News

Will Miri's life get better in the second season of the Back to Life TV show on Showtime? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Back to Life is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the second season episodes of Back to Life here. *Status Update Below.

A Showtime dark comedy series produced by BBC, Back to Life was created by Daisy Haggard and is written by Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Juliet Cowan, and Imogen Gurney. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson...

Vulture Watch

Can Miri truly put the past behind her? Has the Back to Life TV show been cancelled or renewed for a third season on Showtime? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Back to Life, season three. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the Showtime cable channel in the United States, Back to Life was created by Daisy Haggard and is written by Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Juliet Cowan, and Imogen Gurney. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in...

The Back to Life series was renewed for a second season back in 2019 but, due to pandemic delays, it hasn't aired until now. The show originates from BBC in the UK so it likely doesn't cost Showtime much to air and the creator and star, Daisy Haggard, also has a clear idea for season three. Will Back to Life be cancelled or renewed? Stay tuned. *Status Update Below.

A British dark comedy series, Back to Life is written by Haggard and Laura Solon. In addition to Haggard, the show stars Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Juliet Cowan, and Imogen Gurney. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew. The mystery of her past continues to follow her and...

Miri's tale has come to a close. The Back to Life TV show has been cancelled, seemingly by its star, so there won't be a third season of the BBC series. Showtime has aired the series in the United States.

A British dark comedy series, Back to Life was created by Daisy Haggard and is written by Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Juliet Cowan, and Imogen Gurney. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew. The mystery of her past continues to follow her and she forms a friendship with Billy (Akhtar), who cares for the elderly woman next door. The second season picks up three...

Fans of fairytale origins got a first look at the stars of “The School for Good And Evil” on Tuesday, after a teaser was debuted during Netflix’s Geeked Week event. Sofia Wylie and Sophia Anne Caruso star as Agatha and Sophie, respectively, two best friends who are kidnapped and placed in the School for Good and Evil and must find their way back home.

“Did you ever wonder where every great fairytale begins?,” Charlize Theron, who plays Lady Lesso, asks in the teaser. “Where the good become heroes and the evil become villains? Welcome, we’ve been expecting you.”

The film, directed by Paul Feig, is adapted from the 2013 novel by Soman Chainani. David Magee, Laura Solon, Malia Scotch Marmo and Chainani wrote the screenplay for the film, which features a star-studded cast that includes Kerry Washington, Ben Kingsley, Patti LuPone, Rachel Bloom, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Flatters,...

Exclusive: Gersh has made a number of promotions across the company, including upping Eric Garfinkel, who is co-head of Gersh’s Motion Picture Lit Department, to partner.

“Eric is a very effective leader in our Motion Picture Lit Department,” David Gersh said Thursday. “I have been very impressed with his positive energy and laser focus on what is practical and how we can work together as a team to accomplish our goals. He is incredibly efficient in working with our clients and putting their films together while building a great business and helping to mentor our newer agents.”

Gersh also promoted Emily Herrmann, Josh Brandis, Catherine Barnes, Rachel Mangione, Casey Larkin and Jessica Sabanos to agent. In addition, six assistants have been upped to coordinators: Jimmy Cheng (Feature Lit), Alana Duthie (Feature Lit), Walker Harris (Production), Nathan Howard (Talent), Sam Putzer (Comedy) and Danielle Szyperek (TV).

“The promotions we are...

Like the one before it, 2021 was a year in which many of us saw more of our TVs than of our friends and loved ones. It was lucky then, that there was so bloody much of the stuff, despite the pandemic’s best efforts to shut it all down. They might have been delayed, they might have been curtailed, but they weren’t stopped. Returning British TV shows returned like spring lambs, gambolling over the horizon right into your living room.

There was comedy and drama, as well as crime thrillers by the lorryload, and sci-fi and fantasy coming by the… much smaller lorryload.

A Discovery of Witches Season 2 (January)

Based on Deborah Harkness’ All Souls trilogy about the forbidden love between a powerful witch and a centuries-old vampire, A Discovery Of Witches debuted on Sky in autumn 2018 (read our reviews here) and was renewed for series two and three almost straight away.

