News

Leanne Morgan’s upcoming Netflix multi-cam comedy series has added five new series regulars, Variety has learned.

Ryan Stiles, Blake Clark, Graham Rogers, Hannah Pilkes, and Celia Weston have all joined the series alongside Morgan and previously announced cast member Kristen Johnston.

The series, now titled “Leanne,” was picked up to series at Netflix in April. Morgan co-created the series with Chuck Lorre and Susan McMartin. It is slated to debut in 2025.

The official logline states, “Leanne’s life takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman. Starting over when you’re a grandmother and in menopause isn’t exactly what she had in mind, but with the help of her family she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity and jello salad.”

Rogers will play Tyler, Leanne’s son, described as “her pride and joy. A new dad who’s cowed by his dominating wife,...

The home stretch before Christmas has arrived, but there are plenty of new shows arriving on streamers this month to either binge before the end of the year.

Those in the mood for mystery can dive into No Good Deed on Netflix Dec. 12 or Laid on Peacock Dec. 19. The former is from Dead To Me creator Liz Feldman, and the latter stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet with a touch more comedy.

Find the five best new shows streaming in December 2024 below:

Related: The Best 10 Movies To Stream This Month

Black Doves – Dec. 5 – Netflix

Keira Knightley in ‘Black Doves’

Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb in Black Doves, an action filled spy show set in London at Christmas. Knighyley’s Webb is a dedicated wife, mother and spy. She has been secretly passing her politician husband’s secrets to the clandestine organization she works for, The Black Doves, for ten years.

To say that Charlie Sheen’s exit from Chuck Lorre’s Two and a Half Men was shocking would be an understatement. Considering the sitcom was built around Sheen’s Charlie Harper, who reportedly scored a whopping $1.8-$2M per episode at his peak, many felt his exclusion would contribute to the sitcom’s premature cancellation after season 8.

Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men | Credit: CBS

Fortunately, instead of canning the sitcom, and in turn, 100s of potential jobs, Lorre opted to take a bold approach with the future seasons by incorporating a brand new lead. Although Lorre wasn’t initially sold on the prospect of bringing in Ashton Kutcher, his stance would swiftly change.

One Meeting with Ashton Kutcher eliminated Chuck Lorre’s doubts Ashton Kutcher in Two and a Half Men | Credit: CBS

While most reasonably feared that the show was on the verge of cancellation...

As I fell into the familiar rhythms of “Bookie Season 2,” I was struck by the show’s distinct charm—a blend of business pranks and personal strife that feels delightfully familiar and unsettlingly present. At its heart, “Bookie” focuses on Danny Colavito, played by Sebastian Maniscalco, whose frenzied energy and hilarious timing lure you in like a moth to an unyielding flame.

Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay created the series, which bears Lorre’s unique style but also dances in its strange orbit. It’s a workplace comedy that thrives on the absurdities of illicit bookmaking, a world that feels increasingly outdated in an age when sports betting is getting more popular.

The shift to Season 2 is very noteworthy. The first season, while amusing, earned mediocre reviews, making it an almost forgettable entry in a crowded comedy genre. Yet here we are, with the creators seemingly empowered, beginning on a...

Two seasons in, and “Bookie” still feels like a surprising line on creator Chuck Lorre’s IMDb page. It’s precisely because the Max dramedy differs so drastically from the work he’s typically known for that the executive producer is so passionate about the sports betting comedy he co-created with Nick Bakay.

“For many years, I’ve wanted to do something that I’m not familiar with. I wanted to do something where I was uncomfortable and I did not have the skills necessary, but I could learn them or I could find people who knew them and rely on them to make these things work,” Lorre told TheWrap. “‘Bookie’, from day one, was a stretch for me, but it was something I sought out. I didn’t want to keep doing something that I was comfortable with. I wanted to do something that frightened me.”

Sebastian Maniscalco’s...

Every once in a while, Sebastian Maniscalco’s stand-up persona creeps into his performance on Max’s “Bookie.” But rather than ask him to tone it down, executive producers Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay welcome the occasional slip.

“He bailed us out,” Bakay says of an upcoming episode of “Bookie,” which returns to Max with ten more episodes for Season 2, rolling out weekly starting Thursday, Dec. 12. “Sometimes we’ll ask for it when we’re in trouble. We’ll be like, ‘hey buddy, we got nothing here!’”

