Paramount cancels Halo after two seasons, 343 Industries looking to sell the series and a third season elsewhere.

by Thinus Ferreira

Paramount has cancelled the science fiction drama series Halo on Paramount+ and available on MultiChoice's Showmax in Africa after just two seasons.

Halo which took years to bring to television was based on the hugely popular Xbox franchise and starred Pablo Schreiber as main character Master Chief John-117.

"Paramount+ can confirm that Halo will not move forward with a third season on the service," Paramount says in a statement.

"We are extremely proud of this ambitious series and would like to thank our partners at Xbox, 343 Industries and Amblin Television, along with showrunner and executive producer David Wiener, his fellow executive producers, the entire cast led by Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and the amazing crew for all their outstanding work," Paramount says in a statement.

"We  wish everyone the best going forward."

343 Industries which will look to sell the series and a third season elsewhere, in a statement says "We deeply appreciate the millions of fans who propelled the Halo series to be a global success, and we remain committed to broadening the Halo universe in different ways in the future".

"We are grateful to Amblin and Paramount for their partnership in bringing our expansive sci-fi universe to viewers around the world."

TV REVIEW. Halo's Master Chief starts a solid space quest in TV adaptation.

8 TVs

by Thinus Ferreira

A helmeted soldier on a distant desert-like planet fights against enemies, saves a child, decides to protect said child, is seen to have experienced childhood trauma in back flashes, travels the galaxy and meets up with allies as enemies plot, while a bigger origin story and overall mystery both start to unfold.

Nope, not Star Wars' The Mandalorian on Disney+ that South Africans can't see, but the new science fiction drama series Halo, based on the popular video game, from Paramount+ but snagged by MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax that South Africans indeed can see.

Whether you've played Halo and are familiar with Cortana and Master Chief and the Covenant or not, sci-fi series lovers will definitely like this live-action drama adaptation. 

Warning: Dads don't watch with your kids - the first 10 minutes has exploding human heads and bodies not fit for children, although the rest of the first two episodes made available to TV critics for preview are fine.

Halo is a more than adequate TV adaptation of the video game with the story set in motion when Pablo Schreiber as Spartan Master Chief John-117 saves Kwan Ah (Yerin Ha) on the planet Madrigal and he touches an alien artefact that he can somehow access.

The alien device triggers long-blocked memories of the Spartan soldier who starts his space quest going AWOL while the UNSC and scientist Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), creator of the Spartan programme, tries to get him to return.

Set in 2552, viewers are also introduced to the Covenant - a religious group of aliens who raised a human called Makee (Charlie Murphy) - who are after the sought-after artefact themselves, with Makee dispatched at the end of the second episode to herself go and retrieve it.

The acting, set design, special effects and story in Halo are more than adequate and Master Chief removes his helmet within the first two scene-setting episodes, unlike The Mandalorian, with video game arcana like Cortana and High Charity being introduced without the viewer having to have played the game to make sense of the show and the start-up story.

Pablo Schreiber brings a likeability, human touch and humanity to the Master Chief armour while older Gen X viewers will enjoy spotting numerous easter eggs from the Halo mythos as well as touchpoints and subtly interwoven themes shared with a myriad of sci-fi stories that came before from Total Recall to Starship Troopers.

Halo is definitely worth the watch, isn't (just) for gamers, isn't a straight-up story adaptation of the video game ( a right decision by the producers) with Master Chief making a solid start in the first two world-building episodes.

Halo season 1 is on Showmax from 25 March with new episodes released weekly.

22 TV things coming in 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

The year of 2022 in South African television is gearing up with promises of new content, new corporate moves, new video streamers, dragons, elves, jedi, idols, survivors, Kardashians, returning award shows and festivals; even blood psalms and big brothers - as well as Muvhango and the Teletubbies turning 25. 

Here are 22 things coming and happening in television in 2022:

1. Disney+

From around June this year, The Walt Disney Company plans to launch its Disney+ video streaming service in South Africa as the first country on the African continent to get access to this streamer that started in November 2019. What will it cost? So far we can only guess but it will bundle TV content and films from across Disney, National Geographic, Marvel, Pixar and ABC under the Star tile.

2. SABC streaming

The South African public broadcaster that has been very late out of the blocks said it will launch its own video streaming service in 2022. 

