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THE FRIDAY FIVE: Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week Ending 11/13/20

Here's a look at this week's Top 5 TV news stories!

#1 - RIP ALEX TREBEK
A legend in TV has passed away. Jeopardy host Alex Trebek died on Sunday at the age of 80 and after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Trebek, who has been hosting the popular game show since 1984, was working on the show as recently as late October and his final episode is scheduled to air on Christmas. Trebek has been an icon who has seen his stature only rise in recent years. In January, a "Greatest of All Time Tournament" featuring Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer earned huge ratingsi n primetime for ABC. While it perhaps has been in the news more with events like that and Trebek's cancer battle, Jeopardy has been a fixture in people's homes for a very long time and part of the evening routine for millions. For people like me and younger, there has never been a time in our lives without Alex Trebek as the Jeopardy host. He will be very missed. I'm sure the show will let a little time pass but then will announce a replacement. Any of the three GOATs seem like possibilities, especially Jennings, to host the show. But no one will ever be able to top Alex Trebek's incredible run. 

#2 - "CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE" COMING TO ABC AS PART OF NEW GAME SHOW NIGHT
ABC announced that they have picked up to series a celebrity version of Jeopardy's popular daytime companion Wheel of Fortune. Long time hosts (and truthfully legends in their own rights though I'm not as big a fan of them) Pat Sajak and Vanna White are on board to host. The series is slated to premiere on January 7, 2021 as part of an all new night of game shows. It will be followed by The Chase, which was mentioned last week in this space, and The Hustler, hosted by Craig Ferguson. I expect Wheel to get some decent premiere interest. The Thursday drama lineup will be on a hiatus while the game shows are airing. ABC also announced The Bachelor will return January 4 while To Tell the Truth will premiere on January 26 and American Idol on February 14.

#3 - NBC PLANS A HOLIDAY "GRINCH" MUSICAL
Even with the pandemic sadly keeping so much theater away in 2020, NBC will still have a televised musical, its first in the Christmas season since Hairspray Live in 2016. Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical is based on the limited run musical that has run on Broadway in the past for holiday seasons and it will star Matthew Morrison as the title character. It will be filmed from London so it won't be live. I'm a little skeptical of the casting and the title but any theater-themed programming in 2020 is much appreciated! The special will air on Wednesday, December 9.

#4 - FOX ANNOUNCES MIDSEASON PREMIERE DATES
FOX has announced its official plan for the new year including the return of several scripted tentpoles. First up, The Masked Dancer will follow the last NFL Sunday of the regular season with a premiere on Sunday, December 27. It will then air in the regular slot for The Masked Singer, Wednesdays at 8pm. The following Sunday, after the Wild Card NFL weekend (if it doesn't have to get pushed back) will see the series premiere of the Mayim Bialik comedy Call Me Kat and the return of Last Man Standing for a final season. They will then share the Thursday 9pm hour after a new season of Hell's Kitchen. Finally, The Resident and Prodigal Son will premiere on January 12 while 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star will premiere on Janaury 18.

#5 - RENEWALS A PLENTY
Last week saw a lot of quiet cancellations. This week brought a lot of renewals! Renewals included LEGO Masters on FOX, Emily in Paris and The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and The Hot Zone on National Geographic. LEGO was a solid performer last spring when it followed The Masked Singer. Emily in Paris has received mixed critical reviews but continues to be a big hit for Netflix (at least according to Netflix standards) while The Umbrella Academy had a buzzy second season that launched in the summer. The Hot Zone was last seen in 2019 and was billed as a limited series that will now become an anthology series. Season one focused on an Ebola outbreak while Season two will focus on the 2001 Anthrax attacks.

Check back next week for a new week of blog posts!
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