News

Desus Nice is working on a travel series for Amazon.

The comedian, who is best known for hosting Showtime’s late-night series Desus & Mero, is working with Story Syndicate and Amazon MGM Studios on the project.

A pilot presentation is being shot for Prime Video.

It wouldn’t mark the first time that Desus, otherwise known as Daniel Baker, has gone down the travel show route; he was previously a guest on Anthony Bourdain’s CNN series Parts Unknown, where he took the host to joints across the Bronx.

Story Syndicate is best known for producing docs and docuseries including HBO’s I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, Netflix’s Harry & Meghan and Hulu’s Stolen Youth: Inside The Cult at Sarah Lawrence.

Desus & Mero split in July 2022, having run the show for four season on Showtime as well as a number of years on Viceland and...

The Writers Guild of America East is continuing its efforts to organize workers in the largely non-union nonfiction realm.

The union announced Monday that it is attempting to unionize around 150 workers at A+E Factual Studios, the documentary and nonfiction TV producer behind Dance Moms: A New Era, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, History’s Greatest Mysteries and Cold Case Files. Bloomberg has reported that writers and producers at the shingle that A+E Networks describes as its “IP creation powerhouse” are included in the drive.

The WGA East says that organizing workers have asked the company for voluntary recognition and that a majority of workers have signed union cards. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to A+E Factual Studios for comment.

In a letter explaining their reasons for organizing, a group of organizers singles out “tight turnarounds and unrealistic expectations from network executives” that lead to long hours.

ESPN Films has greenlit a “30 for 30” documentary about Billie Jean King, which is now in production with Ridley Scott Associates and Story Syndicate, in association with Elton John’s Rocket Sports.

The docu is being touted as “the unfiltered, untold story of how King broke the rules and proved her critics wrong.” The film is told in King’s own voice and centers around one year that brings her life and career into focus: 1973.

Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff (“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”) the doc promises to shed new light on King’s life and her transformative impact on sports and society.

“The legacy of Billie Jean King is like none other,” says Garbus. “She is a generational athletic talent, a pioneer in women’s sports, and a leader in the fight for equal pay and against discrimination in sports and society.

Amazon Prime Video has ordered a docuseries about the 2022 Idaho murders, with a separate scripted series in the works.

The docuseries, from Skydance Television and Story Syndicate, will chronicle “the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students and the subsequent investigation, arrest, and trial of suspect Bryan Kohberger,” per a press release. It will be based on the upcoming nonfiction book about the murders by James Patterson and Vicky Ward. Both the docuseries and scripted series stem from Patterson’s first-look deal with Skydance.

Emmy winner Liz Garbus will co-direct the docuseries with Matthew Galkin. Garbus will also direct the first episode of the scripted series.

In November 2022, four University of Idaho students were fatally stabbed at their off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho. The 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger was arrested in December 2022 on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. He is set to go on...

When the first season of “The Jinx” concluded in 2015, it did so with a bang. That March, Robert Durst’s mumbled confession — “Killed them all, of course” — became the catchphrase of news broadcasts, late night shows and everyday conversations. It also sparked a trend in the larger television landscape. After years of being sidelined as a niche interest or confined to low-budget endeavors, true crime documentaries were at the forefront of pop culture.

“The Jinx” was followed by other buzzy, critically-acclaimed installments in the genre such as “Making a Murderer,” “Amanda Knox” and “The Keepers” on Netflix and “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and “The Vow” on HBO. But the man who unintentionally sparked this boom doesn’t necessarily see it as a good thing.

“When people say true crime, I think there might be a misnomer,” Andrew Jarecki, the director behind both seasons of “The Jinx,...

Nearly ten year after the Emmy Award-winning first season, “The Jinx” is remarkably back on HBO. Andrew Jarecki, Marc Smerling, and Zac Stuart-Pontier’s engrossing docuseries about the string of murders connected to Robert Durst built to a now-infamous climax, and will return with more story to tell April 21.

Before that, it’s worth revisiting the 2015 series and decades of headlines it interrogates. “The Jinx” gripped its audience with mounting evidence against Durst and a scintillating narrative structure, but also quickly came under fire for manipulating the timeline and even Durst’s hot mic recordings for dramatic effect. In 2015, IndieWire’s Matt Brennan pointed out that “The Jinx” set an impossible standard for documentary drama — one that the series itself had arguably not cleared in the first place. Jessica Kiang wrote that “This is not Jarecki’s gotcha so much as it is a self-initiated, cloudily motivated performance piece of Durst’s,...

