Samuel L. Jackson is the new returning king in town in Taylor Sheridan’s “Frisco King,” where he reprises his role of Russell Lee Washington Jr..
The New Orleans gangster establishes a new kingdom in Frisco, Texas, where he discovers a hustler running his business amid the suburban town. Per the series logline, “Recruiting an ambitious protégé, a loyal driver and a growing network of eccentric partners, Lee transforms small hustles into big business. But, every new score raises the stakes, and as his influence grows, so do the risks, forcing Lee to stay one grift ahead. Frisco may not know it yet, but its new king has arrived.”
The series will premiere on Paramount+ Dec. 18 with two episodes, followed by new episodes weekly. Starring alongside Jackson are Asa Germann, Kai Caster, Lilah Pate and Savanna Gann, with a special appearance by Sylvester Stallone.
Written by Sheridan, “Frisco King” is executive produced by Stallone, Jackson, Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Keith Cox. Christina Alexandra Voros and Michael Friedman executive produce in addition to both directing four episodes, with Voros directing the pilot. The series is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios,
Watch the teaser for “Frisco King” below.
In other TV roundup news:
Specials
CBS set “The Price is Right at Night: Live Holiday Special” and “The Price is Right: 20 Seasons of Drew Carey” to air in December.
“The Price is Right at Night: Live Holiday Special” will premiere on Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. The broadcast marks the first time television’s longest-running game show will air in real time. Viewers will also get behind-the-scenes access with host Drew Carey, announcer George Gray, the models and the production team as they race to keep the show on track.
On Dec. 15, CBS will air “The Price is Right: 20 Seasons of Drew Carey.” The special will celebrate two decades of Carey as host, featuring celebrity appearances from previous episodes including Mila Kunis, Jack Black and Snoop Dogg.
The live holiday special is produced by Fremantle, with John Quinn as showrunner and executive producer. The Drew Carey special is produced by Fremantle, with James Davis and Quinn as executive producers. Both specials will be available to stream on Paramount+.
Initiatives
FilAm Creative announced its inaugural TV Creator Lab cohort of 25 writers.
The tuition-free, five-month program is designed to help emerging television creators develop their original scripted series. The selected writers will learn from working television executives, producers, showrunners and industry professionals.
The Lab launched Oct. 8 at Patriot Pictures in Los Angeles. The cohort gathered for a conversation with Lionsgate SVP of Television Richard Rothschild, Greg Coolidge (“The Continental: From the World of John Wick”) and Oren Segal, moderated by television director Francis dela Torre (“Almost Paradise”).
The writers selected are Angel Cielo, Candice Sarangay, Celena Cipriaso, Eileen Cabiling, Ella Espiritu, Eric J. De La Rosa, Eugene Ramos, Faith Christy Soliven, Frances Rubio, Geri Carillo, Hermie Castillo, Jaime Estepa, Jalen Giovanni Jones, Joshua Labata, Joy Regullano, Kim Marcelino, Nicole Wolf, Noël Wiggins, Rebecca Williams Spindler, Roann Enriquez, Rommel Rojas, Stacie Gancayco-Adlao, Teodorico Sajor, Walter Boholst and Yasmine Gomez.
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The American Film Institute announced the mentors for its 2026 Writers’ Room Ready program.
This year’s mentors are Brad Ingelsby (“Task,” “Mare of Easttown”), Peter Gould (“Better Call Saul,” “Breaking Bad”) Patrik-Ian Polk (“Noah’s Arc,” “P-Valley”), Sev Ohanian (“Sinners,” “Searching”) and Sarah-Violet Bliss (“Scorn,” “Search Party”).
