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Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large CBS is supersizing two of its signature reality franchises: “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” will permanently expand to 90-minute episodes next season, the network announced Thursday morning as it unveiled its 2023-2024 TV lineup. The Eye network went first with its fall plans, but there’s a caveat to it all: The writers strike means it’s very likely that primetime won’t look at all like this come September. And indeed, CBS already has contingency plans in place, including several unscripted series waiting in the wings. But for now, CBS will head into fall with a primetime schedule that looks nearly identical to its current one. The Wednesday switch to just “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race,” for example, simply takes the night’s current 10 p.m. inhabitant, the canceled “True Lies,” out of the equation. Last fall, CBS opened the season with three reality shows on the night: “Survivor,” “The Real Love Boat” and “The Amazing Race,” so an all-reality Wednesday is not uncommon. (Nor are expanded 90-minute editions of “Survivor” or “The Amazing Race,” but until now those were reserved for special moments, like premieres and finales.)

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‘Night Court’ Surprise: Original Cast Member Marsha Warfield on Roz’s Return to the Revival for Its Season Finale

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Roz is back! Marsha Warfield, who played the caustic bailiff on “Night Court” for six seasons, made a surprise appearance on Tuesday night’s episode of the series’ 2023 revival. Warfield’s appearance came on Tuesday during part 2 of the episode “The Honorable Dan Fielding.” In the episode, Dan Fielding (as reprised for the revival by Emmy winner John Larroquette) has taken a job as a judge and is reading what’s next on his docket: “Another fight at a bachelorette party in the French Quarter. OK bailiff, bring in this bride to be!” Turns out it’s Roz, wearing a “bachelorette” banner. “Fielding? They made you a judge?” she stares at disbelief, and then storms out of the courtroom. (Scroll down to watch.)

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Peacock’s ‘Mrs. Davis’ Makes Last-Minute Switch From Drama to Limited/Anthology Series Emmy Races (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Mrs. Davis” may be one of the most surprising and unconventional new series of the spring — and now it’s making a surprising and unconventional move in the Emmy race as well. As the Television Academy deadline for category submissions ends today, Peacock has decided to make a last-minute shift and move the series into the limited/anthology series categories. Betty Gilpin stars in “Mrs. Davis” as Simone, a sometimes nun who takes on her nemesis, the artificial intelligence being known only as “Mrs. Davis,” and strikes a deal with the algorithm — which promises to shut down if Simone finds and destroys the holy grail. This exploration of faith and technology comes from executive producers Tara Hernandez (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Damon Lindelof (“The Leftovers”).

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‘Atlanta,’ ‘Better Call Saul’ Land Farewell Awards as This Year’s 83rd Peabody Winners Are Announced

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected 35 winners to award at this year’s Peabody ceremony, including entertainment fare such as “Abbott Elementary,” “Atlanta,” “Better Call Saul,” “Severance” and “We’re Here.” Chosen by unanimous vote of 32 jurors from over 1,400 entries, the 83rd annual Peabody Awards landed on ten entertainment shows, eight documentaries, seven news programs, five from interactive and immersive content, three podcast/radio programs, and one each from arts and public service fare. PBS led the winners circle with six, followed by Apple TV+ and Disney+ with three each, and HBO Max with two. For “Atlanta” and “Better Call Saul,” both shows recieved Peabody honors in their first season — and will receive another for their final seasons. The winners, announced on Tuesday, came out of previously announced 69 nominees in all categories.

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Paramount Unveils First-Ever Emmy FYC Activation, to Take Place at Hollywood Athletic Club (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Paramount Global is taking over the Hollywood Athletic Club this month to launch its first ever cross-platform “Paramount Showcase” Emmy FYC activation. The event will tout projects from the company’s Paramount+, Showtime, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network outlets, with shows including “Yellowstone,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Star Trek: Picard,” “The Daily Show” and “Yellowjackets.” The event will move into Hollywood Athletic Club on Friday, May 12, with a panel devoted to the Paramount+ series (and “Yellowstone” prequel) “1923,” and continue through Sunday, May 21, wrapping with an event devoted to the new Showtime series “Fatal Attraction.”

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‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Could Hit Syndication As Combined Amazon MGM Studios Distribution Launches

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Original Amazon series like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will be sold off-platform to third parties for the first time, the company announced Monday as it launched the new Amazon MGM Studios Distribution. A revamp of MGM’s pre-existing distribution team, the division will now handle Amazon Studios/Prime Video originals in addition to current and library titles. Chris Ottinger, who led the MGM distribution team for more than a decade, will oversee the new division. Ottinger will report to Brad Beale, the VP of worldwide licensing and distribution at Amazon and MGM Studios; Beale, in turn, reports to Amazon/MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke.