Sympathy isn’t easily offered to anyone in “Back to Life.” With thorny, tangled webs of broken childhoods and tragic misunderstandings, it’s a comedy that has plenty of justified, pent-up anger flowing in plenty of different directions. Keeping it all balanced on a show that still functions in a genre seemingly all its own is a balancing act that held together over its first season and maintains throughout Season 2 (premiering Monday on Showtime after airing in the UK in late summer).

Many stories are quick to get a “dark comedy” label simply because their characters joke about the underbelly of human nature or embrace concepts of mortality in a far more head-on way than expected. Through the experiences of Miri Matteson (played by series co-writer Daisy Haggard) in “Back to Life,” those are daily confrontations. Still something of a town pariah after an 18-year prison sentence in connection with...

Second seasons of television shows are often referred to as sophomore seasons, which is especially fitting for “Back to Life” because showrunner and star Daisy Haggard considers her central character to be like a teenager in the new, six-episode journey.

“Back to Life” began with Haggard’s Miri getting out of prison after serving 18 years for killing one of her best friends, Lara Boback (Imogen Gurney). She moves back to her hometown of Hythe — and more specifically, she moves back to her parents’ house — to try to start her life. The small town around her hasn’t forgiven her for what she did, even though it was an accident, but Miri is determined to “find her feet,” as Haggard puts it.

“Miri needs to be an optimist. She needs that kind of, ‘You knock me down, I get back up again’ [attitude] and we layered that in. Then it started to...

Showtime announced that Season 2 of “Back to Life” will premiere on Sept. 13.

Created by and starring Daisy Haggard, “Back to Life” follows Miri Matteson (Haggard) who stumbles back into adult life after 18 years behind bars. The six-part second season sees Miri optimistic about her future, as probation officer Janice (Jo Martin) has gotten her a trial shift at the supermarket, and her neighbor Billy (Adeel Akhtar) has been spending more time with her. However, Miri is also not talking to her mother Caroline (Geraldine James) after finding out she had an affair with Miri’s ex-boyfriend Dom (Jamie Michie). Christine Bottomley also stars as Miri’s best friend, Mandy.

The series is produced by Two Brothers Pictures for Showtime and BBC Three, U.K. in association with All3Media International. Writers Haggard and Laura Solon executive produce alongside Sarah Hammond, Chris Sweeney, Tanya Qureshi and Harry and Jack Williams.

Watch the trailer below.

In today’s Global Bulletin, BBC Two and BBC Music announce a behind-the-scenes Amy Winehouse doc; Netflix supports a new series development masters program in Italy; M6 commissions a French version of “Domino Effect”; and Red Arrow unveils its MipTV lineup.

Documentary

BBC Two and BBC Music have commissioned a documentary feature celebrating the life and legacy of musician Amy Winehouse. Working titled “Amy Winehouse: 10 Years On,” the film will exploit the benefit of a decade of hindsight to paint a more holistic picture of Amy Winehouse the person, rather than the troubled public figure which is often presented of her.

The special is told largely from the point of view of Janis Winehouse, Amy’s mother. Suffering from Ms, which threatens her long-term memory, Janis was motivated to show the world the Amy she knew, and immortalized her memories on film while she still can.

“I don’t feel...

Soman Chainani’s debut novel The School for Good and Evil, which was published in 2013 and launched a franchise, is getting a movie over at Netflix, with Paul Feig (Ghostbusters, Last Christmas) on board to direct the film. David Magee (Life of Pi, Mary Poppins Returns) and Laura Solon (Office Christmas Party, Let It Snow) are adapting. Charlize Theron will play Lady Lesso and Kerry Washington will […]...

Kerry Washington and Charlize Theron have joined the cast of The School For Good And Evil, the Paul Feig-directed adaptation of the fantasy YA novel from Soman Chainani. The powerhouse duo join Sofia Wylie and Sophia Anne Caruso who had already been set to topline the pic.

Feig made the announcement Friday on Twitter Theron is set to play Lady Lesso and Washington will portray Professor Dovey in the pic, which was adapted by screenwriters David Magee and Laura Solon.

