Too Much TV: What Is Going On With Discovery+?

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Monday, July 21st 2025:

THE BEST WAYS TO SUPPORT PBS
I've been hearing from a number of you who want to know what are the best ways to support PBS in its time of need. Here are a few suggestions:

1) Become A Member/Donor Of Your Local PBS Station
Aside from the support you'll be providing, if you contribute a gift of $5 per month or an annual gift of $60 or more, you'll get access to Passport, the PBS members-only streaming service. You'll get extended access to a digital, on-demand library of more than 1,500 episodes of PBS favorites, along with early access to some popular shows and much, much more. If you enjoy PBS programming, you'll always have something to watch.

2) Adopt A Local PBS Station
This website provides info on how to donate to your local PBS station. But if you'd like to do a bit more, there is also a section which lists PBS stations which have lost 50% or more of their total revenue due to this funding cut. It's a way you can direct a little extra money to the stations who are likely be struggling to keep the doors open in the coming year or two.

3) Watch A Bit More PBS. And Then Talk About It
It's easy to forget how much great programming is available on PBS. Documentary series, science programs, entertainment and music, kids programming as well as locally produced public service shows. And if you're getting tired of the Food Network's predictable shows, many local PBS stations have a Saturday morning cooking show block that is diverse and often unexpected. And once you've watched something, talk about it with friends, co-workers and family. Remind people what they're missing. In a nice way, of course.

4) Write A Letter Of Support
This is especially important if you live in an area in which your local congressperson or Senator voted for the recent recission bill. Send a polite letter expressing your disappointment in the vote and let them know you will not forget that vote during the next election.

Notice I said write a letter, not an email. Not a phone call. It's much easier for staffers to shrug those off, in part because emails and calls often come from people outside the district. But a letter has to be physically handled and they are increasingly rare in 2025. Believe me, if a legislator receives a stack of letters coming from people whose return addresses are in his or her district, they'll feel the heat.

And let's be real. You don't have to actually "write" the letter. You can type it up, print it off, sign it and send it out. What matters is that it's a physical letter. And that is coming from someone in their district.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH DISCOVERY+?
I've been a subscriber to Discovery+ since it launched. I even pony up for the ad-free version of the streamer. Even though over the past couple of years, it's been clear that the powers that be at Warner Bros. Discovery have been trying to slowly starve it to death. They eliminated all of the original programming (at one point, Shark Week included about a half dozen Discovery+ originals) and a growing number of new shows and seasons are showing up on a delayed basis.

But with the upcoming split of the company, I was hoping to see more attention being paid to WBD's ugly stepchild of a streaming service. With the linear networks being spun off into a new company and combined with Discovery+, I expected to see more linear programming headed to Discovery+. Instead, the starvation diet seems to be increasing in severity. And honestly, I can't quite figure out what's going on.

For example, for some strange reason, the new Magnolia series Back To The Frontier is being billed as "HBO Max Original," even though it's also airing on the Magnolia Network at the same time. And it's not available at all on Discovery+. Neither is the new Octavia Spencer-hosted Food Network series Family Recipe Showdown, which is also only available on HBO Max.

Combine that with the fact HGTV has recently canceled at least six of its ongoing primetime shows, which would presumably be a key to keeping viewers engaged on Discovery+. It's clear a shift is happening, but what does it mean?

This comes at the same time in which WBD is making other moves globally to walk away from some of their existing linear businesses. For example, in New Zealand, Sky TV announced this morning that it has agreed to buy Discovery NZ, which owns the over-the-air network Three, for $1. The deal also gives Sky control of all other TV3 brands, including Bravo, Eden, Rush, HGTV, and the network's streaming platform, ThreeNow. Sky will also get a multi-year commitment to have access Warner Bros Discovery's premium content.

Notably, WBD is retaining control of its pay TV channels in New Zealand, the streaming service HBO Max, and Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) New Zealand.

So it feels as if WBD is slashing its linear business and assets to the bone ahead of the split. Which seems like a strange move to make if you intend for this business to succeed.

ODDS AND SODS
* I'll have a full recap once the show ends tonight, but in the opening monologue of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Colbert responded to President Trump's gloating over his cancellation by looking at the camera and saying "Go f*&* yourself." This should be a fun ten months.

