Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, January 7th, 2026:
WBD REJECTS THE LATEST OFFER FROM PARAMOUNT SKYDANCE
The Warner Bros. Discovery board has unanimously determined that Paramount Skydance's tender offer, as amended on December 22nd, 2025, is not in the best interests of WBD and its shareholders and does not meet the criteria of a "Superior Proposal" under the terms of WBD's merger agreement with Netflix.
Additionally, WBD shareholders will receive value through their ownership in Discovery Global, which will have considerable scale, a diverse global footprint, and leading sports and news assets, as well as the strategic and financial flexibility to pursue its own growth initiatives and value-creation opportunities.
The Board also considered the costs and loss of value for WBD shareholders associated with accepting the PSKY offer. WBD would be obligated to pay Netflix a $2.8 billion termination fee for abandoning our existing merger agreement; incur a $1.5 billion fee for failing to complete our debt exchange, which we could not execute under the PSKY offer without PSKY's consent; and incur incremental interest expense of approximately $350 million. The total cost to WBD would be approximately $4.7 billion, or $1.79 per share. These costs would, in effect, lower the net amount of the regulatory termination fee that PSKY would pay to WBD from $5.8 billion to $1.1 billion in the event of a failed transaction with PSKY. In comparison, the Netflix transaction imposes none of these costs on WBD.
The statement from the board also noted that under the Paramount Skydance deal, the company would be saddled with a massive $78 billion in debt, which makes Paramount's claim that the theatrical business would remain untouched incredibly unlikely:
PSKY is a company with a $14 billion market capitalization attempting an acquisition requiring $94.65 billion of debt and equity financing, nearly seven times its total market capitalization. To effect the transaction, it intends to incur an extraordinary amount of incremental debt – more than $50 billion – through arrangements with multiple financing partners.
The statement also describes the Paramount Skydance deal as essentially a "leverage buyout."
Paramount Skydance's options are getting smaller at this point. It's only really shot is to convince the WBD that splitting the company in half would leave them with a linear business no one wants. There continue to be a lot of comparisons to the recent Comcast spin-off Versant. But given the amount of global assets that would be part of the WBD linear business, the comparisons aren't that relevant.
THE ACTOR AWARD NOMINEES
Here are the television nominees for the 32nd Annual Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, which will will stream live globally Sunday, March 1st on Netflix:
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
JASON BATEMAN / Vince Friedkin - "BLACK RABBIT"
OWEN COOPER / Jamie Miller - "ADOLESCENCE"
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Eddie Miller - "ADOLESCENCE"
CHARLIE HUNNAM / Ed Gein - "MONSTER: THE ED GEIN STORY"
MATTHEW RHYS / Nile Jarvis - "THE BEAST IN ME"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
CLAIRE DANES / Agatha Wiggs - "THE BEAST IN ME"
ERIN DOHERTY / Briony Ariston - "ADOLESCENCE"
SARAH SNOOK / Marissa Irvine - "ALL HER FAULT"
CHRISTINE TREMARCO / Manda Miller - "ADOLESCENCE"
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Molly - "DYING FOR SEX"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
STERLING K. BROWN / Agent Xavier Collins - "PARADISE"
BILLY CRUDUP / Cory Ellison - "THE MORNING SHOW"