The plot of the bestselling six-book series centers on best friends Sophie and Agatha, who discover where fairytale legacies go to school: the School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. With her princess ambitions, Sophie knows she’ll be picked for the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella and Snow White.

Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington have joined the cast of Paul Feig’s upcoming film for Netflix, “The School for Good and Evil.”

The “Bridesmaids” director made the announcement on Twitter Friday. The movie is slated to debut on Netflix in 2022.

Feig’s “The School For Good and Evil” is based on Soman Chainani’s best-selling novel of the same name. David Magee and Laura Solon are adapting the screenplay.

“The School for Good and Evil” will follow best friends Sophie and Agatha, who are about to discover where fairy tale legacies go to school: The School for Good and Evil. Sophie knows she’ll be picked for the School of Good and join alums like Cinderella and Snow White, while Agatha knows she’s fit for the Evil School. However, when their fortunes are reversed, their friendship is put to the test and the girls discover who they really are.

Soman Chainani’s debut novel The School for Good and Evil, which was published in 2013 and launched a franchise, is getting a movie over at Netflix, with Paul Feig (Ghostbusters, Last Christmas) on board to direct the film. David Magee (Life of Pi, Mary Poppins Returns) and Laura Solon (Office Christmas Party, Let It Snow) are adapting. Netflix has provided us with an […]...

Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington have joined the cast of Paul Feig’s upcoming Netflix movie, “The School for Good and Evil.”

Based on the young adult fantasy novel by Soman Chainani, the story follows best friends Sophie and Agatha as they are kidnapped to the School for Good and Evil. After their fortunes are reversed, their friendship is put to the test as the duo attempts to return home. Washington is playing Professor Dovey and Theron is portraying Lady Lesso — two looming figures at the mysterious house of education.

“I know what school I’m applying to,” Feig wrote Friday on Twitter to announce the casting news. “So thrilled to welcome Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington to the School for Good and Evil! Everyone, prepare to get schooled!”

Feig, whose vast credits include “Freaks and Geeks,” “Bridesmaids,” “A Simple Favor” and “The Heat,” is directing the film from a...

Sofia Wylie and Sophia Anne Caruso (The Sound of Music Live!) are set to star in The School For Good And Evil, the Paul Feig-directed feature adaptation of New York Times bestselling novel by Soman Chainani.

The Netflix fiilm follows best friends Sophie and Agatha who discover where fairytale legacies go to school: the School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. With her princess ambitions, Sophie knows she’ll be picked for the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her grim aesthetic and wicked cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil. Yet soon the girls find their fortunes reversed: Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, Agatha into the School for Good.

‘A Simple Favour’ helmer Paul Feig has signed up to direct Netflix’s young adult fantasy fairy-tale ‘The School for Good and Evil’.

The film is based on the novel by Soman Chainani and follows best friends Sophie and Agatha who are students at the titular School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy-tale heroes and villains.

With her princess ambitions, Sophie knows she’ll be picked for the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella and Snow White. Agatha, with her grim aesthetic and wicked cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

When the girls find their fortunes reversed, with Sophie dropped into the School for Evil and Agatha into the School for Good, their friendship will be put to the test.

David Magee and Laura Solon have penned the script.

Paul Feig has signed on to direct The School For Good And Evil, a Netflix film adaptation of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling debut novel and the first of six in The School for Good and Evil series.

David Magee and Laura Solon are adapting the screenplay which follows best friends Sophie and Agatha who uncover where fairytale legacies go to school: the School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains.

Sophie, with her princess ambitions, knows she’ll be picked for the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her grim aesthetic and wicked cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil. Yet soon the girls find their...

Paul Feig will direct Netflix’s adaptation of “The School for Good and Evil,” based on Soman Chainani’s best-selling novel of the same name, the streamer announced Thursday.

David Magee and Laura Solon are adapting the screenplay. Joe Roth, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Jane Startz and Feigco’s Feig and Laura Fischer will produce. Executive producers are Zack Roth, Patricia Riggen and Chainani.

“The School for Good and Evil” will follow best friends Sophie and Agatha, who are about to discover where fairytale legacies go to school: The School for Good and Evil. Sophie knows she’ll be picked for the School of Good and join alums like Cinderella and Snow White, while Agatha knows she’s fit for the Evil School. However, when their fortunes are reversed, their friendship is put to the test and the girls discover who they really are.

