‘Jane the Virgin’ and ‘iZombie’ say goodbye
Abeloved telenovela and a charming zombie comedy come to an end, a British rom-com gets the series treatment and a sketch show makes history.
dispatches: Weekly TV news
• “Friends” is celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall with an immersive pop-up experience in New York City. The space will offer memorable settings from the show including a recreated Central Perk, complete with orange couch. The SoHo pop-up runs from Sept. 7 through Oct. 6.
• FX ordered “The Old Man,” a drama that will star Jeff Bridges as a retired CIA officer who must face his past when an assassin comes calling. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Perry.
• Who needs Silicon Valley billionaires to get to space? Science Channel’s, “Homemade Astronauts,” follows three self-financed teams of DIY rocket-makers on a quest to explore the final frontier. Now in production, the series is set to premiere in 2020.
• Mary J. Blige is set to star in “Power” sequel, “Power Book II: Ghost.”
Contenders: Shows to keep on your radar
• The CW says goodbye to “Jane the Virgin” and “iZombie” this week. The “Jane” finale even got an hourlong special before the episode.
• From Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton comes a contemporary take on the 1994 British romantic comedy “Four Weddings and a Funeral” (now on Hulu).
• Robin Thede stars in “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (Aug. 2, HBO, 11 p.m. ET). The six-episode series, which Thede created, is the first sketch show entirely written, directed and cast by black women.
• The global phenomenon of soccer is explored through the experience of men and women of different races, cultures and beliefs in “This is Football” (Aug. 2, Amazon Prime Video). Episodes are structured around universal themes, including “wonder,” which features Lionel Messi.
• Clive Anderson (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”) and anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota take an investigative road trip through Britain in “Mystic Britain” (Aug. 5, Smithsonian Channel, 9 p.m. ET). Tackling mysticism with humor, the premiere episode explores superstition, witches and demons.
• Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) stars as private investigator Alexa Crowe in “My Life is Murder” (Aug. 5, Acorn TV). The Australian mystery series is set in Melbourne.
• Billionaire Glenn Stearns sets out to prove that the American Dream is alive and well in “Undercover Billionaire” (Aug. 6, Discovery, 10 p.m. ET). Stearns will attempt to build a million-dollar company in 90 days, with just $100, and the methods that earned him his billions. To keep things fair, he won’t use his real name or contacts.
• The most famous zip code of the 1990s is back in “BH90210” (Aug. 7, Fox, 9 p.m. ET). The original stars of the teen drama “Beverly Hills, 90210” return for six-episodes where they play a heightened version of themselves.
Fox renewed “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back.”
Losers: Starz has passed on a second season of the comedy series “Now Apocalypse.”