The arrest of the Long Island Serial Killer and the slew of still-unsolved murders along the shore of Gilgo Beach will be the focus of an upcoming Netflix docuseries.

Filmmaker Liz Garbus, who directed the 2020 dramatized film Lost Girls about the Gilgo Beach killings, will return to the role of documentarian for the three-part series, which the streaming service announced just six weeks after Rex Heuermann was charged with murder for three of the victims, as well as remains a prime suspect for a fourth.

However, that arrest accounts for...

While corporate consolidation has led to smaller documentary production budgets and fewer indie doc sales, the demand for true-crime docus has skyrocketed over the last few years.

That’s good news for documentary production companies like Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus’ Story Syndicate. This year, Garbus, Cogan and Story Syndicate’s head of documentary and nonfiction, Jon Bardin, have produced three true-crime documentaries: Hulu’s “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence,” Netflix’s” Take Care of Maya” and HBO’s “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York.”

About a string of murders in 1990’s Manhattan, “Last Call,” like “Stolen Youth” and “Take Care of Maya,” has become a hit with audiences and critics alike. (The final episode in the four-part series air on July 30.)

Variety spoke with Bardin, Cogan and Garbus about what they are looking for in a true-crime project and what they steer...

When director Anthony Caronna was pitched with making a series out of Elon Green’s 2021 book “Last Call,” about a string of queer-targeted murders in 1990’s Manhattan, he had some reservations.

“I loved the book,” said Caronna. “But I passed on the project because I wasn’t interested at that time in doing true crime. My biggest concern was re-victimizing the community and possibly working against the community in a way.”

True crime media is a true mixed bag. Each documentary, docuseries or podcast sits somewhere on a spectrum of educational and entertaining; while the latter might sound like a jarring way to describe the storytelling of real-life criminals and real-life victims, it’s not incorrect to say that some audiences find sensationalized crime stories enticing.

So, before Caronna ended up taking on the pitch and directing HBO’s four-part docuseries “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York,...

A suspect in the Long Island Serial Killer case is in custody. The arrest comes more than 10 years after police discovered several bodies in a marsh close to an exclusive beachside enclave in New York. The arrest of a New York City architect brings more questions than answers to the case, though. While the arrest is fresh, discussions about the case and potential suspects are not. We’ve collected one documentary and two podcasts you’ll want to check out before an eventual trial.

Police arrest a suspect in the Long Island serial killer case

On June 14, News 12 Long Island announced a 59-year-old architect named Rex Heuermann had been arrested in connection with the deaths of three women. All three bodies were found in a marsh near Gilgo Beach in 2010 and 2011. According to the news outlet, Heuermann may be charged with more crimes. Several other bodies were found in the same area.

In the early 1990s, a serial killer terrorized the New York City LGBTQ+ community. The HBO Original series “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” will shine a light on the events when it arrives on the premium cabler and its streaming service Max this weekend. The four-part docuseries will feature first-seen archival footage, interviews with experts and family members, and more as it shows how the LGBTQ+ community fought to solve the string of murders and demanded fair treatment for queen crime victims. “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” will premiere on HBO and Max on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at 9 p.m. Et. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York’ Premiere When: Sunday, July 9, 2023 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free...

People who are mad about true crime podcasts love to pretend there is some moral imperative we are following. That they are educational. That we’re learning how to not get murdered, for example. But let’s be honest, we just enjoy a murder show, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But occasionally journalists and amateur detectives actually do affect positive change, if not directly, then shedding light on cold cases or mobilizing listeners to come forward.

Here are seven times when true crime podcasts had (sort of) happy endings.

The Teacher’s Pet

Hedley Thomas is a dog with a bone. In this 17-episode show (which is admittedly a bit on the long-side) Australian journalist Thomas gets his teeth into the case of the disappearance of Lynette Dawson, a nurse and mother who went missing in 1982. Though no body has ever been found, it grows increasingly likely that...

[This story contains major spoilers from the sixth episode of Yellowjackets season two, “Qui.”]

Ever since Javi returned, the Yellowjackets clock has been ticking on answering the other big question from season one: What will happen to Shauna’s baby? The answer came in the sixth episode of the Showtime hit’s second season, “Qui,” which was written by Karen Joseph Adcock and Ameni Rozsa, and directed by Liz Garbus.

