Netflix Orders Six New Natural History Documentary Shows, Including Morgan Freeman-Narrated ‘Our Universe’ (TV News Roundup)

Netflix has announced six upcoming natural history documentary series, starting with “Our Universe,” narrated by Morgan Freeman, on November 22. The shows all focus on different aspects of the natural world, from an expansive look into the universe’s origins, to life on planet Earth and how its oceans operate and exist.

Additional new series include a continuation of 2019’s “Our Planet” with “Our Planet II,” and natural historian David Attenborough is once again slated to narrate the new series. Netflix said that more than 100 million households have watched the original “Our Planet” since it was released in April 2019.

The six new series are listed below:

“Our Universe” – Premieres November 22

• Narrated by Morgan Freeman
• Executive Producer: Andrew Cohen
• Showrunner: Mike Davis
• Production Company: BBC Studios
• Format: 6 episodes, 45 minutes each

“Our Planet II” – Coming 2023

• Narrated by David Attenborough
• Series Producer: Huw Cordey
• Executive Producers: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey
• Production Company: Silverback Films
• Format: 4 episodes, 50 minutes each

“Life on Our Planet” – Coming 2023

• Narrated by Morgan Freeman
• Series Producers: Dan Tapster, Keith Scholey, Alastair Fothergill
• Executive producers: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey
• Production Companies: Silverback Films, Amblin Television
• Format: 8 episodes, 60 minutes

“Our Oceans” – Coming 2024

• Series Producer: Jonathan Smith
• Executive Producer: James Honeyborne
• Production Companies: Freeborne Media, Wild Space Productions
• Format: 5 episodes, 60 minutes each

“Our Living World” – Coming 2024

• Series Producer: Ben Roy
• Executive Producer: James Honeyborne
• Production Companies: Freeborne Media, Wild Space Productions
• Format: 4 episodes, 45 minutes each

“Our Water World” – Coming 2025

• Series Producer: Jackie Garbutt
• Executive Producer: James Honeyborne
• Production Companies: Freeborne Media, Wild Space Productions
• Format: 5 episodes, 60 minutes each

Also in today’s television news:

TRAILERS

“Mayor of Kingstown” will return for its second season on Paramount+ on Sunday, January 15. The show will launch first in U.S. and Canada, and the following day in the U.K. and Australia. A teaser was also shared, featuring series stars Jeremy Renner and Dianne Wiest, previewing the aftermath of the prison riot from the first season’s finale.

The show comes from co-creators Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon. The series also stars Dillon, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Tobi Bamtefa, Derek Webster, Nishi Munshi, Hamish Allan-Headley and Aidan Gillen.

Check out the teaser below.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3qjd2fDpAQg%3Fversion%3D3%26%23038%3Brel%3D1%26%23038%3Bshowsearch%3D0%26%23038%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26%23038%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26%23038%3Bfs%3D1%26%23038%3Bhl%3Den-US%26%23038%3Bautohide%3D2%26%23038%3Bwmode%3Dtransparent

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HBO has released the official trailer for the eight-episode third and final season of “His Dark Materials,” which returns Monday, December 5 with two back-to-back episodes on HBO. Two new episodes will debut each week leading up to the series finale on December 26.

For the final season, which is based on Philip Pullman’s “The Amber Spyglass,” Lyra (Dafne Keen), the prophesied child, and Will (Amir Wilson), the bearer of The Subtle Knife, journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned. As her father’s great war against the Authority edges closer, they learn that saving the world comes at a significant cost.

The cast for the new season and the characters they portray include Dafne Keen as Lyra, Amir Wilson as Will, Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter, James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, Simone Kirby as Mary Malone, Will Keen as Father President McPhail, Jade Anouka as Ruta Skadi, Ruta Gedminstas as Serafina Pekkala, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Commander Ogunwe, Jamie Ward as Father Gomez, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Simon Harrison and Chipo Chung as the rebel angels Balthamos, Baruch and Xaphania and Amber Fitzgerald-Woolfe as Ama. Guest stars include Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby and Andrew Scott as Jopari.

Check out the trailer below.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I3xN5I1XnRc%3Fversion%3D3%26%23038%3Brel%3D1%26%23038%3Bshowsearch%3D0%26%23038%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26%23038%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26%23038%3Bfs%3D1%26%23038%3Bhl%3Den-US%26%23038%3Bautohide%3D2%26%23038%3Bwmode%3Dtransparent

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Prime Video announced the premiere date of December 2 and shared a trailer for the Amazon Original scripted series “Three Pines,” starring Alfred Molina and adapted from Louise Penny’s “Chief Inspector Gamache” series.