WALTON GOGGINS / Rick Hatchett - "THE WHITE LOTUS"
GARY OLDMAN / Jackson Lamb - "SLOW HORSES"
NOAH WYLE / Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch - "THE PITT"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
BRITT LOWER / Helly - "SEVERANCE"
PARKER POSEY / Victoria Ratliff - "THE WHITE LOTUS"
KERI RUSSELL / Kate Wyler - "THE DIPLOMAT"
RHEA SEEHORN / Carol - "PLURIBUS"
AIMEE LOU WOOD / Chelsea - "THE WHITE LOTUS"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
IKE BARINHOLTZ / Sal Saperstein - "THE STUDIO"
ADAM BRODY / Noah Roklov - "NOBODY WANTS THIS"
TED DANSON / Charles Nieuwendyk - "A MAN ON THE INSIDE"
SETH ROGEN / Matt Remick - "THE STUDIO"
MARTIN SHORT / Oliver Putnam - "ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
KATHRYN HAHN / Maya Mason - "THE STUDIO"
CATHERINE O'HARA / Patty Leigh - "THE STUDIO"
JENNA ORTEGA / Wednesday Addams - "WEDNESDAY"
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance - "HACKS"
KRISTEN WIIG / Maxine Simmons - "PALM ROYALE"
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
THE DIPLOMAT
ALI AHN / Eidra Park
PENNY DOWNIE / Frances Munning
ROSALINE ELBAY / Nora Koriem
ATO ESSANDOH / Stuart Hayford
DAVID GYASI / Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison
RORY KINNEAR / Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge
NANA MENSAH / Billie Appiah
GRAHAM MILLER / Neil Barrow
KERI RUSSELL / Kate Wyler
RUFUS SEWELL / Hal Wyler
LANDMAN
PAULINA CHÁVEZ / Ariana
MARK COLLIE / Sheriff Walt Joeberg
SAM ELLIOTT / T.L. Norris
COLM FEORE / Nathan
ANDY GARCIA / Gallino
JAMES JORDAN / Dale Bradley
ALI LARTER / Angela Norris
JACOB LOFLAND / Cooper Norris
CALEB MARTIN / Ben "BR" Reynolds
DEMI MOORE / Cami Miller
MICHELLE RANDOLPH / Ainsley Norris
MUSTAFA SPEAKS / Boss
BILLY BOB THORNTON / Tommy Norris
KAYLA WALLACE / Rebecca Falcone
THE PITT
AMIELYNN ABELLERA / Nurse Perlah Alawi
SHABANA AZEEZ / Med Student Victoria Javadi
PATRICK BALL / Dr. Frank Langdon
ISA BRIONES / Dr. Trinity Santos
JALEN THOMAS BROOKS / Nurse Mateo Diaz
TAYLOR DEARDEN / Dr. Mel King
FIONA DOURIF / Dr. Cassie McKay
SUPRIYA GANESH / Dr. Samira Mohan
JOANNA GOING / Theresa Saunders
GERRAN HOWELL / Med Student Dennis Whitaker
MICHAEL HYATT / Gloria
TRACY IFEACHOR / Dr. Heather Collins
KATHERINE LANASA / Charge Nurse Dana Evans
KRYSTEL V. MCNEIL / Kiara Alfaro
BRANDON MENDEZ HOMER / Nurse Donnie Donahue
ALEXANDRA METZ / Dr. Yolanda Garcia
TRACY VILAR / Lupe Perez
KRISTIN VILLANUEVA / Nurse Princess Dela Cruz
NOAH WYLE / Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch
SEVERANCE
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Harmony Cobel
SARAH BOCK / Miss Huang
MICHAEL CHERNUS / Ricken
ZACH CHERRY / Dylan
DICHEN LACHMAN / Ms. Casey
BRITT LOWER / Helly
DARRI ÓLAFSSON / Drummond
ADAM SCOTT / Mark
TRAMELL TILLMAN / Milchick
JEN TULLOCK / Devon
JOHN TURTURRO / Irving
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN / Burt
THE WHITE LOTUS
LESLIE BIBB / Kate Bohr
CARRIE COON / Laurie Duffy
NICHOLAS DUVERNAY / Zion Lindsey
ARNAS FEDARAVIČIUS / Valentin
CHRISTIAN FRIEDEL / Fabian
SCOTT GLENN / Jim Hollinger
WALTON GOGGINS / Rick Hatchett
JON GRIES / Gary/Greg Hunt
DOM HETRAKUL / Pornchai
SARAH CATHERINE HOOK / Piper Ratliff
JASON ISAACS / Timothy Ratliff
YURI KOLOKOLNIKOV / Vlad
JULIAN KOSTOV / Aleksei
CHARLOTTE LE BON / Chloe
LALISA MANOBAL / Mook
MICHELLE MONAGHAN / Jaclyn Lemon
SAM NIVOLA / Lochlan Ratliff
MORGANA O'REILLY / Pam
LEK PATRAVADI / Sritala
SHALINI PEIRIS / Amrita
PARKER POSEY / Victoria Ratliff
SAM ROCKWELL / Frank
NATASHA ROTHWELL / Belinda Lindsey
PATRICK SCHWARZENEGGER / Saxon Ratliff
TAYME THAPTHIMTHONG / Gaitok
