The Television Critics Association winter meeting is being held in Pasadena, California. At this meet TV networks and streaming services are presenting details on upcoming programmes. Here’s a round-up of the latest news.
Louie’s future
A return of the comedy Louie is a mystery at the FX network.
Louis C.K., creator of the series that is a fictional look at his life, said he didn’t know when or if there will be more episodes. He’s producing four other programmes, of which one called Baskets premieres on FX next Thursday. Louie may be the type of series that reappears periodically over a long period of time, said John Landgraf, CEO of the FX Networks.
When asked how often he thinks about working on Louie, C.K. answered, “every 48 days.”
“Where are you in the cycle?” asked fellow comic Louie Anderson, appearing with him at a news conference for Baskets.
“It just started at zero,” C.K. answered.
Anderson in drag
Anderson appears in an unusual role in Baskets — as star Zach Galifianakis’ mother.
Co-producer C.K. said it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, when he thought of Anderson’s voice when discussing casting for Galifianakis’ mother. He called Anderson and there was no hesitation.
“I’m playing this as a mom,” said Anderson, who wears lipstick and an understated blouse in the comedy’s first episode. “I really used my mom as the base of it and added mean people I’ve met throughout my life.”
C.K. said it never felt to him like Anderson’s casting was a stunt. “It was just that he felt like Zach’s mother,” he said.
“My mom’s going to love that,” Galifianakis said.
Competitive fire
Is the pressure of competing with streaming services beginning to get under the skin of John Landgraf, CEO of the FX Networks?
Landgraf, who launched a discussion within the television industry last summer by suggesting that there are too many original programmes being made for most consumers to get a grip on, noted that Netflix has offered some 55 adult-oriented series and appears to have deeper pockets than many traditional TV competitors.
Landgraf’s successful boutique network lost bidding wars to Netflix for the recent series Master of None and The Crown.
“If I had 55 at-bats over three years, don’t you think we’d come out with some pretty good television?” he said. “You just accept the realities of the competitive environment that we’re in.”
Falk’s baby
Screenwriter Stephen Falk may have some explaining to do at home.
The creator of the FX series You’re the Worst was asked how he finds the time to juggle that work with other producing jobs, such as on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. He explained that You’re the Worst was his centre of attention, his baby. Then he quickly caught himself.
“Well, no,” he said. “That would be my real child. Sorry, Bernadette!”
