TV briefs: Ebony Steele cast on new talk show; John Walsh moves to HLN, new Atlanta TV shows
This was posted on Friday, July 21, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Atlanta's Ebony Steele, formerly of "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show," has landed a gig on a syndicated daily talk show called "The Daily Blast Live," which will air at 2 p.m. weekdays on 11Alive, the local NBC affiliate starting September 11.
The show will replace "T.D. Jakes Show," which lasted on season.
"The Daily Blast" is owned by TEGNA, which also owns WXIA-TV.
According to the press release, the show will "also be streamed live across social platforms [such as Facebook] as a part of a first-of-its-kind, innovative format that enables viewers across the country to participate in the show’s conversation by sharing their reactions and opinions on stories, voting on content and interacting with the hosts in real-time."
Here is the rest of the cast:
- Erica Cobb: a seasoned correspondent and football fanatic who has been heard on radio stations spanning the Chicago, Denver and Sacramento areas, Cobb has also appeared as a football pre-game correspondent for several television stations, including Denver's TEGNA-owned NBC affiliate, 9NEWS (KUSA). Follow on Twitter @EricaCobbMedia
- Tracey Gold: the actress who started her on-screen career at the early age of 4 and later landed the role of Carol Seaver in the popular 1980's sitcom "Growing Pains." Follow on Twitter @TheTraceyGold
- Al Jackson: the stand-up comedian, writer and TV/radio personality is widely known for his "Comedy Central Presents: Al Jackson" special and hosting role on BBC's "Officially Amazing" series. Follow on Twitter @aljackson
- Sam Schacher: a broadcast journalist who previously appeared on CNN, was a co-host on HLN's "Dr. Drew" and contributed to the Huffington Post. She has also hosted and produced the popular internet show, Pop Trigger, since 2012. Follow on Twitter @SamSchacher
- Jeff Schroeder: the reality TV veteran who has appeared on "Big Brother," "Amazing Race" and "Marriage Boot Camp." He conducts the post-interviews online for "Big Brother," the show where he met his wife. Follow on Twitter @jeffschroeder23
- Tory Shulman: a stand-up comic and UCB Improviser who is the Pop Culture Correspondent at FOX LA and the co-host on "Sam in the Morning," airing on LA Talk Radio. She's also been an on-air host for ReelzChannel. Follow on Twitter @iamtoryshulman
- Jen Widerstrom: a fitness expert, life coach, best-selling author and cover model who was the undefeated trainer on "The Biggest Loser" and currently serves on the advisory board for SHAPE Magazine. Follow on Twitter @JenWiderstrom
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John Walsh's show "The Hunt" has moved from CNN to HLN for its fourth season.
The show is a more stylized version of what he used to with "America's Most Wanted" and fits with HLN's more crime-focused schedule. There will be 16 episodes beginning Sunday, July 30 at 8 p.m. The third season was simulcast on CNN and HLN.
Each episode focuses on a long-running fugitive with hopes that the publicity will create new leads. To date, eight cases have been resolved after "The Hunt" aired.
Episodes will stream live for subscribers on CNNgo (at www.CNN.com/go and via CNNgo apps for AppleTV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Samsung TV) and on the CNN mobile app for iOS and Android. Episodes will also be available on HLN on demand the day after each premiere on cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms and CNN mobile apps.
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The season after "Vampire Diaries" was retired, the CW is shooting a record four shows in metro Atlanta for the 2017-18 season: "The Originals," "Dynasty," "Valor" and "Black Lightning."
Cress Williams plays "Black Lightning," who had retired as a superhero but with the rise of mayhem in the city feels compelled to return to his crime-fighting ways. Former Atlantan China Anne McClain is one of the stars who plays his youngest daughter.
Here's the trailer for "Black Lightning," which is based on a DC Comics character.
"Dynasty" is a reboot of the original version while "Valor" is a military drama with the following descriptive:
The boundaries between military discipline and human desire are tested on a U.S. Army base that houses an elite unit of helicopter pilots trained to perform clandestine international and domestic missions. The drama unfolds in the present as well as in flashbacks to a failed mission involving one of the first female pilots in the unit, ultimately uncovering layers of personal and government/military secrets and leading to a season-long plan to rescue a group of MIA soldiers.
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Over at Fox, the network has chosen to shoot "The Gifted" and "The Resident' in Atlanta along with the second season of "Star." So like last season, the network has three shows in the area. Last season, "Sleepy Hollow" and "24: Legacy" were shot here but both shows failed to make the cut in 2017-18.
Here's a teaser for "The Gifted," another Marvel Comics drama connected to the "X-Men" series. It stars Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker as ordinary parents who take their family on the run after they discover their children's mutant abilities.
And here's the trailer for "The Resident," which looks like a conventional medical drama.
The show centers on a tough, brilliant senior resident who guides an idealistic young doctor through his first day, pulling back the curtain on what really happens, both good and bad, in modern-day medicine.
The total number of broadcast dramas being shot this upcoming season in metro Atlanta is nine the most ever: four on the CW, three on Fox and one each at ABC ("The Gospel of Kevin") and CBS ( season two of "MacGyver").
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
