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Mike Myers will play multiple characters for upcoming Netflix show
Mike Myers is getting his own original show on Netflix. Not much is known about the project at this point, other than it will be a limited series consist of six episodes and will star the former Saturday Night Live castmate. Myers, dipping back into his sketch comedy roots, plans to play multiple characters. He will also slot in as one of the show's executive producers.
Censors pull 'BoJack Horseman' two days after Chinese debut
Two days after its debut on China's iQiyi streaming service, Netflix's critically acclaimed animated show BoJack Horseman is no longer on the platform. The move is a blow to Netflix's ongoing attempts to gain a foothold in the region, which stretch back to 2014 when it began licensing shows to LeEco. Seeing as strict regulation has kept western streaming giants from entering into China, Netflix's deal with iQiyi (unveiled in April) was seen as a viable alternative.
Netflix's next original series is a collaboration with Canada's Rogers
Video-streaming titan Netflix is set to continue its original production efforts with Between, an upcoming six-episode drama series. The story will be produced in partnership with Shomi, a video on-demand service from Canadian wireless carrier Rogers; and City, a television station based out of Toronto. Strangely enough, when Shomi's VOD offering was launched roughly a couple of months ago, it was pegged as a direct competitor to Netflix -- though that's clearly not going to be the case. Plot-wise, Between follows the story of a strange disease in a small town that has abolished everyone under 21 years old, and was created by Canada's own Michael McGowan, director of Still Mine and One Week, among other relatively popular indie films. No definite timing yet, but the series is going to premiere on Shomi and City in Canada, while the rest of the world will be able to catch it on Netflix.
Netflix signs Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin to original series, but what about Dolly?
When Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton came together to form the holy trinity of dark comedy in 1980's 9 to 5, VHS was still relatively young. Fast-forward 34 years and your VCR (if you still have one) is likely covered in dust and cobwebs, but the star power of those three women hasn't faded. Netflix, the company arguably responsible for the death of the video store, is bringing Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda together again for yet another original series called Grace and Frankie. The comedy, which shares a creator with Friends, will run 13, 30-minute episodes, and finds Grace (Fonda) and Frankie (Tomlin) as bitter rivals brought together when their husbands fall in love and announce plans to get married. Netflix has seen previous success with original hit series like Orange is the New Black and Emmy-award-wining House of Cards, and recently announced that it surpassed HBO in paid US subscribers. There are no specifics on an airdate for Grace and Frankie, or whether Dolly Parton will appear in a cameo (please, oh pop culture gods!), but Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer, has called it "anything but wholesome." Fingers crossed that means we'll see Fonda returning to her roots with some Barbarella-esque oddity. (Images: AP / Getty)
Lilyhammer (or: 'Silvio in Norway') now streaming on Netflix
Lilyhammer, Netflix's first original series (shortly to be followed by the probably awful remake of House of Cards and Arrested Development season four) commenced streaming today. Little Steven (Van Zandt, of E-Street Band and Sopranos fame) plays wholly against type as a mafioso despatched by the witness protection program to Lillehammer. Unlike the HBOs and AMCs of this world, you'll be able to binge-watch the whole show as soon as you get in from work, just make sure the under-18s are in bed before you begin as freed from the network censors, it's a little coarse. Oh, and if you're wondering, those of us in the know have decided to nickname the show "Paulie Silvio in Norway," in the hopes that it'll catch on before the already confirmed season two begins filming.
