Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, August 14th, 2025:
PRODUCTION NOTES
Just a reminder that this is the first week of my revised Sunday-Thursday newsletter schedule. If anything pops up on Friday or the weekend, I'll send out a bonus email, but this schedule seems to work best for most readers.
As a result of the change, I'll be adding the listings through Monday at the bottom of the Thursday newsletter.
A CONVERSATION WITH TELEMUNDO SVP OF SPORTS CONTENT MIGUEL LORENZO
Telemundo Deportes Ahora, a new 24/7 Spanish-language sports FAST channel, launched on Thursday and it promises to include a wide variety of programming targeting the Spanish language sports market in the U.S., including:
- 50+ hours of new Spanish-language sports content weekly
- Live sporting events including, Básquetbol LATAM, NFL, Super Bowl, NBA, select MMA events, Bare-Knuckle Boxing, and Pro-Paddle League
- Shoulder programming around Premier League, FIFA properties (including FIFA World Cup 2026™), U.S. Soccer (men’s, women’s, and youth teams), and top Liga MX clubs like Chivas, Tigres, and Juárez
- Original programming including Telemundo Deportes Al Día, Puesta a Punto, and El Pelotazo Ahora
I had the opportunity on Thursday to speak with Telemundo's SVP of Sports Content, Miguel Lorenzo about the launch. It included a wide-ranging discussion about the strategy behind the channel, the challenge of FAST viewing metrics and the ways the network plans to integrate promotions between the linear and FAST channels in the future.
Here is an excerpt from the interview, which has been lightly edited for clarity:
I know it's hard with a FAST channel to figure out what the audience is ultimately going to be, but as you were planning this, can you define the viewers that you hoped would be most attracted to this?
So we're hoping it's going to be a combination, right? We were hoping that existing audiences for Telemundo Deportes on our linear platforms, our streaming and social platforms, we're hopeful that they're going to find this content as well on a new platform on this FAST channel. But we absolutely also hope that we're reaching new audiences on FAST.
It's a different type of experience. It's kind of like a linear experience, more relaxed, more sit down, but it's on a digital platform. So whether you call them cord cutters or just people that want a different type of way to watch their content, we're certainly expecting to reach new audiences, which is ultimately the goal, right?
We're increasing the audience for Telemundo Deportes and reaching as many people as we can.
One of the interesting aspects of a FAST channel is the viewing can often be more impulsive than on a linear channel. They're just stumbling across the channel or decide to watch it without having a clear sense of what will be on. So how do you deal with the challenge of random discovery as opposed to a linear channel, where they generally know that a specific event is going to be on at a specific time?
I think it'll be a combination because one of the important parts of our strategy is live sports and live programming in general. We're going to have a lot of live sports in this channel, a lot of live shows that we'll be producing here at Telemundo Center. And so anytime you have live, you hope that it eventually becomes appointment viewing.
But to your point, we're not expecting to change the consumption pattern of everybody on FAST. There is a lot of just, whatever's on, let me watch it. And so the way that we're programming the channel is reflective of that as well.
There are a lot of re-airs, but programmed in a very strategic way. Different windows, taking into account our audiences. We're focused on U.S. Hispanics. That's our audience.
That's our core. And so you have a lot of them dispersed around different places, whether it's East Coast, West Coast, that means differences in time zones. So that's all being taken into account in how we program the channel.
How are you dealing with the cross-promotion challenges of taking someone who's on the FAST channel and pushing them to the linear side and vice versa?
Yeah, it's an important strategy. We want to make this a 360 experience, regardless of what platform we end up speaking to a user on. So we start with our linear shows.
We are going to have FAST channel extensions of many of our linear shows, and there'll be promotion of that content, of that programming, on our linear platform. So once the show's over, it might be at some point within the show, letting them know, "Hey, for a continuation of this, for more of this particular show, head to our FAST channel right now, because we're going to keep talking there about whatever the discussion might be." And then on the FAST channel, same thing.
We'll have programming in FAST. Take Premier League, for example. Premier League is one of the important properties of NBCUniversal, both in English and in Spanish.
We'll have the matches in Spanish on many platforms, Peacock, Telemundo, and we plan to have a lot of Premier League type of programming in the FAST channel. And that's going to be an opportunity for us to promote. If we're talking midweek and we're having a show promoting the upcoming matches, like Premier League kicking off this weekend, we'll take that opportunity to mention, and here are all the matchups taking place this weekend on Telemundo, on Universal, on Peacock, that you can watch.
So we really are looking at it as a way, wherever we touch you, in terms of platform, we want to give you awareness for all the other platforms that this content can be found.
Click here to read the entire extended interview.
ODDS AND SODS
* I once applied to be on a reality series that never ended up getting to air. It was an ABC project from about 20 years ago that was going to be set in a Bay Area tech start-up. I've never been attempted to try that again, although the news that NBC is going to do a "civilian" of The Traitor is very tempting.
