Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, August 12th, 2025:
I DON'T LIKE TO DO BLIND ITEMS. BUT....
Blind item stories are usually just a way for journalist to try and appear as if they have some cool piece of info without actually having to spend the time to report out the story in full. You find them a lot of celebrity journalism sites, which use them as a way to post an incredibly vague hint of a story that can fit a hundred different scenarios. And then when a story surfaces that somewhat matches the blind item, the reporter can write "See! I told you someone was having an affair with a co-star!"
I don't think I've ever posted a blind item in this newsletter, but after spending several days running down every lead I can, I'm hoping that I can post a few hints here that will prompt a reader or two with more information to contact me confidentially. Either by email at
I noticed a couple of days ago that the domain for one of the medium-sized Hollywood trade outlets is currently in the process of being transferred. Which is odd, because typically that only happens when the domain changes ownership.
I've spent a lot of hours since then trying to figure out what is going on. And to be honest, some of the behavior from both the current owner and the company that I believe is acquiring it has been a wee bit suspicious. I'm accustomed to doing stories in which various press contacts will simply ignore my requests or pretend they have no idea what I'm talking about. But among other things, I had one press relations person suddenly hang up on me after I asked about the acquisition.
I've reached out to current employees at both companies and heard some "Oh, I hear something is happening." But nothing from anyone who is in the position of being able to confirm it.
If anyone reading this knows more, I'd love to hear from you. I have almost enough to do an actual story. But as is often the case when dealing with private companies, nailing down a confirmation has been a frustrating experience.
IS ANYONE REALLY INTERESTED IN A SLING DAY PASS?
There are some ideas that I find it difficult to wrap my brain around. They sound more like a cheap marketing ploy that anything else. But also, maybe there is a market here that I don't see?
Earlier today, Sling TV announced they will be selling daily, weekend or weekly passes to their streaming service. The idea is that some viewer might want to see a game or an event that isn't available on whatever method of watching television that they usually use. So offering them a short-term option solves their viewing problem, while also throwing a small bit of revenue Sling's way. And I'm assuming that Sling will then make an effort to convince them to stick around after their pass has expired.
Visitors will be able to order a $4.99 Day Pass, $9.99 Weekend Pass or a $14.99 Week Pass. And according to Sling, "Day Pass, Weekend Pass and Week Pass include live and on-demand access to popular networks on Sling Orange like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, A&E, TBS, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, History Channel, CNN and more.
Along with the launch of Day Pass, subscribers can also add Sling Extras, add-on channel packages. These add-ons offer a way to customize your channel lineup by category. Current Sling Extra packages include, Sports Extra, News Extra, Entertainment Extra, Hollywood Extra, Lifestyle Extra, Heartland Extra and Kids Extra. Fans can add Sling Extras to their passes for $1 for Day Pass, $2 for Weekend Pass and $3 for Week Pass."
As I said, I have no idea if there is a market for this or not. And honestly, I suspect Sling doesn't know either. There's certainly not much of a downside to Sling for trying this. But it just feels more like a gimmick than an actual viable product.
CHERYL HINES IS....SOMETHING ELSE
The Wall Street Journal has a long profile of actress Cheryl Hines, who is married to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and she is living quite the life:
In his confirmation hearings, Kennedy said he was not antivaccine but didn’t acknowledge scientific consensus on the matter either.
Hines echoes his language on the subject. “Is science ever settled? Everything’s changing. Technology changes. Everything changes. So how could something be settled and then not talked about again?” Hines asks. “It’s like any drug that goes on the market that at the beginning everybody thinks is great and then 10 years later they realize it’s causing some sort of issue. Well, there was probably settled science at the beginning.”
ODDS AND SODS
* Tastemade has picked up the UK series Gordon Ramsay's Road Trip, which will premiere Friday, August 29th.
* Season two of Karen Pirie premieres Thursday, October 2nd on Acorn TV. Here is a first video look at the premiere. And here is the official logline: "The 1984 case of Catriona and Adam Grant has confounded investigators and intrigued the public like no other. Catriona, the charming young heiress to a vast oil fortune, and her two year old son Adam, were brutally kidnapped at gunpoint outside a fish and chip shop in Fife. The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again. Now, a man’s body has been discovered, with indisputable links to the original kidnap. With the first piece of evidence in decades, Karen (Lauren Lyle) must assemble an unbeatable team alongside her sincere and lovable sidekick DC Jason ‘Mint’ Murray (Chris Jenks) and the brilliant – but romantically complicated – DS Phil Parhatka (Zach Wyatt). With the international renown of the kidnap and the constant pressure from Catriona’s father, Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo), the team take on the biggest challenge of their careers to date. As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear… the past is far from dead."
