RIP Blue Bloods - CBS farewells the long-running family cop drama

ALSO: World Television Day. AND: Streaming Black Friday deals

Happy World Television Day to all those who celebrate.

From UN.org:

World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.

On 21 and 22 November 1996 the United Nations held the first World Television Forum, where leading media figures met under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the growing significance of television in today's changing world and to consider how they might enhance their mutual cooperation. That is why the General Assembly decided to proclaim 21 November as World Television Day.

This was done in recognition of the increasing impact television has on the process of decision-making. Television was thus acknowledged as a major tool in informing, channelling and affecting public opinion. Its impact and presence and its influence on world politics could not be denied.

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RIP Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods will end with its 14th season, but you can still expect to see quite a lot of Blue Bloods through 2014.

First, the show will return for a 10-episode burst of episodes starting Feb 16. The season will break at the end of the usual US network TV season, but will return at the start of the 2024-25 season (presumably in Sept/early Oct). That return will only be for eight episodes, bringing season 14 to a total of 18 episodes.

Blue Bloods joins other long-running CBS shows S.W.A.T. and Young Sheldon in finishing their (seven season) runs next year. There’s also former CBS show, turned Paramount+ drama SEAL Team which will also finish with its seventh season.

Read: THR

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From the Corrections Dept

Some feedback from ABW supporters yesterday who all informed me how wrong I was yesterday about a range of issues:

M. Beckham: “Not to be pedantic (it very much is) but 'Late Show with David Letterman' always omitted 'The' from the title.”

How did I go so many years never realising this? I was shaken. More feedback:

D. Poland: The Golden Globes is “more corrupt now”. He then pointed to the use of the Penske-owned awards by the Penske publications to prop up ad sales and other revenue opportunities.

Yeah, fair call Mr Poland.

R. Sharpe wanted to point out that Free TV Australia isn’t calling for mandatory placement of apps, just app store prominence. Sharpe pointed me towards a statement from Free TV:

Free TV has never sought a prominence framework that locks in apps on the home screen.  Viewers should be given a full choice of all services available to them, both free and paid, and then be able to choose which ones they want to watch. That is what a prominence framework will do – give the consumer the choice.

I’d counter and say that I explicitly stated that I was okay with this move by Free TV Australia as long as it isn’t a mandatory position and only taking place within app stores.

M. Barrett-Gestier offered some offline criticism: “No! I want mummy to do it.”

I pushed back on this one too and threatened that it would end her assumed entitlement to be heir to the Always Be Watching empire. She was not moved by the threat.

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Black Friday streaming deals

While Australian retailers are embracing the US retail Black Friday event, local streamers don’t seem to be following suit. But there are several US streamers who do have deals.

Paramount+ - $1.99 per Month for 3 Months (67% off) Read: The Streamable
Max - The Max With Ads plan $2.99 per month for the first six months, down from $9.99 per month. Read: thefutoncritic

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NBC announces series return dates

NBC today announced its revised mid-season schedule, offering return dates for all of its scripted series that were off the air thanks to the writer and actor industrial action this year.

SATURDAY, DEC. 23
Extended Family (New show)
Night Court (Special holiday episode)

TUESDAY, JAN. 2
Night Court (Series return)

TUESDAY, JAN. 9
La Brea

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17
Chicago Med
Chicago Fire
Chicago P.D.

THURSDAY, JAN. 18
Law & Order
Law & Order: SVU
Law & Order: Organized Crime

• Unprisoned, the Hulu dramedy starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, has been renewed for a second season. Read: TV Line

• Rob Beckett’s Smart TV is a new TV-focused UK comedy panel show. Hosted by Smart TV (that’s just a silly joke… Rob Beckett is the host… hold your sides), Alison Hammond and Josh Widdicombe are also on board as team captains. It will air on Sky Max and stream via Now. Read: World Screen

• Documentary maker Paul Watson has died at the age of 81. He is known as the father of reality TV, having created the docudrama The Family in the UK and later Sylvania Waters in Australia. (Of course, the existence of An American Family in the US muddies his legacy a little). Read: The Guardian

• US pubcaster PBS is launching a new FAST channel focused on food. It’ll be called: PBS Food. Read: TV Newscheck

• As expected, La Brea will end with its third season. The Melbourne-filmed NBC drama will be farewelled with a shortened 6-episode send-off. Read: Deadline

• RIP 90s-era Saturday Disney host Jeniene Mapp Testa. The “Dialysis Patient & Kidney Warrior” passed away last week. Back in 1995, I did a weeks worth of work experience at Channel 7 and spent a few days in the Saturday Disney office. I had the least contact time with Jeniene of the three hosts, but I remember her being very kind and friendly. Sad to hear this news today. Read: TV Tonight

The Woman In The Wall debuts on Showtime Jan 21.

Created and written by BAFTA Award nominee Joe Murtagh, the six-episode thriller centers on Lorna Brady (Ruth Wilson), a woman from the small, fictional Irish town of Kilkinure, who wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house.

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That’s the newsletter for today. More tomorrow.