News

For 12 seasons, "Murder, She Wrote" was the definitive cozy murder mystery show. Set in the small and charming yet dead-body-filled fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine, the show wormed its way into the hearts of procedural fans everywhere with its familiar structure and unlikely hero -- middle-aged mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). While the actor behind the beloved amateur sleuth passed away in 2022, "Murder, She Wrote" lives on, both in the form of much-watched reruns and in an upcoming movie adaptation.

Little is known about the new version of "Murder, She Wrote" at this point, but screenwriters Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo have said that the story will relate back to Cabot Cove and Jessica in some capacity. When it comes to potential cameos from old cast members, the pool is unfortunately limited, as several of the series' lead actors have passed away in the decades since the show ended.

Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for “Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators,” which will offer a behind-the-scenes look into one of the biggest spectacles on television during the height of the ’90s.

The five-part docuseries includes firsthand accounts from the stars who lived through it, sharing untold stories of American Gladiators’ triumph, turmoil and the ultimate price of fame. They include Dan “Nitro” Clark, Debbie “Storm” Clark, Erika “Diamond” Andersch Bunker, Jim “Laser” Kalafat, Lori “Ice” Fetrick, Michael “Gemini” Horton, Raye “Zap” Olson, Shari E “Blaze” Pendleton Mitchell, Shirley “Sky” Eson-Korito, Steve “Tower” Hennebery

“Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators” is directed by Tony Vainuku and Jared Hess, produced by Campfire Studios and Game Seven Media and executive produced by Clark, Vainuku, Hess, Ross M. Dinerstein, Kyle McCutcheon, Peter Sussman and Chris Koras.

Also Read:

‘American Gladiators’ Star Michael Horton on the Sacrifices...

The two-part “30 for 30” documentary on the seminal 1990s competition show “American Gladiators” has now concluded, wrapping up an epic saga that cut right to the core of the American Dream.

The documentary dove deep into the largely unknown history of the show, which dominated the TV landscape in its initial run in syndication on US television and around the world. It revealed stories of love, lust, betrayal, friendship, injury, agony, and everything in between from the creators of the show and the Gladiators themselves.

So how did a nearly three-hour doc about a show famous for events like jousting with things that looked like huge cotton swabs and rolling around in giant steel balls called Atlaspheres come together? According to the doc’s director Ben Berman, he was skeptical when initially approached by Vice about the project but changed his mind once he learned more about the story.

Just because the week is shorter, doesn’t mean that there’s any less stellar programming on the horizon, with new seasons of “I Think You Should Leave,” “Dark Side of the Ring,” “Nancy Drew” and “Painting with John,” plus the series finales of “Barry” and “Succession.” And that’s to say nothing of a ripped-from-the-headlines HBO movie (starring Sydney Sweeney no less), a documentary about the American Gladiators and a LeBron James biopic. A jam-packed week, even with one fewer day!

On with the television!

Get TheWrap’s TV Watchlist newsletter in your inbox every Friday by signing up here.

“I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson”

Tuesday, May 30, Netflix

Netflix

Television’s most deliriously funny series returns. If you’ve never seen “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,” it springs from the deranged mind of star and creator Tim Robinson, who worked as a performer...

ESPN has released an exclusive clip from a new two-part documentary that will shed light on the behind-the-scenes story of the famed reality competition show “American Gladiators.”

From 1989 to 1996, “American Gladiators” was one of the most popular syndicated programs in television, a competition show that predated the reality TV era but used many of the same techniques to attract viewers. Every week, “amateur” contestants would go up against a cast of “professional” gladiators in a range of physical competitions, setting up David versus Goliath matchups that were popular with big television audiences but also earned considerable criticism for being “crash TV”.

The documentary, which will debut on May 30 and 31 on ESPN and be made available on ESPN+ following its premiere, features original interviews with Johnny Ferraro, Deron McBee (‘Malibu’), Michael Horton (‘Gemini’), Lynn ‘Red’ Williams (‘Sabre’), the late William Billy Smith (‘Thunder’) and Salina Bartunek (‘Elektra’).

“What we were doing consumed us so much.

Count Magnus, this year’s BBC Christmas ghost story special, blends the holiday spirit of reconnecting with family origins with the terror of reawakening a supernatural being that should have been left alone. Although many may associate the concept with the ghosts that haunt Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, UK TV viewers traditionally welcome the holiday season with filmed adaptations of M.R. James’ early 20th-century ghost stories, a BBC tradition revived by Mark Gatiss since 2013.

In this year’s M.R. James adaptation, Jason Watkins plays Wraxhall, a man digging into his distant ancestors from Sweden. His curiosity leads him to the final resting place of Count Magnus, a 16th-century noble who died mysteriously after a trip abroad. He receives multiple warnings that the crypt is haunted but he insists on opening up the tomb.

Den Of Geek spoke to screenwriter, director and actor Mark Gatiss to get the inside...

Angela Lansbury had many brilliant roles in film and TV with Murder, She Wrote being one of the longest-running crime dramas in TV history. Her passing is a true loss to the industry and fans alike. Watched by millions of viewers year after year, people of all ages enjoyed watching Lansbury's performance as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery novelist who just so happens to solve murder mysteries week after week.

Jessica Fletcher may be the only character shown in the opening credits, but throughout the years, there have been many recurring characters that are just as fun to watch. Her relationships between people in Cabot Cove, her friends, and relatives help shape Jessica's character, and it is always exciting to see another beloved character in the series make an appearance. Here are 10 of the very best.

Update: 2022/11/09 By Ruby Brown

Another devastating loss to the world of film and TV, Angela Lansbury recently passed away,...

Prince Valiant began as a Sunday comic strip in 1937, created by legendary artist Hal Foster. In 1991, the Family Channel began airing The Legend of Prince Valiant, an animated series based on the strip.

The TV show tells the story of an exiled prince who is on a quest to become one of the Knights of the Round Table. As they travel to Camelot, brave Prince Valiant, feisty Rowanne, and woodsman Arn bond in their common desire to defeat practitioners of evil during their treacherous journey. The strong moral center of the series earned The Legend of Prince Valiant the Humanitas Award in 1993 and three Silver Angel awards.

The voice cast for the series includes Robby Benson, Michael Horton, Noelle North, Alan Oppenheimer, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Tim Curry, Samantha Eggar, James L. Avery Sr., and Dorian Harewood.

The...