Fans of Maniscalco’s standup know what Bakay is talking about: Whenever he’s ready to make a point, the stand-up star will pause, throw on a thicker swagger and exaggerate the syllables in a certain word or phrase for comedic effect.

And he admits to it popping up on camera: “Sometimes the stage Sebastian comes out a little bit,” says Maniscalco, who...

Bookie returns to Max December 12 with a familiar face and the appearance of two TV comedy vets who were recruited to help spice up the action around the sports betting world.

Charlie Sheen is back to play himself in the second season of the Sebastian Maniscalco comedy, which follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play. The eight-episode second season will lead up to the season finale on Thursday, January 30.

“Charlie was such a home run for us in season one, we thought we’d extend the metaphor a little,” Nick Bakay, who co-created the comedy with Chuck Lorre, tells Deadline. “I don’t want to spoil things, but I refer to his arrival this season as Deus Ex Sheen. He is forever a part of the Bookie family.

“Top picks this week” (Photo Credit – Instagram)

This weekend, our picks for your theatrical enjoyment are diverse. We’ve got three movies lined up: two from Hollywood—one is an animated film, and the other is a psychological horror. A Tamil black comedy also promises to tickle your funny bone while delivering its fair share of chaos.

On the Ott front, Netflix continues to reign supreme with the most entries, while Prime Video chimes in with two biggies featuring some star power from their respective industries. Curious about what else is worth your time? Scroll down for the complete list from various platforms.

Netflix

No Good Deed season 1 (English)

Created by Liz Feldman, this dark comedy series stars Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Luke Wilson, Linda Cardellini, and others. It follows the chaotic lives of several families, each determined to claim ownership of the same dream home, sparking a whirlwind of schemes and secrets.

Following Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men after his very public feud with showrunner Chuck Lorre, many cast and crew members were uncertain about the show’s future without its main lead. While it’s easy to see why this was the sentiment, given Sheen’s stature in the TV industry at the time, Lorre, on the flip side, refused to yield to the drama.

Chuck Lorre | Credit: Angela George/Cc By-sa 3.0/Wikimedia Commons

Nick Bakay, co-creator of the sitcom, recalled being taken aback by Lorre’s method to remedy the situation, which ensured the sitcom didn’t end prematurely after Sheen’s firing.

Chuck Lorre’s Bold Approach to Tackle the Charlie Sheen Debacle Feared Co-Creator Ashton Kutcher in Two and a Half Men | Credit: CBS

Considering Sheen’s Charlie was the heart of the sitcom, a potential recast wasn’t an option after eight seasons.

Doing business with a man who made billions on child labor and may have murdered a past associate. Jokes about children being sexually abused in the foster system. Extreme and public intimate partner violence played for laughs because both partners are men. Though you might think plotlines like these went extinct circa Entourage and Sons of Anarchy, Bookie is doing its best to revive the antihero era. Sometimes it feels like a charmingly retro throwback; mostly it’s so sweaty and off-putting that it reminds you why they don’t make TV like this anymore.

Bookie, which premiered on Max late last November, was co-created by superstar EP Chuck Lorre and his frequent collaborator Nick Bakay, and wildly successful stand-up comic Sebastian Maniscalco stars as Danny, the titular bookie. Though some lip service is paid to the fact of legalized sports betting and how it could affect Danny’s business,...

The writers behind some of this year’s hottest comedy series took on Variety’s A Night in the Writers Room: Awards Season Edition to discuss the landscape of laughter on TV.

The panel, moderated by Variety‘s Michael Schneider, kicked off with a debate about whether there is an easily defined line between comedy and drama. Nick Bakay, co-creator of Max’s “Bookie” starring Sebastian Maniscalco, said he “totally disagrees” with the notion that there is no clear separation between the two genres.

“There’s absolutely a line between comedy and drama. And drama should not enter into comedy, and it has. There’s a lot of shows that are just not particularly funny and they’re getting…” he said, trailing off before naming names.

Later in the conversation, Bakay called out the legal dramedy “Ally McBeal,” which won the Emmy for best comedy in 1999.

“There are no jokes in this!

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Max is ready with an entertainment-packed December this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some of Max’s brilliant original crime comedy series Bookie and also a new original epic DC series Creature Commandos. Just like every month, Max is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 5 new movies and TV shows coming to Max in December 2024.

