Cameron Johnson: Last News

Comedy is what we need right now, says Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, The Madness of King George), who ran London’s National Theatre for a decade.

Wilson Chapman editor“Tom Swift” has been canceled by The CW after one season, Variety has confirmed.The news comes less than a month after the series, a spinoff of “Nancy Drew,” premiered on May 31. Sources close to the project tell Variety the decision came down to ratings, as the show failed to find an audience via linear TV or streaming.

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Swift has swiftly gotten the boot at CW.

Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticYou don’t have to have watched The CW’s “Nancy Drew” to watch “Tom Swift,” the network’s new series that is, in the most technical terms, a spinoff. Though Tom (played by Tian Richards) first appeared on the second season of “Nancy Drew,” the show bearing his name has little to do with it, which is for the best. There’s no real need to complicate things even further for Tom, who goes through so much in the pilot episode that there’s barely room for nuance beyond the basics.The series’ rush to establish every moving piece begins immediately, with a voiceover that wastes no time illustrating the Swifts’ place in this world.

An iconic network crossover! Tom Swift (Tian Richards) may have started his story on a backdoor pilot episode of Nancy Drew, but the titular character won’t be coming back to Horseshoe Bay — for now.

Wilson Chapman editor“Tom Swift,” a spinoff of the mystery series “Nancy Drew,” will premiere its first episode May 31 on The CW, the network announced Friday.The series, which was first announced in 2020, stars Tian Richards (“Burdin,” “Dumplin'”) as the title character, who was first created in the 1910 book “Tom Swift and His Motor Cycle.” Originally portrayed as a teen inventor, the series reimagines Swift as a Black, gay billionaire who is thrust into conflict with a mysterious global cabal following the sudden disappearance of his father. Richards first appeared as the character in Season 2 of “Nancy Drew.”Ashleigh Murray (“Riverdale,” “Katy Keene”) co-stars in the series as Swift’s best friend Zenzi.

Tom Swift has an early-summer date with the CW. The Nancy Drew spinoff series starring Tian Richards will premiere at 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, following a new episode Superman & Lois.

Breeda Wool (Mass) is set for a key recurring role opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones in National Treasure, Disney Branded Television’s TV series for Disney+ produced by ABC Signature. The project, executive produced by the films’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turteltaub and writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, is an expansion of the National Treasure movie franchise told from the point of view of young heroine Jess (Lisette Alexis) — a DREAMer in search of answers about her family — who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure. Wool will play Kacey, a sarcastic, kick-ass henchwoman and Billie’s (Zeta-Jones) second-in-command. Wool co-stars in the critically acclaimed film, Mass, directed by Fran Kranz, and also stars in the soon-to-be-released, Ultrasound, from Magnolia Pictures. She previously starred in the Stephen King series, Mr. Mercedes from David E. Kelley. Most recently she wrapped a starring role on the film, Detained, opposite Abbie Cornish. She is repped by Bold Management & Production, Innovative Artists Agency, and attorney Karl Austen.

EXCLUSIVE: Marquise Vilsón (Blindspot), April Parker Jones (Supergirl) and Albert Mwangi (Bump) round out the series regular cast for CW’s Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift. They join previously announced leads Tian Richards and Ashleigh Murray in the series from Nancy Drew co-creators/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, their Fake Empire banner and CBS Studios.

Selome Hailu Ashleigh Murray is set to star as Zenzi Fullington in “Tom Swift,” the CW’s upcoming spinoff of “Nancy Drew.”She stars opposite Tian Richards, who plays the titular character as previously announced. Zenzi is described as “efficient and effervescent, but nobody’s fool.

EXCLUSIVE: Riverdale and Katy Keene alumna Ashleigh Murray is returning to the CW as the female lead opposite Tian Richards in Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift, based on the classic book series. Tom Swift, which has a series order, comes from Nancy Drew co-creators/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, their Fake Empire banner and CBS Studios.

Netflix acknowledged Wednesday that choice can sometimes be too much of a good thing as the world’s biggest streamer officially unveiled a new user option called Play Something — where “Netflix does all the work for you.”