Also Read: Paul Feig Still Thinks the Female-Lead...

Paul Feig will adapt Soman Chainani’s fairytale fantasy novel “The School For Good and Evil” for Netflix.

Feig, whose credits include “Bridesmaids,” “Ghostbusters” and “A Simple Favor,” will direct from a script by David Magee (“Life of Pi”) and Laura Solon.

“The School For Good and Evil” was published in 2013 as Chainani’s first novel and the first of a six-book series. The series has sold over 2.5 million copies, has been translated into 30 languages. The final book in the series, “The School of Good and Evil: One True King,” will be released by HarperCollins on June 2.

The book follows the adventures of best friends Sophie and Agatha at the School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. Sophie has princess aspirations and expects to be picked for the School for Good and Agatha seems a natural fit for...

Days ahead of Sunday’s BAFTA awards, “The Morning Show” star Gugu Mbatha-Raw has spoken out about a “stark lack of inclusivity” at high-level awards shows.

Taking the stage at the annual Newport Beach UK Honors event in London, in association with Variety, on Wednesday night, where she was named a Breakthrough Artist, Mbatha-Raw said the film and TV industry can be a “very discouraging business.”

“At this time, when many of our most high-profile ceremonies and very prestigious awards are potentially showing a very stark lack of inclusivity, being here and seeing…what an incredibly diverse and wonderful talented group of people we have, it encourages me that those other ceremonies are not for want of talent,” she told the room.

Mbatha-Raw, who was named one of the annual event’s 10 Brits to Watch in 2011, says the industry was a “different era” back then, when disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein...

Variety has selected its annual list of 10 Brits to Watch, an honor the publication has bestowed since 2013. For the fourth year, Variety is partnering with the Newport Beach Film Festival and Visit Newport Beach to honor those selected at the sixth annual Newport Beach U.K. Honours evening, to be held at the Langham Hotel in London on Jan. 29. Honorees will also be profiled in the Jan. 15 issue of Variety.

Those selected include writers, actors and singers working in all media.

“Variety first wrote about the London entertainment scene 115 years ago, back in our first year of Variety,” said Variety vice president, executive editor Steven Gaydos. “Despite all of the monumental changes in entertainment, London and the U.K. remain critically important and dynamic centers of entertainment arts creativity. This year’s 10 Brits to Watch are wonderful proof!”

The 10 Brits to Watch will be feted alongside several honorees at the event,...

Showtime released all six episodes of the first season of Back to Life ahead of its cable premiere. Could this mean that the channel had lost interest in the series before it even aired or, could it be renewed regardless of traditional viewer ratings because it originates in the UK and costs less? Will Back to Life be cancelled or renewed for season two? Stay tuned. *Status update below.

A British comedy-drama series, Back to Life is created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, and Liam Williams. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew. The mystery of her past continues to follow her.

Will viewers root for Miri in the first season of the Back to Life TV show on Showtime? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Back to Life is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the first season episodes of Back to Life here. *Status update below.

A British comedy-drama series on Showtime, Back to Life is created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, and Liam Williams. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life...

Showtime has given a second season to the Daisy Haggard comedy “Back to Life,” the network announced Tuesday.

Created by and starring Haggard, “Back to Life” centers on Miri Matteson, who, after 18 years behind bars, returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew, while the mystery of her past looms large. It is set to wrap its six-episode first season on Nov. 24.

“‘Back to Life’ is a charming, funny and introspective comedy that resonates beautifully with Showtime viewers,” said Jana Winograde, president of Entertainment. “With such sharp writing and sensitive, winning performances from Daisy and the cast, we are confident that this gem from across the pond has even more delights to share with us in season two.”

Also Read: 'Work in Progress' Trailer: Abby McEnany's Life Is So Depressing, It Kills Her Therapist (Video)

Season 2 will be a co-production between Showtime and BBC Three.

Showtime is to co-produce a second season of Daisy Haggard’s comedy Back to Life with the BBC.

