Roku-MLB deal / Cheeks on Paramount transition / "Knuckles" sets Paramount+ record / Amazon grabs Wright's "Girlfriend"

Plus the weekend calendar, Peacock Black Cowboy docuseries, "The Conners" final season, Andy Garcia joins "Landman," and more

Inside Streaming For May 03, 2024

Happy Friday and thanks again for opening today's Inside Streaming brief. The reviews for this Jerry Seinfeld Netflix Pop-Tart movie are seriously DIRE. I've seen more than one critic already indicate that it's a potential Worst of the Year contender. I'm a huge fan of "Seinfeld," but I'll admit, I don't really see the appeal in watching an extended take on the origin of packaged breakfast pastries. It just kind of seems like Jerry finds the core concept of Pop-Tarts inherently funny, that their existence is part of the joke, and I sort of don't get it. They're tasty but ultimately not all that exciting to me? Another reminder that Jerry gets a lot of the credit, but "Seinfeld" was really a group effort involving a lot of massively funny people, from LD to Julia Louis-Dreyfuss to Peter Mehlman to Larry Charles to Carol Leifer and beyond.  Anyhow, enjoy today's issue and have a great weekend. Lon p/lon-harris

1 According to a report in The Athletic, Roku and Major League Baseball are in "advanced talks" about bringing Sunday morning baseball games to the streaming platform. Sunday morning games previously streamed on NBCUniversal's Peacock, as part of its "MLB Sunday Leadoff" brand. More: If a new deal is signed, games could move over to Roku during the current season. This would be Roku's first-ever major deal for live sports content. Peacock most recently held the rights for a package of around 20 Sunday morning MLB games, and apparently sought to retain this contract for future seasons. Peacock's deal was valued at around $30 million per season; The Athletic suggests NBCU attempted to renew the deal for just $10 million per season. Sunday morning MLB games start at 11:30 am or just after noon; afternoon games are those that have their first pitch at 1:30 pm or later.

2 George Cheeks, one of Paramount Global's three new co-CEOs, spoke with reporters about this week's major changes to the company's management team. Cheeks serves as co-CEO and CBS President; he's joined in the company's new "Office of the CEO" by Showtime President and CEO Chris McCarthy and Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon President and CEO Brian Robbins. More: The three new chiefs replace outgoing CEO Bob Bakish. According to Cheeks, the new trio of CEOs will maintain focus on their current divisions, and they're collectively finalizing a strategic plan. Paramount's majority shareholders National Amusements are holding exclusive acquisition talks with Skydance Media and RedBird Capital. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion all-cash buyout offer. Cheeks suggests that the team at Paramount are blocking out the noise about the deals and maintaining focus on "develop[ing] great shows, hit shows, and being No. 1."

