Advertisement

The CW Sets ‘Kung Fu,’ ‘The Republic of Sarah’ Premiere Dates (TV News Roundup)

In today’s TV news roundup, The CW announced premiere dates for new and returning series, including “Kung Fu” and “The Republic of Sarah,” and the 2021 Writers Guild Awards will be hosted by Kal Penn.

RENEWALS

CNN has picked up a second season of “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” an original series featuring the actor’s travels across Italy. Season 2, which will premiere in 2022, will follow Tucci as he explores the culinary sphere and cultural traditions of new regions in Italy. The series is executive produced by Tucci for Raw TV, Adam Hawkins, Eve Kay and Amy Entelis and Lyle Gamm for CNN Original Series.

More from Variety

Vice TV announced four docuseries — Michael K. Williams’ “Black Market,” “I Was a Teenage Felon,” “While the Rest of Us Die” and “The Devil You Know” — have been greenlit for second seasons. Returning after a 5-year hiatus, “Black Market” explores the factors that lead people to participate in underground economies and illicit trades. Season 2 is produced by Freedome Productions and Picture Farm and co-produced by Vice World News. The second volume of “I Was a Teenage Felon,” produced by the Intellectual Property Corporation, will follow how average American children pursue smuggling, dealing, scamming and hacking through first-person interviews and cinematic visuals. Season 2 of “While the Rest of Us Die” will explore decades of government decisions that have widened the wealth gap, such as prioritizing large corporations over the interests of working-class families. Efran Films and Vice TV will produce. “The Devil You Know,” produced by Vice Studios, will return with a six-part season that uncovers the growth of online cults in the United States through the investigation of cult leader Sherry J. Shriner and her New Age Alien Agenda, a lizard cult.

DATES

The CW announced that its new dramas “Kung Fu” and “The Republic of Sarah” making their series debuts April 7 at 8 p.m. and June 14 at 9 p.m., respectively. The network will also premiere the new seasons of “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” “Dynasty” and “In the Dark” respectively on May 2 at 8 p.m., May 7 at 9 p.m. and June 9 at 9 p.m. And, an all-new one-hour special “World’s Funniest Animals: Spring Fling” will air April 30 at 8 p.m. “Kung Fu,” which stars Olivia Liang, Tzi Ma and Kheng Hua Tan, will follow a young Chinese-American woman Nicky Shen (Liang) who must protect her hometown, overrun with crime and corruption, with the help of her loved ones and martial arts skills. Starring Stella Baker and Luke Mitchell, “The Republic of Sarah” unfolds as a rebellious high school teacher goes head-to-head with a greedy mining company that aims to destroy her town.

A&E series “Intervention” and “Hoarders” will return with brand new seasons March 15 at 9 p.m. and March 22 at 8 p.m., respectively. Debuting with a two-hour premiere, docuseries “Intervention” will provide a raw look at how addiction impacts communities in Las Vegas. Returning for a 12th season, “Hoarders” will follow a team of experts at they deal with some of the nation’s most challenging hoarders, giving an in-depth look at those with compulsive hoarding behaviors. “Intervention” is produced by GRB Studios and “Hoarders” is produced by TLG Motion Pictures. Watch trailers for both series below.

Hulu’s “Solar Opposites,” from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan, will return with eight all-new episodes March 26. The animated sci-fi comedy about a quartet of aliens who escape their exploding home only to crash-land into suburban America explores the best and worst parts of the country. Korvo (Roiland) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone) see pollution and greed, while Terry (Thomas Middleditch) and Jesse (Mary Mack) love humans and their TV and junk food. While navigating their differing opinions, they must protect the Pupa, a live supercomputer that will one day consume them and terraform Earth. The series is executive produced by Roiland, McMahan and Josh Bycel. Watch a trailer below.

FIRST LOOKS

Disney Plus premiered the trailer for its original series “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” which streams March 26. The 10-episode season, set in present-day Minnesota, follows 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) who is cut from the Mighty Ducks, an ultra-competitive youth hockey team. Following the slight, he and his mom Alex (Lauren Graham) set out to build their own team of misfits with the help of former hockey player Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez). The series also features cast members Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Luke Islam, Kiefer O’Reilly, Taegen Burns, Bella Higginbotham and DJ Watts. “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” is produced by ABC Signature. Steve Brill, the original creator, writer and executive producer of all three films, which spawned an NHL franchise, is back as co-creator and executive producer of the new series. Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa are co-creators and will serve as showrunners. Michael Spiller serves as executive producer and director on the series. Estevez and Graham will co-executive produce. George Heller and Brad Petrigala of Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Jon Avnet and Jordan Kerner also serve as non-writing executive producers. Watch the trailer below.

EXECUTIVE NEWS

ESPN has promoted Kaitee Daley and Flora Kelly to vice president roles. Daley will continue to oversee ESPN’s social media team and Kelly will lead the new brand strategy and content insights team, responsible for ESPN’s market, fan and media insights, as well as developing the ESPN brand, tracking sports trends and expanding audiences. Daley has played a key role in ESPN’s social media efforts for nearly a decade, leading “SportsCenter’s” social media expansion and on-air integration. Kelly, who joined ESPN in 2011, previously delivered insights that led to the launch of ESPN Plus.

DEALS

Food Network and the Try Guys — best friends and creators Keith Habersberger, Ned Fulmer, Zach Kornfeld and Eugene Lee Yang — have struck a new deal to produce upcoming special “No Recipe Roadtrip with the Try Guys” (working title). The special, inspired by the quartet’s popular series “Without a Recipe,” in which they attempt to cook and bake without instructions, will begin production later this year.

LATE NIGHT

Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Garnett and Tobe Nwigwe will be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” while Awkwafina, Ava DuVernay and Chloe X Halle will be guests on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” “Late Night With Seth Meyers” will feature Ice-T, Tracey Wigfield and Raghav Mehrotra, and Andra Day will be on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah.”

AWARDS

Kal Penn will host the 2021 Writers Guild Awards virtual ceremony March 21. The actor, producer and writer is best known for his memorable roles in the “Harold and Kumar” franchise. He also served as the former White House staffer under the Barack Obama administration. The Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, news (broadcast and digital), radio and audio and promotional categories.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.