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Tag: TV

  • YouTube TV Bringing 4K Video, Unlimited Streams, Offline Viewing

    YouTube TV Bringing 4K Video, Unlimited Streams, Offline Viewing

    YouTube TV is adding some big new features, including 4K video, unlimited concurrent streams and offline viewing.

    YouTube TV is one of the premier TV streaming services. The service is often compared with Hulu + Live TV, with the two duking it out for the top spot. One of YouTube TV’s biggest advantages is the power of Google behind it. As a result, the service has features, such as unlimited DVR space, that other services struggle to compete with.

    The service is preparing to add additional features that will widen the gap even more.

    “After just a few years, YouTube TV now has more than 3 million paid subscribers, 85+ networks, and offers unlimited DVR,” writes Neal Mohan, Chief Product Officer, YouTube. “Sports fans can even enjoy their favorite games with the ability to view key plays, hide spoilers, and check out real-time stats. And there’s more to come, including a new add-on option that lets viewers watch available shows in 4K or download them to their DVR to watch later offline. Plus, this option will add unlimited concurrent streams at home, so the whole family can enjoy YouTube TV on different screens at once.

    With a starting price of $64.99, one of the most expensive options on the market, it remains to be seen if customers will want to pay more for another add-on package. 4K content and unlimited streams, however, may be enough to get customers to bite.

  • Roku Looks to Expand Into Original Content

    Roku Looks to Expand Into Original Content

    Roku is expanding into original content, moving beyond merely streaming content, according to a recent job listing.

    Roku has been manufacturing digital media players for over a decade. The company’s software also serves as the basis for a number of smart TVs, and Roku has its own channel where it plays licensed content.

    Many streaming services, however, have been expanding aggressively into original content. Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV+ have all seen significant success producing their own shows and movies, and Roku apparently wants in on the action.

    In a job posting on LinkedIn, the company is looking for “a Lead Production Attorney to work on its expanding slate of original content. The position reports directly to Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Programming & Distribution.”

    There is little additional information on Roku’s plans, but the company did purchase Quibi’s content library when that service shuttered. Hiring a Lead Production Attorney is the next logical step, putting the pieces in place to capitalize on its purchase.

  • TV and Broadband Providers Must Stop Charging Bogus Rental Fees

    TV and Broadband Providers Must Stop Charging Bogus Rental Fees

    A law prohibiting TV and broadband providers from charging a rental fee for equipment the customer owns is going into effect Sunday.

    TV and broadband providers are among the most hated industries in America. Both industries are notorious for offering “introductory pricing,” only to increase the price significantly once the period is over. The industries are also known for “hidden fees” and charging rental fees for equipment the customer owns.

    A new law is set to prohibit the latter issues starting Sunday, following a six-month extension provided by the FCC as a result of the pandemic. As part of the Television Viewer Protection Act, providers will be prohibited from charging rental fees for equipment the customer provides. The providers must also make a good-faith effort to explain fees and be transparent about the costs of service.

    It remains to be seen if companies will try to find loopholes, or abuse the definition of “good-faith,” but the regulation is a step in the right direction.

  • AT&T Getting Serious About Selling DirecTV, Fielding Offers

    AT&T Getting Serious About Selling DirecTV, Fielding Offers

    AT&T is reportedly fielding offers to sell its DirecTV satellite service, as the service shrinks due to the rise of streaming options.

    AT&T bought DirecTV in 2015 for $66 billion, including debt. Since that time, however, the service has lost millions of subscribers — far more than rival Dish Network — and has increasingly become a lead weight around AT&T’s neck.

    According to the Wall Street Journal, AT&T is fielding bids in excess of $15 billion, including debt, a far cry from what the company paid five years ago. Among the potential buyers are Churchill Capital Corp. IV and private-equity firm TPG. The WSJ says the auction is already in the late stages, with a completed deal possible in early 2021.

    The TV industry has become one of the most hated industries in America in recent years, in terms of customer satisfaction. Many companies charge equipment rental fees, hidden fees and regularly hike prices after brief “introductory prices.”

    While satellite TV often scores higher in customer satisfaction than cable options, it has still been heavily impacted by streaming services. Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, Sling and, most recently, T-Mobile’s TVision are often seen as cheaper alternatives that give customers more options and control. When TVision was released, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert specifically emphasized no annual contracts, no exploding plans and half the cost of cable.

    AT&T’s divesture of DirecTV is just the latest example of this widespread digital transformation that is occurring.