The SABC streaming service - SABC+, SABC Plus, SABSee? - will function a lot like the BBC iPlayer and eMedia's eVOD service, It will bundle current and library content from the public broadcaster, as well as streaming versions of its TV channels, together on one digital streaming service.

3. Lord of the Rings

Get ready to watch the most expensive TV show yet when the 8-episode first season of the as-yet-untitled The Lord of the Rings TV series will debut in September on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. Filmed in New Zealand, the TV show is set during the so-called Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events depicted in the films.

4. Halo

What's up Master Chief? Where South African viewers will be able to watch it or whether they will have to become pirate viewers is still unclear but the first season of 10-episodes of the science fiction TV series based on the hugely popular video game Halo will make its debut in early-2022 on the Paramount+ video streaming service. 

Pablo Schreiber is the supersoldier Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 under the helmet with the series "following an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant".

5. Idols season 18

More noteworthy than the return of the reality singing competition to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) in the winter of 2022, with nationwide auditions starting on 23 January, are the numerous questions swirling around the veteran series. 

Is [SIC] Entertainment really contemplating bringing back Somizi Mhlongo as a judge after serious allegations of physical abuse levelled against him last year and which have not yet been resolved? Is Unathi Nkayi out as a judge after her image damage of 2021? Will the Idols' ratings continue to slide in 2022 after thousands of DStv subscribers tuned out following the Somizi-scandal?

6. Survivor South Africa season 9

By the time you're reading this, filming is about to start or has started on the 9th season of Survivor South Africa, subtitled "Return of the Outcasts" scheduled for a winter debut on M-Net (DStv 101). Which outcasts from previous seasons will be back and how will they use what they've learnt from their first go-round to try and outwit, outplay and outlast their rivals?

7. 10th Silwerskermfees

Known as "Cannes in Cape Town", kykNET is bringing back its film festival with an in-person event with the 10th Silwerskermfees set to take place in Camps Bay during March 2022. 

The film festival last took place as an in-person event in March 2019 and in 2022 will take the form of a "vibrant hybrid format" according to the organisers. 

According to kykNET the 10th Silwerskermfees "will maintain the festival's signature glitz, glam and prestige while allowing a much broader audience to enjoy the films and festivities".

8. 8th African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards

Last held in March 2020, MultiChoice and M-Net West Africa is bringing back the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCAs) for an 8th edition this year that will again be taking place in Lagos, Nigeria. 

With a total of 33 categories (viewers get to vote for 12) the awards is adding "Best Online Social Content Creator" as a new category this year.

9. Digital terrestrial television

After more than a decade and a half, South Africa is expected to complete its long-delayed switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT), although the process could once again end up being delayed even further because of court cases. 

Another big question is what the impact will be on South Africa's TV ratings system when television households who have not switched to digital set-top boxes (STBs) when their analogue TV signals are cut, are wiped from the TAMS viewership? 

While the SABC doesn't want to comment, eMedia that runs e.tv warned last year that there will be disastrous consequences and implored the government to extend the suddenly-rushed deadline of 2022 for switch-off.

10. Love Island Naija

Following the disastrous Love Island SA version, producers Chudor House Productions and ITV Studios Global Entertainment announced at a glittering media event in June that the world's first all-black Love Island edition would start in October 2021 in Nigeria and be shown on MTV Base. 

The date - and year - came and went. 

Is 2022 the year that the 20 Nigerian singles "come together to share the true essence of love, romance, friendship and relationships in 7 exhilarating weeks in the Love Island villa"? 

11. Big Brother Mzansi

A new season of the revived Big Brother Mzansi is set to debut on 23 January on MultiChoice's DStv channel 198 as a 24-hour pop-up channel, together with daily shows and weekly highlights on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161). 

Lawrence Maleka is the host and whether it's the Shower Hour, diary room confessions or late-night hanky-panky, the South African version is set to bring some early-2022 reality show buzz. There will be a 7th season of Big Brother Naija in June 2022, also shown across sub-Saharan Africa again on MultiChoice's DStv.

12. Blood Psalms

After a drawn-out process as the most expensive TV series yet produced in South Africa, Blood Psalms, is supposed to debut in February on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service after its October 2021 debut was postponed because of the department of trade, industry and competition's failure to pay Yellowbone Entertainment the millions of rand the producers are due in the country's broken film rebate scheme.

