actually create the type of show television executives were always saying they wanted, despite their actions stating the contrary.

“In the early ’90s, I started my own production company and NBC, ABC, CBS, we’d all get together and start talking about how we’ve gotta bring a little more diversity to our shows and ‘Let’s get some Asian, let’s get some Black, let’s get this, let’s get that,’” he said at the time. “And I always thought, ‘What the hell, they’re talking about every year but we never do it.’ So I said, fine, let’s [do it] and we started [searching] for writing talent and, of course, met Mara [Brock Akil]. We were very impressed with her and [thought] ‘This is a good show. This is a show that should be done.’”

“…It didn’t get it’s proper sendoff,” he continued, describing the series’ cancellation after eight seasons. “It should have been given some honor because it was kind of a breakthrough show and something I was proud of,” he said, adding that the cast did excellent work. Mara did a hell of a job.”

The fourth season of Godfather of Harlem, starring Forest Whitaker, has been officially renewed by MGM+.

The fourth season finds Whitaker’s Bumpy Johnson aiming to increase his control of Harlem as he comes up against a new rival. According to the official description:

In Season Four, Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker) continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while contending with the emergence of a potential rival in newly arrived Black gangster Frank Lucas. After Malcolm X’s (Jason Alan Carvell) tragic death, Bumpy must also grapple with his daughter Elise’s (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) involvement with the Black Panthers.

MGM+ and series co-creator Chris Brancato both talked about their excitement at the series being renewed.

“Forest Whitaker’s inspired performance as Bumpy Johnson has introduced an iconic, archetypal television antihero to the premium television landscape,” said MGM+’s head Michael Wright. “The cast and creative team exceed expectations every single season, both creatively and cinematically. We couldn’t be more delighted to embark on a fourth season with this incredibly talented group of people.”

The series also stars Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Antoinette Crow-Legacy and Erik LaRay Harvey.

Brancato added: “I’m so gratified to continue my creative partnership with Michael Wright, his MGM+ team, and ABC Signature,” said Chris Brancato, co-creator. “This show has been a labor of love, and we dedicate this season to Paul Eckstein, my friend and co-creator, who passed unexpectedly this summer.”

Whitaker also talked about his feelings about the series’ renewal.

“After such a long time away, I’m so excited to be returning to set alongside such an incredible cast, crew, and creative team, under the powerful leadership of Chris Brancato. We’re so appreciative of Michael Wright’s support at MGM+, and thrilled that Godfather of Harlem has resonated with fans around the world. We can’t wait to get to work on season four!”

Whitaker also executive produces Godfather of Harlem with Brancato and series co-creator Paul Eckstein alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson and Markuann Smith. Swizz Beatz serves as the series’ executive music producer.

In January, Shadow and Act spoke with Whitaker about how the series illustrates the various stressors on the Black community.

“I think the show has always been trying to mirror society and the community, particularly Harlem,” he said. “I think we’re just getting to see how threats are shown from the government, how choices are being made to affect the community, and how we can find ways to fight back with the protests and from criminal activities of Bumpy. But it allows us to explore more of the effects of the time. Because the effects are so strongly linked to some of the things today, including police brutality, the opiate crisis —- all these things, we get a chance to explore this on a larger level because we are looking through this prism of the world yesterday. Now it’s expanding to today, and it’s expanding to all the different organizations that tried to control it.”