  • Comcast Will Raise Internet and TV Prices in January

    Comcast Will Raise Internet and TV Prices in January

    Comcast is not winning any popularity contests this week as it announces internet and TV price hikes on the heels of expanding data caps.

    Comcast sent out notice to customers that, effective January 2021, the price of “Broadcast TV” will go up by as much as $4.50 per month. Similarly, the Regional Sports Network (RSN) will go up by as much as $2 per month.

    Unfortunately, the pain doesn’t stop there. Comcast told Ars Technica that “six Internet-only packages that cost $53 to $113 a month will all rise $3 a month, and the price for professional installations or in-home service visits is rising from $70 to $100.”

    A copy of the notice was shared on Reddit, with a breakdown of the various packages.

    The news comes at the same time that Comcast is extending its data cap policy to the rest of its region. Customers will be capped at 1.2 TB per month, with fees of $10 per 50GB after that. Although the overage fees will be capped at $100 per month, many critics are calling the company out for making it harder on individuals and families at a time when internet access is more important than ever.

  • Hulu Raising the Price of Hulu + Live TV

    Hulu Raising the Price of Hulu + Live TV

    Hulu is once again raising prices on its Hulu + Live TV streaming service, the latest price increase among streaming services.

    As more Americans cut the cord, streaming services are the obvious choice for a replacement. Unfortunately, streaming services have increasingly started to look like the very cable TV packages they were designed to replace—bloated and expensive, with regular price hikes.

    Hulu is the latest, raising the cost of its Hulu + Live TV service to $64.99 from the current $54.99. Customers wanting to eliminate ads, for the on-demand content, will have to fork over $70.99 a month, up from the current $60.99. The increase is set to go into effect on December 18.

    At the end of June, YouTube TV raised its price from $50 to $64.99. Around the same time, fuboTV raised the price of its Family plan to $64.99 when it struck a deal to carry Disney’s lineup. Although the company technically still offers its $59.99 Standard plan, it is buried on the company’s website, as fuboTV is clearly promoting the Family plan instead.

    Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and fuboTV are increasingly being seen as the most full-featured cable TV replacements available. All three offer competitive channel lineups, digital DVRs and other features, but Hulu has been the most competitively priced one of the three, giving it a significant advantage. With its price increase, however, Hulu is giving up that advantage.

    In late October, T-Mobile unveiled its take on streaming TV, TVision. TVision live TV plans start at just $40 per month for T-Mobile customers, although it may be more for non-T-Mobile customers. One of the advertised selling points of TVision’s service is “no exploding plans.” If the company continues to offer its service for a cheaper price, and not raise that price, it may suddenly become the streaming service to beat.

  • fuboTV and Disney Strike Deal to Distribute Disney’s Catalog

    fuboTV and Disney Strike Deal to Distribute Disney’s Catalog

    fuboTV, one of the upcoming streaming services, has just struck a deal to include Disney’s catalog of channels.

    As cord cutting gains popularity, streaming services are duking it out, using a combination of channels and features to lure customers. fuboTV offers one of the most well-rounded experiences, with a good channel lineup, generous DVR and modern interface.

    Unfortunately, Disney’s catalog, including ESPN, has been a glaring omission from the streaming service—until now. The two companies have struck a deal that will see ABC, ABC News Live, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, in-market for SEC Network and ACC Network, FX, FXX and National Geographic added to the base fuboTV plan. Additional channels will be available on upgraded plans, such as out-of-market for SEC Network and ACC Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, FXM, Fox Life, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo and BabyTV.

    “With the addition to our lineup of the ESPN suite of channels, we continue to make good on our promise to sports fans to be the undisputed home of professional and college sports,” said fuboTV CEO and Co-Founder David Gandler. “fubo is equally delighted to add the storied Disney, ABC, FX and Nat Geo networks to round out a robust programming portfolio for the whole family to enjoy.”

    This is good news for fuboTV customers will make an already great streaming service even better.

  • YouTube TV Loses Fox Regional Sports

    YouTube TV Loses Fox Regional Sports

    YouTube TV is notifying users that it has lost the rights to Sinclair-owned channels, including Fox Regional Sports and the YES Network.

    Sinclair stations have been steadily disappearing from streaming services over the last couple of years. The now defunct PlayStation Vue lost Sinclair channels in May 2018, only to gain them back five months later. Sling TV lost access in July 2019, and fuboTV lost access on January 1, 2020. With YouTube TV now losing the channels, that leaves AT&T TV Now and Hulu + Live TV as the only two streaming services that still have access to them.

