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20th Television has hired Jillian Longnecker as executive vice president of production and Brendan Countee as head of comedy development.

In their new roles at 20th TV, which is part of Disney Television Studios, Longnecker will report to Carol Turner, head of Production for Disney Entertainment Television, while Countee will report to Carolyn Cassidy, executive vice president of development at 20th TV.

“I’ve admired the undeniable slate of television and the deep bench of talent at 20th Television for a long time, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to join Carol and her top-notch team,” Longnecker said. “I’m incredibly proud of my former team and all that we accomplished together, and look forward to my next chapter in television with the excellent group of executives at the studio.”

Longnecker will oversee all physical production for 20th Television’s slate of drama, comedy and limited series.

Showtime and The CW were up on Day 3 of the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Thursday.

Showtime previewed its new drama “City on a Hill” and the premium cabler’s first late-night series “Desus & Mero.” The CW held an executive session with network head Mark Pedowitz and brought along the cast of its upcoming series “In the Dark.”

Here are 5 things we learned at TCA day 3.

Kevin Bacon Drew Inspiration From Scorsese and Lumet for “City on a Hill”

Kevin Bacon plays an FBI agent in the upcoming Showtime drama “City on a Hill,” with the screen veteran saying he drew inspiration for the character from films of the 1970s. “The thing I loved immediately from reading the pilot was Jackie’s voice, which was something I heard,” Bacon said. “This world of ‘90s cops and robbers had a gritty vibe to me and was reminiscent of...

David Nevins wore his multiple hats as CBS chief creative officer at TCA this week, making an appearance during the CBS and CBS All Access portion of the press tour in addition to hanging out with talent and producers from shows on Showtime where he remains CEO.

While CBS is getting his attention at the moment with pilot orders — former Fox and NBC executive Nevins said he was excited to jump back in the broadcast world — he also answered a few Showtime-related questions in a brief interview with Deadline crashed by Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, the stars of the network’s upcoming late-night program Desus & Mero.

Smilf, a breakout hit and a critical darling, has been involved in a controversy involving allegations of misconduct against creator/showrunner/star Frankie Shaw, which has prompted an investigation by producer ABC Studios.

Nevis weighed in on the controversy.

“You have...

Now that the industry is past its beginning-of-the-year overviews (check out IndieWire’s Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2019), February is upon us. As the film world remains focused on last year in the lead up to the Oscars, there’s still plenty of new series on the TV side worthy of attention. As always seems to be the case when looking at the upcoming calendar for a given month, there is a wide range of offerings across streaming, broadcast, and cable. These also traverse different genres, covering both scripted and unscripted shows.

(We do this roundup of new shows pretty much every month — if you missed any of those previous picks, here are some notable TV premieres from October, November, and December of last year.)

“The ABC Murders”

Hercule Poirot has long been one of the iconic characters from mystery literature. To the long list of performers who’ve played Poirot on screen,...

Viceland is going live in primetime next month with Vice Live, a two-hour variety special that will air four nights a week, Monday through Thursday, starting Monday, February 25 at 9 Pm.

Vice Live will broadcast live out of Vice’s Brooklyn headquarters, covering the day’s hottest topics and trends, led by rising comedian/actress Marie Faustin, writer/comedian/internet provocateur Zack Fox, comedian/director/photographer Sandy Honig, and rapper/host Fat Tony.

The show itself will continually be experimenting and evolving in real-time, according to Viceland. Any given episode could feature comedy pieces, celebrity visits, short-form videos, and field pieces and check-in’s from Vice’s outposts across the globe. Social media also will be a key part of Vice Live as viewers interact with the show in real-time.

Vice Live fills the void left by Desus & Mero, which formerly aired nightly on Viceland, following the hosts’ move to Showtime.

F— it, Viceland is doing it live. The cable network will revamp its primetime lineup next month to launch a nightly two-hour live show that will serve as a showcase of sorts for all things Vice.

“Vice Live” will air Mondays through Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Et, starting Feb. 25, and reps Viceland’s most ambitious programming initiative to date.

“Our audience lives in the world of very live, and instant, gratification,” Viceland president Guy Slattery exclusively told Variety. “Being live is also a bit more dangerous and makes us a bit more vulnerable. People are going to see things happening in real time. They’ll be watching the show while we’re making the show.”