Garbus says she devoured the first season of Yellowjackets. So when she got the call about directing an episode of season two, she was excited. “There was no catch up necessary,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter (in an interview that took place before the May 2 writers strike). But her curiosity was piqued because the plot of the episode was being held close to the vest. “We were talking about different dates and they weren’t really revealing any information, but they were like, ‘Well, we have this one episode we...

Liz Garbus, director of the controversial Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan”, is opening up about her eye-opening insights into what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claim to have experienced.

Garbus, the Oscar-nominated director of such acclaimed documentaries as “What Happened, Miss Simone?” and the HBO series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”, spoke with Vanity Fair about how her own involvement with Buckingham Palace gave her a unique look into what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claim to have experienced.

“For instance, Buckingham Palace said that we didn’t reach out for comment [on the docuseries] when we did,” Garbus said.

Read More: Palace Insiders: Prince William Ready To ‘Push Back Any Wild Claims’ In Harry & Meghan’s Netflix Docuseries

“They did that to discredit us… and by discrediting us, they can discredit the content of the show,” she noted, adding, “We lived through some of those moments that were a...

“It’s the end of an era,” podcast network Exactly Right tweeted in May 2022. “Jensen & Holes: The Murder Squad is going off the air.” The tweet set off dismayed speculation among the true crime community, and rightly so: The podcast, which launched in 2019, was a popular powerhouse of the genre, featuring Paul Holes, the now-retired detective who helped crack the Golden State Killer case, and Billy Jensen, who helped finish the 2018 bestseller, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, that detailed the hunt for the serial killer, after author Michelle McNamara...

Exclusive: UTA has inked Story Syndicate, which was co-founded by Emmy-winning filmmaker and two-time Oscar nominee Liz Garbus and Oscar-winning producer Dan Cogan in 2019.

The agency will be representing Story Syndicate across all areas worldwide. UTA also reps Garbus individually.

Story Syndicate is known for its premium nonfiction and scripted content. On the TV side, Story Syndicate’s latest productions include the docuseries Nuclear Family (HBO), the story of a first-generation lesbian family’s fight to stay together; I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (HBO), exploring one extraordinary woman’s epic search to unmask the Golden State Killer; and The Innocence Files (Netflix), chronicling cases of wrongful conviction that The Innocence Project has worked to overturn.

Recent feature documentaries include Fauci (Nat Geo), following Dr. Anthony Fauci and his vital role amidst two pandemics; Becoming Costeau (Nat Geo), chronicling the life of underwater explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau; Mayor Pete (Amazon), following...

This year, podcasts have been the inspiration for narrative watercooler content including on “The Dropout,” “The Thing About Pam” “WeCrashed” and “Gaslit.”

However, the trend is expanding; the nonfiction community is entering the audio space too, not necessarily to seek out ideas, but to highlight the work that goes into making documentaries.

Docus including Apple’s “The Big Conn,” HBO’s “Allen v. Farrow” and ESPN’s upcoming Title IX doc “37 Words” all feature what has been dubbed “the companion podcast.” Described as a behind-the-scenes look into the making of a nonfiction films or series, companion podcasts are less of a marketing tool and more of a chance for storytellers to give insights into the process of researching, producing, shooting and editing their films.

“As nonfiction has become more central to the business models of all of the streaming services and distribution platforms, there is more and more viewer and...

“The Bourne Identity” helmer Doug Liman is attached to direct the adaptation of a chapter from acclaimed nonfiction book “Rise And Kill First.”

It details how Israel’s Mossad reached out in desperation to former Nazi Waffen SS lieutenant colonel Otto Skorzeny, a favourite of Hitler’s -branded by British intelligence services as “the most dangerous man in Europe,” to thwart an existential threat to Israel’s existence.

The stranger-than-fiction true story is set up at New York’s Story Syndicate, headed by Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus, and at Israel’s Abot Hameiri, producer of “Shtisel,” “The Attaché” and “Power Couple.” A Fremantle company, its co-founder, Guy Hameiri, assembled the world-class direction-production team.

A Cannes Festival alum with 2010’s Palme d’Or contender “Fair Game,” Liman will also oversee development of the limited series. David Bartis also produces through Hypnotic.

The story unspools against...

Directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte discuss the movies that inspired them while making The Big Conn.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Happiness (1998)

World’s Greatest Dad (2009)

Windy City Heat (2003)

Ocean’s 11 (1960)

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Bad Boys (1995)

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Munich (2005)

Fargo (1996)

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Delicatessen (1991)

The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)

The Hole (2009) – Joe Dante’s U.S. trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s Italian trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s British trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review

Dial M For Murder (1954) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary

Jaws 3D (1983)

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (2010)

Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)

U2 3D (2008)

The Pink Panther (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary

Goodfellas (1990) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary

Children of Men (2006)

The Imposter (2012)

Other Notable Items

The Big Conn podcast (2022)

The Big Conn docuseries (2022)

Bronzeville...

Christina Bazdekis has joined United Talent Agency as an agent in the motion picture division. Based in New York, she will report to MP co-heads Jason Burns and Julien Thuan.

“Christina is incredibly well-respected and a driving force,” said Thuan in a statement. “She has championed artists throughout her career and is responsible for guiding their ambitions in creative storytelling. We look forward to bringing her passion and commitment to advancing film here at UTA.”

“As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, UTA has proven to be an innovative leader in representation, devoted to fostering the most unique and compelling voices working today,” added Bazdekis in a statement. “I am excited to join the dynamic team at UTA, bringing my experience and expanding upon an incredible roster of clients.”

Prior to joining UTA, Bazdekis served as an agent within ICM’s motion picture department. Throughout her career which also included a stint at CAA,...

Story Syndicate, the production house founded by Oscar and Emmy-winning documentary powerhouse couple Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus, is bulking up its development and production team with a new hire, a promotion and a first-look deal with producer and investigative journalist Amy Herdy.

The New York-based production company, which launched in 2019, was behind several popular docs and docuseries in 2021, including Garbus’ “Becoming Cousteau” (National Geographic), Orlando von Einsiedel’s “Convergence: Courage in a Crisis” (Netflix) and John Hoffman and Janet Tobias’ “Fauci” (Nat Geo).

Jon Bardin, most recently Story Syndicate’s head of creative, has been named head of documentary and nonfiction. Bardin, who has been at the production company since its inception, has served as a producer or executive producer on Story Syndicate documentaries including Jesse Moss’ “Mayor Pete,” Erin Lee Carr’s “Britney Vs. Spears,” “Fauci” and Ry Russo-Young’s docuseries “Nuclear Family.” Currently Bardin is working on...

The Cinema Eye Honors, recognizing outstanding artistry and craft in nonfiction filmmaking, today announced the full slate of nominees for its 15th Annual Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2022, at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York. Leading the pack of nominees are two Sundance premieres: Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated “Flee” and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Summer of Soul,” which was nominated for six awards.

A trio of other lauded docs are nominated for five awards apiece, including Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension,” Jessica Beshir’s “Faya Dayi,” and E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “The Rescue.” Both Kingdon and Beshir are first-time feature filmmakers, while Vasarhelyi and Chin are long-time Cinema Eye faves, and Chin currently ranks as the most-winning Cinema Eye honoree in the event’s history, with five wins.

Historically, films nominated for Cinema Eye will often go on to other nominations and critics prizes.

It’s been just over two years since documentary power couple — director Liz Garbus and producer/financier Dan Cogan — launched Story Syndicate, and already the production company has four films contending for Academy Award consideration this awards season.

In addition to producing Garbus’ National Geographic doc “Becoming Cousteau,” opening in theaters today, Story Syndicate is also behind three additional Oscar qualified documentaries: John Hoffman and Janet Tobias’ “Fauci” (National Geographic), Orlando von Einsiedel’s “Convergence: Courage in a Crisis” (Netflix) and Jesse Moss’ “Mayor Pete” (Amazon). The company also produced Ry Russo-Young’s “Nuclear Family,” an HBO three-part series about lesbian moms facing a paternity lawsuit, and Erin Lee Carr’s “Britney vs Spears,” a Netflix title investigating Britney Spears’ conservatorship.

Garbus and Cogan launched the Brooklyn-based production company in June 2019 with just three projects in the works – HBO’s “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” Amazon’s “All In:...

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“Dune” is here! The highly anticipated sci-fi flick arrived on HBO Max on Thursday at 6pm Et, the same time theatrical screenings got underway. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, David Bautista, and Jason Momoa star in the film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s best-selling novels.

Academy Award-nominated director Denis Villeneuve helmed the film centered around Paul Atreides (Chalamet), an heir of the planet Caladan who, along with his father Leto Atreides and others, gains ownership of the deserted and dangerous planet of Arrakis (also known as Dune), home to a priceless spice that extends human life and unlocks your greatest potential. Along the way, the group’s mission is hampered by conflict,...