    At this point, it’s anyone’s guess if Sinclair-owned channels will return to any of the streaming services that have lost them. As TV streaming continues to grow, at some point Sinclair will hopefully start feeling the loss in viewership and renegotiate new deals.

    In the meantime, here’s a copy of the email YouTube TV is sending out:

    Hi there,

    Our goal with YouTube TV is to offer you the content you love, delivered the way you want.

    To make this happen, we need to enter into deals with our partners. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair to continue to carry the FOX Regional Sports Networks and YES Network.

    Starting February 29, 2020, you will no longer be able to watch live, on demand, or recorded content from your local FOX Regional Sports Network or YES Network.

    Please know that we do not take this decision lightly. We value your membership and will continue to strive to build the best streaming experience possible.

    Sincerely,

    The YouTube TV team

  • HBO and Cinemax Coming to YouTube TV

    HBO and Cinemax Coming to YouTube TV

    YouTube TV has scored a win against its streaming TV rivals with a deal to bring HBO and Cinemax to its service.

    The TV streaming wars are heating up as companies fight to gain and keep subscribers, not just from traditional TV and cable companies, but also from each other. Hulu, Sling TV, fuboTV, CBS All Access, Disney+ and Apple TV+ are all vying for content, networks, channels and programming.

    YouTube TV just inked a deal with WarnerMedia to bring HBO, Cinemax and the upcoming HBO Max to YouTube customers. HBO’s content has been available to Hulu, Amazon Prime and AT&T Now subscribers for some time. The deal rounds out YouTube TV’s lineup and helps the service better compete with its rivals. The deal also ensures YouTube TV continued access to WarnerMedia’s other channels, such as TBS, TNT, truTV, CNN, HLN, Turner Classic Movies, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network.

    “As consumers’ media consumption habits continually evolve and the landscape becomes more and more dynamic, our goal remains constant, and that is to make the portfolio of WarnerMedia networks available as widely as possible,” said Rich Warren, president of WarnerMedia Distribution. “YouTube has been a valued partner for a number of years, and we’re pleased to not only extend our existing agreement, but also make HBO and Cinemax – and soon HBO Max – available to YouTube TV customers for the first time.”

    When HBO Max debuts, it will not be accessible directly in YouTube TV, but customers will be able to use their YouTube TV credentials to log in.

  • NBCUniversal Launching Peacock Streaming Service July 15

    NBCUniversal Launching Peacock Streaming Service July 15

    NBCUniversal has unveiled Peacock, a multi-tiered, free premium streaming service, according to parent company Comcast.

    NBCUniversal has been working on its streaming service for some time, but this is the first time there has been significant details. The service will be available in three tiers: a free tier and two premium ones.

    Peacock Free will offer “next day access to current seasons of freshman broadcast series, complete classic series, popular movies, curated daily news and sports programming,” according to the press release. The free tier will have 7,500 hours of content and be ad-supported.

    Peacock Premium will be a free upgrade to existing Comcast and Cox subscribers, or $4.99 for non-subscribers. The press release says that “this ad-supported option will additionally include full season Peacock originals and tent-pole series, next day access to current seasons of returning broadcast series, early access to late night talk shows, and additional sports – such as the Premier League – totaling more than 15,000 hours of content.”

    For $5 extra, customers can upgrade their Premium subscription to the ad-free version, for a total of $5 for Comcast and Cox subscribers and $9.99 for non-subscribers.

    “Peacock will provide consumers with a destination that goes beyond movies and television, aggregating a variety of content that fans want on one service,” said Matt Strauss, Chairman of Peacock and NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises. “By delivering timely and topical content like breaking news, live sports, and watercooler moments from late night, Peacock is uniquely bringing a pulse to the world of streaming that does not exist in today’s marketplace.”

    The streaming market is become increasingly cluttered, with Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, Netflix, CBS Prime and more. If NBCUniversal can deliver on the goal of providing a variety of content on a single service, they may be able to poach a significant number of users from existing services.

  • Bringing Digital-Like Concepts to TV Will Not Cause Digital-Like Growth

    Bringing Digital-Like Concepts to TV Will Not Cause Digital-Like Growth

    Brian Wieser, a well-known advertising expert at Pivotal Research, says that simply bringing digital-like concepts to traditional TV will not by itself cause digital-like growth. He says that growth would only come if TV could appeal to new kinds of advertisers.