The eight-episode drama series follows Molina’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he investigates cases that happen beneath the idyllic surface of the Quebec village of Three Pines, finding long-buried secrets while facing a few of his own ghosts. The first two episodes will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Greenland, with two new episodes releasing weekly until the finale on December 23.

Additional cast includes Marie-France Lambert, Frank Schorpion, Marcel Jeannin, Georgina Lynn Lightning, Crystle Lightning, Isabel Deroy-Olson and Anna Lambe.

Check out the trailer below.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=HKwmvW4Nt54%3Fversion%3D3%26%23038%3Brel%3D1%26%23038%3Bshowsearch%3D0%26%23038%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26%23038%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26%23038%3Bfs%3D1%26%23038%3Bhl%3Den-US%26%23038%3Bautohide%3D2%26%23038%3Bwmode%3Dtransparent

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Apple TV+ revealed the trailer for new animated series “Interrupting Chicken,” premiering Friday, November 18. Based on the 2011 book series written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, “Interrupting Chicken” is an animated preschool series that introduces children to the joy of creative writing, starting with a young little chicken named Piper who has a habit of interrupting story time.

The series stars Sterling K. Brown, Juliet Donenfeld, Sarah Elizabeth Thompson, Maximus Riegel, Luke Lowe, Jakari Fraser and more. The show was developed by Ron Holsey, who also serves as executive producer.

In addition to the series launch, Apple TV+ will debut its complementary holiday special, “A Chicken Carol,” globally on Friday, December 2 as part of the platform’s lineup of festive family fare.

Check out the trailer below.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fny8ZgcMx34%3Fversion%3D3%26%23038%3Brel%3D1%26%23038%3Bshowsearch%3D0%26%23038%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26%23038%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26%23038%3Bfs%3D1%26%23038%3Bhl%3Den-US%26%23038%3Bautohide%3D2%26%23038%3Bwmode%3Dtransparent

SERIES

ABC has picked up a new unscripted comedy series titled “The Prank Panel,” which will come to the network in 2023. The premise of the show lets regular people pitch pranks that targets family members, friends and co-workers to a panel of the world’s greatest pranksters, including Johnny Knoxville, Eric Andre and Gabourey Sidibe.

“The Prank Panel” is produced by Kimmelot and ITV America. Executive producers include Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, Jimmy Kimmel and Scott Lonker for Kimmelot, Knoxville and Andre along with Jordana Hochman, Bernie Schaeffer and Vin Rubino for ITV America. A premiere date will be announced at a later time.

RATINGS

On part two of its two-part crossover with “The Rookie,” ABC’s “The Rookie: Feds” surpassed the prior week’s telecast 17% in total viewers (4.1 million vs. 3.5 million) to draw its biggest audience since the show’s series debut on September 27. The new ABC drama also grew over the prior week by 25% among Adults 18-49 (0.5/5 vs. 0.4/4).

After seven days of viewing across linear and digital platforms, “The Rookie: Feds” gained an additional 4 million viewers to hit 6 million total viewers – triple its initial Live and Same Day audience (+200% vs. 2 million). In addition, “The Rookie: Feds” spiked by +353% among Adults 18-49 (0.30 rating to 1.36 rating).

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Hallmark Channel reports that the second week of its “Countdown to Christmas” programming made it the most-watched entertainment cable network of the week in total day among key demos, including households, women 18+, women 25-54, total viewers and more. The network’s Saturday night premiere “Jolly Good Christmas” became the most-watched entertainment cable program of the week among Households, women 18+ and total viewers, with Friday night’s “A Cozy Christmas Inn” registering as the second most-watched.

Additional ratings news includes “Jolly Good Christmas,” “A Cozy Christmas Inn” and “Ghosts of Christmas Always” becoming the top three most-watched entertainment cable programs of the week among women 18+. The network notched No. 1 placement for total day and primetime, along with the weekend in total day among households, women 18+, total viewers, women 25-54 and women 18-49. To date, Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” and “Miracles of Christmas” programming has notched 19.4 million unduplicated views during the early part of the holiday season.

PROGRAMMING

Swerve TV announced that 14 new distributors have added the FAST channel. Swerve Sports, a free movie network devoted to sports and athletes, can now be found on connected devices such as Roku along with app-based FAST services including FuboTV, Sling TV, The Roku Channel and more. Swerve has shared that viewership has surpassed more than one million hours per quarter.

Some of the network’s most prominent programming has included Peter Berg’s docuseries “QB1: Beyond the Lights,” “In Search of Greatness, “Reese” and more.

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