Ted Lasso was the big winner at the 37th annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards, picking up a leading three trophies, including the coveted Program of the Year.

The Apple TV+ smash was also honored as Outstanding New Program and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. In something of an upset, titular Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis lost out in the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Comedy category to Hacks’ Jean Smart (who was also recognized with the TCA’s annual Career Achievement Award).

More from TVLinePerformer of the Week: Lauren GermanTed Lasso Reveals Tragic Backstory in Season 2's Most Emotional Outing YetCan The Resident Spare Nic's Life?...

The Dorian TV Awards, which are voted on by LGBTQ television critics, honored “Hacks,” “I May Destroy You,” “Pose,” “WandaVision” and others on Sunday night.

Jean Smart, Michaela Cole, Mj Rodriguez and Kathryn Hahn also earned individual awards for those shows.

Find the complete list of winners and nominees below. The winners are highlighted in bold and denoted with an asterisk. There were two ties on the program, which is technically called Galeca: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics’ “Dorians TV Toast 2021.”

Best TV Drama

Bridgerton

The Crown

Lovecraft Country

P-Valley

*Pose (FX)

Best TV Comedy

The Flight Attendant

Girls5eva

*Hacks (HBO Max)

PEN15

Ted Lasso

Best LGBTQ Show

I May Destroy You

*It’s A Sin (HBO Max)

Love, Victor

Pose

Veneno

Best TV Movie Or Miniseries

*I May Destroy You (HBO)

It’s a Sin

Mare of Easttown

Small Axe

The Queen’s Gambit

Best Unsung Showa

Black Lady Sketch

ShowGirls5eva

*Love,...

FX’s groundbreaking Pose — about an LGBTQ clique navigating AIDS, bigotry and drag-ball culture in ‘80s and then ‘90s New York — earned its third consecutive Best TV Drama win at Galeca: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics’ Dorians TV Awards for its third and final season. The show’s Mj Rodriguez, who last month became the first trans woman to be nominated for an Emmy in a lead acting category, received the Galeca Lgbtqia+ Trailblazer Award for creating art that inspires empathy, truth and equity.

HBO Max’s Hacks and HBO’s I May Destroy You also received multiple awards during the pre-recorded ceremony, hosted by veteran West Coast radio personality and LGBTQ rights activist Karel, which was streamed free Sunday on subscription channels Here TV and YouTube’s PlanetOut.

Hacks was named Best TV Comedy, I May Destroy You won Best TV Movie or Miniseries, with the shows’ stars,...

The inaugural Truth Seekers Summit brought together some of the brightest minds in filmmaking, music, and current events to speak on topics ranging from the impact of misinformation in media to the evolving language of documentary filmmaking. Co-hosted by Rolling Stone and Variety in partnership with Showtime, the summit featured panels, Q&a’s, and keynote discussions from marquee names in the world of documentary filmmaking. Check out 10 of the most thought-provoking moments from this week’s event.

Errol Morris on Breaking Rules

The dean of American documentary filmmaking Errol...

In honor of Women’s Equality Day (August 26), HBO Max announces the launch of its “So She Did” campaign, which champions the network’s female pioneers in front of and behind the camera.

The campaign kicks off with a film that celebrates the women who have been told they are “too much” and break all the rules to be who they authentically are.

The film features nine female-identifying talent: Jordan Alexander (“Gossip Girl”), Laura Donnelly (“The Nevers”), Susie Essman (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Myha’la Herrold (“Industry”), Martha Plimpton (“Generation”), Lisa Ling (CNN’s “This is Life with Lisa Ling”), Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”), Zion Moreno (“Gossip Girl”) and Eyricka Lanvin (“Legendary”).

Ling kicks off the promo video, saying “When we were little, they told us we could be anything.”

“But when we became everything, that was too much for some folks,” Alexander chimes in. “When we push the boundaries. Sometimes the boundaries push back.

Liz Garbus, who has built her career as a documentarian tackling true crime, voter suppression and the justice system, made her first foray into directing scripted television with the season-four finale of The Handmaid’s Tale — and was subsequently recognized with an Emmy nomination, her seventh (she’s won twice before). Garbus, who this year also executive produced and directed multiple episodes of HBO’s Golden State Killer docuseries I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, spoke to THR about collaborating with Elisabeth Moss and bringing her documentarian eye to Gilead.

What was your experience like directing this episode? I imagine coming ...