Creature Commandos Season 1 (December 5) Credit – Max

Creature Commandos is an upcoming adult animated superhero action series created by James Gunn. Based on the characters from DC Comics, the upcoming Max series is the first series in the DC Universe and it revolves around a group of black ops team consisting of literal imprisoned monsters who fight against the threats facing the United States. Creature Commandos’ voice cast includes Steve Agee,...

Bookie has its return date, and fans don’t have long to wait to see more of this comedy series from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay. Max announced a December premiere date for season two with the release of a trailer.

Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar J. Dorsey, Vanessa Ferlito, Jorge Garcia, Andrea Anders, Maxim Swinton, and Rob Corddry star in the comedy series. Guest stars this season will include Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff, and Brad Garrett.

Read More…...

Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey are back to collect. And this time, they’ve got a baby with them.

On Thursday, Max released the trailer for the eight-episode second season of Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay comedy “Bookie.” This season’s degenerate-gambler guest stars include Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff, and Brad Garrett. For those keeping track at home, that’s two “Everybody Loves Raymond” stars, the guy from “Scrubs” whose character owes Maniscalco’s a cool $42,000, and Charlie Sheen, who just makes sense here.

Romano may just be a guest star here, but he is IndieWire’s star of the day. Ray Romano has now been featured in three different trailers today — and we haven’t even had lunch yet. He’s opposite Lisa Kudrow in the “No Good Deeds” trailer and appears as himself in “The Romano Twins,” a documentary made by Romano’s identical twin sons about growing up as,...

We’re getting the first look at Season 2 of Bookie, the Max original comedy from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, starring Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. The eight-episode second season returns on Thursday, December 12 with weekly episodes leading up to the season finale oin Thursday, January 30.

In the first trailer we get a glimpse of some of this season’s guest stars, including Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff and Brad Garrett.

The dark comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good. Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own. Full of relatable mishaps,...

All bets are on.

The highly anticipated second season of “Bookie” hits Max on Dec. 12, with new episodes streaming weekly. In the new trailer, Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco) takes issue with Ray (Omar J. Dorsey) bringing his baby along for their rounds, leading to some serious “baby mama drama.” The sneak peak also teases guest appearances from Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff, and Brad Garrett. Watch the trailer below.

From Emmy-nominated creator Chuck Lorre (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Nick Bakay, this dark comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good.

Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray, side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own.

From Emmy-nominated creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, the Max Original comedy series Bookie returns for its second season on Thursday, December 12.

The eight-episode season, starring Sebastian Maniscalco and produced by Warner Bros. Television, will debut episodes weekly on Max leading up to the season finale on Thursday, January 30.

From Emmy-nominated creator Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory) and Nick Bakay, this darkly funny comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good.

Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own.

Full of relatable mishaps, Bookie Season 2 chronicles one man’s journey to...

The Prime Video comedy series “Harlem” returns for a third season on Jan. 23, the streamer announced this week. The show will premiere worldwide across more than 240 countries through Amazon’s Prime Video platform. Created by Tracy Oliver, “Harlem” will continue to follow its four main best friends, Quinn (Grace Byers), Tye (Jerrie Johnson), Camille (Meagan Good) and Angie (Shoniqua Shandai), through romance, friendship, motherhood and their professional careers.

New cast members include Seth (Kofi Siriboe), an MLB player who also happens to be a romantic interest; Portia (Logan Browning), a beautiful woman from Ian’s (Tyler Lepley) childhood; and Eva (Gail Bean), a young woman who starts working with Tye. Eva’s mother will be played by Robin Givens.

First Looks

The reality television series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” will premiere its third season on Jan. 8 at 8:00–10:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Season 3 will feature a slate of...

The feud between Chuck Lorre and Charlie Sheen that marked the beginning of a wild era for the actor has come to an end. Known for his outrageous antics, Sheen’s behavior eventually led to him getting chucked out of Two and a Half Men, making way for Ashton Kutcher to step in with a new character.

Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men (image credit: Warner Bros.)

Fast forward, and he has managed to bury the hatchet with Lorre, even booking a role in his Max comedy, Bookie. Jon Cryer, Sheen’s former co-star on Two and a Half Men, is thrilled that these two have made up.