* Season two of Nobody Wants This premieres Thursday, October 23rd on Netflix. Here is a look at some images from the new season. And here is the official logline: "First comes love, then comes life. The last time we saw agnostic podcast host Joanne (Kristen Bell) and unconventional (hot) rabbi Noah (Adam Brody), their unmatched chemistry surprised everyone in their lives, including her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe), his brother Sasha (Timothy Simons) and sister-in-law Esther (Jackie Tohn), and even themselves. Their spark proved stronger than all of the obstacles trying to keep them apart. Now, they’re back and fully committed to merging their lives – and loved ones — together. But their differences still exist and can’t be ignored. The challenge now is not just falling in love against all odds, but staying together in spite of them."
* Prime Video has ordered to series Joseph Of Egypt, a new biblical drama co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and 5&2 Studios. Amazon MGM Studios signed a first-look deal with 5&2 Studios earlier this year that covered streaming rights to the first five seasons of The Chosen.
* The comedy special Larry the Cable Guy: It’s A Gift premieres Friday, September 12th on Prime Video.
* Boots is premiering Thursday, October 9th on Netflix. Here is the official logline: "Boots is a one-hour comedic drama that delivers an irreverent, off-beat take on the coming-of-age story. Set in the tough, unpredictable world of the 1990s US Marine Corps—when being gay in the military was still illegal—the series follows directionless, closeted Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh), the son of a decorated Marine, as they join a diverse group of recruits. Together, this ensemble navigates the literal and metaphorical landmines of boot camp, forging unlikely bonds and discovering their true selves in an environment designed to push them to their limits. With sharp wit and plenty of heart, Boots is about friendship, resilience, and finding your place in the world—even when that world seems determined to keep you in line or leave you behind."
* Blood & Myth premieres Thursday, September 4th on Hulu. Here is a first video look at the series. And here is the official logline: "After a series of shocking violent crimes shatter a remote native village in Northern Alaska, one man embarks on a journey to investigate a terrifying paranormal connection. When James Dommek Jr. first learns about a string of bloody attacks in a remote Alaskan community, the details don’t add up. At the center of the rampage is an unlikely fugitive: Teddy Kyle Smith, a fellow Iñupiaq man and successful actor who was greatly admired within his tribe. The mystery only deepens when Teddy is finally apprehended and makes a shocking claim: while out in the wilderness, he had a frightening encounter with Iñukuns — sinister beings well-known and long-feared by the Iñupiaq people – and that they had guided his violent actions."
* The Truth About Jussie Smollett? premieres Friday, August 22nd on Netflix. Here is a first video look at the documentary. And here is the official logline: "From RAW, the producers of Don’t F**k With Cats and Tinder Swindler, comes The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, a shocking true story of an allegedly fake story that some now say might just be a true story. Featuring interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence about the case, and with Jussie himself, this compelling documentary invites the audience to decide for themselves who is telling The Truth About Jussie Smollett?"
WHAT'S COMING TOMORROW AND THIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15TH:
* Abandoned: The Woman In The Decaying House (Prime Video)
* BMF Season Four Finale (Starz)
* Eat, Pray, Lie (LMN)
* Fatal Seduction (Netflix)
* Fit For TV: The Reality Of The Biggest Loser (Netflix)
* Limitless With Chris Hemsworth Season Two Premiere (Disney+/Hulu)
* Magic City: An American Fantasy (Starz)
* Night Always Comes (Netflix)
* Perfect Match Season Three Finale (Netflix)
* Smoke Season One Finale (Apple TV+)
* Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical (Apple TV+)
* Stand Up To Cancer (ABC, CBS, Disney+, Fox, Hulu, NBC)
* The Echoes Of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies Series Premiere (Netflix)
* The Great American Recipe Season Four Finale (PBS)
* The Legend Of Ochi (HBO Max)
* The Prince (HBO Max)
* The Rainmaker Series Premiere (USA)
* The Siege At Thorne High (Prime Video)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16TH:
* Betting On Beloit Season One Finale (A&E)
* I'll Never Let You Go (Lifetime)
* Storage Wars Season Sixteen Finale (A&E)
* The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Summer (The Roku Channel)
* The Mother Flip (A&E)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17TH:
* Chicken Sisters Season Two Premiere (Hallmark)
* Dead Girl Summer (Lifetime)
* Mystery Island: Play For Keeps (Hallmark)
* The Serial Killer's Apprentice (Investigation Discovery)
* Women Wearing Shoulder Pads Series Premiere (Adult Swim)
MONDAY, AUGUST 18TH:
* Are You My First? Series Premiere (Hulu)
* Lego Masters Jr. Series Premiere (Fox)
SEE YOU ON SUNDAY NIGHT!