Liz Garbus, who has built her career as a documentarian tackling true crime, voter suppression and the justice system, made her first foray into directing scripted television with the season-four finale of The Handmaid’s Tale — and was subsequently recognized with an Emmy nomination, her seventh (she’s won twice before). Garbus, who this year also executive produced and directed multiple episodes of HBO’s Golden State Killer docuseries I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, spoke to THR about collaborating with Elisabeth Moss and bringing her documentarian eye to Gilead.

What was your experience like directing this episode? I imagine coming ...

Among the 21 Emmy nominations Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” scooped up this year is the seventh career citation for two-time champ Liz Garbus, who is nominated for directing the show’s season 4 finale, titled “The Wilderness.” “I was really lucky to helm that very special episode, and I’m so pleased that it’s resonated for people,” the director says in response to her individual recognition from the TV academy. In our exclusive video interview (watch above), Garbus talks through the preparation process for the aforenamed installment, the psychological crux of June’s (Elisabeth Moss) arc, and the intimate nature of Fred’s (Joseph Fiennes) salvaging.

The series is based on Margaret Atwood‘s 1985 novel of the same name, which is set in a dystopian near-future America, where women are enslaved as ‘handmaids’ due to plummeting birth-rates and forced to bear children for the ruling class in the new authoritarian Gilead theocracy.

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It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole when scrolling through a pileup of shows, and not really knowing what you’re in the mood for. If you’re like a lot of people who have been spending more time at home than usual, there’s a chance that your TV watching habits have changed in the last year.

Whatever your ritual – whether it’s settling in for a weekend binge session, or catching up on shows during the weekday, true-crime documentaries are an easy way to feed your obsession.

After more than a year in lockdown, and adjusting to social distancing, working from home, and distanced-learning, watching a good series feels like a form of self-care.

Variety and Rolling Stone are pleased to announce programming for the inaugural Truth Seekers virtual summit on August 26th, presented by Showtime Documentary Films. Keynote speakers will include Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris (The Fog of War), with panels from documentarians behind Allen v. Farrow, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer, and more.

Stanley Nelson will receive the Truth Seeker Award. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Peabody Award recipient,...

“Ted Lasso” topped the Television Critics Association’s list of nominees for its 37th Annual TCA Awards, with five nominations for the Apple TV+ comedy. When counting all platforms that received nods from the organization on Thursday, Netflix led the way with 15 total.

Just behind the Jason Sudeikis series in nominations were HBO Max’s “Hacks,” HBO’s “I May Destroy You” and “Mare of Easttown” and Disney+’s “WandaVision,” which grabbed four nominations apiece.

The TCA Awards’ top prize, Program of the Year, will come down to “Bridgerton,” “Hacks,” “I May Destroy You,” “Mare of Easttown,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Ted Lasso,” “The Underground Railroad” and “WandaVision.”

The awards ceremony’s usual in-person presentation has been scrapped for the second year in a row due to the pandemic, with winners expected to be announced by the TCA at a later date.

Per the Television Critics Association, “The 2021 TCA Awards showcase...

Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso leads the nominees for the 37th annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards, which will forego an in-person ceremony once more and instead announce the winners at an as-yet-specified date.

The Jason Sudeikis-fronted comedy amassed five nominations from the critics organization, which counts several TVLine staffers among its members, while Disney+’s WandaVision, HBO’s I May Destroy You and Mare of Easttown, and HBO Max’s Hacks each netted four nods. (Of note: Categories have been expanded this year to feature a total of eight nominees each, with the exception of Outstanding Achievement In Variety,...

You better “believe”! “Ted Lasso” continues to pull in numerous awards nominations.

Just days after the Television Academy announced the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Award nominees, where the Apple TV Plus comedy picked up 20 nods and therefore became the most-nominated freshman comedy in that organization’s history, it scooped up five TCA Awards nominations, the most for any series celebrated by the Television Critics Assn. (TCA) this year.

This tally includes the series’ outstanding achievement in comedy nom, as well as individual achievement in comedy nods for Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham. The show also scored in the coveted new program and program of the year categories.

Not too far behind, though, with four nominations apiece are HBO Max’s “Hacks,” HBO’s “I May Destroy You” and “Mare of Easttown,” and Disney Plus’ “WandaVision.”

Like “Ted Lasso,” “Hacks” also scored in the outstanding achievement in comedy nom, as well...

Mere days after the TV Academy announced the nominations for the 2021 Emmy Awards, the Television Critics Association — made up of more than 200 professional TV critics and journalists — shared its own batch of nominees for the 2021 TCA Awards.