“Vice Live” will be hosted by a panel of four up-and-comers: comedian/actress Marie Faustin, Houston-based underground hip-hop artist Fat Tony, comedian/director Sandy Honig, and writer/comedian Zack Fox. But other...

There comes a time in every great rivalry when sworn enemies put their battle on hold to fend off other foes. In the case of “Billions,” that time is Season 4.

After years of ruthless one-upping and trying to take out each other’s sprawling web of influence, state attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and boundary-skirting venture capitalist Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) have set aside their financial differences for the purposes of crushing a growing threat.

As the two clink glasses, they lay out the gameplan for what will presumably take up much of the Showtime drama’s upcoming episodes: eliminating another growing alliance, involving longtime “Billions” player Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon) and Season 3 newcomer Grigor Andolov (John Malkovich).

Axe and Chuck won’t be alone in their efforts, as Season 4 is bringing back a few other “Billions” regulars, including Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, David Costabile, and Jeffrey DeMunn. Among...

In today’s TV News Roundup, “Desus & Mero” gets a premiere date on Showtime and Jameela Jamil heads to TBS. Dates Showtime will debut “Desus & Mero,” the weekly half-hour late-night series starring Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, on Feb. 21 at 11 p.m. Et/Pt. The first ever weekly late-night talk show on Showtime will feature popular TV and podcast personalities Desus and Mero speaking off the cuff and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.

Sony Crackle has announced that season two of the drama series “The Oath,” from executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit Film and Television Inc. and creator/executive producer/writer Joe Halpin, will return on Feb. 21. The series explores a world of gangs made up of those sworn to protect and defend. Shedding light on corrupt and secret societies nearly impossible to join, only...

Showtime has set a February premiere date for Desus & Mero, its first weekly late-night show starring Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. Desus & Mero will debut Thursday, February 21 at 11 Pm Et/Pt on Showtime.

Airing from New York City, Desus & Mero will feature the popular TV and podcast personalities speaking off the cuff and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.

Longtime acquaintances Desus (real name Daniel Baker) and Mero (Joel Martinez) reconnected online in the early days of Twitter, where they unleashed their personalities. That led to stints on Complex and MTV, the Bodega Boys podcast, and a daily late-night show on Viceland, which wrapped its second season in June. The duo continue to host their Bodega Boys podcast.

Produced for Showtime by Jax Media, Desus & Mero will be executive produced by Desus Nice, The Kid Mero, Lilly Burns, Tony Hernandez and Victor Lopez.

Desus & Mero are ready for Showtime: The duo will launch their eponymous weekly talk show on the premium outlet in February.

The show, formerly a daily affair on Viceland, will retain the Desus & Mero title when it makes the jump to Showtime. It's set to premiere at 11 p.m. Et/Pt Feb. 21 and will air on Thursday nights.

Desus Nice and The Kid Mero parted ways with Viceland in June after hosting a nightly show for the channel for two years. A few days later they struck a deal to host Showtime's first-ever weekly late-night talker.

"...

Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are splitting from Viceland at the end of next week after less than two years of swathe-cutting late-night duty, but not before they make one last hard press on Emmy voters.

Over the past week, a long-planned and Vice Media-funded Desus & Mero Fyc campaign has shifted to the next gear with a play on the industry’s inclusion problems and promises to “reduce white guilt” if the Bronx-based Bodega Boys score enough votes for a nomination. With tongue firmly in cheek, there has been a branded bus traveling around town and an airplane with a banner flying over the City of Angels.

Adding to the not inconsiderable bucks Vice has put out, over the past two days fliers began to show up in TV Academy membership-saturated neighborhoods asking Emmy voters to consider Desus & Mero in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category.

Of course, Vice...

It’s official — Showtime has closed a deal for its first weekly late-night show starring Desus & Mero‘s Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. The half-hour program, slated to debut in 2019, will feature TV and podcast personalities Desus and Mero, speaking highly off the cuff and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.

Desus and Mero are coming off a two-season run on Viceland where they have hosted their own daily late-night talk show, Desus & Mero. The two started telling the staff about their pending departure from Viceland last Thursday. The show’s final episode is expected to air June 28. As we previously reported, Viceland tried to keep the duo onboard with a new deal but they got an opportunity they felt they could not pass on.

“We have waited a long time to enter the talk-show space, and we were...

