In today’s roundup, Wayne Brady has joined the cast of “Colony,” and Amazon Prime announced the premiere date for “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” starring Natalie Dormer.
CASTING
Peyton List, Wayne Brady, Graham McTavish, and Waleed Zuaiter have joined the cast of alien invasion drama “Colony” for the show’s third season. List will play Amy Leonard, a doctor and member of the San Fernando cell who tags along with Tory Kittles‘ Eric Broussard as they carry out a dangerous mission to smuggle valuable secrets to Resistance fighters against the Occupation. “The Hobbit” actor McTavish will play Andrew MacGregor, the leader of the most successful Resistance camp in the old United States, while “Whose Line Is It Anyway’s” Brady will play Everett Kynes, the tech-savvy head of the rebuilt Seattle Colony. “Altered Carbon” actor Zuaiter rounds out the newcomers as Vincent, a man whose morals will be tested when he is forced to choose between supporting the Bowmans or honoring old ties. The new season of “Colony” premieres May 2 on USA Network.
DATES
Popular on Variety
“Picnic at Hanging Rock,” a period mystery drama starring “Game of Thrones” and “Hunger Games” actress Natalie Dormer, will debut on Amazon Prime Video on May 25. The show, based on the novel by Joan Lindsay, features Dormer as Mrs. Hester Appleyard, the mysterious headmistress of Appleyard College, an Australian girls boarding school. The action begins when several Appleyard students inexplicably go missing on Valentine’s Day. “Picnic at Hanging Rock” also stars Samara Weaving as Rothschild heiress Irma Leopold, Madeleine Madden as a high court justice’s daughter Marion Quade, and Lily Sullivan as the tomboyish Miranda Reid.
“Out of the Closet,” a spinoff of “Rupal’s Drag Race” will premiere April 17 at 12 p.m. ET on LogoTV.com. The reality series takes “Drag Race” fans into the closets of six fan-favorite drag queens to peruse their wardrobes and learn what influences their individual styles.
Netflix will debut variety sketch series “The Break with Michelle Wolf,” on May 27. Wolf hosts the show after working for late night variety series, including “The Daily Show” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” However, “The Break” is described as a show that will take a break from the seriousness of today’s late night comedy.
GREENLIGHTS
Disney Junior has greenlit “T.O.T.S.,” a new animated comedy aimed at kids ages 2 to 7. The series, created by “Vampirina‘s” Travis Braun, tracks the comical adventures of best friends Pip, a determined penguin, and Freddy, a compassionate flamingo. The animal pair are the only non-stork delivery birds working at Tiny Ones Transfer Service (T.O.T.S.) and must learn the ins and outs of childrearing on the job. “T.O.T.S.” is executive produced by “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’s” Vic Cook, as well as co-executive produced and directed by “Goldie & Bear’s” Chris Gilligan.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Discovery has promoted Allison Page and Courtney White to top roles at HGTV, Food Network, and their supporting brands. Page currently manages all programming and development for HGTV and Food Network as well as their related brands, which include DIY Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. White is in charge of original programming, on-air talent, and general program development for the networks. Page previously served as general manager of HGTV, DIY Network, Great American Country and Travel Channel, while White previously served as senior vice president of programming for Travel Channel and vice president of program development and production for HGTV, DIY Network and Great American Country.
PROGRAMMING
CNN has added six new original series to its 2019 programming. The latest additions including “Chasing Life with Sanjay Gupta,” a documentary series globetrotting with its titular doctor, “Tricky Dick,” which explores Richard Nixon‘s life and presidency, “American Dynasties: The Bushes,” which invites viewers into the Bush family’s intrapersonal dynamics, “Once in a Great City: Detroit 1962-64“, which documents the rise of Detroit’s auto industry and Motown, “The Redemption Project,” which sees various victims of crimes reunite with their perpetrators for closure, and “American Style,” which examines how American pop-culture, politics, and economy have shaped fashion throughout the years.
SPECIALS
TruTV will air an encore of its comedy documentary “The Problem with Apu” on Sunday, the same night “The Simpsons” airs. “The Problem with Apu,” which originally debuted on Nov. 17, uses Apu Nahasapeemapetilon — the Indian Kwik-E-Mart owner on “The Simpsons” — to discuss issues around minority representation and cultural insensitivity in the entertainment industry through the lens of South Asian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu.
Terrence Howard will host Fox‘s one-hour special “Terrence Howard’s Fright Club,” airing May 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The show follows the “Empire” star’s superfans as they travel to New Orleans to meet Howard at his remote estate. Unbeknownst to the participants, Howard will prank them upon their arrival, with hidden cameras capturing the fans’ reactions, as what they thought was a meet-and-greet turns into a haunted house experience.
