Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, September 11th, 2025:
IN 2025, EVERY COVERAGE DECISION FEELS LIKE A POLITICAL CHOICE
Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to die.
That might seem like an obvious statement, but it's important to use that as the starting point for this discussion.
Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to die. He was a human being with family who loved him, friends who cared for him and supporters who appreciated his work.
As I write this, we don't know who shot him or the reasons why that happened. While President Trump is already blaming his death on the "violent Left," one thing that is clear from other recent political violence is that more often than not, the reasons for it are muddled and often difficult to decipher.
However, as the news media covers the murder investigation and recounts his life over the next few days, what is the news media's responsibility when it comes to remembering who Charlie Kirk was - for better or worse?
Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to die.
But does that mean the news media shouldn't mention the more problematical parts of his very public life? During his lifetime, Kirk said a number of things that many fair people would consider to be unacceptable. He said that “Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously. You have to go steal a white person’s slot”. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, he coined the catchphrase "your body, my choice." He argued for the "Great Replacement Theory," which suggests that undocumented immigrants are coming to the U.S. to replace white Americans. He described Martin Luther King as a fraud and mocked the idea of empathy as some "new age term that does a lot of damage."
So how does the news media cover this in the day's following his death? To ignore those comments, to focus on the positives you can find is certainly a political decision. As we see in these comments from California Gov. Gavin Newsom:
The best way to honor Charlie's memory is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse. In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate — never through violence.
That rosy take of Kirk's life might be respectful, but it isn't non-partisan. But is recounting Kirk's worst side any less of a partisan decision? Is it possible for the news media to remember his life - for better or worse - in a way that is both truthful and devoid of political decision making?
There is certainly no way to do that without facing criticism from one side or other of the political spectrum. But how do the various news organizations draw that line in the coming days? Is it possible to ask why flags are being flown at half-mast for Kirk when they weren't done for the shooting of Minnesota house speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark without it feeling partisan?
Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to die.
But how the news media chooses to remember his life this week will tell a lot about the state of journalism in 2025.
MSNBC DROPS MATTHEW DOWD FOLLOWING FUROR OVER COMMENTS ABOUT KIRK SHOOTING
Matthew Dowd, who has been a political analyst at MSNBC since 2022, has been let go by the network as the result of comments he made on the network in the wake of the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.," said Rebecca Kutler said in the statement. "We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."
During a segment with MSNBC’s Katy Tur in which they were discussing Utah's gun laws, Dowd made these comments:
"He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. And I think that is the environment we are in. You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in."
Following complaints from viewers and critics of MSNBC, Dowd posted this apology on social media:
"My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind."
Despite what you think of Dowd's remarks, it's worth noting that the tone on conservative media was much harsher, without anyone losing their jobs after making the comments:
Fox News host Jesse Watters declared on air, "They are at war with us! Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us! And what are we gonna do about it?" Laura Loomer, who has Trump's ear, posted on X, "It’s time for the Trump administration to shut down, defund, & prosecute every single Leftist organization… We must shut these lunatic leftists down. Once and for all. The Left is a national security threat." Elon Musk declared, "The Left is the party of murder." Andrew Tate described the state of affairs as a “civil war."
"I am so angry—and I understand everybody out there says, ‘Well, we have to tamp down the anger,'" Clay Travis acknowledged on Sean Hannity’s Fox News program. "I’m not willing to do that right now. Because I get angrier the more I think about this, Sean. They put the wheels of motion for this in order. They did it, Sean."
Sadly, I think we are headed towards a dark time.
REMEMBERING BILL MEEHAN
I have posted this piece about 9/11 and the death of Cantor Fitzgerald Chief Market Strategist Bill Meehan every year since 2002 as a way of remembering him and the other people who died on that day. I hope you'll take the time to read it today:
But I think my strongest memory of Bill Meehan was a conversation I had with him the Friday before I was leaving to get married. He usually talked to me from his home first thing in the morning, and as you can imagine, the conversation sometimes strayed far from the topic of Wall Street.
I was taking ten days off work, and I joked that being gone that long was going to "make my boss crazy." Bill paused, and told me that I had to remember that everything we talked about was just numbers. What really mattered, he told me, was friends and family. "Getting married was the best decision I ever made," he said. "And having some good friends and family you love....don't ever let work distract you from what's important."
May your memory be a blessing, Bill.
FOX NEWS CHANNEL CHANGES UP ITS WEEKEND LINEUP
Fox News is making significant changes to its weekend lineup, adding several new programs and cancelling one. Fox has canceled MediaBuzz with Howard Kurtz, with Kurtz remaining at the network as a political analyst.
Outnumbered co-host and former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany will host Saturday in America from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, with current Fox White House correspondents Peter Doocy and Heinrich set to rotate as hosts of a new show called The Sunday Briefing at 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
Fox also announced it was naming correspondent Griff Jenkins a permanent co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, where he had been a recurring guest host. It also named Johnny Joey Jones and Tomi Lahren as permanent co-hosts of the panel program The Big Weekend Show, which will now expand to three hours on Saturday and Sunday from 5-8 p.m.