    Brian Wieser, Senior Analyst at Pivotal Research Group who covers all things advertising from an investor perspective, discussed on BeetTV how technology is changing TV advertising:

    Advanced TV Technologies Are Really More About Optimizing

    A lot of Advanced TV technologies are really more about optimizing. They’re really more about making the workflows more efficient. They’re also about load-balancing in terms of maximizing or optimizing reach and frequency. Maybe even one day they can help contribute to reduced commercial loads because they can identify better ways to reach different audiences with different units, which then just allows media owners to reduce their ad loads.

    Bringing Digital-Like Concepts to TV Will Not Cause Digital-Like Growth

    I don’t believe it causes growth in advertising. Bringing digital-like concepts to traditional TV will not cause digital-like growth. The only thing that would cause growth above and beyond the trajectory that TV is on is if TV can appeal to different kinds of advertisers. The direct-to-consumer marketers, for example, would be a segment of a marketer that isn’t really meaningfully in TV.

    If there are technologies or if there are platforms or if media owners can find ways to sell to those advertisers, now it’s not a given but it’s an example, of where there could be incremental spending. That’s the only thing that will cause any different growth for the industry.

    Any of the Ad Tech Players Could Play in TV

    Any of the Ad Tech players could play in TV. I mean certainly, we see right now the bigger players would be Roku and The Trade Desk when we think of publicly traded companies that are trying to play in what we will broadly define as this space. There are other companies, WideOrbit, of course, Mediaocean, there are many other infrastructure players who don’t necessarily sell media, but ultimately they’re the ones who have to help provide the tools to help realize the improvements that the industry needs.

  • Google Turns Search Into TV Guide, Announces TV Solutions for DoubleClick

    Google Turns Search Into TV Guide, Announces TV Solutions for DoubleClick

    Google made a handful of television-related announcements at the National Association of Broadcasters Show television industry event.

    For one, Google Search will start showing live TV listings serving as your TV guide in a way that you probably hoped it had in the past. You can edit your provider for accuracy. It works for both shows and movies, which is cool.

    The company also announced DoubleClick’s Dynamic Ad Insertion, which it says makes ads “hyper relevant” for viewers across any screen.

    “By creating individual streams for every viewer using server side ad insertion, we are able to deliver a better, more personalized viewing experience that looks and feels as seamless as TV today,” explains Daniel Alegre, President of Global Partnerships at Google. “And not only will this work for both live and on-demand TV but it works across directly sold and programmatic.”

    For DoubleClick for Publisher clients, Google announced that it will “seamlessly enforce” the level of control that has been established in TV across all inventory, whether sold directly or indirectly.

    “That means, we are able to honor competitive separation – so two automotive ads don’t appear in the same commercial break – and other rules like making sure an alcohol and children’s cereal ad don’t appear in the same commercial break,” says Alegre. “This has been major blocker to enabling programmatic to work for TV. And now you no longer need to turn down attractive opportunities from advertisers interested in transacting programmatically because of compliance concerns.”

    New TV partners include MCN, Roku and Cablevision, which have all signed on to use DoubleClick for Publishers to serve ads.

    Finally, Google announced that it is collaborating with Autodesk on a new cloud-based rendering solution called Maya for Google Cloud Platform ZYNC Render. More on this here.

    Image via YouTube

  • “Pretty Little Liars” Coming To An End Soon?

    “Pretty Little Liars” Coming To An End Soon?

    Pretty Little Liars has been exceedingly popular in recent years and has drawn quite a dedicated fan base.

    However, the creators of Pretty Little Liars say that there isn’t much more to be told.

    In an interview recently, creator of Pretty Little Liars I. Marlene King told a little bit about season seven.

    She said, “We have the beauty of one season — a relatively short amount of time — to complete this story, which allows us to go gangbusters in terms of pacing. And there is still a lot of story to tell, so it’s going to unfold and unravel more quickly than we’ve ever told a story before.”

    #PLLselfie #PLL

    A photo posted by Pretty Little Liars (@prettylittleliars) on

    She added, “Which as storytellers, we love the ability to speed up the story. The finale really was explosive, and it launches the beginning of the end of PLL (Pretty Little Liars) as we know it.”

    Of course, some of the cast of Pretty Little Liars have whipped up speculation that season seven could be it for the show with some of their recent comments.

    When asked about whether or not the end is truly coming for Pretty Little Liars, King said, “We’re thinking right now about going out with a bang and ending this storyline in a way that is satisfying for everyone who works here, everyone who watches.”

