Waterston returns to "Law & Order" / Spike Lee Netflix partnership / Sinatra series / "How I Met Your Father" trailer

Plus the weekend calendar, "Righteous Gemstones" S2, "Killing Eve" concludes, "Yellowjackets" renewed, and more

Inside.com Part of   Network December 17, 2021

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Actor Sam Waterston will reprise his role as District Attorney Jack McCoy for NBC's upcoming revival of "Law & Order." The procedural drama will return for its 21st season on February 24, joining a Thursday night line-up of "Law & Order" spin-offs. More: The new season will be the 17th overall featuring Waterston as McCoy. Both Waterston and former "Law & Order" star Anthony Anderson signed on to reprise their roles for a single season. Newcomers joining the cast include Jeffrey Donovan, Hugh Dancy, Camryn Manheim, and Odelya Halevi. Rick Eid ("FBI") will serve as writer and showrunner on the revival series; "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf is on board as an executive producer. DEADLINE

Netflix teamed with filmmaker Spike Lee for a new "multi-year creative partnership." So far, the streamer has collaborated with Lee on four projects: the scripted drama films "See You Yesterday" and "Da 5 Bloods," the series "She's Gotta Have It," and the one-man show "Rodney King." More: In a statement, Lee noted that the deal will include his own original films and shows along with projects from "new diverse storytellers." Lee has praised Netflix for taking risks on films like "Da 5 Bloods" after other studios had turned him down. Lee has already signed on to produce the upcoming Netflix film "Gordon Hemingway & The Realm of Cthulhu," from "See You Yesterday" director Stefon Bristol. VARIETY