* Marvel has announced two new pre-school animated shows, Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends and Cars: Lightning Racers.
* The drama series Task premieres Sunday, September 7th on HBO. Here is a first video look at the series. Here is a photo gallery of images from the premiere. And here is the official logline: "Set in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, an FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) heads a Task Force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man (Tom Pelphrey)."
* Jimmy Kimmel says that he has acquired Italian citizenship, in case it is necessary for him to flee the United States.
* The true crime documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish premieres Friday, August 29th on Netflix. Here is a first video look at the documentary. And here is the very brief official logline: "A teenage girl and her boyfriend are viciously cyberbullied by an unknown phone number for months. But as the investigation into the harassment unfolds, the authorities uncover a shocking secret that upends everything anyone thought they knew about the case."
* The NY Times has a long profile of Dr. Phil, who insists that while his life now is focused on things such as railing against "cancel culture," he is not political.
* Vampirina, Teenage Vampire premieres Friday, September 12th on The Disney Channel. Here is a first video teaser look at the series. And here is the official logline: "Vampirina: Teenage Vampire tells the story of a tween vampire girl who leaves the safety of Transylvania to attend a performing arts boarding school. Living amongst humans for the first time, she pursues her passion for music while keeping her vampire identity a secret, something that’s made more challenging when her overprotective father charges an overzealous ghost to live with her at the school."
* Vanity Fair is shifting its culture coverage . As part of that shift, chief critic Richard Lawson and Hollywood correspondents David Canfield and Anthony Breznican have all been let go.
* Season five of Only Murders In The Building premieres Tuesday, September 9th on Hulu. Here is a first look at the trailer. And here is the season's official logline: "After their beloved doorman, Lester, dies under suspicious circumstances, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel refuse to believe it was an accident. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters, and the mysterious residents of the Arconia. The trio discovers a deeper divide between their storied city they thought they knew and the new New York evolving around them — one where the old mob fights to hold on as newer, even more dangerous players emerge."
* Netflix announced today it will host KPop Demon Hunters A Sing-Along Event, a series of screenings across the U.S. and Canada on August 23rd and 24th.
* A foreign animator says Japan’s anime industry is “way more brutal” than fans realize.
* Season two of With Love, Meghan will premiere Tuesday, August 26th on Netflix. Here is a first video look at the season. And here is the official logline, although honestly, you know what you're getting into with this show: "Meghan returns with a fun and heartwarming new season, welcoming celebrity chefs, talented artists, and beloved friends for hands-on adventures filled with laughter and discovery. From playful cooking challenges to DIY projects, Meghan and her guests explore bold flavors, experiment with new techniques, and discover simple ways to add beauty to everyday life. It's all about embracing playfulness over perfection and finding joy in creating together."
* Liz Landers is joining PBS News Hour as White House correspondent, starting on September 15th.
* Adult Swim has ordered The Terrors of Jordan Mendoza, a live-action, quarter-hour series created by and starring Jordan Mendoza that "follows a very scared man as he navigates a barrage of absurd, terrifying, and hilarious dreamscapes."
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13TH:
Butterfly Series Premiere (Prime Video)
Celebrity IOU Season Ten Finale (HGTV)
Countdown Season One Finale (Prime Video)
Fixed (Netflix) - (first look video) - (photo gallery)
Love Is Blind: UK Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
Mysteries Of The Abandoned Season Twelve Premiere (Discovery)
Saare Jahan Se Accha Series Premiere (Netflix)
Sausage Party: Foodtopia Season Two Premiere (Prime Video)
Songs From The Hole (Netflix)
The Pope And The Führer: The Secret Vatican Files Of World War II (Daily Wire+)
Young Millionaires Series Premiere (Netflix)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH:
...And Just Like That Series Finale (Max)
Bob’s Burgers Season Fifteen Finale (Fox)
Honest Renovations Season Three Premiere (Roku Channel)
Hop (HBO Max)
In The Mud Series Premiere (Netflix)
Miss Governor Season One, Part Two Premiere (Netflix)
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes Of Rage (Netflix)
Press Your Luck Season Six Finale (ABC)
Revival Season One Finale (Syfy)
She The People (Netflix)
The Good Ship Murder Season Two Finale (BritBox)
The Kingdom (ESPN/ESPN+)
True Crime Story: Smugshot Season Two Premiere (Sundance TV)
SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT!