It's not enough just to do TV anymore... you gotta do a Taylor Sheridan TV show
Samuel L Jackson is several decades into being one of the biggest movie stars in the world. While generally beloved, he’s never really been a guy that can open a movie. But he has long been an incredible value-add on any cast.
He’s also never really been above paycheck jobs or endorsements (“What in your wallet?”). So, it has always surprised me a bit that we haven’t seen him do a lot of TV in the past decade with so many big screen actors chasing the work (and the money) to the small screen.
That isn’t to say he hasn’t done TV in recent years - he led the quite bad Marvel Secret Invasion show a few years back, was in the ensemble for Peacock’s Fight Night limited series, and has voiced cartoon characters here and there for years.
Back in 2022 he was the star of the Apple TV+ limited series The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. I found the show to be a bit of a snooze, but it was generally well-received by critics.
When Ptolemy Grey was released, it was clear that there was zero awareness that the show existed outside of the weekly grind of critics reviews. A show starring Sam Jackson should be big and noisy.
Which is why I found today’s news that he will star in the new Taylor Sheridan show NOLA King. It will spin-off from the Sylvester Stallone-led Tulsa King (with Jackson making an appearance in that show), but there are few other details known. The news that he’s starring in the show was loud and splashy.
This show, like every other Taylor Sheridan-produced show, is going to be a hit. People will talk about it. And viewers will be there for it.
And is that what it takes in the current moment to be in a TV show that people have heard about and will actually watch? Does it need to be a Taylor Sheridan show?
His shows seem to have a unique ability to cut through and generate attention. Even a show like Lioness, which seems relatively low-profile, seems to have a certain amount of public awareness in a way that so few others have.
Big stars. Big budgets. None of that matters anymore. But Taylor Sheridan does.
Read more about Taylor Sheridan’s NOLA King (starring Sam Jackson) at Variety.
Why I hate Jimmy Fallon
Every so often Jimmy Fallon just reminds me why I hate the twerp.
By way of Deadline:
Just man up, you little toad.
News Desk
Shari Redstone, the chair and controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, has confirmed she has thyroid cancer. Yet another complexity to the looming sale of the company… should Trump allow the sale to proceed. Read: NYT
The most interesting TV event this weekend is the live broadcast of George Clooney’s Broadway play Good Night and Good Luck on CNN. It airs Saturday night in the US/Sunday morning here in Australia (yes, it will be on CNN International). Here’s a THR piece about what it took to make this happen.
Micky Dolenz says that he lost out on the role of Fonzie to Henry Winkler. Based on the early version of the character, I could imagine a Dolenz-type in the role. Read: People
Walton Goggins is in talks to play lead villain M. Bison in the upcoming film adaptation of the Street Fighter video game. Read: Dark Horizons
Aussie streamer Stan’s chief content officer, Cailah Scobie, and head of originals, Amanda Duthie, will speak at Content London about their commissioning focus, international outlook, and vision. Read: C21
The BBC and Working Title are developing an adaptation of EM Forster’s epic period piece A Passage to India. Read: Deadline
Strong line-up of guest speakers at the Future Vision industry event in Melbourne this year with TV writer-showrunners Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright, and Soo Hugh speaking. Read: Mediaweek
Bell Media has revealed a slate of 116 new and returning titles for 2025/26 - includes a new show from Letterkenny’s Jared Keeso, a horror drama from EP Lilly Wachowski, a 1970s-set drama about the founding of the iconic Toronto music venue Lee’s Palace, and, well, around 113 more. Read: C21
Industry co-creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay talked about the development process for the show at SXSW London and say they re-wrote the pilot 60 times. Read: THR
Former 10 Breakfast host Paul Henry will host The Chase New Zealand. Make your own jokes. Read: TV Tonight
There’s an interesting feature at THR on the succession changes underway at TV and film studios with baby boomers finally retiring, allowing younger execs a chance to finally move up the chain. And yes, Star Wars is discussed.
Channel 4 strategy chief Khalid Hayat is exiting. Read: Deadline
As players all start exploring the new Mario Kart World, players are all flocking to be the new cow character. Read: Polygon
Trailer Park
Alien: Earth debuts August 12 on Hulu in the US.
Disney's Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical debuts June 20 on Disney+.
Revealed – Joh: Last King of Queensland streams on Stan June 22.
The Wild Ones debuts July 11 on Apple TV+.
The six-part documentary adventure series follows a team of elite wildlife experts as they journey into the world's most remote and unforgiving environments to find, film and help protect critically endangered species.
Surviving Ohio State debuts on HBO / Max June 17.
Based on the Jon Wertheim's 2020 Sports Illustrated article, Why Aren't More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal?, chronicling Dr. Richard Strauss' years-long abuse told in part by his victims - male wrestlers and football players - most of whom have never spoken about their trauma.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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