AIMEE LOU WOOD / Chelsea
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
QUINTA BRUNSON / Janine Teagues
WILLIAM STANFORD DAVIS / Mr. Johnson
JANELLE JAMES / Ava Coleman
CHRIS PERFETTI / Jacob Hill
SHERYL LEE RALPH / Barbara Howard
LISA ANN WALTER / Melissa Schemmenti
TYLER JAMES WILLIAMS / Gregory Eddie
THE BEAR
LIONEL BOYCE / Marcus Brooks
LIZA COLÓN-ZAYAS / Bettina "Tina" Marrero
AYO EDEBIRI / Sydney Adamu
ABBY ELLIOTT / Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto
EDWIN LEE GIBSON / Ebraheim
COREY HENDRIX / Gary "Sweeps" Woods
ANDREW LOPEZ / Garrett
MATTY MATHESON / Neil Fak
EBON MOSS-BACHRACH / Richard "Richie" Jerimovich
OLIVER PLATT / Uncle Jimmy
SARAH RAMOS / Jessica
RICKY STAFFIERI / Theodore Fak
JEREMY ALLEN WHITE / Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto
HACKS
ROSE ABDOO / Josefina
DAN BUCATINSKY / Rob
CARL CLEMONS-HOPKINS / Marcus Vaughan
PAUL W. DOWNS / Jimmy Lusaque, Jr.
HANNAH EINBINDER / Ava Daniels
MARK INDELICATO / Damien
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance
MEGAN STALTER / Kayla Schaeffer
MICHAELA WATKINS / Stacey
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
MICHAEL CYRIL CREIGHTON / Howard Morris
BEANIE FELDSTEIN / Thē
JERMAINE FOWLER / Randall
SELENA GOMEZ / Mabel Mora
JACKIE HOFFMAN / Uma Heller
STEVE MARTIN / Charles-Haden Savage
MARTIN SHORT / Oliver Putnam
DIANNE WIEST / Rainey
THE STUDIO
IKE BARINHOLTZ / Sal Saperstein
KATHRYN HAHN / Maya Mason
CATHERINE O'HARA / Patty Leigh
SETH ROGEN / Matt Remick
CHASE SUI WONDERS / Quinn Hackett
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
ANDOR
LANDMAN
THE LAST OF US
SQUID GAME
STRANGER THINGS
A WARNING ABOUT USING APPLE PAY FOR SUBSTACK NEWSLETTERS
The newsletter Asian Century Stocks has announced it is moving from Substack from Ghost. And one of the complaints they list resonates with me:
On 18 August 2025, Substack announced that it had enabled payments within its app. Readers on the Substack app can now subscribe to any publication within it. Since the payments are made via the iOS App Store, the total fee is now 40%. With a price of US$350/year, Asian Century Stocks would therefore have to raise its price to US$460 to break even.
Or to put it another way, if you decide to upgrade to a paid Too Much TV subscription, Substack will take 10 percent off the top and Apple will take an additional 30 percent. So not only am I going to make 40% less than you think I will, it will take Apple weeks to get that remaining 60 percent to me.
And because the billing goes through Apple, I have no access to your billing account. So if you have any problem whatsoever, you have to contact Apple. Even worse from my perspective, if I would ever decide to move Too Much TV to another platform, I can't move your paid subscription automatically. I can't even cancel it for you. Everything has to be done through Apple and by the person who owns the payment method used.
I will offer a bit of defense for Substack. While they didn't have to agree to bring Apple into their payment options, once they did, they were obligated to make it mandatory for all newsletters, because that is what Apple demands in these types of situations.|
ODDS AND SODS:
* The animated kids series Phoebe & Jay premieres Monday, February 2nd on PBS. I'll have a review of it closer to airdate. But it's worth noting the series is the network’s last original show to have been funded by the Ready To Learn grant, which was terminated prematurely by the U.S. Department of Education in May. I am going to try and get an interview with someone at PBS Kids, to hear how these finding cuts are impacting that organization.
