“Animal Kingdom” on TNT and “Younger” on TV Land Renewed for New Seasons

-Did You Know?:
At the time of Roseanne screeched the National Anthem, her ABC sitcom finished that season tied with NBC’s “The Cosby Show” for first overall in primetime (each with a 23.1 household rating). Third overall was NBC’s “Cheers” at a 22.7, followed by NBC’s “A Different World” (21.1), “America’s Funniest Home Videos” on ABC (20.9), NBC’s “The Golden Girls” (20.1), “60 Minutes” on CBS (19.7), ABC’s“The Wonder Years” (19.2), NBC’s “Empty Nest” (18.9) and “Monday Night Football” on ABC (18.1).

Household Rating/Share
ABC: 2.3/ 5, Fox: 2.1/ 4, CBS: 1.9/ 4, NBC: 1.8/ 3, CW: 0.6/ 1

Percent Change From Year-Ago Evening:
ABC: +28, Fox: – 9, CW: -14, CBS: -24, NBC: -38

Ratings Breakdown:
There was nothing unusual on this quiet summer Wednesday with CBS’ veteran “Big Brother” topping the night at a just a 2.7 rating/5 share in the household overnights at 9 p.m. Despite a loss of 25 percent from the year-ago evening in the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour (3.6/ 6), “Big Brother” still managed to increase by 69 percent from anemic lead-in “Love Island” (#4: 1.6/ 3 at 8 p.m.). Lead-in still matters and “Love Island” has negatively impacted CBS this summer.

For the remainder of the analysis for Wednesday, July 24, click here

Live+Same Day Data
Monday 7/22/19: Click here
Tuesday 7/.23/19: Click here

Source: Nielsen Media Research

WE Orders New Series “Untold Stories of Hip Hop”
WE tv announced its new original tell-all series, “Untold Stories of Hip Hop,” featuring never-before-told tales from the biggest names in hip hop. Set to premiere this fall, the series from Creature Films (“Biggie: The Life of Notorious B.I.G.“), features interviews with Cardi B, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Nelly, A$AP Rocky, DJ Khaled, Wyclef Jean, Ja Rule, Fat Joe and more, and is hosted by radio personality Angie Martinez.

The logline: From iconic rap verses to historic artist beefs, “Untold Stories of Hip Hop” puts the stories behind the moments front and center. Each hour-long episode of this fresh and fast-paced series shines a new light on hip hop’s most influential artists with unforgettable revelations directly from the stars themselves. As a pioneer and one of the most respected legends in hip hop journalism, Host and Executive Producer Angie Martinez has those who are notorious for being guarded, open up to her in ways they have never done before.

“Untold Stories of Hip Hop” host Angie Martinez has been a beloved and influential fixture “Untold Stories of Hip Hop” is produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and Creature Films, with Executive Producers Tara Long for eOne, and Mark Ford, Kevin Lopez, Yemisi Brookes, and Sarah Girgis for Creature Films. Host Angie Martinez also serves as an executive producer on the series. Lauren Gellert, Lauren Lazin, and David Stefanou are Executive Producers for WE tv.

Science Channel Greenlights “Homemade Astronauts”
Science Channel has ordered “Homemade Astronauts” (working title), which follows three self-financed teams with sky-high dreams, in their cosmic quest to explore the final frontier on shoe-string budgets. The series will premiere in 2020.

The logline: Mike Hughes and Waldo Stakes are working on a manned rocket to space, designing a “Rock-oon” – part rocket, part balloon – that they hope to use to get Mike to the Karman line, the border between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space at about 62 miles high. To raise money and awareness for that pricey venture, they plan to first launch Mike 5,000 feet high in a steam-powered rocket.

“Homemade Astronauts” is being produced by World of Wonder. Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Jeremy Simmons, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato and Tom Campbell. Executive Producer for Science Channel is Caroline Perez. Lindsey Foster Blumberg is Supervising Producer for Science.

TV Land Orders 7th Season of “Younger”
TV Land has announced an upcoming seventh season of scripted sitcom “Younger,” which will officially become the cable net’s longest running original series. Debuting on March 31, 2015, “Younger” stars Sutton Foster, with Hilary Duff, Debi Mazar, Miriam Shor, Nico Tortorella, Peter Hermann, Molly Bernard and Charles Michael Davis. It follows follows Liza Miller (Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing — while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job.

Another 12 episodes are expected for “Younger” in the upcoming seventh season.

TNT Renews “Animal Kingdom” for Season 5
TNT has greenlit drama “Animal Kingdom” for a fifth season. Debuting on June 14, 2016 and based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name, the beginning premise focused on a 17-year-old boy (Finn  Cole), who, after the death of his mother, moves in with his estranged relatives, the Codys, a criminal family clan governed by Ellen Barkin as matriarch Smurf.

Also featured on “Animal Kingdom” are Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Sohyi Rodridgues and Emily Deschanel.

“Animal Kingdom” is produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television. John Wells and Eliza Clark serve as executive producers on the series.

PI Podcast with Douglas Pucci
This week’s conversation focuses on upcoming CBS dramas “All Rise” and “Evil.” To listen, click here

2019 Emmy Award Nominations – Click here

”Quality or Quantity? If you had a choice of the following two options, which one would you choose? – Click here

Linear or Digital…or Both – Click here

Limited HBO drama “The Boys” will launch with two episodes back-to-back on Monday, Aug. 12 from 9-11 p.m. ET. The logline: In the summer of 2014, three Jewish teenagers are kidnapped and murdered by Hamas militants. Israel is shocked, shaken and furious. Two days later, the burned body of a Palestinian teenager from eastern Jerusalem is found in a forest on the western outskirts of the city. In the ensuing days, an agent from the internal terror division of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) investigates the murder, while the parents of the slain teenager begin their long and anguished journey toward justice and consolation.

Late night half-hour anthology series “Room 104” will return for season three on Friday, Sept. 13 at 11 p.m. ET. Created by Jay and Mark Duplass (HBO’s “Animals.” and “Togetherness”), the series tells unique and unexpected tales of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the room stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment.