TV News Roundup: 'Blue Eye Samurai' Returns, 'SNL' Surges
Good morning! Here's a curated catch-up on Tuesday's TV headlines.
Previously on Matt's Inside Line.... I published my crowd-pleasing weekly-ish column, answering reader questions about ABC Thursday's hiatus plan, the status of Netflix's live-action Assassins Creed series, the return of a Rookie favorite and more. Here's a handy heads-up on a few other (non-midterms!) Tuesday headlines.
◼️ On the third anniversary of Blue Eye Samurai's series launch, Netflix anounced that Season 2 will at long last release, on Jan. 19, 2027. In the Emmy-winning animated series' six-episode sophomore run, Mizu’s bloody quest continues in 1657 London, where she faces new friends, old foes, and her own demons. “For the first time, she’ll have to confront what it’s like to stand out as Asian in a sea of white faces," Samurai creators Amber Noizumi and Michael Green preview for Tudum. "And then find out what it means to be a woman during one of the most oppressive times in English history."
Matt Webb Mitovich
◼️ My good friends at LateNighter report that Saturday Night Live's Inde Navarrette-hosted Halloween outing drew 5.2 million total viewers (in Live+Same Day), up 17% from Shane Gillis' latest-and-infamous turn to mark the sketch comedy series' largest audience since last December's Ariana Grande-hosted swan song for Bowen Yang. In the 18-49 demo, SNL posted its best rating in nearly two years.
Matt Webb Mitovich
◼️ Netflix issued a straight-to-series order for Prep, an adaptation of Curtis Sittenfeld's 2005 novel. Showrunner/writer Nicole Taylor (One Day) will exec produce alongside Sittenfeld, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor. Prep follows scholarship girl Lee Fiora’s high school years at a prestigious New England boarding school, and her journey to navigate friendship, crushes and class as a fish out of water among her privileged, confident classmates.
◼️ Lili Taylor (let's go with Mysic Pizza for old time's sake) has boarded the Season 2 cast of Netflix's The Beast in Me as Aggie, playing stepmother to Claire Danes' Fiona, Deadline reports. John Goodman recently was cast as Fiona's con artist dad.
Matt Webb Mitovich
◼️ An adaptation of Daniel H. Wilson's 2011 sci-fi novel Robopocalypse is in the works, to be showrun by Akiva Goldsman with Ron Howard directing the pilot; no network or streamer is yet attached. "Not far into our future, the dazzling technology that runs our world turns against us," the book's synopsis reads. "At Zero Hour — the moment the robots attack — the human race is almost annihilated, but as its scattered remnants regroup, humanity for the first time unites in a determined effort to fight back."
MATT'S INSIDE LINE NEEDS YOU!
Want SCOOP or have a QUESTION about any favorite (or "missing") TV show? Email Matt's Inside Line!
