Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Thursday, November 9, 2023.
Lifetime continues to spread holiday cheer with first looks at some of its upcoming holiday movies.
We’re talking Ladies of the ’80s, Christmas Plus One, and more!
Christmas Plus One premieres Sunday, November 18, at 8 p.m. ET and features a stellar storyline.
“When sisters Cara (Emily Alatalo) and Amy (Vanessa Smythe) make a pact to find their soulmates by next Christmas, they’re not expecting anything to come from it,” the logline teases.
“However, one year later, Amy’s winter wedding is approaching, and Cara finally finds her own perfect man, Chase (Andrew Bushell), who agrees to attend as her plus one.
“But after immediately losing his number, all hope is lost.
“Will she find him in time to make her Christmas wish come true?
“Or does love have other plans for Cara when magazine writer Michael (Corey Sevier) signs on to help her in her quest?”
The next night, Lifetime will air Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees, starring Kathryn Davis and Olivier Renaud.
“During a business trip to Indiana, event planner Kayley (Kathryn Davis) and sports agent Brett (Olivier Renaud) find themselves unable to fly home for Christmas due to a terrible snowstorm,” the logline reads.
“Determined to get back to New York by Christmas Eve, the two team up and try to make their own way home, but when the storm hits, they’re forced to seek refuge in the sleepy town of Redwood, Ohio; a place that ignites some much-needed Christmas magic in their hearts.”
Check out the promo below.
The cabler’s It’s a Wonderful Lifetime slate continues to impress, but something tells us Ladies of the 80s will be one of the most-talked-about TV movies of the year.
In Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, five glamorous ’80s soap opera stars reunite to share the spotlight to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera.
The producer, Alex (Travis Burns), and director Nell (Taylor Ann Thompson), old college friends, do their best to keep things on the rails, but as the ladies come together, old rivalries resurface that threatens to tear the whole production apart.
With the show nearly canceled before it even begins due to the ladies’ famous diva behavior, they reluctantly agree to set aside their differences and past secrets to “act” as if they all still love each other.
When old sparks reignite between Alex and Nell, the ladies become eager to play cupid and conspire to bring the couple together.
Along the way, the divas also discover that the love between them all is still very strong, too.
The movie’s theme song, Ladies of the ’80s, was written by Song Writer Hall of Fame’s Steve Dorff and Michael Jay, produced by Steve Droff, and performed by ’80s pop sensation Tiffany (I Think We’re Alone Now).
It looks like a fantastic movie, and we have the official trailer to prove it!
Over in the world of Hulu, a premiere date and photos have been revealed for Death and Other Details.
Violett Beane (The Flash) headlines the murder mystery.
“Set amidst the glamor of the global elite, Death and Other Details centers on the brilliant and restless Imogene Scott, who finds herself in the wrong place/wrong time (okay, it was kinda her fault) and becomes the prime suspect in a locked room murder mystery,” the logline teases.
“The setting? A lavishly restored Mediterranean ocean liner.
“Suspects? Every pampered guest and every exhausted crew member.
“The problem? To prove her innocence, she must partner with a man she despises—Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin), the world’s greatest detective.”
The cast is rounded out by Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Pardis Saremi, and Linda Emond.
It sounds remarkably like Only Murders in the Building, which is good because it will bridge the gap until we get the next season.
The series will premiere on January 16, 2024, with two episodes, followed by one episode a week, with a two-episode finale on March 5, 2024.
Meanwhile, Starz is officially headed back to the world of Spartacus with the pickup of Spartacus: House of Ashur, a new series which expands on the franchise, according to Starz.
The good news? An original star is along for the ride.
Nick Tarabay, who played Ashur in the original series, has closed a deal to return.
Steven S. DeKnight, the creator of Spartacus, is also coming back as showrunner.
Spartacus: House of Ashur will be a “history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit,” the cabler teases.
“The series poses the question: what if Ashur, played by fan favorite Nick Tarabay, hadn’t died on Mount Vesuvius at the end of Spartacus: Vengeance?”
“And what if he had been gifted the gladiator school once owned by Batiatus in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and putting an end to the slave rebellion?”
It’s not a bad spin on the franchise, and we’re sure many people will tune into see just how it’s handled.
“A decade ago the groundbreaking original ‘Spartacus’ captivated viewers worldwide and we’re excited to deliver more enthralling, high-octane drama that our fervent fans have been anticipating,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming, STARZ.
“It is an honor to team up with Steven again as he expands upon the storytelling within this thrilling, action-packed universe.”
“To be afforded the opportunity to return a decade later to a series you loved is such a rare, wonderful opportunity,” said Steven S. DeKnight.
“I could not be more excited to craft this next chapter in the Spartacus saga with STARZ, Lionsgate, and the incomparable Nick Tarabay.”
What are your thoughts on all this news, TV Fanatics?!
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.