13. Real housewives

2022 will deliver an avalanche of Real Housewives from Africa in the sprawling reality franchise. The Real Housewives of Lagos as a new spin-off series will debut in the first half of 2022 on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming service. The third season of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg will be shown in April 2022 that will consist out of 14 episodes.

Meanwhile, the second season of The Real Housewives of Durban will also be on Showmax in the second half of 2022, with some new cast members. 

Then there is The Real Housewives of Dubai also coming in 2022 as a new spinoff, and there are rumours that South Africa is also getting The Real Housewives of Cape Town as yet another spinoff series.

14. Obi-Wan Kenobi

This is the show you're looking for. Billed as a "limited series", meaning it's a miniseries telling a complete story, Ewan McGregor will be back in this new 6-episode Star Wars drama series in 2022 to reprise his role as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. Hayden Christensen will also show up to reprise his role as Darth Vader.

15. SA rugby and football documentaries

SuperSport is prepping two sports documentaries for 2022. Two Sides is another Springbok documentary, similar to Chasing the Sun, with cameras that once again got unprecedented access inside the Springbok rugby team camp. 

Then there is also the 4-episode Pulse of a Nation: A South African Football Story that will take DStv subscribers inside the world of professional South African football.

16. House of the Dragon

M-Net (DStv 101) has picked up the 10-episode Game of Thrones prequel drama series, House of the Dragon that will debut on an as-yet-unannounced date this year. 

Filmed mostly in the United Kingdom, the prequel series chronicle the fall of the House of Targaryen when dragons still roamed Westeros in bigger numbers before their virtual extinction during the time of Game of Thrones. 

The fantasy series will revolve around the family politics and drama - basically a family civil war - that became known as the legendary "Dance of the Dragons". 

And talking about spinoffs, we'll throw in here as a bonus Vikings: Valhalla, a spinoff from Vikings that will debut on 25 February on Netflix. The new series is set 100 years after the original, following the adventures of some of the most iconic Vikings, like Leif Erikson.

17. The Kardashians

Done and dusted on E! in 2021, the ending of Keeping Up with the Kardashians means that the Kardashian clan is moving to a renamed reality endeavour on Hulu in 2022, with no word yet on where South African viewers will be able to watch their new show - very likely under the Star tile on Disney+ when that streamer launched in South Africa later this year. 

The coterie of Kardashian and Jenner family members will be in The Kardashians, plus Scott Disick. Kylie's baby will presumably make its TV debut, along with all the presumed drama around the Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker engagement and planned wedding.

18. Anatomy of a Scandal

David E. Kelly is behind this upcoming anthology series coming to Netflix this year starring Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Naomi Scott. 

Based on the novel by Sarah Vaughan, viewers can get ready for a depiction of various scandals within Britain's elite class - imagine a Gossip Girl for adults set in the United Kingdom.

19. Muvhango turns 25

It will be a silver celebration for Muvhango in April when the long-running Venda drama series, produced by Word of Mouth Pictures and created by Duma Ndlovu, will mark its 25th birthday on SABC2.

As another 25th TV anniversary, we'll make you feel old Gen Z by telling you that the Teletubbies will turn 25 on 31 March. Happy quarter-life crisis Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po!

20. Law & Order

"Dum-Dum". No word yet on where South African viewers will see the revival and reboot of the iconic American procedural series but in 2022 the American criminal system "where the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders" are back for a 21st season.

Multiple former cast members will be back to reprise their roles like Sam Waterson, Anthony Anderson and S. Epetha Merkerson, with Camryn Manheim joining in a new role. The season will start on 24 February in America.

We'll throw in here as a bonus the return of the comedy series Frasier with Kelsey Grammer sometime this year as well. Coming to Paramount+, there's no word yet on where South African viewers will get to see Frasier, Niles and Daphne again.

21. New brooms

South African television enters 2022 with several new TV bosses, sitting in new seats with new titles. As much as their job is to preserve the status quo of the content collections they manage, they will also want to bring their own stamp to bear on the existing and upcoming content slates under their care.

At MultiChoice, Georginah Machiridza is the pay-TV operator's new head of content, in the position of executive head of content strategy and third-party channels.