    Another photo from last night's social chat with the cast & Marlene! #PLL #TwinOnPLL

    A photo posted by Pretty Little Liars (@prettylittleliars) on

    She added, “That’s my immediate goal. And that’s all I’m 100 percent focused on right now.”

    Pretty Little Liars star Keegan Allen, who plays Toby on the show, isn’t even sure how it will end. However, he knows how he would like it to end for Toby.

    He said, “I’m a hopeless romantic. I would like to think of it as The Notebook scenario. He builds this house, and he’s growing old. And Spencer comes back, and they live happily ever after. And I would like the show to end with some sort of mystery.”

    How would you like for Pretty Little Liars to end?

  • Robin Wright Stars in New ‘House of Cards’ Season 4 Trailer

    Robin Wright Stars in New ‘House of Cards’ Season 4 Trailer

    It’s almost House of Cards time, folks.

    Season four of the hits Netflix original series is only a few weeks away, and the company has just dropped the official trailer.

    “Frank and Claire continue their pursuit for power, battling everyone in their way, including each other,” says Netflix. Which, if you’ve seen season three, makes a lot of sense.

    “You have no idea what it means to have nothing. You don’t value what we have achieved,” Frank Underwood narrates over scenes of money, fightings, blood, sex, and more. Just your typical Washington intrigue.

    Check it out below:

    The fourth season hits Netflix in its entirety on March 4th.

  • Brooke Burke Joins ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ Cast

    Brooke Burke has joined the cast of The Celebrity Apprentice.

    She’ll be battling it out against Laila Ali, Eric Dickerson, Boy George, Matt Iseman, Carrie Keagan, Carson Kressley, Lisa Leslie, Jon Lovitz, Vince Neil, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Kyle Richards, Chael Sonnen, Porsha Williams, Ricky Williams and Carnie Wilson

    “I’m thrilled to join the 2016 cast of #CelebApprentice. I’m not afraid of challenge, I know how 2 work hard & I speak the language of business! most importantly I’m passionately connected to my cause @operationsmile. Thank you @MarkBurnettTV for making TV that matters. I’m honored to play,” Burke wrote on Instagram.

    Charming, funny, powerful & smart!!!! So thrilled to work with @schwarzenegger #celebapprentice Game ON!!!! Red carpet #usie

    A photo posted by Brooke Burke-Charvet (@brookeburke) on

    Arnold Schwarzenegger will serve as the new host of the show. The last one is pretty busy at the moment.

    “I have always been a huge fan of The Celebrity Apprentice and the way it showcases the challenges and triumphs of business and teamwork. I am thrilled to bring my experience to the boardroom and to continue to raise millions for charity. Let’s get started!” he said.

    Celebrity Apprentice winners have raised over $15 million for charities in the show’s seven-season run

  • Jodie Sweetin Engaged, Appears in New ‘Fuller House’ Featurette

    It’s a pretty exciting time to be Jodie Sweetin.

    The actress just got engaged to longtime boyfriend Justin Hodak. It will be her fourth marriage.

    “So… Looks like the cats outta the bag! Haha! I’m so happy and he did a GREAT job with the ring! Good taste @justinhodak_ I love you!!” she wrot eon Instagram when sharing the big news.

    Great dinner at @pumprestaurant with great friends (and my fiancé!) @justinhodak_ @reggiebenjamin @iwonaburnat

    A photo posted by Jodie Sweetin (@jodiesweetin) on

    According to Sweetin, Hodak has been super supportive of her latest venture – Netflix’s Full House reboot Fuller House.

    “He’s super excited and he watched Full House growing up,” Sweetin told People. “It was something kids our age watched and he really loves it. He thinks it’s going to be a really great show and that families are really going to be entertained by it. And, of course, he’s proud.”

    Speaking of Fuller House, Netflix has just dropped a brand new featurette:

    The show hits Netflix in exactly one month, February 26th.

  • Stacey Dash: BET Fires Shots on Twitter

    Stacey Dash: BET Fires Shots on Twitter

    Actress-turned-Fox News star Stacey Dash ruffled some feathers this week when she suggested that there should be no such thing as the BET network or even Black History Month.

    “We have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don’t want segregation, then we have to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black,” she said. “If it were the other way around, we’d be up in arms. It’s a double standard.”

    When Fox host Steve Doocy pushed her to elaborate on whether or not there should be a BET, Dash doubled down, saying,

    “No, I don’t think so. No. Just like there shouldn’t be a Black History Month. You know? We’re Americans. Period. That’s it.”