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Watch King Charles III, Queen Camilla Make a Surprise Appearance on Tonight’s ‘American Idol’

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Lionel Richie and Katy Perry weren’t able to perform their normal tasks as judges on Sunday night’s “American Idol,” as they were across the pond performing for the coronation of King Charles III. So they brought back a souvenir for the show: The actual just-crowned King and Queen. King Charles III and Queen Camilla were surprise guests on “American Idol,” in a pre-taped package introduced at the start of the show by host Ryan Seacrest. The clip opens with Richie and Perry, in a room that appears to be inside Windsor Castle. Suddenly, in walks the King and Queen. “I just wanted to check, how much, how long you’ll be using this room for?” King Charles quipped to Richie. Charles then thanked Richie for attending and performing at the coronation. “Thank you so much for your brilliant performance and it was great,” he said.

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Writers Guild Plans Strike Picket Outside MTV Movie & TV Awards This Sunday

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The MTV Movie & TV Awards may still be going on this Sunday without the services of host Drew Barrymore, but the Writers Guild has taken notice. In a short press release on Friday, the guild announced that it would picket outside Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, where the kudocast is set to take place on May 7, at 5 p.m. PT. MTV had already scrapped a red carpet before the show, in the hopes that the awards show would stay off the radar of any pickets. As Variety wrote exclusively on Thursday, Barrymore opted to step down as host of this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, in a show of support and solidarity to the striking Writers Guild members. She instead agreed to return and host next year’s edition of the kudocast instead.

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SeriesFest Adjusts Schedule As Showrunners and Writers Cancel Due to Strike

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The ninth annual SeriesFest, an annual television-centric event held in Denver, kicks off Friday with a slightly abbreviated schedule in light of the writers strike. Per WGA rules, writers are not allowed to make “promotional appearances” at film festivals (or presumably, TV festivals like SeriesFest) or at “For Your Consideration” Emmy events. Already, a number of FYC showcases have either been canceled, or continued on but with just a screening, no panel, due to the strike. SeriesFest becomes the first festival to be impacted by the strike. This year’s event takes place from May 5 to May 10, which now happens to coincide with the early days of the strike. As a result, showrunners have opted out of a handful of panels, while screenings of many new and returning shows will now take place without talent/showrunner Q&As. It could be an early peak at the pivot that may have to take place with other upcoming festivals, including Cannes and ATX.

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Ken Marino and Adam Scott on How ‘Party Down’ Made Them Realize They Deserve Better TV Shows

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Ken Marino credits his pal Adam Scott for making the unlikely and unexpected “Party Down” revival a reality. “Adam helped guide this and make this happen in a real way,” he tells Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “I think everybody in that cast recognized how special it was, and to just kind of go back and to get to do some more, to be with these people again, creatively, it’s a real gift.” The first two seasons of “Party Down” aired on Starz in 2009 and 2010; the revival takes place a decade after the show’s last episode and features the returns of Marino as Ron, the slightly clueless catering manager who now owns the business — well, running it out of his van — and Scott as Henry, the sardonic failed actor who’s now a teacher and working on the side with Party Down to help pay for his alimony.

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Drew Barrymore Pulls Out of Hosting MTV Movie & TV Awards in Support of Writers Strike, Plans 2024 Return (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Drew Barrymore is stepping down as host of this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, in a show of support and solidarity to the striking Writers Guild members. But as a sign of good faith to MTV, Barrymore has also agreed to return and host next year’s edition of the kudocast instead. Sunday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards will still continue, but will now go hostless. The state of the show is still evolving day-by-day, as producers pivot to their strike contingency plans and wait and see who among their presenters, nominees and guests are still willing and able to appear on the telecast. As another nod to the evolving news, there will no longer be a red carpet or talent interviews before the show.

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‘The Masked Singer’ Reveals Identity of the UFO: Here’s Who It Is

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 12 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired May 3 on Fox. Former Miss USA and Miss Universe Olivia Culpo was the next celebrity to be revealed on Fox’s “The Masked Singer.” Culpo was unmasked as UFO on Thursday’s show, which also doubled as the Season 9 quarterfinals. Culpo, a model and Internet star, sang Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry On Their Own” on the episode, having previously sang “Yellow” by Coldplay. “I was really nervous when I sang my first song,” Culpo said in her pre-tape package. “But I’m really excited to have made it this far. This experience has exemplified going out of my comfort zone and being more vulnerable than I ever have before. So much of my career is based on the way I look physically, so adding value through my energy or my singing, it feels like there is more that I have to offer. And I’m getting older, so I have to hold on to something. Joking!”

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Paramount+ Takes Over Bryant Park’s Monday Night Screening Series in New York (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Paramount+ has sealed a multi-year deal with New York’s Bryant Park to take over its Monday evening summer movie series, the streamer announced on Wednesday. Dubbed “Paramount+ Movie Nights at Bryant Park,” the deal is timed to the 30th anniversary of Bryant Park’s “Movie Nights” franchise. This year’s “Paramount+ Movie Nights at Bryant Park” will run from June 12 to August 14. The event is also paired with the pop-up Hester Street Fair, which features a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors from the five boroughs on the park’s Fountain Terrace each Monday. “Movie Nights is one of Bryant Park’s most popular series and with the support of Paramount+, we can continue to provide free high quality outdoor movie screenings for New Yorkers and visitors for many more years to come,” said Bryant Park Corp. president Dan Biederman in a statement.