MultiChoice promoted Nomsa Philiso as the pay-TV operator's new head of programming. Replacing Nkateko Mabaso, Nomsa Philiso's new title is MultiChoice's executive head: programming.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice appointed Shirley Adonisi as the new M-Net director for local entertainment channels replacing Nomsa Philiso in the role, with Waldimar Pelser who officially becomes the new kykNET boss from February as the M-Net director for Afrikaans channels. What new television will they collective commission in 2022 and what changes will they make?

22. (Another) SABC shake-out

At the struggling public broadcaster, a completely untenable David vs Goliath battle is playing out between the SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni against SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe and SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini, whom she both accused of allegedly being guilty of gross ANC political editorial interference.

With the ANC's next national elective conference very likely taking place by the end of this year is highly likely that either Phathiswa Magopeni, or Madoda Mxakwe and Bongumusa Makhathini will have exited the SABC.

ViacomCBS unwraps its Paramount+ video streaming service: Here are the 44 biggest announcements from Frasier and HALO to Rugrats and Trevor Noah.

by Thinus Ferreira

As the last of Hollywood's big studio-distributors to launch a global video streaming service, ViacomCBS has taken the wrapping off its plans for Paramount+ but with no news of a launch date for South Africa.

Paramount+ will include a library catalogue of 30 000 hours of shows and 50 exclusive and original new series that will debut over the next two years - including a Frasier and Rugrats series revivals and HALO - with 36 of these that will launch in 2021.

In a virtual investors' presentation done from inside a studio on Los Angeles' iconic Paramount lot, adopting the same style and format that Disney for Disney+ and Discovery Inc. used for Discovery+ the past few months, ViacomCBS executives unveiled its new Paramount+  - and with it the glut of content it plans to place on it. 

"We know how to make hits. ViacomCBS has been and remains a consistent hitmaker, across genres, across demographics, across formats and across platforms," said Bob Bakish, ViacomCBS president and CEO.

As with HBO Max, Disney+ and Star, Discovery+, as well as peacock, ViacomCBS didn't announce or say anything about a rollout date or timeframe for South Africa - Africa's most developed TV market.

Paramount+ will launch in the United States, Canada and Latin America on 4 March, the Nordics on 25 March and in Australia later in 2021.

ViacomCBS executives did however say that the plan is to aggressively launch Paramount+ globally and wants to have between 65 and 75 million global subscribers by 2024. 

That makes it highly likely that Paramount+ will eventually be made available in South Africa where it could also foreseeably be included as a tile on MultiChoice's latest DStv Explora Ultra decoder that already carries Netflix SA and Amazon Prime Video.

Paramount+ will cost $9.99 (R149.28), but a cheaper ad-supported version costing $4.99 (R74.56) will launch later this year. 

ViacomCBS said that Paramount+ will cost considerably less outside of America - very likely in order to aggressively compete with Netflix and Disney+ as the two top global subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services.

"We're leveraging the massive global reach of ViacomCBS to distribute Paramount+. We have a deep history of relationships with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and telco partners in every major market around the world," the company said.

Nicole Clemens, the head of Paramount Television Studios, said that ViacomCBS is harnessing "Paramount's incredible library to create shows that come with a built-in fanbase for Paramount+. While we have no shortage of source material, we're being very selective and strategic in choosing what IP is best positioned for modern streaming consumers".

From a Grease prequel to a fatal attraction

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies will be a TV series with both classic and new songs and a diverse cast as serve as a prequel to Grease. It will tell the story of how Frenchy's older sister Jane founded the Pink Ladies.

The film Flashdance is becoming a new drama series and will pick up from where the story left off but will be set in the present day. 

The film Love Story is also becoming a series from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage who were responsible for Gossip Girl and The O.C.

Fans of The Italian Job and The Parallax View can also look forward to series based on these iconic films. 

Fatal Attraction is also being turned into a TV series for Paramount+, described as "a deep-dive reimagining of the psychosexual thriller" that starred Glenn Close and Michael Douglas. 

An intriguing series is The Offer as a fictional series, but based on real-life, detailing the mafia-filled drama behind the making of the film The Godfather. 

The Star Trek universe is expanding with Strange New Worlds with Anson Mount as Enterprise Captain Pike, while the kids animation series, Star Trek: Prodigy has abruptly moved from Nickelodeon to Paramount+. There will also be a second season of Star Trek: Picard.