Jon Cryer Talks About the End of the Charlie Sheen-Chuck Lorre Feud

Jon Cryer, who famously played Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men, spoke out about the infamous drama between Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre and then the subsequent reconciliation.

Rob Corddry has been promoted to series regular status for Season 2 of the Max comedy series “Bookie.” Corddry appeared in Season 1 of the Chuck Lorre series in the guest role of Walt Dinty.

Season 2 of “Bookie” is set to debut on the streamer in December. Corddry joins fellow returning cast members Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar J. Dorsey, Jorge Garcia, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito and Maxim Swinton.

Per the official description, “Bookie” follows “veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good. Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own.”

Corddry’s recent credits include shows like “Hit-Monkey,” “The Unicorn,” “This Fool,...

[Editor’s Note: this list was originally published in March 2018. It has since been updated with new entries.]

It’s easy to think of the kind of stories that get told in the comic book world as just one genre or tone, but as seen below, graphic novels, comic strips, and other sequential art have offered up an incredible range of storytelling. And these stories have been inspiring great TV shows for years, even before superhero stories dominated the box office.

There were plenty of options that nearly made the list, like the WB’s “Smallville,” which squandered its early potential after running just a few seasons too long. Because one of the most exciting things about these stories is that there’s a rich variety to choose from.

With editorial contributions from Liz Shannon Miller, Ben Travers, and Hanh Nguyen.

27. “DuckTales” ‘DuckTales’©Disney Channel/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

Yes, really, “DuckTales” is based on a comic book. Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Hughie, Dewey, and Louie come...

There was a time when most stand-up comedians post Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond dreamt of their own sitcom based on their material.

However, when Chicago stand-up Sebastian Maniscalco arrived in LA in the late 90s, it wasn’t really his m.o.

“I just wanted to do stand-up comedy,” the comedian tells us on Deadline’s Crew Call, “Anything that came out from the success of comedy, then I would entertain it.”

You can listen to our chat here:

And now the stand up has a half hour Max comedy series, Bookie, which he also executive produces, that feels like the quintessential Maniscalco comedy show — even though the guy with a crazy, blunt Italian father doesn’t have a history with taking sports bets.

Similar to how James L. Brooks’ creation of Aaron Altman in the 1987 movie Broadcast News was so organically Albert Brooks, co-creator Chuck Lorre has pulled...

Burbank, CA – Following an epic two-episode series finale on CBS, fans can now relive the critically acclaimed #1 comedy series with Young Sheldon: The Complete Series. This comprehensive box set includes all seven seasons along with a brand-new special feature, set to release on DVD this fall. And for fans eager to round out their collection, Young Sheldon: The Complete Seventh Season will also be coming to DVD. Both titles will be available for purchase online and in-store at major retailers beginning September 24. Pre-order your copy now.

Young Sheldon: The Complete Series and Young Sheldon: The Complete Seventh Season are also available now to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and more.

From creators and executive producers Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, Young Sheldon centers on Sheldon Cooper, a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science, which isn’t always helpful in a land where church and football are king.

“I was crying laughing! I had to get out of the car,” reveals comedian Sebastian Maniscalco about a moment on set this season where he broke character and couldn’t contain his laughter. For our recent webchat he adds, “Man, I broke it last week and started laughing, and sometimes it’s only it’s in your head and no one even knows what the hell I was laughing about, but I had a whole story in my head about the character next to me.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

See Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre reunite after ‘Two and a Half Men’ feud for ‘Bookie’

In “Bookie,” Maniscalco stars as Danny, a veteran bookie navigating his fast-paced L.A. life with his many unstable clients, family and colleagues. The eight-episode Max comedy was created by 10-time Emmy nominee Chuck Lorre and comedian/producer Nick Bakay, and co-stars Omar Dorsey,...

Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik reprise their roles of Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler in the series finale of Young Sheldon, airing on Thursday, May 16 (8:00-8:31 p.m. Et/Pt and 8:31 – 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt) on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. The pair last appeared on screen together in The Big Bang Theory series finale, which aired in May 2019.

The finale will be available live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs.

Jim Parsons serves as an executive producer and the narrator of Young Sheldon. Mayim Bialik has also appeared in voiceover form in two episodes of the series. This marks the first on-camera return of their characters.

Created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, Young Sheldon centers on Sheldon Cooper, a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science. This isn’t...

Updated, 10 Am: We’re getting the first look at Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik reprising their characters Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler in the Young Sheldon finale.