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CBS Postpones Next Week’s Fall Schedule Announcement Party Due to Writers Strike

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large CBS has put on hold plans to announce its fall 2023 schedule at a reveal event in Los Angeles on May 9. The network will still share its schedule next week, but instead likely by traditional press release. The party, which was to take place at NeueHouse Hollywood (next door to CBS’ new Hollywood headquarters), was to have served as a replacement for the traditional upfronts event that CBS always held in New York at Carnegie Hall during upfronts week. (Paramount Global, which took over the CBS Wednesday slot during upfronts last year, earlier opted not to continue the upfronts week presentation this year. Filling that Wednesday time slot this year on May 15 will be Netflix, in its inaugural upfronts appearance.)

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MTV Movie & TV Awards Remain Set for Sunday, as Producers Mull Strike Contingency Plans

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards, which is slated to air live this Sunday from Santa Monica’s Barker Hanger with host Drew Barrymore, will move forward even as a writers strike is now underway. Because it’s live, the kudocast will likely be the first program noticeably impacted by a strike, although insiders close to the show tell Variety they already had multiple contingency plans in place in case. “We are all collectively hoping for the best, we’re hoping for a resolution so that the show can continue on as planned,” one production source told Variety on Monday, prior to the WGA contract expiration and announcement of a strike. “Should we need to pivot, we will. We are working through our contingency plans. This is something that we have been discussing for for quite some time. So we are hard at work. These are very busy hours and days for us… the nature of live events and live shows and live programming is to be able to pivot when things come up. Those are all skills that we have honed very well over the last few years.”

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TV Academy Offers Option to Cancel FYC Events As Questions Swirl Over Emmy Campaigns During the Strike

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The TV Academy is giving networks and studios the opportunity to cancel their upcoming Emmy FYC events should the writers strike limit the possibility of continuing such an event. So far, how or if certain FYC events will continue is anyone’s guess. Outlets like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney and Netflix have opened — or are about to open — major campaign activations, and those spaces are already populated with theaters for screenings, as well as crafts displays. Those events will presumably continue, but perhaps without panels — which is an option. The Writers Guild had not commented until Tuesday on whether Emmy FYC events would be affected by a strike. But in a new FAQ on their website, the Guild spells it out. “Can I promote my project at a film festival or at a “For Your Consideration” event about the film or show I wrote on? No. You should let the company know you are prohibited from making these promotional appearances about your work until the strike concludes.”

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John Leguizamo-Partnered Latino-Focused Streaming Platform mitúTV Launches (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Digital media and entertainment company NGLmitú, the result of a merger last year between NGL Collective and mitú, have launched the new Latino-focused streaming platform mitúTV. Targeting bilingual and English dominant U.S. Latinos, the service also announced three new shows: “Three Gs in a Pod,” hosted by Erik Rivera, Sasha Merci and Jesus Sepulveda; “Girl, Let Me Tell You,” hosted by Jessica Flores, Ivana Rojas and Glorelys Mora; and the game show “Spill the Chisme.” “We were more of a business-to-business type of organization,” said NGL Collective founder and CEO David Chitel, “which is why it made so much sense for us to merge with mitú, because they were the leading business-to-consumer entity connecting with we call ‘new generation Latinos.’ So the marriage of our two companies is sort of a big deal in our space.”

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‘Monster’ Season 2: Menéndez Brothers Are the Next Subjects of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Series

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The story of the Menéndez brothers, convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez, will next be tackled by Ryan Murphy as part of his Netflix franchise “Monster.” Netflix and Murphy were set to confirm Monday that they are at work on “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” the follow-up to the hit limited series “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” Netflix had ordered two additional installments of the anthology series from Murphy and Ian Brennan; this would rep the first. Separately, Netflix revealed that it also has what it called “exclusive access” to Lyle and Erik Menéndez to participate in a documentary feature from Campfire Studios.

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James Corden’s Farewell Includes Duet With Tom Cruise and Parting Message to U.S.: ‘Remember What America Signifies’

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large James Corden said farewell to CBS on Thursday evening by doing something no one ever thought would be possible: Getting Tom Cruise to sing Elton John’s hit ballad “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” After an opening “The Last Last Late Late Show with James Corden Carpool Karaoke Special” by singing “Last Show” (to the tune of “Last Dance”), and quick opening monologue, Corden switched to its heavily promoted final pre-tape with Cruise. As previously announced, the action star icon and the host joined a performance of “The Lion King” at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. The first part of the clip showed the two rehearsing and singing on stage in costume — but from there, the sketch turned into a bit of a farewell between the two.