RIP Peter Bogdanovich

Legendary filmmaker (and recurring Sopranos star) Peter Bogdanovich has died at the age of 82. A cause of death has not been revealed by the family.

His career was at its peak in the 70s with a string of critically acclaimed box office hist like The Last Picture Show, What's Up Doc, and Paper Moon. But it was a career that certainly had its highs and lows. He filed for bankruptcy several times and, at one point, was living in Quentin Tarantino's guest house (much as how Bogdanovich's own hero Orson Welles had lived in his own home).

Bogdanovich was also never far from tabloid attention thanks to romances with Cybill Shepherd and the very-much underage Louise Stretton (who he later married).

Through the 90s he was relegated to directing low-profile fare like TV movies Prowler (1995), Naked City: A Killer Christmas (1998), and even an episode of The Wonderful World of Disney.

Bogdanovich was cast in The Sopranos, making 14 appearances throughout the series run playing a therapist to Tony Soprano's own therapist played by Lorraine Bracco. The role reignited his career over the past 20 years, leading to multiple acting roles in other shows and movies (How I Met Your Mother, Get Shorty, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and more).

If you're interested in the life of Bogdanovich, he participated in a biography podcast just last year with TCM, The Plot Thickens. Episodes are available as podcasts, but are also published to YouTube:

The CW up for sale

US TV network The CW is up for sale with co-owners WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS likely to sell to Nexstar, a company that operate close to 200 affiliate TV channels across the US.

Both WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS will keep a minority stake in the channel and will continue to supply it with content. What's not known yet is how much content and for how long? One would assume that WarnerMedia won't be pushing any new DC Comics shows (which have powered much of The CW's lineup in recent years) in the direction of The CW when it has its owned and operated HBO Max to consider.

It makes sense for WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS to divest themselves of a broadcast TV channel. ViacomCBS is looking for a new owner and ownership of broadcast networks makes the company less attractive as an acquisition by competitors who already own networks (Disney, Comcast). And WarnerMedia is in a similar position. This year it merges with Discovery Networks, but word has it that the structure of the new deal has been set up as to make Warner Bros Discovery attractive for yet another sale (with Comcast, owner of NBC Universal, a regularly-mentioned prospective buyer).

TeeVee Snacks

A new documentary about Anna Nicole Smith is on its way to Netflix. Read: Variety
A final flashback scene featuring Mr Big has been cut from the season finale of And Just Like That following sexual assault claims made against Chris Noth. Read: Deadline
Michael Imperioli from The Sopranos will star in season 2 of The White Lotus. He'll appear as Dominic Di Grasso, who is traveling with his son — a recent college graduate — and his elderly father. Read: TV Line
Production on Chicago Fire has been suspended thanks to the stupid virus. Read: Variety

Behind the scenes of The AV Club

There's no argument that The AV Club website isn't what it was a decade ago. But the team there still do solid work despite the best efforts of management. Here's what is taking place behind the scenes at The AV Club this week, as per it's chief film editor:

Woke up this morning to news that G/O Media has posted a job listing for my current position and those of several of my Chicago colleagues. This is nine days before any of us have to give the company a decision about whether or not we're making the move to Los Angeles. https://t.co/m90lKN4kWX
— A.A. Dowd (@AADowd) January 6, 2022