This year, the TCA embraced new shows and limited series with Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso” leading the way with five nominations, including nods for Outstanding New Program, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, and Program of the Year, along with recognition for both Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham for Individual Achievement in Comedy.

HBO Max’s breakout comedy hit “Hacks” was hot on Lasso’s heels with four nominations, also garnering recognition in New Program, Comedy, and Program of the Year, as well as a mention for star Jean Smart. Also nabbing four nominations were three of the season’s standout limited series: HBO’s “I May Destroy You” and “Mare of Easttown” along with Disney+’s “WandaVision.

You better believe: “Ted Lasso” led Thursday’s 37th Television Critics Association Awards nominations with five bids, including Program of the Year, in the awards’ largest slate of nominees yet.

All 13 categories have expanded from six nominees to eight (variety series has nine nominees) this year, five years after they were expanded from five slots to six. For the top prize, “Ted Lasso” will duke it out with “Bridgerton,” “Hacks,” “I May Destroy You,” “Mare of Easttown,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “The Underground Railroad” and “WandaVision.”

Fresh off 20 Emmy nominations, “Ted Lasso” also earned TCA nominations for comedy series, new program and two in the Individual Achievement in Comedy category for Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham.

Four shows scored four nominations apiece: “Hacks,” “I May Destroy You,” “Mare of Easttown” and “WandaVision.” These four are all up in Outstanding New Program against, as aforementioned, “Ted Lasso,” “Bridgerton,” “The Flight Attendant” and “P-Valley.

The 2021 TCA Award nominees have been revealed and AppleTV+ freshman series Ted Lasso is leading the charge with five nominations including Individual Achievement In Comedy for stars Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham, as well as nominations for Outstanding New Program, Outstanding Achievement In Comedy, and Program Of The Year.

Following closely behind with four nominations each are HBO’s I May Destroy You and Mare of Easttown, as well as HBO Max’s Hacks. Other highlights include nominations for Framing Britney Spears and Oprah With Meghan And Harry: A CBS Primetime Special under the Outstanding Achievement In News And Information category.

There will be no formal in-person presentation for the second year in a row due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. A full list of winners will be announced later this summer.

“This was an incredible year for fresh, inclusive content and new creators, and our nominations are a reflection of that,...

Archewell Productions, the Netflix-based shingle launched by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, is getting into the animation business. Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, is the creator behind “Pearl,” described as a “family series that centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl, who is inspired by a variety of influential women from history.”

Credited as The Duchess of Sussex in the release, Markle will executive produce “Pearl” (which is a working title) with David Furnish, Carolyn Soper, Liz Garbus, and Dan Cogan. Amanda Rynda has been tapped as showrunner and executive producer.

“Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges,” Markle said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix, and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have set up their second project at Netflix as part of their company, Archewell Productions, overall deal with the streamer.

Created by Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, Pearl is a family-focused animated series that revolves around the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by influential women in history. The series is currently in the development stages.

In addition to a creator credit, Markle will also executive produce alongside David Furnish (Rocketman), Carolyn Soper (Tangled) and Emmy-winning filmmakers Liz Garbus (I’ll Be Gone in the Dark) and Dan Cogan (Icarus). Amanda Rynda (The Loud House) is on ...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have set up their second project at Netflix as part of their company, Archewell Productions, overall deal with the streamer.

Created by Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, Pearl is a family-focused animated series that revolves around the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by influential women in history. The series is currently in the development stages.

In addition to a creator credit, Markle will also executive produce alongside David Furnish (Rocketman), Carolyn Soper (Tangled) and Emmy-winning filmmakers Liz Garbus (I’ll Be Gone in the Dark) and Dan Cogan (Icarus). Amanda Rynda (The Loud House) is on ...

Emmy nominations in the doc categories are giving films passed over by the Oscars a shot at some trophies of their own.

Dick Johnson Is Dead, directed by Kirsten Johnson, 76 Days, from director Hao Wu, and Welcome to Chechnya, directed by David France, earned nominations in the juried category of Outstanding Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. Each of those films had made the Oscar Documentary Feature shortlist earlier in the year, but didn’t earn Oscar nominations.

The nod to 76 Days, a film set in hospitals in Wuhan, China during the city’s initial lockdown after the outbreak of Covid-19, marks the first Emmy nomination for MTV Documentary Films, the division headed by Sheila Nevins.