CBS released some of the first images from the episode, which airs Thursday, May 16 on the network and streaming on Paramount+.

The pair last appeared on screen together in The Big Bang Theory series finale, which aired in May 2019.

Parsons serves as an executive producer and the narrator of Young Sheldon. Bialik has also appeared in voiceover form in two episodes of the series.

You can see the photos above and below, including images of the pair from the mothership Big Bang Theory.

(L-r): Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler and Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper. Photo Credit: Bill Inoshita / 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper Photo Credit: Bill Inoshita / 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment . Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and...

Bazinga!

Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik will reprise their roles as The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler in the May 16 series finale of prequel series Young Sheldon.

Additional details about the onscreen couple’s appearance are being kept under wraps ahead of the series finale of the CBS comedy. Parsons, who exec produces and provides voiceover for Young Sheldon, and Bialik last appeared onscreen together in the May 2019 series finale of The Big Bang Theory, during which Sheldon and Amy won the Nobel Prize in physics.

Here’s a first look of the on-screen couple’s reunion in the Young Sheldon series finale:

Young Sheldon Young Sheldon Young Sheldon

Thus far, Young Sheldon has featured a number of references to Big Bang, with flagship favorites Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard) and Bialik (twice!) all previously appearing via voiceover.

News of Bialik and Parsons’ onscreen...

Exclusive: Dale Dickey has been tapped for a heavily recurring role in the upcoming second season of Max comedy Bookie, from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay.

Starring Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey, the comedy series follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports-betting operation in play.

Season 2 presumably will show [Spoiler Alert] whether Danny can win back the affections of his wife Sandra (Andrea Anders), after his Super Bowl win seems to have torn them apart, as well as Ray dealing with the fallout of his mother’s wedding, which saw the groom seemingly die at the altar.

Dickey will play Sandra’s (Anders) mother.

Bookie also stars Vanessa Ferlito as Danny’s side-hustling sister Lorraine, Jorge Garcia as reluctantly reformed drug dealer-turned-soccer expert Hector and Maxim Swinton as Sandra’s 10-year-old son.

The series...

Fans were so awed by Charlie Sheen‘s portrayal of a fictionalized version of himself in the Max series ‘Bookie’ that they have said so as many times as are needed for the show to decide to bring him in for the second ride.

So we’re soon going to be getting more Charlie Sheen playing Charlie Sheen. One can’t simply have enough of the guy, can we?

‘Two and A Half Men’s’ Creator Reveals Charlie Sheen’s Return In Upcoming Season of ‘Bookie’

There’s something satisfying about watching an actor of Sheen’s caliber poking fun at himself, and perhaps that’s why ‘Bookie’ creators have decided to bring him back onboard.

The season 1 of the show saw Sheen play a fictionalized version of himself in a recurring role. The show was recently renewed for another season run after it drew strong reviews from fans.

Julie Chrisley...

The mother of all reunions is not over yet: Chuck Lorre said at Deadline’s Contenders TV on Sunday that Charlie Sheen will return for a cameo (or two?) in season 2 of Max’s Bookie.

The former star of Two and a Half Men showed up in season one as himself in the Sebastian Maniscalco comedy. The reunion almost upstaged the comedy itself, which follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play.

“I’ve always been an admirer of his work. His work is impeccable,” Lorre told the audience. “After all this time, his chops are undiminished. It was an extraordinary experience to put everything behind us and work together again.”

Lorre’s co-creator on the comedy, Nick Bakay, said the two of them have been marveling about...

Deadline’s Contenders Television: Los Angeles, a veritable smörgåsbord of awards-worthy TV for your Emmy voting perusal, kicks off the second day of its two-day run Sunday morning at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. The livestream begins at 9:35 a.m. Pt.

Click to sign up for and launch Sunday’s livestream.

Deadline’s annual TV awards-season kickoff continues today with its showcase that by end will encompass panels featuring 20 networks and streamers spotlighting 35 shows, ranging from drama and action to documentaries, comedies, unscripted and late-night.

It follows Saturday’s event packed to the rafters with industry and guild voters hearing from the likes of Jodie Foster, Lily Gladstone, Kurt Russell, Tom Hiddleston, Jeff Probst, Kelsey Grammer, Tony Shalhoub and more discussing their buzzy shows.