The crime procedural Criminal Minds is also revived as a TV drama series and bringing the gang back together with the same showrunner, same breaking down of the criminal psyche and catching the bad guy. "Instead of a new case each week, it will be a single, fascinating case-story told over 10 episodes each season," said Nicole Clemens.

The Real Criminal Minds will be a "true crime" documentary series where a real FBI profiler analyses real cases and real criminal behaviour, illustrated by clips that viewers will remember from the series.

Paramount+ will also do a follow-up to the miniseries Waco as part of an anthology series entitled American Tragedy. Each season of American Tragedy will tackle difficult and complicated conspiracy-riddled moments in history.

The dramedy Younger is also moving to Paramount+ for its 7th and final season.

Paramount+ will also have 6666 (working title) as a spinoff from the Yellowstone drama series that will basically tell the story of how cattle ranches started and grew in America. 

"Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666."

"The 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavour to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world-class cowboys are born and made".

Yellowstone is also getting a prequel series, Y: 1883. It will follow the Dutton family as they embark on a journey "west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana".

Mayor of Kingstown will follow the McLusky family in Kingstown "where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither".

Land Man, also set in West Texas is described as "a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs. The series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics".

"I'm listening"

"One of the most successful comedy series of all time - Frasier - is coming back," Nicole Clemens said, exclusively to Paramount+.

" The new series will have everything you love about the original: Coziness, great writing, and of course a cast led by multi-Emmy winner, Kelsey Grammer. It's nostalgic and contemporary all at once."

In a statement released at the same time, Kelsey Grammer said "having spent over 20 years of my creative life on the Paramount lot both producing shows and performing in several, I'd like to congratulate Paramount+ on its streaming world entry. I gleefully anticipate sharing the next chapter in the continuing journey of Frasier Crane".

Master Chief on the move

In an eye-popping announcement ViacomCBS also announced that its science-fiction drama series HALO based on the hugely-popular video game that would have been on Showtime is abruptly shifting to Paramount+ as an exclusive where it will launch in early-2022.

While HALO if it remained on Showtime would likely have been acquired by M-Net (DStv 101) similar to shows like Billions, it now seems as if HALO is getting locked out from international distribution similar to Disney+ shows.

HALO, filmed in Budapest where Netflix's The Witcher also shot, stars Pablo Schreiber in the role of the iconic Master Chief and Natascha McElhone playing both Dr Catherine Halsey, the creator of the Spartans soldiers, and Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history who could save the human race.

HALO is clearly Paramount+'s answer to Disney+'s The Mandalorian.

"The upcoming HALO series will weave intimate personal stories with incredible action and a lavishly imagined vision of the future," said David Nevins, Showtime Networks CEO. 

"HALO has been in production in Hungary and I can tell you it's visually stunning, totally thrilling; and significantly it offers true 4-quadrant general audience appeal. We all believe that HALO is going to be a defining show for our super-service. We see this as another example of us marshalling the finest resources of the company in service of Paramount+".

From Dexter to Ray Donovan

Paramount+ is also doing a The Man Who Fell to Earth series that will star Chiwetel Ejiofor based on the iconic science-fiction novel and film. "It tells the story of a man who arrives on Earth and reveals more about human nature than humans ever could," said Nicole Clemens.

Guilty Party is a dark comedy with Kate Beckinsale as a journalist who gets in over her head when she tries to salvage her career by investigating the story of a young woman in jail for murdering her husband. 

BET's The Game is revived with a mix of original cast and new players. It will offer an examination of black culture through the prism of American pro-football. 

The famous fixer Ray Donovan is returning, this time in a feature-length movie to wrap up the TV series, and possibly setting up a movie franchise. 

Michael C Hall also made a brief appearance during the investors' presentation with the series Dexter that is being revived as a limited series about the serial killer. The revived Dexter will however stay on Showtime.

Tyler Perry is producing All The Queen's Men for the BET+ streaming service - a new drama series revolving around the female owner of a strip club in Atlanta and her group of male strippers.

Trevor Noah working daily - and now weekly

South Africa's Trevor Noah hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central (DStv 122) is expanding his workload and appeared at the investors' presentation to announce that he is doing The Weekly Show With Trevor Noah - an initial 6 episodes that will be available on Paramount+ and that he will also be producing.