The creatives will be paired with AFI Class of 2025 graduates:
Brad Ingelsby with Nathan Bouton — “Black Tide,” one-hour drama
Peter Gould with Kirby Saxton — “Holy Water,” half-hour comedy
Patrik-Ian Polk with Chri’shawn Julius — “Pop Puss,” half-hour comedy
Sev Ohanian with Edward Nenedzhyan — “The Optic,” one-hour drama
Sarah-Violet Bliss with Annabel Newland — “Glitter,” half-hour comedy
“Great writing is taught in community, not isolation,” said Susan Ruskin, AFI Conservatory dean and executive vice president of the American Film Institute. “We are deeply grateful to our accomplished mentors, whose wisdom, expertise and generosity empower our Writers’ Room Ready participants to transform their potential into professional practice in the industry.”
The Writers’ Room Ready program recognizes outstanding original television pilot scripts written by AFI Conservatory Screenwriting Fellows.
Partnerships
Elmo and his “Sesame Street” friends are taking on an African safari adventure in a special PBS ‘Nature’ primetime crossover. “Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure” premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS and PBS Kids and will stream on pbs.org/nature, YouTube,pbskids.org, the PBS KIDS Video app and the PBS app.
Per the release, “The adventure begins at the group’s safari lodge, where they meet the lodge manager and her young daughter, who introduce Elmo and Abby to Kenya’s culture, nature and wildlife. Along the way, Elmo struggles with the idea of leaving his adopted elephant behind but comes to learn that the greatest way to care for his new friend is to let her thrive where she belongs: in the wild.”
“Bringing Elmo and the ‘Sesame Street’ friends into the world of ‘Nature’ allows us to tell a unique story filled with adventure, discovery, and heart,” Sal Perez, executive producer for Sesame Workshop, said. “We hope this special event sparks curiosity in children and encourages them to see themselves as explorers and problem solvers, while reminding viewers of every age that some of life’s greatest lessons come from experiencing nature.”
Programming
Moonbug Entertainment announced that actress and performer Lauren Vaz will join Cashaé Monya in playing Meekah in the global “Blippi” franchise.
“Lauren brings such a natural warmth, confidence and sense of fun to Meekah,” Liz Katz, Associate General Manager of “Blippi” and lead of the Meekah franchise, said. “She really captures the curiosity and big-sister energy that families know and love about Meekah. We’re so excited to welcome her to our ensemble cast alongside Cashaé Monya as we enter an exciting new chapter for Meekah, with more to share in the weeks ahead.”
“Blippi” is a live-action kids’ franchise built around curiosity, exploration and real-world adventures. Meekah is an established character who can be brought to life by different performers. Vaz now joins Monya in sharing the role across the Blippi franchise, as Meekah prepares to enter an exciting new chapter.
“Getting to step into Meekah’s shoes is incredibly special to me,” Vaz said. “I love how she encourages kids to be curious, express themselves and have the confidence to jump in and try something new. Having already been part of the Blippi world on tour, I’m so excited to continue this journey with Meekah and bring my personality, creativity and sense of fun to all the adventures ahead.”
Executive News
Hearst Media Production Group named Amy DeGregorio as executive vice president of sales and revenue.
In the newly created role, DeGregorio will act as a key member of HMPG’s executive team and strategic advisor to the company’s president on revenue growth, commercialization and new business opportunities. She will be responsible for driving revenue strategy and overseeing sales and sponsorship activity.
Prior to her new role, DeGregorio served as senior vice president, managing director of sales for educational/informational programming for HMPG since 2022.
“Amy has done an exceptional job building meaningful brand partnerships and seamlessly integrating sponsors into our E/I programming,” said Bryan Curb, HMPG president. “As HMPG continues to expand, we want to bring that same expertise and strategic approach to our entire portfolio, creating new opportunities for brands to engage with our award-winning content and loyal audiences.”
In 2016, DeGregorio joined Litton Entertainment, which was rebranded to HMPG in 2022, as senior director, integrated marketing. She was promoted to vice president, integrated marketing and, in 2020, senior vice president, client solutions. Before joining Litton, she worked at CBS Television Stations, and has held roles at NBCUniversal, truTV, ABC Television and MTV Networks.