TV stories I missed while away: Erica Hill, Jovita Moore, Jerry Carnes, 'The Last O.G.,' John Walsh

Posted Monday, April 23, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog

I was gone for two weeks. Naturally, I missed a bunch of news.

Here are some other notable Atlanta-connected news bits:

• CNN is bringing Erica Hill back from sister station HLN as a fill-in anchor and national correspondent. She has been an HLN anchor the past two years. Hill has already been doing some fill-in work at CNN in recent months. She worked at CNN from 2003 to 2010, then moved to NBC and CBS News before going to HLN in 2016. Hill is based in New York.

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: John Walsh attends the Discovery Upfront 2018 at the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on April 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Discovery)

• John Walsh has left HLN and his show "The Hunt" which first aired on CNN and is going to Investigation Discovery with "In Pursuit." "The Hunt" lasted five seasons on CNN, then HLN.

• Bravo renewed three Atlanta-based shows "Married to Medicine" and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," along with the previously reported "Don't Be Tardy." The network is also bringing a new Atlanta-based show to the fore "Buying it Blind."  The concept: couples allow a team of industry experts to pick a home for them to buy, then renovate without viewing the property prior to purchase.

• Jerry Carnes, the Commuter Dude on 11Alive for the past couple of years, is going to be "The Why Guy" instead. He will answer broad-based "why" questions. Examples: Why aren't there seatbelts on all school buses and why are taxes due on April 15? Commuter Dude is gone conceptually but Carnes said he will continue to answer traffic-related questions in his new role.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Kyle Chandler attends the premiere of A24 and DirecTV's "The Vanishing Of Sidney Hall" at ArcLight Hollywood on February 22, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

• UGA grad Kyle Chandler - last seen starring in Netflix's "Bloodline" - has been tapped as the lead opposite Christopher Abbott on the Hulu drama "Catch-22," based on the Joseph Heller novel. George Clooney was originally going to take the role but is now moving to a supporting role to focus on directing and producing duties.

• Atlanta-based TBS has renewed "The Last O.G.," its biggest original comedic scripted series to date starring the red-hot Tiffany Haddish and the comeback kid Tracy Morgan. TBS said it has drawn 25 million viewers on multiple platforms to date.  It also renewed "The Search Party" for a third season. Among cable comedies, "The Last O.G." is No. 1 and the biggest comedy debut in three years on cable. "I would like to thank God, my family, the fans and TBS and everyone that has been given a second chance. We love you!!!" said Morgan in a press release.

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Dr. Sanjay Gupta attends the launch of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, an unprecedented collaboration between the country's leading immunologists and cancer centers on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images)

• CNN renewed several series including Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown," "United Shades of America" with W. Kamau Bell and "This is Life With Lisa Ling." It has also added an original series with Atlanta-based Sanjay Gupta called "Chasing Life with Sanjay Gupta" where he travels the world seeking life-lengthening strategies. Other new shows feature Richard Nixon, the Bushes, an historical fashion series, a look at Detroit in the early 1960s and a Van Jones series where victims (or surviving family members) meet their offender.

Jovita Moore wins her first best anchor Emmy after five tries. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com