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WEEKEND CALENDAR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17 THE WITCHER: The epic fantasy series based on the novels and stories by Andrzej Sapkowski returns for a second season, with Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) taking the refugee Princess Cirilla (Freya Allan) back to his former home at Kaer Morhen, where he was trained. Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey return as Yennefer and Jeskier alongside newcomers Kristofer Hivju, Adjoa Andoh, Graham McTavish, Chris Fulton, and Simon Callow. The show has already been renewed for a third season. [Netflix] FAST & FURIOUS SPY RACERS: The DreamWorks animated series -- based on the popular action franchise movie franchise -- is back for a sixth and final season, subtitled "Homecoming." Tony (Tyler Posey) and his team face their greatest threat to date when they return to their home turf of Los Angeles, only to have their spy technology stolen. The voice cast also features Charlet Chung, Luke Youngblood, Jorge Diaz, Camille Ramsey, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. [Netflix] DECOUPLED: Hindi-language comedy series starring R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla as a married couple who announce their plans to divorce by throwing a party, which subsequently reveals fractures in all of their friends' relationships. [Netflix] SWAN SONG: 2021 sci-fi drama film from first-time writer/director Benjamin Cleary, starring Mahershala Ali as a family man in the near-future who's presented with an unconventional plan to spare his wife and child from grief after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close, Nyasha Hatendi, and Adam Beach co-star. [Apple TV+] MOTHER/ANDROID: Sci-fi thriller from writer/director Mattson Tomlin ("Project Power"), making his feature directorial debut. In a post-apocalyptic world where artificially-intelligent android servants have declared war on humanity, a pregnant woman (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her partner (Algee Smith) make a perilous journey to Boston, hoping to find a human outpost where it's safe to give birth. [Hulu] THE NOWHERE INN: In this mockumentary hybrid of comedy and thriller, musician St. Vincent hires her friend Carrie Brownstein to make a documentary about her and her music, before unpredictable, potentially supernatural forces threaten to derail both the project and their friendship. St. Vincent (as Annie Clark) co-wrote the film with Brownstein; "Portlandia" vet Bill Benz directed. [Hulu] WITH LOVE: Five-episode romantic comedy series from "One Day at a Time" vet Gloria Calderón Kellett, following the Diaz siblings (Emeraude Toubia and Mark Indelicato) and their family over the course of five different family holiday celebrations. Rome Flynn, Desmond Chiam, Vincent Rodriguez III, and Isis King co-star. [Amazon] BOXING DAY: Aml Ameen co-wrote, directed, and also stars in this holiday romantic comedy from the UK, about an author (Ameen) who brings his American finacée home to London for Christmas to meet his eccentric British-Caribbean family. The cast also includes Aja Naomi King, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Samson Kayo. [Amazon] CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED: Holiday comedy starring Hayley Orrantia as woman in her late 20s who's determined to put an end to a romance between her former high school rival (Janel Parrish) and her father (Dermot Mulroney). [Amazon] TOP CLASS: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE SIERRA CANYON TRAILBLAZERS: The reality series takes viewers behind-the-scenes with the players and coaches at this "new mecca" for high school athletes, located just outside of Los Angeles. (The roster includes some of the top-ranked players in the country, including the offspring of a few NBA superstars.) LeBron James and Maverick Carter executive produce through their "Uninterrupted" banner. It's back for a second season. [IMDb TV] JOE BOB RUINS CHRISTMAS: Holiday benefit hosted by B-movie expert Joe Bob Briggs along with Darcy the Mail Girl, presenting a double feature of Christmas-themed horror films while raising funds for charity via a live auction. (Last year's stream raised around $40,000.) [Shudder] ROLLING LIKE THUNDER: Original documentary from "Exit Through the Gift Shop" producer Robert Gastman exploring the connections between underground freight train and graffiti culture. The film is part of the Hip Hop 50 collaboration between Showtime and Mass Appeal. [Showtime] DOGS OF THE YEAR 2021: Annual retrospective special honoring the goodest boys and girls of the previous year. 2021 winners include Levi, the official dog of the state of Pennsylvania; quick-thinking hero Clover; Ricochet, the surfing dog; and eight-year-old rescue dog Miss Pickles. Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight host. [CW] A FORBIDDEN ORANGE (LA NARANJA PROHIBIDA): Documentary exploring an uncensored screening of Stanley Kubrick's controversial classic "A Clockwork Orange" at a religious festival in Spain, during a time when the film was officially banned in the country by the government of dictator Francisco Franco. "Clockwork Orange" star Malcolm McDowell participated in the doc. [HBO Max] ARENDELLE CASTLE YULE LOG: Animated loop of Anna and Else's roaring fireplace from the "Frozen" films, intended as background, to provide ambience for family gatherings. [Disney+] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18 DREW'S DREAM CAR: Debut special in which Drew Scott of "Property Brothers" works alongside master mechanic Ant Anstead to design and build the custom car of his dreams. [Discovery+] MY DREAM KITCHEN: The reality series follows along as Food Network stars design and build their ideal kitchens. Two new episodes -- featuring Giada De Laurentiis and Carla Hall -- arrive on Saturday. [Discovery+] SUMMER HOUSE: Bravo reality series following a group of nine friends sharing a summer home in Montauk, on Long Island, frequently featuring cast members from other Bravo reality shows. Season 5 comes to Peacock today and features Kyle Cooke, Lindsay Hubbard, Carl Radke, Danielle Olivera, Hannah Berner, Paige De Sorbo, Luke Gulbranson, and Ciara MIller. [Peacock] BULGASAL: IMMORTAL SOULS: Fantasy thriller from Korea about a cursed immortal soldier (Lee Jin-Wook) on a 600-year mission to find his opposite: a woman (Nara) who repeats a cycle of death and reincarnation, while recalling all of her past lives. [Netflix] SINGLE'S INFERNO: Debut reality dating series from South Korea, in which singles will search for love on an otherwise deserted island, while a celebrity panel (living in relative splendor) tries to guess who will end up together at the end. Panelists include model Hong Jin-kyung, actor Lee Da-hee, singer Kyuhyun, and rapper Hanhae. Two episodes will arrive each week for four subsequent weeks. [Netflix] SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19 1883: Debut "Yellowstone" prequel series, following members of the Dutton Family traversing the Great Plains in the titular year, en route to the promised land of Montana. The cast includes Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Billy Bob Thorntown, Isabel May, and LaMonica Garrett. "Yellowstone" co-creator Taylor Sheridan produces, plus wrote and directed some episodes. [Paramount+] CHRISTMAS TAKES FLIGHT: Original CBS holiday romantic comedy film about the rivalry between a pilot (Katie Lowes) and the by-the-numbers businessman (Evan Williams) who has purchased her family-owned regional airline. The film debuts on Sunday on both CBS and Paramount+. [Paramount+] JOY FOR CHRISTMAS: Holiday romantic comedy that debuted on the GAC Family cable network, starring Cindy Busby as a publicist working overtime to convince a famous athlete (Sam Page) to endorse her family's charity. [Amazon] WHAT HAPPENED IN OSLO (BORTFØRT): 10-episode thriller series co-produced by Israeli and Norwegian collaborators, about three friends who are taken captive in the Sinai Desert, and held in exchange for the release of 12 ISIS prisoners. Andrea Berntzen, Anneke von der Lippe, Anders T. Andersen, and Shadi Mar'i co-star. [Netflix] YULE LOGS: Peacock will add a number of ambient Yule Log animations today, including variations themed after the "Croods" and "Trolls" franchises. [Peacock]

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Netflix acquired the rights to produce a drama series profiling singer Frank Sinatra from filmmaker Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters"). The series will be authorized by Sinatra's estate, and executive produced by his daughter Tina Sinatra, enabling the production to make use of his original music and performances. More: Condon will write and direct the pilot, and also serve as showrunner on the series. In addition to his Oscar-winning script for 1998's "Gods and Monsters," Condon also wrote the musicals "The Greatest Showman" and "Chicago," and directed the films "Kinsey," "Dreamgirls," and the two-part "Twilight" conclusion, "Breaking Dawn." Netflix grabbed the series following a bidding war; Lionsgate, which has a long-standing relationship with UMG, the owners of Sinatra's music catalog, had a particular interest in the project. DEADLINE