3 WEEKEND CALENDAR FRIDAY, MAY 3 UNFROSTED: 2024 period comedy feature from first-time co-writer/director Jerry Seinfeld, loosely inspired by the real backstory of Pop-Tarts. In 1960s Michigan, rival executives from Kellogg's and Post Cereal face off in their efforts to revolutionize the breakfast pastry business. Seinfeld co-stars alongside Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, and Amy Schumer. [Netflix] JOHN MULANEY PRESENTS: EVERYBODY'S IN LA: 6-episode collection of live shows, produced as part of the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival, in which host Mulaney chats and explores the best of Los Angeles along with comedian friends and special guests. The first episode debuts tonight at 7 pm PT; the rest stream nightly starting on May 6. [Netflix] SELLING THE OC: The luxury real estate reality series, a spinoff of "Selling Sunset," centers on realtors and brokers working for the Oppenheim Group in Orange County, California. The cast includes Jason Oppenheim, Polly Brindle, Kayla Cardona, Alex Hall, Giou Helou, and Alexandra Jarvis. It's back for a third season. [Netflix] POSTCARDS: Debut drama series about a group of four Nigerians on a voyage of self-discovery as they embark on new lives in India. Sola Sobowale, Rajneesh Duggal, Tobi Bakre, and Richard Mofe-Damijo co-star. [Netflix] WELCOME TO WREXHAM: The FX sports docuseries centers on Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC following its purchase by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. It's back for a third season, which follows Wrexham to their new home in the English Football League. New episodes air Thursday nights on cable and hit Hulu on Fridays. [Hulu] PROM DATES: This 2024 teen comedy is the latest feature from "The Binge" and "Plan B" studio American High. Antonia Gentry and Julia Lester co-star as best friends with just 24 hours to track down new prom dates. Chelsea Handler, Patty Guggenheim, and John Michael Higgins co-star; Kim O. Nguyen ("Never Have I Ever") directed. [Hulu] THE FLOOD: 2023 direct-to-VOD action-horror film in which a hurricane prison break in Louisiana is interrupted by a vicious pack of hungry alligators. Casper Van Dien, Nicky Whelan, and Louis Mandylor co-star; Brandon Slagle ("Breakout") directs. [Hulu] 3 DAYS IN MALAY: 2023 action war film from star and director Louis Mandylor, about a small group of WWII Allied soldiers defending a key airfield during the Japanese assault on Malay. Donald Cerrone, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and Peter Dobson co-star. [Hulu] THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES: 2024 satirical comedy feature from first-time writer/director Kobi Libii, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Justice Smith stars as the latest member of the titular society, a clandestine group of Black Americans who use magical powers to improve the lives of the white people around them. David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, and Michaela Watkins co-star. [Peacock] CLARKSON'S FARM: The British reality series follows "Top Gear" and "Grand Tour" host Jeremy Clarkson as he attempts to manage a 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds region. It's back this week for a third season. [Prime Video] STOP MAKING SENSE: The famed 1984 concert film captures rock band Talking Heads as they toured in support of their "Speaking in Tongues" album, and includes classic performances of "Psycho Killer," "Burning Down the House," "Once in a Lifetime." Jonathan Demme directs. This is the newly-restored 40th anniversary edition released to theaters last year by A24. [Max] ZILLOW GONE WILD: Debut humorous reality series from HGTV, inspired by the Instagram account of the same name. Host Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock") tours some of the weirdest and most unconventional homes that have been featured on the famous real estate website. [Max] TEEN TITANS GO! The animated comedy series, based on the DC Comics superhero team, airs on Cartoon Network. A fresh batch of episodes from the show's currently-in-progress eighth season hit Max today. [Max] SATURDAY, MAY 4 KENTUCKY DERBY: The iconic horse race -- the first leg in the Triple Crown -- is held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May. Live coverage starts on Peacock and cable's USA Network on Saturday at noon ET. [Peacock] STAR WARS: TALES OF THE EMPIRE: Debut 6-episode animated anthology series, following up on 2022's "Tales of the Jedi." The new episodes include twin storylines about young Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and former Jedi Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger) and their exploration of the Dark Side. "Ahsoka" and "Clone Wars" vet Dave Filoni created. [Disney+] KATT WILLIAMS: WOKE FOKE: Netflix's second-ever live comedy special features Williams performing at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, as part of its Netflix is a Joke comedy festival. The show starts Saturday night at 7 pm PT. It's Williams' 12th overall special and his third for Netflix. [Netflix] THE ATYPICAL FAMILY: Debut fantasy-romance series from South Korea, about a superpowered family who have started to lose their special abilities, and the mysterious woman who seems to be the only one capable of setting things right. Jang Ki-yong, Chun Woo-Hee, Go Doo-shim, and Ryu Abel co-star. [Netflix] AMERICA'S BACKYARD GOLD: First-year reality series from Discovery in which mining expect Dave Turin helps everyday people living along the Deep South's rich Dahlonega Gold Belt to search for riches hiding beneath their own properties. Season 1 premiered earlier this spring and hits Max today. [Max] MY HERO ACADEMIA: The popular anime series returns to Japanese TV and Crunchyroll in the US for a seventh season this week. The new season covers the "Star and Stripe" and "U.A. Traitor" acs, and parts of the "Final War" arc, from the original manga. [Crunchyroll] SUNDAY, MAY 5 ROAST OF TOM BRADY: Live Netflix comedy special, part of their Netflix is a Joke festival, in which a roster of celebrity guests make jokes at the expense of the recently-retired seven-time Super Bowl champ from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Kevin Hart hosts; "Roastmaster General" Jeff Ross will also be on hand. The show starts at 5 pm PT on Sunday night. [Netflix] LARVA IN MARS: Debut dialogue-free animated comedy series from Korea, spun off from the "Larva" franchise but set in an alternate reality. Familiar characters Yellow and Red plan a beach vacation, but accidentally wind up on Planet Mars instead. [Netflix] MONSTERS AT WORK: The animated comedy series from Pixar, a spinoff of the 2001 movie "Monsters Inc.," tracks the monster energy corporation's shift from fear power over to laughter. The voice cast includes Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Ben Feldman, Mindy Kaling, and Henry Winkler. Season 2 debuted in April on the Disney Channel and comes to Disney+ today. [Disney+] PEOPLE MAGAZINE INVESTIGATES: SURVIVING A SERIAL KILLER: 6-part true-crime docuseries, produced for the Investigation Discovery network, in which the survivors of interactions with and attacks by serial killers share their troubling stories, alongside testimony from witnesses, family members, and law enforcement. [Max] A LIFELONG LOVE: Romantic drama from Hallmark, starring Andrea Brooks as a woman who teams up with a college sweetheart (Patch May) on a quest to reunite her grandfather with his own lost love. [Peacock]

