NBC’s ‘This Is Us’ show an antidote for the Trump era

Royal pay gap?

LOS ANGELES, March 14, (RTRS): Just hours before Tuesday’s anticipated season finale, the cast and creator of NBC’s “This is Us” gathered in front of a standing room-only audience at SXSW to reflect on the show’s universal success in the midst of a politically divisive era.

“I’m watching everything that is going on in the country and I’m going, ‘What on earth is going on right now?’” series creator Dan Fogelman said. “The fact that people across all spectrums of life are happy with a show that’s this openhearted and optimistic and romantic and inclusive, it gives me hope that maybe other stuff is going to fade away, or at least evolve.”

Mandy Moore, who plays Pearson family matriarch Rebecca, was quick to back up her boss’ sentiment saying, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, in such a divisive time, to be a part of entertainment that is hopeful and inclusive.”

After working in the industry for more than two decades, it’s this sense of perspective Moore tries to inspire in her on-screen kids, too. Whether it’s on set or during career milestones like the cast’s ensemble win during January’s SAG Awards, Moore says she’s tries to remind the younger castmates not to take this kind of success for granted.

“This is a big moment,” she tells her colleagues. “Be present and appreciate it cause we’ve been working for a long time in this business and these moments don’t come around.”

For now, however, those teary-eyed Pearson moments will be around a little longer. After a season of dramatic lows (homeless foster kids, substance abuse), heartwarming highs (engagements, Las Vegas), and one record-breaking Super Bowl episode (more than 27 million viewers), fans can rest easy knowing the clan will return for an emotionally charged third season.

Though Fogelman was tight lipped about what’s next for the beloved family, he did reveal that the writers would continue bringing the storyline into the future, a la that aforementioned Super Bowl episode.

What fans can certainly expect, however, is more screen time between on-screen brothers Justin Hartley and Sterling K. Brown. As much as the audience enjoys watching the heavyweight actors banter on screen, Fogelman says he too enjoys the special dynamic between the fictional brothers.

“I love watching Justin and Sterling on camera together. There is something so real about them as brothers,” he said.

As for Hartley, he says the success of the show — whether it’s between actors or otherwise — begins on the page.

“I find a lot of comfort in the writing,” he said. “When you have that confidence in your writers and producers, you just jump.”

Even royals, it seems, may suffer from the gender pay gap.

British actress Claire Foy, who starred as a young Queen Elizabeth in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “The Crown,” was paid less than her co-star, Matt Smith, according to the television show’s producers.

In the latest example of pay disparity in the entertainment industry, Hollywood trade publication Variety reported on Tuesday that “The Crown” producers

Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie told a television industry conference in Jerusalem that Smith, who played a young Prince Philip, was paid more than Foy for the first two seasons of the show.

Foy, 33, won a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild awards for her nuanced portrayal of Britain’s monarch in the 1950s and 1960s. Smith, 35, was not similarly honored.

The pay difference was due to Smith coming into the show after a six-year stint as “Dr. Who” on television - one of Britain’s most popular shows, the producers said. They did not give details of the gap.

The producers said they would rectify that in the future, Variety reported.

“Going forward, no one gets paid more than the queen,” Variety quoted Mackie as saying.

Foy, however, will not be reprising her role as Queen Elizabeth. British actress

is stepping in to play the older monarch as upcoming Season 3 of the show moves into the 1970s. Prince Philip will also be played by a different actor.

Netflix Inc declined to comment on actor salaries. Representatives for Foy and Smith did not return requests for comment on Tuesday.

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LOS ANGELES: CNBC is joining TV’s revival bandwagon, setting a pact with Endemol Shine North America for new episodes of the game show “Deal or No Deal.”

Howie Mandel will be back as host of the show that aired from 2005 through 2009 in primetime on NBC. CNBC said the show was scheduled to debut in the fourth quarter of this year. It’s unclear if the new “Deal” will be a nightly or weekly addition to the business news cabler’s primetime lineup.

“Our primetime programs, with their focus on business and money, strive to be both entertaining and instructive. Shows like ‘The Profit’ and ‘Shark Tank’ are built around high stakes and high rewards. Those same elements live at the heart of ‘Deal or No Deal,’ which is why we believe it to be a perfect fit,” said CNBC chairman Mark Hoffman. “Today’s announcement confirms our deep commitment to primetime, strengthening our line-up, by adding one of the most successful game shows of all time along with the popular, original host, Howie Mandel.”

Scott St. John will also return as showrunner and executive producer along with Mandel. The show hails from Endemol Shine’s Truly Original banner, with Steven

Weinstock and Glenda Hersh also serving as exec producers.

LOS ANGELES: ABC has renewed four of its franchise reality shows — “The Bachelor,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” and “Child Support.”

The pickups for the first three come as no surprise, as the shows have formed the bedrock of ABC’s in-season unscripted strategy for more than a decade. “The Bachelor” ended its 22nd season in trademark shocking fashion last week with titular single man Arie Luyendyk Jr. proposing to one contestant, withdrawing said proposal, then proposing to another contestant. The season averaged a 1.7 Nielsen live-plus-same day rating in the 18-49 demo and 6.3 million viewers. The current season of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” is averaging a 1.0 and 5.1 million viewers. The most recent season of “Dancing With the Stars” is averaging a 1.4 and 9.3 million viewers. Game show “Child Support,” with Fred

Savage and Ricky Gervais, premiered in January, averaging a 0.7 and 3.7 million viewers in its first season.