In The Weekly Show with Trevor Noah he will talk to people "behind the headlines".

Amy Schumer is returning to her original sketch comedy series and will be doing 5 Inside Amy Schumer TV specials for Paramount+. The comedy series Reno: 911! is revived with Reno: 911! The Hunt for QAnon based on the original series.

The MTV animation characters Beavis & Butt-head are coming to Paramount+ in a new and as-yet-untitled feature film, as will a film based on the Comedy Central series Workaholics.

The Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl is making a non-scripted series for Paramount+ based on his mother's book with the 6-episode programme that will tell the stories of the special relationship between successful musicians and their mothers. 

Paramount+ will also roll out several new MTV Unplugged specials and is also reviving its music documentary series, Behind the Music.

Crazy kids

Meanwhile the original voice cast of the kids animation series Rugrats is returning for a revival series on Paramount+.

"Rugrats is one of the most iconic cartoons recognized by fans around the globe, and this original version is one we are taking great care and pride in creating for a brand-new audience," said Ramsey Naito, president of Nickelodeon Animation. 

ViacomCBS is creating Avatar Studios that will be entirely dedicated to creating content based on the animation series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. with new series and films that will be created telling these stories further.

Get ready for a Dora the Explorer live-action series based on the iconic character and aimed at an older kids audience aged 6 to 11, as well as an iCarly revival series in which the original cast members Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress and Jerry Trainor join new friends for a look at their characters' present-day lives, adventures and comedic mishaps.

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years is the first-ever SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff series with the new series that will take viewers back to when the iconic characters of Bikini Bottom met for the very first time in a summer camp like no other.

The Fairly OddParents is a live-action revival of the long-running Nickelodeon animation series.

Reality

RuPaul’s Drag Race is getting a singing competition spinoff at Paramount+ entitled Queen of the Universe in which drag queens from all around the world will compete to see who sings the best.

The Real World reality series is also being revived with the original cast and will now be entitled The Real World Homecoming: New York as a "multi-episode docuseries".

The reality series Road Rules is also being revived in which strangers are dropped in a far-flung location, have to live in motorhomes and complete challenges as they drive from location to location.

The Challenge: All Stars will see former contestants of the reality series Real World and Road Rules return to compete again.

The tattoo reality series Ink Master that was cancelled last year is also being revived and will now continue on Paramount+, with the reality dating series Dating Naked that was cancelled in 2017 that is also being brought back for new episodes for the streaming service.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read - 28 July 2020.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:


■ Cape Town musician (48) who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a man (21) for 7 years didn't want eNCA (DStv 403) to film the court proceedings.

■ WarnerMedia is investigating the Ellen DeGeneres Show and its toxic work environment.
Warner Bros Television doesn't want to talk about it or the alleged racism and intimidation on set.


■ Netflix's new Transformers too dark.
Transformers: War for Cybertron Chapter 1: Siege animation series is a thin, rushed story.

■ Epidemic-themed films and TV series on the rise in China because of Covid-19.
- Sløborn - the German-Danish TV series that was filmed in 2019 and foresaw Covid-19.
- A Covid-19 vaccine drama also in development at HBO.

■ Vince McMahon explains the declining viewership of WWE wrestling.

■ What it's like being black in the British TV industry.
- TV pledged to improve diversity before. Is this time different?

■ Is watching reality TV really all that bad for you?

■ British government plans to ban junk-food TV commercials before 9pm in the United Kingdom.
- Could force deep cuts at TV channels already struggling with revenue because of Covid-19.

■ Nostalgic TV revivals lean into a generational divide.
Just who are these new TV adaptations of 1990's book series actually for?

■ Veteran Uganda journalist Basajja Mivula arrested at Baba TV.
- Dictatorial Uganda government also arrest 4 comedians over YouTube skit criticising the government.

■ Oprah Winfrey to discuss race in America in a new series, The Oprah Conversation, for Apple TV+.

■ Filthy mouth: Upcoming Chucky horror series has the most "f-'s' on TV to give.
- Raspy trash-talker Brad Dourif back to voice the evil doll.

■ Halo TV series well into filming of the first season.