'KPOP DEMON HUNTERS' CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE POP CULTURE ZEITGEIST
Nearly three months after its release on Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters continues its domination of the pop culture conversation, as this passage from the Billboard newsletter notes:
Will next week’s chart finally mark HUNTR/X and Co.’s takedown of the Billboard 200? Well, the timing certainly would line up, as the set is getting a clear extra push for this week. For one thing, it’s finally getting its wide retail release on CD, with exclusive variants available at Target, Walmart and Barnes & Noble, each with a poster and a randomized photo card. A deluxe version of the album was also released digitally and to DSPs, featuring two additional tracks from the film (“Prologue (Hunter’s Mantra)” and “Jinu’s Lament”) as well as new singalong, instrumental and a cappella versions of the album’s seven big original hits.
Meanwhile, the real-life artists who provide the singing voices of the HUNTR/X trio have also been on the promotional trail. EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami made a live in-store appearance at a Barnes and Noble in Manhattan on Saturday (Sept. 6) to sign CDs and take some photos. The trio also made its television debut on Sunday when they appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards, presenting best album to Sabrina Carpenter (though for 2024’s Short n’ Sweet, not the album that held them at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week).
Super impressive. As I have mentioned before, a good indication that critics who argue Netflix can't create pop culture moments for its films are wrong.
TWEET OF THE DAY
ODDS AND SODS
* The eight-episode docuseries Into The Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal premieres Monday, September 22nd on Hulu. Here is a first video look at the series. And here is the official logline: "Into The Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal is a groundbreaking documentary series that explores the epic struggles and the cultural impacts made by Heavy Metal’s most compelling artists. Their intensely personal stories about finding success offer an intoxicating combo of volume and distortion delivered via pulsating tales of murder, addiction, rebellion and redemption."
* And for you sports fans, "How a Deaf Quarterback Changed Sports Forever By Inventing the Huddle"
* Disney and Pixar’s Elio will begin streaming September 17th on Disney+
* If you haven't been able to keep track of what is going on with Big Brother this season, Linda Martindale's latest piece for AllYourScreens will tell you everything you need to know.
* Cristela Alonzo returns to Netflix in her third stand-up special, Upper Classy, which premieres on Tuesday, September 23rd. Here is a first video look at the special. And here is the brief official logline: "In this newest special, Cristela is in the pursuit of happiness. Whether finding out she’s doing better than her high school bully, visiting a spa and getting too much self-care, or taking her family on their first vacation ever, Cristela teaches her family (and herself) how to enjoy life, whether they like it or not."
* A new season of Alex vs. America premieres Tuesday, October 7th on The Food Network.
* I have seen some unusual approaches to batch releasing a season, but Netflix is really mixing it up. After previously announcing that it was going to premiere all eight episodes of the competitive cooking series Next Gen Chef on Wednesday, September 17th, the streamer announced today it is now holding the premiere of the episode eight finale until Wednesday, September 24th.
* The documentary Who Killed The Montreal Expos? will premiere Tuesday, October 21st on Netflix.
* Cineverse and LG Channels are partnering up to launch Historian, a new FAST channel from American Public Television that offers a variety of history-based programming.
* Netflix Chief Product Officer Eunice Kim is leaving the company after a four-year stint.
* The live-action theatrical reboot How to Train Your Dragon will premiere on Peacock Friday, October 10th.
* Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star in the movie The Rip, which will premiere Friday, January 16th on Netflix. Here is a first look at the trailer. And here is the official logline: "Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on."
* Prime Video has ordered a second season of Overcompensating.
* The docuseries Victoria Beckham will premiere Thursday, October 9th on Netflix.
* A new season of the natural history series Nature will premiere Wednesday, October 22nd on PBS.
* The John Wick universe film Ballerina will premiere Thursday, September 25th on Starz.
SUPPORT THE BACK INDIE MEDIA DRIVE
As I mentioned in an earlier email, Too Much TV is part of a September Back Indie Drive, in which 30+ independent publications are taking part. Each one is run by a creator-model journalist who’s building something sustainable, bold, and deeply needed in today’s fractured media environment.
Every day this month I am going to quickly highlight a publication from the campaign list and I hope you'll check them out. Supporting independent media has never been more important and there are truly some talented journalists on the list:
Subscribe for free here. And click here to financially support this publication.
WHAT'S COMING TOMORROW
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2025:
Beauty In Black Season Two (Netflix)
Diary Of A Ditched Girl Series Premiere (Netflix)
Dylan's Playtime Adventures Season Premiere (HBO Max)
Kontrabida Academy (Netflix)
Sesame Street Season Fifty-Five Finale (HBO Max)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season Three Finale (Paramount+)
Thursday Night Football Season Nineteen (Prime Video)
Tyler Perry's Beauty In Black Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
Wolf King Season Premiere (Netflix)
Zatima Season Four Premiere (BET+)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2025:
Andrew Santino: White Noise (Hulu)
Beauty And The Bester (Netflix)
Danger In The Countryside (LMN)
Every Minute Counts (Prime Video)
Foundation Season Three Finale (Apple TV)
Larry the Cable Guy: It’s A Gift (Prime Video)
Lost In The Jungle (NatGeo)
Magic City: An American Fantasy Finale (Starz)
Maledictions (Netflix)
Ratu Ratu Queens: The Series Series Premiere (Netflix)
The Wrong Paris (Netflix)
Vampirina, Teenage Vampire Series Premiere (Disney Channel)
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season Two Premiere (Disney Channel)
You And Everything Else (Netflix)
SEE YOU EARLY FRIDAY MORNING!