“Desus & Mero” is set to end its run on Viceland as its stars eye a new deal at Showtime.

Variety has confirmed that the final episode of the late-night talker is scheduled to air on Viceland June 28. Hosted by Desus Nice and the Kid Mero, the series has been a rare generator of buzz for the cabler, a partnership between Vice Media and A+E Networks that ranks one of televisions least watched nationally distributed cable channels.

The two Bronx natives, who come came to prominence through their podcast “The Bodega Boys” and web series “Desus vs. Mero” are said to be in talks with premium cable network Showtime on a possible deal for a weekly talk series.

Representatives for Viceland and Showtime declined to comment.

The end of “Desus & Mero” comes at a transition point for Vice, just weeks after Nancy Dubuc officially began her new role as CEO of the media company.

Valor vet Matt Barr has joined CBS’ forthcoming quest to save the world in the action-adventure drama Blood & Treasure, our sister site Deadline reports.

In the series — which is slated for summer 2019 — a brilliant antiquities expert (Barr) and a cunning art thief (The Brave‘s Sofia Pernas) team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. The pair then find themselves in the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.

In addition to The CW’s Valor — which was cancelled in May after one season — Barr’s TV credits include Sleepy Hollow,...

Exclusive: Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are on the move. I hear the duo will be leaving Viceland where they have hosted their own daily late-night talk show, Desus & Mero, for two seasons. It hasn’t been revealed where they are headed but I hear they are close to a deal at Showtime for a weekly show.

I hear Desus and Mero started telling the staff about their pending departure from Viceland yesterday. The show’s final episode is expected to air June 28.

I hear Viceland tried to keep Desus and Mero onboard with a new deal but I hear the duo got an opportunity they felt they could not pass on. Reps for Viceland and Showtime declined comment.

With its own style, Desus & Mero has been able to cut through the late-night clutter and stand out, quickly emerging as one of Viceland’s signature shows. Shot daily...

Desus & Mero are saying goodbye to Viceland.

Daniel Baker (Desus Nice) and Joel Martinez (The Kid Mero), the duo behind the daily late-night talk show, are leaving the young-skewing cable network that has been their home for the past two seasons. The show’s final episode is slated to air June 28.

The departure marks a major loss for the Vice Media-run channel, as the pair's series served as the channel's entry into the late-night landscape. Sources say the pair are eyeing a deal at Showtime, possibly for a weekly show. Reps for Viceland and Showtime ...

With the proliferation of both talk shows and sketch programs, the TV academy decided to split the variety series category into two separate categories in 2015 to better recognize achievements in both these genres. While there were 28 entries for Best Variety Talk Series in 2015 that dipped down to 17 in 2016 and 20 in 2017. However, it is on the rise this year with 21 shows on the Emmy Awards nominations ballot. With six series reaping bids, the odds for each entry are pretty good.

All 22,000 plus voting members of the TV academy have until June 25 to cast their ballots for their favorite variety talk shows. In the past, voters were limited in the number of such shows that they could put forth; last year that cap (which was usually 10 per category) was lifted. Unlike the Oscars voters for the Emmys do not rank their choices and nominees are determined by a simple tally.

See 2018 Emmys...

Espn will Not suspend Katie Nolan after she called Donald Trump a "f**king stupid person" on Viceland's "Desus & Mero" talk show on Wednesday ... a rep for the network tells TMZ Sports. "We have looked into the totality of Nolan’s comments, they were inappropriate and we have addressed it with her," the rep said. The diss came during a discussion about hand gestures associated with white supremacists ... with Katie saying Trump uses...

Even as most shows have begun to coalesce around the same headline-response efforts on a daily and weekly basis, there’s still enough variety in late night TV to avoid painting it with the same broad brush. Sure, some days make it hard for approaches to the day’s biggest news stories not to have a little overlap.

But, for the most part, the stand-out moments from late night TV in 2017 come from the singular ways that these shows confronted a wide range of issues and curiosities outside DC confines. Some of them were political, others were defiant, and more still added some much-needed silliness amidst a yearlong wave of anxiety.

With the sheer volume of late-night-structured shows on TV, we were able to pick out a memorable moment for each of them, across network, broadcast, and premium cable here in the States. (If you’re looking for the year’s best Graham Norton clips,...