The CBS-owned premium network has boarded the dark comedy as a co-production partner after acquiring the first season.

The first season of the show, which is created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon, launched on Showtime November 10 and the six-part series wraps on November 24 with two back-to-back episodes. The first season aired on BBC Three in the UK in April.

Produced by All3Media-backed Two Brothers Pictures, which produced Fleabag, the show stars Haggard, best known for her role in Showtime and BBC’s Episodes, as Miri Matteson, who returns home after 18 years behind bars and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew, while the mystery of her past looms large. Miri’s first few weeks out of prison see her trying, and frequently failing,...

Showtime has handed a second season order to “Back to Life,” only nine days after the limited comedy series debuted in the U.S.

“Back to Life” was created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon, with Haggard starring as Miri Matteson who, after 18 years behind bars, returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew, while the mystery of her past looms large.

The renewal announcement was made by Showtime presidents of entertainment Gary Levine and Jana Winograde.

“‘Back to Life’ is a charming, funny and introspective comedy that resonates beautifully with Showtime viewers,” said Winograde in a statement. “With such sharp writing and sensitive, winning performances from Daisy and the cast, we are confident that this gem from across the pond has even more delights to share with us in season two.”

Season 2 of the series, which hails from “Fleabag” producers...

Showtime has picked up a second season of its dark comedy Back to Life, starring and co-created by Daisy Haggard.

The pickup comes four episodes into the show's six-episode run, with the season set to wrap with two episodes Nov. 24. The series, from Fleabag producers Harry and Jack Williams, Haggard and co-creator Laura Solon, follows a woman, Miri (Haggard), who was recently released from prison after serving an 18-year sentence. 

Miri returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew, while the mystery of her past looms over her. She tries to readjust ...

Vulture Watch

Can Miri make a new life for herself? Has the Back to Life TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on Showtime? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Back to Life, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the Showtime cable channel, Back to Life is created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon. The show stars Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, and Liam Williams. After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew. The mystery of...

Network: Showtime

Episodes: Ongoing (half-hour)

Seasons: Ongoing

TV show dates: November 10, 2019 -- present

Series status: Has not been cancelled

Performers include: Daisy Haggard, Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Adeel Akhtar, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, and Liam Williams.

TV show description:

A British comedy-drama series, Back to Life is created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon.

After 18 years behind bars, Miri Matteson (Haggard) returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew. The mystery of her past continues to follow her. Miri’s first few weeks out of prison see her trying to unsuccessfully lead a normal life in her picturesque but claustrophobic hometown. Read More…...

TV has a way of robbing a term of its meaning through over/misuse. “Bottle episode.” “Cinematic.” “Event series.” After a few years of genuine genre experimentation, particularly in half hour series, dramedy is one of those terms that could apply to just about anything now. Rarely, though, has a show felt like such a savvy and necessary blend of the two than Daisy Haggard‘s six-part series “Back to Life,” premiering on Showtime after airing in the U.K. earlier this spring.

But it would be just as much a shame to reduce what’s happening in this show to a single word, given that the main thrust of the entire series is that trying to box in a feeling, or an event, or individual into one easy-to-categorize description can be as pointless as it can be destructive. It’s so dedicated to that idea that much of the...

In today’s TV news roundup, Amazon Prime Video unveiled the first look at the upcoming series “Hunters,” and TruTV greenlit “Hot Ones: The Game Show.”

Dates

ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” will return for its seventh season just in time for the holidays, premiering Dec. 2. With lifestyle expert Carter Oosterhouse and famed interior designer Taniya Nayak as celebrity judges, the series will return with back-to-back episodes for three consecutive weeks. Additionally, ABC has already greenlit an eighth season to premiere in 2020.

Showtime will release all six episodes of “Back to Life” on all of the premium cabler’s platforms Nov. 10. Created and written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon, the new series follows Miri Matteson (Haggard) as she returns home after completing an 18 year stint behind in prison. “Fleabag” producers Harry Williams and Jack Williams executive produce alongside Sarah Hammond for Two Brothers Pictures, and Haggard, Solon and Chris Sweeney.