“It’s a great honor to be nominated for an Emmy,” Wu said in a statement to Deadline. “As we’re still reeling from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, we sincerely hope that...

The Hollywood Critics Association is out with the nominees for its inaugural Hca TV Awards. Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso scored a leading eight noms overall, followed by Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale with seven. NBC and HBO took network/platform bragging rights with 29 nominations, edging Netflix’s 28.

The trophies will be handed during a August 22 ceremony at the Avalon Hollywood. See the full list of nominations below.

The Hca TV Awards separate their noms by comedies and dramas and, notably, into separate categories for broadcast, cable and streaming shows.

Mckenna Grace and Brooklynn Prince announced the nominees during a livestream this morning on the organization’s official YouTube channel.

Here are the nominees for the first Hca TV Awards, followed by a list on noms by network/platform:

Best Animated Series or Animated Television Movie

Animaniacs (Hulu)

Big Mouth (Netflix)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

Harley Quinn (HBO Max)

Invincible (Amazon...

Photo: ‘I’ll be Gone in the Dark’/HBO The Original Story of California’s Golden State Killer For those that have yet to watch HBO’s 2020 documentary series, ‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark’ or read the book with the same name, allow me to first warn you that this story will stick with you for an awfully long time. Not only is it incredibly bone-chilling, but the documentary is done so immaculately you become incredibly immersed in the case it may become difficult to dismiss it once you finish the last episode. HBO didn’t make forgetting about the series any easier when releasing a final follow-up episode to the original six-part limited series which aired Monday, June 21, 2021. Before we dive into the bonus episode, let’s rewind and discuss just what exactly this series aimed to uncover. Related article: A Tribute to Cannes Film Festival: A Celebration of Cinema,...

Emmy voters may give an involuntary shudder while poring over potential nominees in the documentary categories. They abound with tales of mass murderers and eldritch crime: John Wayne Gacy, the Manson Family, the Night Stalker Richard Ramirez, the Australian serial killer known as the Night Caller, and the Golden State Killer.

Most of those series fit neatly within the true crime niche, but I’ll Be Gone in the Dark represents an exception. Yes, the HBO docuseries explores how Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo was ultimately apprehended after decades eluding identification. But it does so through the perspective of gifted writer and amateur detective Michelle McNamara, who became obsessed with tracking down the mysterious killer and gave him his memorable three-word moniker.

Oscar nominee Liz Garbus executive produced the series through her Story Syndicate production company. She is one of four directors credited on it, along with Myles Kane,...

Very little that happens in I’ll Be Gone in the Dark‘s special follow-up episode comes as a surprise. After all, the first six hours of HBO’s docuseries chronicled the reign of terror that Joseph DeAngelo, aka the Golden State Killer, visited upon his rape and murder victims for decades, as well as his eventual arrest in 2018 and admission of guilt.

But the final installment in the series shows DeAngelo’s victims triumphantly speaking in court ahead of his August 2020 sentencing, and watching those women and men achieve a measure of peace after such a long nightmare is really something.

RuPaul's Drag Race remains a force to be reckoned with on the awards front.

The Critics Choice Real TV Awards unveiled winners for its third annual editions.

There were three ties among this year’s winner’s pool – RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1) and The Great British Baking Sho” (Netflix) tied for Best Competition Series, The Masked Singer (Fox) and The Voice (NBC) tied for Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network) and The Oprah Conversation (Apple TV+) tied for Best Structured Series.

RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) was the only series to take home multiple awards, also winning for Best Ensemble Cast In An Unscripted Series.

In the fan voted categories, Phil Rosenthal – Somebody Feed Phil”(Netflix) was awarded Male Star of the Year, while Sandra Lee – Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC) was named Female Star of the Year.

Netflix, which led the networks in nominations, also led in wins,...

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” led all programs at this year’s virtual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, with two nods — for best competition series and best ensemble cast in an unscripted series. But the real surprise, as the awards were announced Monday via press release, was the sheer number of ties in top categories.

VH1’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” tied with Netflix’s “The Great British Baking Show” (Netflix) for competition series, while “The Masked Singer” (Fox) and “The Voice” (NBC) tied for competition series: talent/variety, and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (Food Network) and “The Oprah Conversation” (Apple TV Plus) tied for structured series.

In the fan voted categories, Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil” host Phil Rosenthal was named male star of the year, while Sandra Lee of TLC’s “Dr. Pimple Popper” (TLC) was named female star of the year. Alex Trebek was honored posthumously with this year’s Impact Award,...