* On Comedy Central's The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart opened the show with an extended rant about the cancellation of The Late Show, as well as his possible future on The Daily Show. Here is just a sample of his comments:

"I understand the corporate fear. I understand the fear that you and your advertisers have with $8B at stake, but understand this, truly, the shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control, a not insignificant portion of that $8B value came from those f*cking shows. That’s what made you that money."

"Shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid. Believe me, this is not a 'We speak truth to power.' We don't; we speak opinions to television cameras, but we try. We f*cking try every night. If you believe as corporations or as networks, you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar, why will anyone watch you and you are f*cking wrong."

*  Very sad news: actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner is dead at age 54, from a drowning accident in Costa Rica. Local authorities said in a statement that Warner had apparently been swept away by a strong current, and that bystanders had tried to rescue him.

* Linda Martindale is back with another great recap of the latest antics on Big Brother.

* When the White House took control of the “press pool” that accompanies the president, journalists worried that the Trump administration would use that power to explicitly punish news outlets. And now it's happening. The WSJ has been booted from an upcoming Trump trip, according to CNN's Brian Stelter.

* I'm not saying that we live in a screwed up, conspiracy-filled world right now...but Stevie Wonder has had to issue a statement stressing that despite the rumors, he is indeed blind.

* The new true crime series Naming The Dead premieres Saturday, August 2nd on NatGeo. Here is a first look at the series. And here is the official logline: "The series follows the groundbreaking work of the DNA Doe Project, a trailblazing nonprofit that uses genetic genealogy to help law enforcement crack the country’s most confounding cold cases. With unprecedented access to active investigations, Naming The Dead captures the relentless pursuit of truth by a dedicated team of genealogists, detectives, coroners and journalists."

* With all due respect to Ridley Scott and Johnny Depp, I'm not sure a twist on the classic "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" is technically "an original entertainment property"

* From the producers of Love Island, the series Are You My First? will premiere Monday, August 18th on Hulu. Here is the official logline: "In this groundbreaking new dating experiment, the largest, hottest group of virgins ever assembled search for intimacy, love – and maybe their first – in a tropical paradise designed just for them. For the first time, they’re free to explore their connections without judgment, allowing these sexy young singles to embark on a heated yet heartfelt journey packed with romantic dates, revealing challenges, and new love interests eager to find “the one.”  Who will find that special someone? And who will go home hot, bothered and heartbroken?"

* Paramount+ has cancelled the Robert and Michelle King crime drama series Happy Face after one season. 

* Fox Nation has acquired the rights to stream events of Real American Freestyle, the wrestling league started by Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Chad Bronstein. The first event will stream on Saturday, August 30th.

* Season thirteen of Futurama will premiere Monday, September 15th on Hulu.

* In today's "this is totally a coincidence and not related to a merger" media news, Charter Communications, which has a big merger pending before the FCC, announced today that it will match a new federal program giving $1,000 dollars to newborns for children of its employees.

WHAT'S NEW TOMORROW (AND THE NEXT DAY)

TUESDAY, JULY 22ND:
* Beyond Skywalker Ranch Season Three Finale (History)
* Black Mako Of The Abyss (Discovery)
* Caught In The Act: Double Life Season One Finale (MTV)
* Great White Northern Invasion (Discovery)
* Hip Hop Was Born Here (Paramount+)
* How To Survive A Shark Attack (Discovery)
* Red Eye Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty Finale (PBS)
* Renovation Resort Showdown Season Two Premiere (HGTV)
* Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (Netflix)
* Welcome To Plathville Season Premiere (TLC)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23RD, 2025:
* Acapulco Season Premiere (Apple TV+)
* Alien Sharks: Death Down Under (Discovery)
* Building The Band Season One Finale (Netflix)
* Critical: Between Life & Death Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Digman! Season Two Premiere (Comedy Central)
* Expedition Unknown: Shark Files (Discovery)
* Expedition X: Malpelo Monster Shark (Discovery)
* Family Law Season Four Premiere (The CW)
* Holmes Family Rescue Season Three Finale (HGTV)
* Match Game Series Six Premiere (ABC)
* My Strange Arrest Season Three Premiere (A&E)
* Shiny Happy People Season Two Premiere (Prime Video)
* South Park Season Thirty Seven Premiere (Comedy Central)
* Stick Season One Finale (Apple TV+)
* The Nice Guy Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Washington Black Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Season Four Premiere (ABC)

SEE YOU ON TUESDAY!