■ "Free Netflix for a Year" phishing scam will hijack your bank account.
- Meanwhile paying Netflix on time raises your credit score.

■ As mom cries, teenager spends thousands on ...

Halo TV series announces 6 cast members, hints that Master Chief's helmet might come off in the science fiction drama.

The Halo TV series from Showtime, distributed globally by CBS Studios International, has announced 6 cast members, and is hinting that the iconic Master Chief's helmet might come off in the new science fiction series.

On Friday Halo announced that Natascha McElhone, Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Amzi, Bentley Kalu, Natasha Culzac, and Kate Kennedy have been cast in the science fiction drama series based on the hugely popular video game.

They join Pablo Schreiber who has already been cast in the iconic role of Master Chief as Earth's most advanced warrior in the 26th century, and Yerin Ha who will appear as a new character named Kwan Ha, a shrewd, audacious 16-year-old from the Outer Colonies who meets Master Chief at a fateful time for them both.

The 9-episode Halo will start production later this year in Budapest where The Witcher coming to Netflix was also filmed, with Halo that will start to broadcast in early-2021.

With CBS Studios International distributing worldwide, it's highly likely that Halo will end up being shown on M-Net (DStv 101) in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service and its subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) offering Showmax from its Connected Video division.

In the Halo TV series Natascha McElhone will appear as two characters - Dr Catherine Halsey, the creator of the Spartan supersoldiers, and well as the iconic Cortana, the most advanced artificial intelligence in human history who holds a key to the survival of the race.

Bokeem Woodbine will play Soren-066, a privateer at the fringes of human civilisation whose fate will bring him into conflict with his former military masters as well as his old friend, the Master Chief.

Shabana Azmi will play Admiral Margaret Parangosky, the head of the Office of Naval Intelligence.

The British actor Bentley Kalu will play one of 3 new characters in the Halo TV series and appear as Spartan Vannak-134, a cybernetically augmented supersoldier conscripted at childhood who serves as the deputy to the Master Chief.

The British actor Natasha Culzac will appear in the role of Spartan Riz-028. a focused, professional and deadly, cybernetically enhanced killing machine.

Kate Kennedy will appear in the role of Spartan Kai-125, a courageous, curious, and deadly Spartan supersoldier.

Kyle Killen and Steve Kane are co-showrunners and executive producers, while Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of Amblin Television will also executive produce along with series director Otto Bathurst and Toby Leslie for One Big Picture, Scott Pennington for Chapter Eleven, and Karen Richards.

Halo is produced by Showtime in partnership with 343 Industries and Amblin Television.

Halo finds its Master Chief in Pablo Schreiner for its live-action TV drama series; adds Australian actress Yerin Ha as a new female character, Quan Ah.

The producers of Halo have cast Pablo Schreiber as its Master Chief in the live-action TV show based on the hugely popular video game, with Yerin Ha who will also be joining the drama series as a new female character, Quan Ah in the Halo universe.

The drama series from Showtime, based on the iconic Xbox video game franchise has cast Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, Earth's most advanced warrior in the 26th century.

The Master Chief is the only hope of salvation for a civilization pushed to the brink of destruction by the Covenant, an unstoppable alliance of alien worlds committed to the destruction of humanity.

The Australian actress Yerin Ha will play a new character within the Halo world: Quan Ah, a shrewd, audacious 16-year-old from the Outer Colonies who meets Master Chief at a fateful time for them both.

Halo is produced by Showtime in partnership with 343 Industries, along with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and will begin production around September 2019 in Budapest, Hungary.

Halo will be distributed internationally by CBS Studios International.

That makes it extremely likely that the drama series will end up in South Africa and Africa shown on M-Net (DStv 101) and MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax.

The Halo producers in a statement says "Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future".

Kyle Killen and Steven Kane are serving as co-showrunners and executive producers.

Halo is also executive produced by Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin Television in partnership with 343 Industries. The director will be Otto Bathurst and Toby Leslie for One Big Picture, Scott Pennington for Chapter Eleven, and Karen Richards.

Otto Bathurst to direct Showtime's science fiction series, Halo; production on the 9-episode first season to start later in 2019.

Otto Bathurst will be the director and executive producer of the science fiction series, Halo that Showtime will produce later in 2019 based on the hugely successful video game series.

Halo now has a 9-episode first season order, with Kyle Killen who will also be serving as executive producer, as well as writer and showrunner.