Click to read Deadline’s Contenders magazine

Overall for the weekend, Apple TV+ is bringing a whopping seven shows: Masters of the Air, Lessons in Chemistry,...

Bazinga again! “The Big Bang Theory” stars Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik will guest star on the series finale of CBS’ “Young Sheldon,” reuniting as Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler. Details of the episode, which airs Thursday, May 16, and how Parsons and Bialik will be incorporated into it, remains a secret.

Parsons, of course, has been a part of “Young Sheldon” from the beginning, serving as the show’s narrator and as one of its executive producers. Bialik has also been heard on two episodes of “Young Sheldon” as a guest voiceover. But this reps the first time the duo has been on screen together since the May 2019 series finale of “The Big Bang Theory,” and it also marks the first on-camera appearance of their characters — as grown-up Sheldon and Amy.

“Young Sheldon” originally premiered in 2017, while “The Big Bang Theory” wrapped up its run in 2019 after launching in...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

Kevin James is not exactly a name that comes to mind when one thinks of the phrase "movie star." People of a certain age probably picture the lovable everyman Doug Heffernan from his long-running sitcom "The King of Queens," but a great many others will probably think of two words: Paul Blart. Be it solely for the memes or because you're one of the many moviegoers who genuinely enjoys the film, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" was a bonafide hit that started a franchise and, though it may not be how we generally think of him, asserted James as a butts-in-seats movie star.

The 2009 comedy centers on Paul Blart (James) who dreams of becoming a State Trooper. In the meantime, he patrols the...

Variety’s annual Showrunners Dinner presented by A+E Studios on Thursday night gathered writers recognized on the publication’s annual TV Producers Impact List, as well as several of this year’s Emmy nominees. In addition, megaproducer Chuck Lorre was honored with Variety’s first Norman Lear Award.

Held at Merois, on the rooftop of the Pendry West Hollywood, the Variety Showrunners Dinner included a very funny acceptance speech by Lorre, who pointed out some of the similarities — but more humorously, the differences — between the two icons.

“I think everyone here understands the enormity and significance of Norman Lear’s body of work,” Lorre began. “So in accepting this award, I don’t think it’s false modesty to take a moment and focus on the very large differences between his career and my own. For starters, Norman Lear began his career writing for Hollywood legends like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Chuck Lorre the writer and producer behind hit shows, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Young Sheldon has a new show out. The show is called Bookie and premiered on HBO Max on November 30, 2023. The show follows two bookies struggling to survive the impending legalization of sports gambling and their increasingly unstable clients, family, and co-workers.

The show stars comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar Dorsey, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito, and was created by Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay. The show had a warm reception among fans. Bookie has been renewed for a second season by HBO Max. That’s not the only good news, The show has had a reunion of sorts for producer Chuck Lorre and actor Charlie Sheen who plays a fictional; version of himself on the show. Sheen was on the hit show Two and a Half Men and had a very public falling out with Lorre years ago.

Bookie wrapped its first season in December, but the story is not ending. Max has renewed the comedy series from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay for a second season.

Starring Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar J. Dorsey, Jorge Garcia, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito, and Maxim Swinton, the comedy follows a Los Angeles area bookie (Maniscalco) who is dealing with the changing world of sports betting as California looks to legalize it.

Lorre and Bakay said the following about the series’ renewal: "We couldn't be more excited that Max listened to their gut, paid the juice, and let it ride on season two of Bookie."

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Photograph by Adam Rose/Max The Max Original comedy series Bookie, from Emmy(R)-nominated creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, starring Sebastian Maniscalco and produced by Warner Bros. Television, has been renewed for a second season. The season one finale debuted on December 21, and the full first season is available to stream on Max. Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series quote: “The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew.” Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, executive producers quote: “We couldn’t be more excited that Max listened to their gut, paid the juice, and let it ride on season two of Bookie.” Channing Dungey, Chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group quote: “There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big...

Max is betting big on Bookie, renewing the Sebastian Maniscalco-led comedy for a second season. “We couldn’t be more excited that Max listened to their gut, paid the juice, and let it ride on season two of Bookie,” co-creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay said in a press release about the renewal. “The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew,” said Amy Gravitt, EVP of HBO programming head of comedy series at HBO and Max. And Channing Dungey, chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group, said, “There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big this season as they took us on a hilarious ride into the underbelly of illegal sports gambling, featuring a cast led by another dynamic duo: Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey.