    Now, the BET network has fired some shot, so to speak.

    “Soooooo @REALStaceyDash can we get our check back… or nah?
    #Remember #YouWereOnTheGame #AndWeDontMeanTheRapper,” the official Twitter account for the network tweeted out.

    Stacey Dash did in fact appear on seasons three and four of the BET TV series The Game. The show ran for an impressive 147 episodes over nine seasons.

    Dash has pointed to an interview with actor Morgan Freeman where he also decries the concept of Black History Month. On this point, at least, she’s not wrong.

  • Tyra Banks’ FABLife Canceled After Just One Season

    Bad news for any fans of the Tyra Banks-produced FABLife.

    The show has been canceled and will not return for a second season.

    The remainder of the first season will go on, however.

    “We’re extremely proud of everyone involved with the show and would like to thank them for all of their contributions and tireless efforts,” Janice Marinelli, president of Disney/ABC Home Entertainment told The Hollywood Reporter. “We are especially appreciative of our talented and dynamic co-hosts Chrissy Teigen, Joe Zee, Leah Ashley and Lauren Makk, and we would also like to extend a huge thanks to our station partners for all of their support.”

    The show, an acronym for “Fun and Beautiful (life)”, first premiered on September 14th. It featured panelists and round-table discussion, cooking, and more – similar to The Talk or The View.

    Tyra Banks left the show last November, citing the need to focus on the cosmetics line.

  • Kelly Ripa: Live With Kelly & Michael Renewed Through 2020

    Good news, Kelly Ripa fans. ABC has announced that its daytime talk show Live With Kelly and Michael has been renewed through 2020.

    Ripa first joined Live in 2001, where she co-hosted with Regis Philbin for a decade. Michael Strahan joined the program in 2012.

    “We are exceptionally proud of Live’s unparalleled success and are thrilled to extend our highly valued partnership with the ABC-owned stations for many more years to come,” said Disney/ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution president Janice Marinelli in a statement.

    “Audiences love watching Live With Kelly and Michael. During the last week of 2015, the show achieved a 1.8 rating with women 25-54, the highest rating in that demo of any talk show this season,” said ABC-owned Television Stations Group president Rebecca Campbell. “Produced by our owned station WABC-TV, we are extremely proud of Live’s ability to innovate and connect with viewers and look forward to that continuing into the next decade.”

    Kelly Ripa is further deepening her ties with ABC. The host just inked a new deal with the network for a multi-camera comedy with husband Mark Consuelos.

  • Tina Fey’s ‘Kimmy Schmidt’ Returns April 15th, Third Season Confirmed

    Tina Fey’s ‘Kimmy Schmidt’ Returns April 15th, Third Season Confirmed

    Season two of Tina Fey’s Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has been given an official release date.

    According to Netflix, the series will return on April 15th.

    For the second season, you can expect some heavier stuff, according to Fey.

    Kimmy has to deal with “deeper emotional life issues she has to deal with,” she said at Sunday’s Television Critics Association’s panel for the show.

    But it will still be a show you can watch with your kids.

    “We became aware just anecdotally, that we have a very young audience. We wanted to make sure that even if we went towards more difficult ideas, you could still watch it with a 12 or 13-year-old audience. The original pilot a long long time ago was a little bit darker. We were right to tip it in the direction that we did. As a mom I would hate to put on the second season and it’s like … prison sex. I mean that has it’s place,” she said.

    And right after they confirmed a season two premiere date, Netflix announced that the series has already been picked up for a third season.

    The series, from 30 Rock executive producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, stars Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, and Jane Krakowski.

  • Rachel Bloom Wins Another Award for ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’

    Rachel Bloom is riding high after yet another big award win for her role on the hit CW series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

    Bloom won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series on Sunday.

    This win comes on the heels of her big Golden Globes win last Sunday.

    Check out her acceptance speech below:

    Bloom created the show, writes it, and plays the lead role.

    Psyched to have won but also psyched to be sitting next to Jeff Probst!!!

    A photo posted by Rachel Bloom (@racheldoesstuff) on

    According to Bloom, she hopes her big win will help the higher-ups at the CW opt for a second season, which has yet to be confirmed.

    “I’m hoping that the Golden Globe will help push us in that direction, I think it helps,” she told Entertainment Weekly at Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards, where she later won the award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. “Writing and creating this show scratches every single creative itch I have. It is the most satisfying thing I have ever done, maybe will ever do. So the more that I can do the show, the happier I am.”