Otto Bathurst will helm multiple episodes of the live-action series that Showtime is producing in partnership with 343 Industries, along with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television.

No international or South African broadcaster has yet been announced but it's very likely that M-Net (DStv 101) will eventually grab Halo for South Africa and Africa where several other Showtime drama series reside on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

Halo will be distributed globally by CBS Studios International.

Halo will begin production later this year.

In a statement Showtime says "Halo will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant."

"Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future".

Halo video game finally picked up as a live-action, science fiction drama series with a 10-episode first season order.

The popular Halo video game is finally set to become a new TV series with the American TV channel Showtime that has picked up Halo for a first season of 10 episodes 5 years after the first announcement was made.

In May 2013 Microsoft announced that Halo is becoming a TV series for Xbox and a year later in May 2014 said it's working with Showtime to do a duel-type deal where episodes would be on the game console and on the TV channel.

That botched Halo announcement went nowhere after Microsoft and Xbox's plans for producing original content flamed out.

Now Showtime has announced that it will broadcast 10 episodes of a live-action scripted drama version of Halo with Kyle Killen as executive producer, writer and showrunner and with production that will start in early 2019.

"Halo is our most ambitious series ever, and we expect audiences who have been anticipating it for years to be thoroughly rewarded," says David Nevins, Showtime CEO, in a statement.

"In the history of television, there simply has never been enough great science fiction. Kyle Killen's scripts are thrilling, expansive and provocative; Rupert Wyatt is a wonderful, world-building director; and their vision of Halo will enthrall fans of the game while also drawing the uninitiated into a world of complex characters that populate this unique universe."

Halo, set in the 26th century, will "dramatise an epic conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant" and weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future".

Halo TV series from Steven Spielberg set to start in early 2015 in America.

The live action TV series Halo executive produced by Steven Spielberg that Microsoft announced exactly a year ago is coming to its Xbox game console and television, is set to start on television in America early 2015.

Microsoft is working on a deal with the Showtime TV channel in America for Halo for the series to start its episodes on TV first, before being rolled out on the new Xbox One game console as well.

Halo is executive produced by Steven Spielberg and game maker 343 Studios. The project comes from Nancy Tellem, who runs XBox Entertainment Studios which will bring the futuristic world of Master Chief to life.

The Halo TV series will be its one stand-alone stor but will also complement and enrich the game experience of the Halo game series, Bonnie Ross, the general manager of 343 Industries wrote on Friday on a blog posting.

There's already been four Halo games, and a fifth, Halo 5: Guardians, will be released at the same time as the new Halo TV series.

BREAKING. Halo becoming a TV series from Steven Spielberg produced for Microsoft's XBox.

The hugely successful Halo video game is becoming a live-action TV series executive produced by Steven Spielberg specifically for Microsoft's XBox.

The announcement of Halo The Television Series and the video game franchise being turned into a TV science fiction action drama was just made by Microsoft during the launch and unveiling of Microsoft's new XBox One console taking place in America and the United Kingdom at the same time.

Halo will be produced by Steven Spielberg and game maker 343 Studios. The project comes from Nancy Tellem, who runs XBox Entertainment Studios which will now bring the futuristic world of Master Chief to life.

Steven Spielberg says that he is "excited to be involved with the heroes, worlds, and wonders that Halo will take us to." 

"For me, the Halo universe is an amazing opportunity for the intersection of mythmaking and technology."

The BBC confuses The United Nations Security Council with the video game Halo and Space Command.

Don't blame Master Chief John-177 - it's the BBC's own mistake.

The BBC doesn't seem sure which is the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and which is the video game Halo's United Nations Space Command (UNSC).

The on-air graphics grabber responsible for this gaffe is clearly another of those junior-level employees of the "Google images cut-and-paste" variety who doesn't know or really care for the news and have the general knowledge of a rock.

In a hard news report by the BBC on Syria, the gold and black logo for the fictional United Nations Space Command embarrasingly showed up - clearly grabbed and in a massive fail, passing through all the relevant control checks at the BBC to make it on air instead of the real logo of the United Nations Security Council (right).

Nobody with a modicum of general knowledge - either of news or the world - or who works in news, and especially in the visual representation of news, should ever be making a mistake like this.