In today’s TV News roundup, Daveed Diggs and Wyatt Russell join a new limited series at Showtime, and the network drops a first look at its upcoming comedy series “Back To Life.”

Casting

Daveed Diggs and Wyatt Russell have been cast in Showtime’s “The Good Lord Bird.” Grammy and Tony Award winner Diggs will play abolitionist Frederick Douglass, while Russell will play Jeb Stuart, a federal officer sent to catch John Brown, played by Ethan Hawke. Told from the perspective of an enslaved boy who is part of Brown’s abolitionist soldiers, Onion (Joshua Johnson-Lionel), “The Good Lord Bird” details the story of Bleeding Kansas and the famous Harper’s Ferry raid led by Brown in 1859.

Bob Harper will return as host of “The Biggest Loser” for the series reboot premiering in 2020, USA Network announced. Harper was a key element of the original show which ran for 17 seasons.

In today’s TV roundup, “Dear White People” sets an August 2 premiere and Showtime acquires the six-episode comedy series “Back to Life.”

Dates

“Dear White People” will return for its third season on August 2. The news was announced in a comedic sketch posted to Netflix‘s Youtube channel, in which the series’ cast members debate sweet versus salty grits. The new season will continue to follow students of a predominantly white Ivy League university as they confront racial tensions and dramatic personal relationships.

Netflix also announced a slew of summer premiere dates via a promotional video. The streamer’s forthcoming sitcom “Family Reunion” will premiere July 10, “Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster Frankenstein,” the mockumentary comedy special starring David Harbour, will debut July 16, and “Workin’ Moms” will return for season 2 on July 25.

Own has announced an August 14 premiere for its drama series “David Makes Man” from Oscar-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (“Moonlight...

Showtime has acquired the comedy series “Back to Life,” created by and starring “Episodes” alum Daisy Haggard and “Fleabag” duo Harry and Jack Williams.

The six-episode comedy follows Miri (Haggard) in her first few weeks after serving 18 years in prison, as she navigates her way in a new world, trying (and frequently failing) to lead a normal life in her picturesque but claustrophobic seaside hometown. Miri attempts to rekindle old relationships, make new ones, look for work and readjust to life outside, while desperately waiting for the world to forget about what happened that fateful night.

The cast also includes Geraldine James, Richard Durden, Jo Martin, Jamie Michie, Christine Bottomley, Adeel Akhtar and Liam Williams. It will debut on Showtime on Sunday, Oct. 6.

Also Read: Kirsten Dunst-George Clooney Dark Comedy 'Becoming a God in Central Florida' Lands at Showtime (Video)

“‘Back to Life’ is a gem of a...

The critically acclaimed British series Back To Life is heading to Showtime. The premium cable net has ordered the six-episode comedy series, from Fleabag producers Harry and Jack Williams and Daisy Haggard (Episodes). Created by Haggard and written by Haggard and Laura Solon, the series will premiere on Sunday, October 6 at 8:30 pm on Showtime.

In the series, Haggard plays Miri Matteson, who, after 18 years behind bars, returns home and stumbles back into adult life in the coastal town she once knew, while the mystery of her past looms large.

The series, which aired earlier this year on the BBC, follows Miri’s first few weeks out of prison navigating her way in a new world, trying (and frequently failing) to lead a normal life in her picturesque but claustrophobic seaside hometown. Miri attempts to rekindle old relationships, make new ones, look for work and readjust to life outside, while...

“Back to Life,” a new comedy from the producers of “Fleabag,” has set its cast and entered production. Daisy Haggard co-wrote the series and plays the lead character, Miri Mattheson, an ex-con returning to her seaside hometown after 18 years in prison. Geraldine James (“Sherlock Holmes”) and Richard Durden (“Harlots”) will play Miri’s parents as she readjusts to life on the outside.

They appear alongside a roster of British talent in the series for online network BBC Three, including Adeel Akhtar (“Murdered by My Father”), who plays Miri’s neighbor, and Jamie Michie (“Game of Thrones”), who plays her first love.

