Welcome to another episode of TV's Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter's TV podcast.
Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the week in TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners and executive guests and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).
This week, we continue to come to you remotely — via the wonders of Google Hangout and our incredible producers — as we do our part to keep a social distance in this uncertain time.
This week's five topics are:
1. How losing the Olympics impacts Peacock.
NBCUniversal's streaming service was poised to get a national launchpad from the summer Olympic games, which this week, were officially postponed. This segment explores what the streaming service does have that it can use to draw eyeballs and how the Olympics likely return in 2021 could prove to be a blessing for the ad-supported service.
Begins at the 5:17 mark.
2. Animation remains on track.
A rare bright spot amid the massive TV production shutdown: animated series are continuing to keep their wheels turning and deliver episodes to networks and streamers on schedule — with some, like Family Guy and The Simpsons — already having work on multiple installments for next season. This segment explores some of the creative ways in which they're working remotely and staying the course amid the global virus crisis.
Begins at the 12:18 mark.
3. Mailbag!
Given the reduction in the amount of breaking TV news, we're asking our loyal listeners to send us burning questions about the industry to help us fill the void. And you delivered! This segment explores topics including the potential writers strike, lessons the industry could takeaway from this unprecedented shutdown and Dan's thoughts on the current season of Survivor.
Begins at the 16:41 mark.
4. Showrunner Spotlight: Gloria Calderon Kellett.
The One Day at a Time co-showrunner (alongside Friend of the 5 Mike Royce) joins the show via Google Hangout to discuss her Netflix-turned-Pop favorite. In the interview, we discuss the Netflix jab in the season premiere and other storylines that are in the works. The conversation also includes news that the show filmed six episodes — two without its standard studio audience — before being, like hundreds of others, forced to shut down. We also discuss what it would take for production to resume, how the current season ends and its potential future given that Pop is no longer in the scripted originals space and what happens if the series is unable to resume production.
The interview begins at the 29:53 mark.
5. Critic's Corner.
As usual, every episode ends with Fienberg offering his thoughts on what to watch (or skip). This week, he weighs in on Netflix's Unorthodox and Ozark. And for more of Dan's weekly recommendations, be sure to subscribe to THR's newly launched Now See This newsletter.
Tune in at the 1:01:36 mark.
Coming next week: Dana Fox joins us for for a Showrunner Spotlight conversation about her Apple series, Home Before Dark. Until then, stay safe! Here are 60-plus episodes of TV's Top 5 if you get bored. (Seriously, don't leave the house!)
Hear it all now on TV's Top 5. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email Goldberg and Fienberg with any topics or questions you'd like to be addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.
TV's Top 5 is part of THR's roster of podcasts, including Awards Chatter, Scott Feinberg's weekly in-depth (and award-winning) interview show focusing on the most interesting talents of the Oscar and Emmy seasons; genre reporter Josh Wigler's Series Regular; crafts expert Carolyn Giardina's weekly series, Behind the Screen, which explores the top artists and technologies creating film and TV magic; Seth Abramovitch's monthly series, It Happened in Hollywood, which revisits indelible moments from 90 years of THR's entertainment history; and Hollywood Remixed, hosted by Rebecca Ford and Rebecca Sun, which focuses on underrepresented or misrepresented stories and characters in Hollywood. Other podcasts are in the works.
