This week in TV news, HBO hits a new platform, but fans are trying to save one of its cancelled shows. Plus, The Americans, House of Lies, New Girl, and Bloodline are coming back for new seasons, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross are coming back to sketch comedy, and Full House is (maybe?) coming back as a new Netflix show!
Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk will reunite with his Mr. Show co-star David Cross for a new sketch comedy show called With Bob and David. Netflix ordered four half-hour episodes, plus one hourlong making-of special, which will tape while Odenkirk is in between seasons for Saul. A statement from Odenkirk and Cross described their new show: “After being dishonorably discharged from the Navy SEAL, Bob and David are back serving our country the way they do best: making sketch comedy. Four half-hours of brand-new comedy featuring all new characters, all new scenes and, most importantly, all new wigs.” Mr. Show With Bob and David fans have suspected a reunion following a tweet by cast member Paul F. Tompkins in December with a group photo and the caption “something new coming from the Mr. Show gang in the new year.” Odenkirk is also executive producer of The Birthday Boys, a sketch comedy series currently airing on IFC.
According to TV Line in an article not published on April 1, Netflix is nearing a deal to produce 13 episodes of a Full House reboot. Going by the name Fuller House, the follow-up to the late-’80s ABC sitcom about the Tanner family in San Francisco would be “a multi-cam continuation of Full House to star Candace Cameron Bure as D.J. and Andrea Barber as her BFF Kimmy.” TV Line also reported that Full House stars John Stamos, Dave Coulier, and Bob Saget could make guest appearances, and that Stamos has a producer role as well. Jeff Franklin, who created the show, is expected to executive produce if Netflix orders the series, along with two of Full House‘s original producers Thomas L. Miller and Robert L. Boyett. Should this happen, Full House will join a number of decades-old shows facing a second life, including Coach, X-Files, and Twin Peaks.
This week, a number of networks granted their shows new seasons. Showtime greenlit dramedy House of Lies starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, which is expected to return in 2016 with 10 episodes. Fox’s New Girl will also get a season five, hitting its 100th episode next season and going into syndication on TBS and MTV. FX’s critically acclaimed Cold War drama The Americans will be back for a fourth season despite low ratings this year. And Netflix’s new drama Bloodline, from the team behind Damages and starring Kyle Chandler, got picked up for a second season, even though it only premiered two weeks ago. So there you go — four more shows to catch up on!
Sling TV, Dish Network’s over-the-top service that streams live television, will be adding HBO to its programming offerings in time for the fifth season of Game of Thrones. The HBO package will cost $15 (on top of the $20 subscription to Sling TV) and will include one HBO channel plus HBO’s on demand library. “Sling TV is bringing HBO to our customers on all of our supported devices in time for one of the most important TV moments of the year,” said Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch. “HBO delivers hit shows and movies that TV viewers crave, and with this addition we’re adding another heavy hitter to a lineup that includes ESPN, AMC, TNT, and more.” No date is set yet for the service, but it will be available by Sunday, Apr. 12, when Game of Thrones premieres, along with season four of Veep and season two of Silicon Valley.
Looking, HBO’s half-hour dramedy about young gay men living in San Francisco, was cancelled last week after two seasons — but fans are hoping HBO will reconsider. A new online petition is asking the network to save Looking and produce a third season, stating: “To some fans of the show, it is the truest representation of themselves on TV; for others, it is a rare opportunity to see characters that remind them of their friends, loved ones and fellow community-members.” HBO has plans to make a Looking special, but perhaps the petition, which currently has 47,000 signatures, will change their minds. Season one of Looking was Certified Fresh and season two is Fresh at 89 percent. You can view the petition here.