All3Media-baked Two Brothers Pictures, the hot British shingle behind shows including “Fleabag” and “Rellik,” is on production duty. Liam Williams (“Pls Like”), Souad Faress (“Bridget Jones’s Baby”), Jo Martin (“Been So Long”), Christine Bottomley (“The End of the F***ing World”) and Frank Feys (“A Perfect Day...

A David Tennant-fronted comedy drama, a multi-character sitcom from the writer of Paddington 2, a comedy crime thriller featuring Episodes’ Daisy Haggard and a raft of new talent form part of the BBC’s latest comedy drive.

The British public broadcaster has unveiled its new slate of comedies across its channels BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four. This comes as BBC comedy chief Shane Allen tells Deadline that by making shows that are quintessentially British, they are increasingly traveling to the U.S. and internationally without the need to be remade.

On BBC One, Paddington 2’s Simon Farnaby and his colleagues behind Horrible Histories and Yonderland are producing Ghosts, a multi-character sitcom. Farnaby, Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond are working with Monumental Television on the six-part horror comedy, which follows a group of restless spirits squabbling in a crumbling country house.

Stars: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon, Courtney B. Vance, Jillian Bell, Rob Corddry, Vanessa Bayer, Randall Park, Sam Richardson, Jamie Chung | Written by Justin Malen, Laura Solon, Dan Mazer | Directed by Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Josh Gordon and Will Speck, co-directors of one of, if not The, greatest ice-skating comedy ever (Blades of Glory), re-team for another buddy comedy that once again mixes gross-out humour and heartfelt laughs – this time in a story set in the world of office politics. Think Animal House for the tech generation…

Reminiscent of the Seth Rogen flick The Night Before, Office Christmas Party is very much in the same vein: an ensemble cast in a crazy scenario, featuring raunchy comedy and some totally outrageous situations and it’s all set over the Christmas holiday season. It also shares a similar taste in songs, in fact the two films could...

Office Christmas Party Paramount Pictures Reviewed by: Harvey Karten, Shockya Grade: B Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck Written by: Justin Malen, Laura Solon, Dan Mazer from a story by Jon Lucas, Scott Moore, Timothy Dowling Cast: Jennifer Aniston, T.J. Miller, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn, Courtney B. Vance Screened at: Regal E-Walk, NYC, 12/6/16 Opens: December 9, 2016 Some decades back, high school teachers (like me) enjoyed Christmas parties before they were called Holiday Parties or End-of-Season affairs. But because of some new rules that bureaucrats at the Department of Education thought up, these parties could no longer be held on school grounds. No matter: it’s not as [ Read More ]

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Stars: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon, Courtney B. Vance, Jillian Bell, Rob Corddry, Vanessa Bayer, Randall Park, Sam Richardson, Jamie Chung | Written by Justin Malen, Laura Solon, Dan Mazer | Directed by Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Josh Gordon and Will Speck, co-directors of one of, if not The, greatest ice-skating comedy ever (Blades of Glory), re-team for another buddy comedy that once again mixes gross-out humour and heartfelt laughs – this time in a story set in the world of office politics. Think Animal House for the tech generation…

Reminiscent of last years The Night Before, Office Christmas Party is very much in the same vein: an ensemble cast in a crazy scenario, featuring raunchy comedy and some totally outrageous situations and it’s all set over the Christmas holiday season. It also shares a similar taste in songs, in fact the two films could switch out...

Chicago – “Office Christmas Party” summons up a few jolly ho-ho-ho’s, but can’t quite deliver even one decent belly laugh you’d expect, considering the talented cast chock full of funny folks. It’s halfway decent premise is drowned in a sea of unfulfilled potential and weak material that the ensemble can only do so much to save.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Jason Bateman is stuck playing another variation on his nice guy persona. He’s a recently divorced middle manager at a corporate data server company in Chicago, working for the party boy son (T.J. Miller) of the company’s deceased founder. Bateman is too good for the material he’s given but he is consistently able to wring some humor and even warmth out of moments in the middle of the predictable run of the mill mayhem. The other highlight is “SNL’s” Kate McKinnon, generating the highest joke-to-laugh batting average of the bunch.

Chicago – The raucous party movie has become a reliable staple in movieland, and now a production tackles the holiday soiré, and all that can go wrong. “Office Christmas Party” is co-directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, who also gave us “Blades of Glory” and “The Switch.”