4 According to Paramount's internal figures, the "Sonic the Hedgehog" spinoff series "Knuckles" had the most-watched premiere weekend of any original series in Paramount+ history. "Knuckles" was apparently streamed for around 4 million hours in its premiere weekend. More: Paramount+ rarely releases any specific viewership numbers on its original programming. The last update of this kind from Paramount concerned "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," which had 7.5 million viewers on its first two episodes after one week. "Bass Reeves" also got a boost from a rebroadcast on CBS, which "Knuckles" did not receive. Nielsen data on "Knuckles" viewership will arrive next month, providing additional context for Paramount's numbers. Idris Elba reprises his voice role as Knuckles the Echidna warrior for the series, which finds him mentoring sheriff's deputy Wade Whipple (Adam Pally).

5 Robin Wright will direct, produce, and star in "The Girlfriend" for Amazon Prime Video. The drama series is based on a novel by Michelle Frances. More: Wright will play Laura, a mother who becomes convinced that her son's new girlfriend is somehow deceiving and manipulating him; the series questions whether she's uncovered a bonafide secret, or is simply paranoid and overprotective. Olivia Cooke, Laurie Davidson, and Waleed Suaiter co-star. As an actor, Wright is best known for starring roles in "Forrest Gump," "Unbreakable," "Wonder Woman," and "House of Cards"; she also directed multiple episodes of the Netflix series "Ozark."

6 A new Peacock docuseries from executive producer Jordan Peele addresses the "whitewashed mythology" of the American cowboy. The still-untitled three-part series will focus on Black cowboys, making the case that they were a foundational and influential piece of American history that has been omitted from our contemporary understanding of the Old West. More: Keith McQuirter ("By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem") directed the series and serves as showrunner. This is the first-ever docuseries from Peele's company, Monkeypaw Productions. Peele's most recent film -- 2022's "Nope" -- also dealt with the mythology and legacy of Black cowboys, particularly their historical contributions to Hollywood filmmaking.

7 Deadline reports that ABC plans to renew "The Conners" for an abbreviated seventh season, which will also close out the series. The final "Conners" run will likely consist of just six episodes. More: Series regulars John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Lecy Goranson are all expected to return for the final episodes. "The Conners" will likely be the second ABC comedy to score a renewal for next season, after "Abbott Elementary." The show is a spinoff of "Roseanne," originally greenlit following that show's cancellation, due to controversial tweets posted by star Roseanne Barr.

8 QUICK HITS Andy Garcia joined the cast of "Landman," the latest Paramount+ drama from "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan; the series, based on the podcast "Boomtown," surveys the West Texas oil industry from a number of diverse perspectives. "Baby Reindeer" star and creator Richard Gadd faced questions, and an internal investigation, after arranging an audition for a woman he was seeing romantically; Gadd was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. Former UFC and WWE competitor Ronda Rousey is nearing a deal with Netflix to adapt her two published memoirs into a biopic; Rousey will apparently write the screenplay for the feature herself. "Emily in Paris" Season 4 will be divided into two parts: the first half hits Netflix on August 15, with the second half following in September. A new animated "The Simpsons" short commemorating Mother's Day comes to Disney+ on May 12; "May the 12th Be With You" follows Marge Simpson and other Disney moms on an epic adventure in the "Star Wars" universe. Four-part musical HBO docuseries "Stax: Soulsville USA" chronicles the history and legacy of the iconic Memphis record label, home to artists including Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, the Staple Singers, Sam and Dave, and others; the full series hits Max on May 20. The action thriller "Trigger Warning" -- starring Jessica Alba as a Special Forces commando who enters into a violent conflict with a local gang -- hits Netflix on June 21; "The Night Agent" vet Gabriel Basso co-stars. CBS ordered a first season for "Sheriff Country," a spinoff of "Fire Country" starring Morena Baccarin as a small town sheriff investigating local criminals, which may include members of her own family.

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Lon Harris Writer 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." This newsletter was edited by Lon Harris

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