Max is doubling down on Bookie.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer has handed out a second-season pickup for the series from comedy kingpin Chuck Lorre.

From creators Nick Bakay and Lorre and starring and based on the comedy of Sebastian Maniscalco, Bookie bowed Nov. 30 and wrapped its first-season run Dec. 21.

“The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew,” said Amy Gravitt, exec vp programming and head of comedy at HBO and Max.

The series, like all Lorre vehicles, is produced via his longtime studio, Warner Bros. Television.

“There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big this season as they took us on a hilarious ride into the underbelly of illegal sports gambling, featuring a cast led by another dynamic duo: Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey.

No need to place your bets: Chuck Lorre’s “Bookie” is coming back. The comedy series, starring Sebastian Maniscalco and created by Lorre and Nick Bakay, has been renewed for a second season. The first season’s finale debuted on Max on Dec. 21.

“We couldn’t be more excited that Max listened to their gut, paid the juice, and let it ride on Season 2 of ‘Bookie,'” Lorre and Bakay said in a statement.

The dark comedy, produced by Warner Bros. TV, followed Maniscalco’s Danny, an L.A. bookie trying to keep his job amid the possible legalization of sports gambling in California. With the help of his best friend Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), he must try to settle his clients’ debts.

“There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s ‘Bookie’ won big this season as they...

Never bet against Chuck Lorre. The sitcom titan’s latest comedy, Bookie, has been renewed for Season 2 at Max.

The pickup comes two weeks after the Sebastian Maniscalco-led series wrapped its eight-episode freshman run. Maniscalco executive-produces, along with co-creators Lorre and Nick Bakay.

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The sports book is reopening after Max renewed Bookie, starring Sebastian Maniscalco, for a second season.

The renewal comes two weeks after the season one finale of the show, which comes from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay.

The series, which premiered on November 30, follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play.

Season 2 presumably will show whether Danny [Spoiler Alert] can win back the affections of his wife Sandra, played by Andrea Anders, after his Super Bowl win seems to have torn them apart, as well as Ray dealing with the fallout of his mother’s wedding, which saw the groom seemingly die at the altar.

Produced by Warner Bros. Television, Bookie also stars Vanessa Ferlito as Danny’s side-hustling sister Lorraine and Jorge Garcia as reluctantly reformed drug dealer turned soccer...

Exclusive: I sit down for breakfast with Charlie Sheen not exactly knowing what to expect. His bookend episodes of Bookie that reunited him with Two And a Half Men‘s Chuck Lorre remind of what was lost after the actor’s inexplicable, substance-fueled “Tiger Blood” meltdown led to an abrupt parting of the ways and separating him from one of sitcom TV’s highest-ever salaries at a reported $1.8 million an episode. It has been a dozen years since then, and I come in harboring my own feelings. Basically, Two And a Half Men (the Charlie Harper Years) have been my reliable go-to at the end of most long days in the trenches. I can practically recite the dialogue along with Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones, as well as Holland Taylor (their mom), Melanie Lynskey (Charlie’s stalker), Marin Hinkle (Alan Harper’s ex), and the late Conchata Ferrell, who played the housekeeper Berta.

Two And A Half Men creator Chuck Lorre reunited with series star Charlie Sheen after the two had a bitter falling out, leading to Sheen’s firing for a new show, Bookie.

Developed by Lorre and Nick Bakay, Bookie stars Sebastian Maniscalco as Danny, a Los Angeles sports betting bookie struggling to keep up with changing times in the gambling world. The show also stars Omar J. Dorsey, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito and Jorge Garcia.

In the first episode, Danny heads to Malibu to collect a debt from Charlie Sheen and finds him at a rehab facility. Sheen isn’t a patient – he is hosting a weekly poker game. One of the players is Two and a Half Men co-star Angus T. Jones.

The scene also acts as a homage to the poker scene in the Two and a Half Men pilot.

Lorre and Sheen had an infamous falling out...

Charlie Sheen isn’t the only “Two and a Half Men” star to reunite with exec producer Chuck Lorre on his new Max comedy “Bookie.” Also making a cameo in the “Bookie” series’ opener: Angus T. Jones, the “half man” from “Two and a Half Men,” now all grown up.