The story features T.J. Miller and Jennifer Aniston as the brother and sister who has inherited their father’s computer business. Miller runs the Chicago office, which is under performing. Aniston’s character wants to shut the branch down, but Miller thinks an epic holiday party will convince a potential client (Courtney B. Vance) to sign on and save the company, and enlists the aide of officemates portrayed by Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn and Kate McKinnon. The movie is filled with wild and funny takes on celebrating the holiday ritual, and shows off the city of Chicago in all of its winter glory.

Raunchy R-rated holiday comedies are becoming a new tradition in Hollywood. Last year saw the excellent The Night Before riding into theaters. Now, after last week’s Bad Santa 2, comes next week’s Office Christmas Party, which has had a brand new trailer gifted to us today.

Starring Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney B. Vance, Olivia Munn and Jillian Bell, the newest film from directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon (Blades of Glory) finds an annual high-end office Christmas party taking a turn for the worst when sex, drugs, violence and lots of alcohol consumption enter the equation.

While this new trailer doesn’t necessarily highlight on anything that hasn’t been seen in the previous ads, it does demonstrate the scope of madness that will be on display here. With each comedy attempting to be bigger and badder than the last, Office Christmas Party will,...

Exclusive: Universal Pictures has pre-emptively purchased Laura Solon's pitch Bodyguards for Scott Stuber and Dylan Clark’s Bluegrass Films. The storyline is being kept under wraps, but it is said to be a female-driven action-comedy. Solon and Bluegrass have worked together on numerous projects. She currently is rewriting Bluegrass’ romantic comedy Let It Snow, which is based on the anthology of three intersecting short stories by Ya novelists John Green, Maureen Johnson…...

Christmas is a time for good cheer and family gatherings, but it’s also a time to get drunk and cause crazy shenanigans. Such is the basis for the new wacky comedy “Office Christmas Party,” which boasts a murderer’s row of comedy stars and promises outrageous fun. The film follows CEO Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) as she tries to close down the branch run by her hard-partying brother Clay (T.J. Miller). In an effort to save their jobs, Clay and his Cto (Jason Bateman) rally their co-workers for an epic office Christmas party in order to impress a potential client, but of course, everything goes awry.

Watch the trailer for the film below.

Read More: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller & Kate McKinnon Will Have An ‘Office Christmas Party’

The film is directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, who previously directed the smash comedy “Blades of Glory,” starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder,...

Working Title has optioned the film rights to "In My Shoes," the 2013 autobiography of Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon.

Mellon had a troubled childhood but rose up to become a young editor at Vogue. She soon formed a partnership with Malaysia-born cobbler Choo, whose footwear she developed into a billion-dollar brand. Soon there was a struggle for control of the company.

The story will kick off at the point after Mellon is let go at Vogue, does a stint in rehab and goes on to form Jimmy Choo - all the while dealing with estrangement from her mother and having to handle private-equity suits trying to take over the company. Comedian-screenwriter Laura Solon ("Hot in Cleveland") is penning the script with Working Title now out to directors.

Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing the film which is aiming to be a female-skewing big fashion comedy said to be part...

Exclusive: Working Title is slipping into some Jimmy Choos. I’ve learned the prolific UK-based production company has optioned In My Shoes, the autobiography of Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon, with a view to bringing the larger-than-life story to the big screen. Comedian-screenwriter Laura Solon (Hot in Cleveland) has adapted the book, and I understand Working Title is out to directors. Principals Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing with Wt’s Lucas Webb…...

Jamie Chung, “Deadpool” actor Karan Soni and Tony Award nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph will join Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman in the DreamWorks comedy “Office Christmas Party,” TheWrap has exclusively learned. Will Speck and Josh Gordon are directing from a script by Laura Solon and serving as executive producers on the project, which is being produced by Scott Stuber and Entertainment 360’s Guymon Casady and Daniel Rappaport. Paramount will release the holiday comedy on Dec. 9. Kate McKinnon, T.J. Miller, Olivia Munn, Abbey Lee and Randall Park will co-star in the film, which follows an office Christmas party that gets out.