"How I Met Your Father" NEW TRAILERS THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES: The dark comedy series, about a wealthy and profane family of televangelists, returns for a second season on January 9. John Goodman, Danny McBride (who also created the series), Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, and Walton Goggins return as series regulars; newcomers this year include Eric Andre, Jason Schwartzman, and Eric Roberts. [HBO Max] HOW I MET YOUR FATHER: The "How I Met Your Mother" spin-off series stars Hilary Duff as Sophie, who's relating the titular anecdote to her son sometime in the near future, and flashing back to her social and romantic life in the year 2021. The cast also includes Kim Cattrall, Christopher Lowell, Josh Peck, Francia Raisa, and Suraj Sharma. Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger ("This Is Us," "Love Victor") co-created the series and will serve as co-showrunners. It lands on January 18. [Hulu] KILLING EVE: Season 4 will be the last for the darkly comic British thriller series, based on the "Villanelle" novels by Luke Jennings, and starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer as long-time rivals in the covert world of espionage and assassination-for-hire. New episodes will stream in the US on AMC+ starting on February 20, then air on BBC America the following week. [AMC+]

Showtime renewed the horror-thriller series "Yellowjackets" for a second season. According to the network, around 4 million people have watched the series premiere since its November 14 debut, across all platforms. More: The series flashes back and forth between a dramatic plane crash that strands a girls' soccer team in the wilderness, and the players as adults, who process their childhood trauma in very different ways. The adult cast includes Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, and Tawny Cypress. "Yellowjackets" is the first series created by the team of Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, who previously worked as producers on "Narcos" and "Narcos: Mexico"; "Animal Kingdom" vet Jonathan Lisco serves as co-showrunner. VARIETY

Hulu introduced a personal end-of-the-year recap summarizing an individual user's viewing habits. The "Your TV DNA" tool is available through a separate website, and shares basic information about a user's most-watched genres and content. More: TechCrunch compared the feature to Spotify's popular "Spotify Wrapped" year-end round-ups. Subscribers need to be logged in to their Hulu accounts to use the "Your TV DNA" tool. The tool also provides recommendations for new programming based on your viewing habits over the past year. TECHCRUNCH

QUICK HITS WarnerMedia has shifted its plans for the upcoming superhero film "Blue Beetle"; while the movie was originally set to debut on the HBO Max service, it will now premiere in theaters on August 18, 2023. Ryan Reynolds' video game-inspired action-comedy film "Free Guy" -- among the highest-grossing theatrical films of 2021 in the US -- begins streaming on Disney+ on February 23. "Shirley," the upcoming Netflix film from writer/director John Ridley ("12 Years a Slave") starring Regina King as trailblazing US politician Shirley Chisholm, added several actors to its ensemble cast, including Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, André Holland, and Terrence Howard. "The Big Short" co-writer Charles Randolph will re-team with filmmaker Adam McKay for a new HBO limited series about the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Starz announced a new series collaboration with producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, relating the story of 17th Century Angola's Queen Nzinga, who led her people through a 40-year guerrilla war against the Portuguese; Yetide Badaki ("American Gods") will star as Nzinga and also executive produce. In his latest collaboration with filmmaker Tim Burton, musician Danny Elfman will compose the full score for the Netflix "Addams Family"-inspired series "Wednesday." Netflix's live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" added a number of new cast members, including Elizabeth Yu as Azula; Maria Zhang as Suki; and Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi. Nikki Toscano signed a three-year overall deal to develop new premium series for Paramount+; she's currently working as a producer and showrunner on the streamer's "The Offer," a behind-the-scenes drama series about the making of "The Godfather." The Guardian examined how the success of Netflix's reality series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" in the US led to a national bump in enthusiasm around Formula 1 racing. During a video interview posted to Twitter, "Halo" developer Kiki Wolfkill indicated that the upcoming Paramount+ TV show takes place in a separate timeline from the franchise's main continuity, and won't impact the world of the games. TBS renewed the animated comedy series "American Dad!" for two more years, taking it through Season 19. The little-loved '90s "Golden Girls" spin-off series "The Golden Palace" will begin streaming exclusively via Hulu on January 10.

Lon Harris is the writer and editor of Inside Streaming and was the very first person to ever write an Inside newsletter. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and also writes about TV and film for Fandom, Screen Junkies, Rotten Tomatoes, Gamma Ray and others. Plus he has a Game of Thrones podcast called "Casterly Talk" and competes on The Movie Trivia Schmoedown as "The Professor." Editor Jonathan Harris is a writer for Inside.com. Previously, he wrote for The Huffington Post, TakePart.com, and the YouTube channel What’s Trending.

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