This week in TV news, Obama takes a ride with Jerry Seinfeld on a new episode of Crackle’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Plus, SyFy renews The Expanse, The CW teases Suicide Squad, and “Warm Kitty” descendants sue The Big Bang Theory!
SYFY RENEWS THE EXPANSE FOR SEASON TWO
Syfy announced Thursday its 2017 plans for a second season of The Expanse (Fresh at 74 percent), which is currently in the middle of its first 10-episode run. Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse follows the story of a hard-boiled detective (Thomas Jane) and a rogue ship captain (Steven Strait) who join forces to track down a missing woman, uncovering what could be the biggest conspiracy in human history. “The Expanse is firing on all cylinders creatively, building a passionate fan base among viewers and critics alike, and delivering on Syfy’s promise of smart, provocative science fiction entertainment,” said SyFy and Chiller president Dave Howe. “We can’t wait to see where the story takes us in season two.” To catch up before episode five, “Back to the Butcher,” airs Tuesday Jan. 5 at 10 p.m., watch the first four episodes of season one on SyFy.com.
PRESIDENT OBAMA TAKES JERRY SEINFELD FOR A RIDE
No matter which side of the political aisle you’re on, you have to admit that
President Obama has fired off
some pretty good jokes during his time in office. For
Jerry Seinfeld, that was enough to invite POTUS onto Wednesday night’s seventh-season premiere of
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The 20-minute episode, which is currently available for free on
Crackle, featured a few improvised bits with Obama and the funnyman — mostly trying to drive a 1963 Corvette Stingray off the presidential premises (no such luck, by the way), and some fun banter over a cup of coffee in the White House commissary. Highlights of their Q&A included Obama’s anecdote about golfing with
Seinfeld creator
Larry David, and also the president’s admission that a “pretty sizable percentage” of world leaders are crazy. “Part of what happens is these guys, I think the longer they stay in office, the more likely that is to happen,” Obama said. “At a certain point, your feet hurt and you’re having trouble peeing, and you have absolute power.” This week’s installment is the first of six episodes in season seven, which will include interviews with
Will Ferrell,
Steve Martin,
Garry Shandling,
Kathleen Madigan, and
Sebastian Maniscalco, streaming every Wednesday night at 11:30 p.m.
THE CW WILL DROP THE FIRST SUICIDE SQUAD TRAILER DURING DC SPECIAL
The synergy between DC Comics and The CW continues on Tuesday, Jan. 19, when the network will present the first full trailer for
Suicide Squad, director David Ayer’s feature film about DC’s “misfit crew of antiheroes forced into saving the world,” coming to theaters Aug. 2016. The all-new trailer will debut during
DC Films Presents: Dawn Of The Justice League, a half-hour special hosted by
Kevin Smith, previewing new movies coming from the DC Films universe. The special will be paired with
DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow: Their Time Is Now, an in-depth look at the origin stories behind
the new CW series. Both half-hour specials will air following a shiny new episode of
The Flash at 8 p.m. on the 19th.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will premiere on The CW on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m.
THE BIG BANG THEORY FACING LEGAL BATTLE OVER ‘SOFT KITTY’
According to
Deadline, a legal battle erupted this week over a lullaby sung several times on the CBS comedy
The Big Bang Theory. Known as “
Soft Kitty,” the song has been sung in numerous episodes in which
Jim Parsons‘ character, Sheldon, needs some comforting. Due to the song’s popularity, CBS has even sold “Soft Kitty” merchandise, such as hoodies, key chains, and plush toys. The late poet Edith Newlin wrote “
Warm Kitty” in 1937, and now her daughters, Margaret Perry and Ellen Chase, want CBS to pay up for their mother’s now-famous lyrics. The lullaby bit has appeared in eight different episodes of
TBBT since 2008. Warner Bros., which produces the show, has not commented on the suit, but the music publisher who has held the rights to the poem for the past 80 years, says that “Warm Kitty” has been properly licensed. See the full story
here.
