USA TODAY International Edition
The stream gets wider in 2021
Thankfully, 2020 is over. Preempted. Boycotted. Canceled. Pick your TV term for an interminable 52- week season.
The annus horribilis brought the coronavirus pandemic, a tumultuous presidential election season and coverage of the deaths of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kobe Bryant and Alex Trebek. But it also ushered in such diverting popculture artifacts “Tiger King” and the “Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time” tournament that now seem like ancient history.
For 2021, let’s hope for a heartwarming, family- friendly plot line for the larger society. Just don’t say rerun. We can move ahead, looking forward to a new year of vaccines, hope ... and developments in TV.
Will the streaming boom further decimate traditional TV? Are we doomed to an endless barrage of 1980s remakes? Who can ever replace Trebek on “Jeopardy!”? What will ratings be for the Trump show as it moves beyond the White House? And what are we expecting, anticipating and savoring? Read on.
‘ Jeopardy!’: A bittersweet farewell followed by a future of possibility
Start 2021 by savoring Trebek’s final original episodes, which were recorded less than two weeks before his death Nov. 8 and air this week. Although nothing can replace the iconic host, “Jeopardy!” fans can hope for a promising future for the quiz show as a series of interim hosts, starting with “Greatest of All Time” champ Ken Jennings on Jan. 11, takes over until a permanent choice is made. Looking for more gray matter? Watch contestants take on Jennings and fellow “Jeopardy!” all- time champs, James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter, on ABC’s “The Chase,” premiering Thursday ( 9 EST/ PST). – Bill Keveney
Revisiting old friends
Viewers will recognize favorite characters from the past, but the faces and circumstances will be different in a seemingly unending series of TV revivals. CBS brings back “The Equalizer,” a popular ’ 80s series and 2014 Denzel Washington movie, but this time the former CIA operative who helps those in desperate straits is a woman. Queen Latifah, who takes on the title role, gets the prestigious post- Super Bowl launching pad on Feb. 7. “Walker,” starring Jared Padalecki in an update of CBS’ Chuck Norris series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” arrives on CW Jan. 21.
If you’re curious about what happened to Clarice Starling from 1991’ s “The Silence of the Lambs,” CBS picks up on the FBI trainee a year after her encounters with Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill in “Clarice” ( Feb. 11, 10 EST/ PST). And the Man of Steel gets his latest TV incarnation on CW’s “Superman & Lois” ( Sept. 23), with Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch reprising roles they’ve played in other DC superhero series. – Keveney
A new world of Marvel TV
The Marvel Cinematic Universe makes its splash into the world of streaming TV with six new series on Disney+. “Avengers” couple Scarlet
Witch ( Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision ( Paul Bettany) headline “WandaVision” ( Jan. 15), while Hawkeye ( Clint Barton) shows rookie archer Kate Bishop ( Hailee Steinfeld) the ropes in “Hawkeye” ( late 2021). Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s heroes team up for “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” ( March 19); Tom Hiddleston’s trickster god returns in “Loki” ( May 21); Iman Vellani is the superpowered Muslim teen of “Ms. Marvel” ( late 2021); and the animated “What If...?” ( due this summer) reimagines some of the MCU’s biggest moments and characters. – Brian Truitt
Streaming shakeout?
Peacock and HBO Max entered the crowded waters of streaming services in 2020, Quibi bowed with a splash and quickly sputtered, and Discovery+ joined in this week. Fast- growing Disney+ is a strong second to the still expanding Netflix. Hulu got a boost from FX’s library, niche channels such as AMC have their own services and still others, including CNN, reportedly are mulling streaming services of their own. Will there be a shakeout, as a shaky economy and too many choices drain
viewers’ wallets? Some analysts say yes. But the real losers may be traditional television and cable subscriptions, which seem to be going in one direction: Down. – Gary Levin
Before Bada Bing ( and other films coming to a streaming service near you)
WarnerMedia’s decision to stream its 2021 slate of films on HBO Max the same day they open in theaters has led to controversy and criticism, but it will serve as a homecoming of sorts for “The Many Saints of Newark” ( March 12), the much- anticipated prequel to “The Sopranos,” the series that turned HBO into a premium- cable superpower when it premiered in 1999. Michael Gandolfini takes on the role of young Tony Soprano, the character his father, the late James Gandolfini, brought to vivid life over the show’s six- season run. The 17 films that will be available to stream for a month on the day of their theatrical release include “Dune,” “The Suicide Squad” and “The Matrix 4.” Better stock up on popcorn! – Keveney
Our critic’s pick: ‘ Shadow and Bone’ on Netflix
Netflix is ambitiously bringing one of my favorite fantasy worlds to life. Based on the Grishaverse novels by author Leigh Bardugo, “Shadow and Bone,” due in April, combines two book series set in this fictional universe: an epic trilogy about a young girl trying to save her na
tion and a duology about a magical heist. I love both series and am interested ( and only a little worried) about how they will coalesce into one TV show. – Kelly Lawler
Hailee Steinfeld’s return as Emily
What isn’t there to look forward to about a new season of “Dickinson?” The Apple TV+ series starring Hailee Steinfeld, returning Friday for a second season, is exactly the escape from reality I’m looking for as 2021 begins, where modern music and dialogue meet the 1800s. Sure, I get lost sometimes and remain perplexed at Jane Krakowski’s casting, but I haven’t been this interested in Emily Dickinson’s poetry since sophomore year of high school – and that’s saying something. – David Oliver
What’s in the news after Trump’s presidency?
President Donald Trump has dominated TV news coverage – and bumped up ratings – since he rode down an escalator to announce his candidacy in 2015. But Trump’s term ends Jan. 20, and the focus of presidential coverage will shift to Joe Biden. What will a less outrageous presidency mean for news coverage ( and ratings)? And will Trump be able to keep the spotlight – as the emcee at Mar- a- Lago or a would- be media titan – even after he loses the Oval Office? Whatever happens – politically, financially or legally – here’s guessing the Trump TV saga is nowhere near being canceled, for better or worse. – Keveney
Ringing in the Olympics – we hope – in a literally odd year
One of the TV events we missed most in 2020 was the Summer Olympics. On the plus side, we – and most of all, broadcaster NBC, which had to forgo a big ad haul last summer – should ( depending on the state of the pandemic) get to enjoy the captivating athletic spectacle starting July 23 from Tokyo.