Yahoo Lifestyle ‘Ransom Canyon’: Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly Western Romance Sets April Debut at Netflix (TV News Roundup)
“Ransom Canyon,” a new modern western drama series starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly, will debut April 17 on Netflix.
According to a press release, the series will follow three ranching family dynasties “locked in a contest for control of their land, their lives and legacies” in Ransom Canyon, Texas. Duhamel will play Staten Kirkland, a “stoic” rancher who’s “healing from heartbreaking loss” and on a quest for vengeance.
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He’s joined by Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady, a family friend and the owner of a local dancehall. With Quinn’s help, Staten “fights to protect the land he calls home, and the only love that can pull him back from the demons that haunt him.” Other series regulars include James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Andrew Liner, Marianly Tejada, Garrett Wareing and Jack Schumacher.
April Blair serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer of “Ransom Canyon,” with additional writers Joe Fazzio, Paul Haapaniemi, Laura Nava, Lucas Rojas and Paul Haapaniemi.
FIRST LOOKS/TRAILERS
Prime Video has announced a premiere date and shared the trailer for Season 3 of fantasy adaptation series “The Wheel of Time.” The first three episodes of the season will hit Prime Video March 13, and the rest of the episodes will drop weekly.
Rosamund Pike stars as Moiraine Damodred, who suffers from visions, and Josha Stradowski as Rand al’Thor who navigates being the Dragon Reborn. “The Wheel of Time” cast also includes Daniel Henney, Marcus Rutherford, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden and Sophie Okonedo.
The show is adapted from Robert Jordan’s book series of the same title, with the third season drawing from the fourth book, “The Shadow Rising.” The upcoming season will explore locations like the Aiel Waste, Rhuidean and Tanchico.
Watch the trailer below.
PROGRAMMING
“Property Brothers” stars Drew and Jonathan Scott are bringing their experiences to buyers in the newly greenlit HGTV series “Chasing the West.”
In the show, the Scotts will help families make the move away from city life as they adapt to the slower pace of ranch living and growing produce.
“For more than a decade, Drew and Jonathan have made families’ dreams of a beautiful home a reality, and they’ll continue that journey in a brand-new way in ‘Chasing the West,’” head of content at HGTV Loren Ruch said. “Now millions of fans will see the Brothers in a different light when they share their strong passion and vast knowledge of ranch living with regular people just like us hoping to make a major lifestyle change.”
The eight-episode series will debut on HGTV this summer and is produced by Scott Brothers Entertainment.
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PBS SoCal has announced several projects providing behind-the-scenes access to Getty’s Pacific Standard Time initiative “PST Art: Art & Science Collide.” A series of 11 video shorts, high school student-produced journalism pieces and a new 60-minute program are currently in production based on the Getty’s “landmark regional event that explores the intersections of art and science, both past and present.”
The new documentary for PBS is produced by PBS SoCal in association with Actual Film, and will “weave together compelling stories of artists participating in the Getty’s event and explores how they collaborate with science and technology in unexpected ways.” The untitled documentary will premiere nationwide this fall across PBS stations, on PBS.org and in the PBS app.
Sneak peeks from the documentary will be posted via a series of weekly digital shorts titled “Fusing Art & Science.” The series launches today with three short docs and will continue to roll out over the next few months featuring “Southern California’s top arts and culture destinations” including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California African American Museum and The Autry Museum of the American West.
“With Los Angeles forever transformed due to the recent Southern California wildfires, this new multi-platform program celebrates the resiliency of our creative community and features a diverse array of some of our region’s most prolific Arts institutions who have come together to put the spotlight on Artists and their dynamic creative work and its relationship to science and technology,” said PBS SoCal chief content officer Tamara Gould.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
The CW has tapped Michael Perman as its new senior vice president of sports.
In his new role, Perman will report to Brad Schwartz, president of The CW, and oversee all strategy, programming and media rights for CW Sports out of its New York office.
“As our sports programming schedule continues to grow at a breakneck pace, we are excited to bring a consummate pro like Mike Perman to our team of experienced industry executives, producers, and talent who are leading the charge to transform The CW into a must-see destination for live sporting events,” Schwartz said. “With nearly 400 hours a year of sports content now under Mike’s leadership, including NASCAR, WWE, ACC, Pac12, Grand Slam Track, and Inside The NFL, we are confident he will play a significant role in driving continued success for CW Sports.”
Perman brings over 20 years of experience to The CW, previously working as vice president of programming at NBC Sports Group and director of international programming at the NBA.
EVENTS
Cast members from hit shows like “Severance,” “Agatha All Along,” “Hacks” and “Poker Face” have been added to the list of stars on stage participating in this year’s PaleyFest LA.
From “Severance,” actors Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Michael Chernus and Gwendoline Christie will join for the opening night event while Kumail Nanjiani and Clea DuVall are attending an advanced preview of “Poker Face” Season 2.
From “Hacks,” Carl Clemons-Hopkins and Mark Indelicato will attend a world premiere screening of Season 4 while Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn and Debra Jo Rupp are joining Kathryn Hahn for an “Agatha All Along” screening and conversation.
PaleyFest LA runs from Friday, March 21 through Saturday, March 29 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
AWARD SHOWS
Emmy Award-winning performer Fran Brill is set to receive the lifetime achievement honor at the 3rd annual Children’s & Family Emmys.
Brill is known as the first female Muppet performer after Jane Henson to be hired by Jim Henson, joining “Sesame Street” in Season 2. Her work spans “The Muppet Show,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Jim Henson Hour,” “Dog City” and “The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.”
In a statement, Brill said, “I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which has done so much to advance the arts and sciences of television. My years of working on ‘Sesame Street,’ under the leadership of cultural icons Jim Henson and Joan Ganz Cooney, made an enormous contribution to the person I became. I feel both fortunate and proud to have created characters that live on today, and I hope young people continue to look to ‘Sesame Street’ and pursue careers in puppetry; there is no other medium like it.”
Along with Brill’s lifetime achievement award, the 2025 Children and Family Inductees in the Gold Circle include Charlie Adler, Hedda B. Sharapan, Richard A. Fernandes, Carol Greenwald, Susette Hsiung, Linda Simensky, Halle Stanford and Steven Vincent. The award ceremony will take place Saturday, March 15, in Los Angeles.
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