Exciting news for fans of The Diplomat!
The popular Netflix series starring Keri Russell as the US ambassador to the UK just announced that it’s adding a major talent for its second season.
Producers revealed today that Alison Janney will be joining the cast in the role of Vice President Grace Penn.
Janney is no stranger to political drama, having starred in all seven seasons of NBC’s The West Wing.
In more recent years, she starred on the CBS sitcom Mom and scored an Oscar nomination for her performance in I, Tonya.
The news that Netflix is willing to shell out to stack the Diplomat’s roster shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
The streaming giant has been thirsting for a new prestige hit in the style of The Crown, and with its instant success among critics and audiences, The Diplomat might be the politically charged drama they’ve been waiting for.
No release date has been set for The Diplomat Season 2.
Sadly, with strike delays, we’re guessing that viewers will have to wait until 2025 for new episodes.
Thankfully, the wait for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Lived will be much shorter.
The latest spinoff from the TWD universe is set to premiere on February 25 on AMC and AMC+.
The network/streamer debuted the show’s final trailer today, and we’re sure it’ll whet the appetites of franchise fans hankering for their next zombie fix.
“The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world,” reads the show’s official synopsis.
“Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were.
“Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living.”
Needless to say, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Lived will not be a light-hearted sitcom.
After 14 years and six spinoffs, the TWD franchise has understandably suffered some major popularity erosion.
But The Ones Who Lived star Danai Gurira promises this latest iteration will be “really exciting.” Check out the trailer now.
Speaking of chilling trailers, HBO has released our first look at the upcoming true crime documentary They Called Him Mostly Harmless.
“When an unidentified hiker is found deceased in the Florida wilderness, authorities release a sketch. Multiple hikers call in claiming to have met the man,” the official synopsis reads.
“There’s only one problem – he never told them his name. It would take two years, thousands of devoted internet sleuths, and a miracle of science to identify him, and that’s when the trouble really starts.”
Those who have seen the doc on the festival circuit say it has the makings of a new true crime classic.
They Called Him Mostly Harmless debuts on February 8. Check out the trailer now.
Elsewhere in the world of TV announcements, Amazon Prime Video has revealed that it’s acquired the rights to the faith-based family drama The Baxters, starring Roma Downey and Ted McGinley.
The show is based on the bestselling series of novels by author Karen Kingsbury.
The Baxters has had a long trip to the small screen, with executive producer Downey beginning production back in 2018.
Several episodes were produced but never released, and presumably, they’ll finally see the light of day thanks to the Amazon deal.
“With over 25 million fans of the Baxter series books we know audiences are going to love this family drama brought to life, and I am personally so excited to bring more inspirational content to Prime Video,” Downey said in a statement released today.
“Since the day Roma Downey asked for my blessing in making the Baxter family literary series into a televised show, I have dreamed that it might find a home on Prime Video,” Kingsbury added.
“Many millions of readers are going to be thrilled over this news. It is a dream come true.”
No release date for The Baxters has been announced.
Elsewhere in the world of niche television — albeit a very different kind of niche television — a major scandal has rocked the world of professional wrestling.
A former WWE employee filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Connecticut Thursday alleging that the company founder Vince McMahon sexually exploited her during her time with the company.
According to the suit filed by Janel Grant, McMahon trafficked her “as a pawn to secure talent deals” with prospective wrestlers.
McMahon stands accused of violating the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act, as well as committing civil battery and intentionally inflicting emotional distress on Grant.
The controversial 78-year-old media mogul has yet to publicly respond to these claims.
And finally, if this year’s NFL playoffs have left you hankering to relive a bit of NFL history, you’re in luck!
Pluto TV announced this week that it will be streaming (just about) every single Super Bowl between now and February 21.
“Catch the nerve-wracking first overtime in Super Bowl LI! David Tyree’s jaw-dropping helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII! San Francisco’s inspiring 92-yard drive to win Super Bowl XXIII!” reads a press release from the platform.
The bad news for hardcore football history buffs is that Pluto is unable to offer Super Bowls, I, II, and V for reasons that aren’t entirely clear.
But the good news is that, like the other content on this ad-supported service, all of that Super Bowl content is free!
So whether you’re a masochistic Patriots fan who wants to torture yourself with bittersweet recollections of the Brady era, or a depressive Bills fan who wants to relive the agony of “wide right,” the painful memories are now just a click away!
Tyler Johnson is an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic and the other Mediavine O&O sites. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and, of course, watching TV. You can Follow him on X and email him here at TV Fanatic.