Sheen’s appearance on “Bookie” (which premiered Nov. 30 on Max) is rightfully getting all of the attention, given the newsworthiness of his reunion with Lorre, a decade after their explosive falling out.

Read More: Chuck Lorre on How He Patched Things Up With Charlie Sheen: ‘We Were Friends Once’ (Exclusive)

But Jones’ appearance is also notable: The young actor wasn’t a regular cast member in the final two seasons of “Two and a Half Men,” and even at one point dismissed his contributions to the show, calling himself “a paid hypocrite.”

Like Sheen, Jones plays himself in the “Bookie” premiere.

It’s quite a reunion in today’s premiere of Chuck Lorre’s new Max comedy series Bookie.

The episode revisits the poker scene in Lorre’s Two and a Half Men pilot, which reunites Lorre’s Two and a Half Men alums Charlie Sheen and Angus T. Jones.

In the Bookie premiere, Danny, played by Sebastian Maniscalco, heads to Malibu to collect a debt from Sheen, whom he finds at a rehab facility. But Sheen isn’t a patient at the facility; he’s actually hosting a weekly poker game, and one of the players is “Half Man” Angus T. Jones, who played 8-year-old Jake Harper opposite Sheen on Two and a Half Men. The scene also includes the same poker buddies who attended Charlie Harper’s poker game in 2003.

Lorre spoke about the scene in an interview with Extra. “Charlie and I were discussing recreating that poker scene.

Bookie is a crime comedy-drama series created by Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay. The Max series revolves around a veteran bookie, who is dreading the impending legalization of sports gambling but that is not the only problem he has. With increasingly unstable clients, incompetent co-workers, family, and a lifestyle too dangerous and unsteady. Bookie stars Sebastian Maniscalco in the lead role of Danny with Omar Dorsey, Andrea Anders, Jorge Garcia, and Charlie Sheen starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the Max series here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Mr. Inbetween (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – FX

Synopsis: A charismatic, yet volatile hitman Ray Shoesmith must navigate his chilling business while also maintaining friendships, parental responsibilities and a fledgling romance in a narrative driven by dark humor and offbeat conversation. Written and starring the winner of the 2019 Best Actor Logie Scott Ryan. Directed and executive produced by Nash Edgerton,...

Chuck Lorre‘s new comedy series, Bookie, debuts on Max today, Thursday, November 30, and the first episode features an unexpected reunion between Two and a Half Men‘s Charlie Sheen and Angus T. Jones. Bookie, developed by Lorre and writer Nick Bakay, stars Sebastian Maniscalco as Danny, a Los Angeles sports betting bookie struggling to keep up with the changing times. In the series, Sheen plays a high-rolling version of himself. In the premiere, Danny heads to Malibu to collect a debt from Sheen, whom he finds at a rehab facility. However, Sheen isn’t a patient at the facility; he’s the host of a weekly poker game, and one of the players is none other than the “Half Man” himself, Angus T. Jones, who played Jake Harper on Two and a Half Men. As noted by TVLine, the scene is a homage to the poker scene in the...

The last time Chuck Lorre and Charlie Sheen were co-workers was early in 2011, when the producer-actor duo were in the middle of making the eighth season of the CBS smash hit comedy Two and a Half Men. Sheen’s addiction problems flared up again, landing him in the hospital, then in rehab, and then giving a series of incendiary interviews — notably one with Alex Jones where Sheen derisively called his boss “Chaim Levine” (Lorre’s birth name is Charles Levine). Sheen was eventually fired from the show, and his character,...

Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco has unveiled the dates for his ‘It Ain’t Right’ tour, his touring run for 2024 which kicks off at Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va on July 11 and will be the biggest of his career to date.

Produced by Live Nation, his 47-city tour of North America wraps up at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moies, Ia on December 15. Artist presale kicks off November 29, with general onsale launching December 1st at 10 a.m. local time.

“Hop on the ‘It Ain’t Right’ tour, where I’ll roast today’s absurdities – nonexistent manners, wallet-wincing prices, and the social media circus,” said Maniscalco in announcing his new tour. “Join me in laughing at the wrongs in this shameless world!”

One of the top-selling comedians on the planet, Maniscalco is best known for the acclaimed specials Sebastian Live, What’s Wrong with People?, Aren’t You Embarrassed?, Why Would You Do That?...