* Acclaimed banjoist Béla Fleck is pulling out of three Kennedy Center concerts, joining a growing number of musicians canceling events after the board voted to add President Trump’s name to the venue.
* The Turkish mini-series Museum Of Innocence premieres Friday, February 13th on Netflix.
* Deadline is doing a bit of shifting of positions at the top of the organization. Mike Fleming Jr. and Nellie Andreeva have been Co-Editors-In-Chief at the outlet since founder Nikki Finke departed in 2013. Now, Fleming will transition to a new role as Deadline’s Editor-at-Large, with Andreeva becoming the sole Editor-In-Chief.
* HBO has renewed Real Time With Bill Maher for an additional two seasons.
* Here is a very good rundown on Telly-Visions of all the British programming that will be streaming in the U.S. this month.
* Paramount+ has renewed Mayor Of Kingstown for a fifth and final season while also cutting the season episode from ten episodes to eight.
* FX has renewed The Lowdown for a second season.
* Netflix has renewed Emily In Paris for a sixth season.
* Tony Dokoupil and his CBS Evening News will be here in the Twin Cities next Tuesday as part of his "Road Trip" event.
* Jimmy Kimmel Live! is cutting back the number of musical guest performances to two per week.
TWEET OF THE DAY
SIGH
Thanks for the suggestion, Netflix PR. But no, I am not sending my readers to your company-owned entertainment news web site
WHAT'S COMING TODAY AND TOMORROW
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7TH, 2026:
Abbott Elementary Spring Premiere (ABC)
A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
An Adventurer's Daily Grind At Age 29 Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Alaska State Troopers Season Nine Premiere (A&E)
Beast Games Season Two Premiere (Prime Video)
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska Live (Hulu)
Cheap A$$ Beach Houses Season Premiere (HGTV)
Chicago Fire Spring Premiere (NBC)
Chicago Med Spring Premiere (NBC)
Chicago PD Spring Premiere (NBC)
Easygoing Territory Defense By The Optimistic Lord Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Expedition X Season Premiere (Discovery)
Harlan Coben's Final Twist Series Premiere (CBS)
Hollywood Squares Season Two Premiere (CBS)
Marcello Hernández: American Boy (Netflix)
My Strange Addiction Season Premiere (TLC)
Neighborhood Watch Series Premiere (HGTV)
Save My Skin Season Premiere (TLC)
Shark Tank (ABC)
SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games To Put Food On The Table Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Shifting Gears Spring Premiere (ABC)
Sistas Season Ten Premiere (BET)
Swamp People Season Seventeen Premiere (History)
The Masked Singer Season Fourteen Premiere (Fox)
The Ms. Pat Show Season Five Premiere (BET+)
The Price Is Right At Night Season Twelve Premiere (CBS)
Ugliest House In America Season Seven Premiere (HGTV)
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8TH, 2026:
Anyway, I'm Falling in Love With You (Crunchyroll)
Girl Taken Series Premiere (Paramount+)
Golden Eye (CBS)
Grey's Anatomy Spring Premiere (ABC)
Heartland Season Premiere (UP tv)
His & Hers Series Premiere (Netflix)
Jujutsu Kaisen (Crunchyroll)
Law & Order Spring Premiere (NBC)
Law & Order: SVU Spring Premiere (NBC)
Love Is Blind: Germany Season Premiere (Netflix)
9-1-1 Spring Premiere (ABC)
9-1-1 Nashville Spring Premiere (ABC)
Roll Over And Die (Crunchyroll)
Sport Vs. Money With Simon Jordan (Viaplay)
The Game Series Premiere (BritBox)
The Holy Grail Of Eris (Crunchyroll)
The Hunting Party Season Two Premiere (NBC)
The Invisible Man And His Soon-To-Be Wife Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
The Pitt Season Two Premiere (HBO Max)
The Tale Of Silyan (NatGeo)
The Traitors Season Four Premiere (Peacock)
The Valley: Persian Style Series Premiere (Bravo)
SEE YOU THURSDAY MORNING!