NBC's embrace of sports could be bad news for scripted programming
While some of those shows had plenty of opportunity to find an audience, '
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Regardless of your feelings on those specific shows, the NBA on NBC spells danger for all original programming at Rockefeller Center, both new and old. While Sunday night has been a sports night for NBC since Sunday Night Football began in 2006, Tuesday's primetime lineup was where shows like 'Frasier,' 'This is Us,' and the original 'Law & Order' first flourished. Where will word-of-mouth shows like 'Scrubs' build an audience now that three precious hours of primetime will be occupied by an NBA pre-game show and a 2 1/2 hour game?
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NBC did announce a number of new shows during its upfronts, but a surprisingly high percentage of them are airing
Meanwhile, NBC is currently considering three comedies for just two open slots in its Monday and Friday night lineups. Not too long ago, a sitcom executive-produced by Tina Fey starring Tracy Morgan and Daniel Radcliffe would anchor a Thursday night of 'Must See TV.' But Fey's 'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins' still doesn't have a timeslot, and will face competition from two other comedy pilots as
As NBC celebrates its 100th birthday this upcoming year, the network is putting all of its eggs into the live events basket, positioning the NFL, the Olympics, and the NBA as its tentpoles. It's an understandable approach, but a tough pill to swallow from a company that has produced some of the best scripted TV shows of all time.
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Over the past decade, viewers (and TV critics!) were overwhelmed by choice during the peak of the streaming wars, when
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Boston Globe
12 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
The docuseries ‘Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues' isn't bad, except the Tom Brady parts
Well, here's the basic timeline. Appreciated every extraordinary thing he did on the field during his 20 years with the Patriots … recognized he was getting weird on us with stuff like the Alex Guerrero connection, offensively overpriced TB12 gear, and the no-mushroom policy, but hey, his unprecedented late-career excellence made for a heck of a case on his behalf … cringed when the formerly down-to-earth young QB who used to chug beers faster than his linemen started pushing crypto and running with the oligarch class… watched almost every broadcast of his rookie season as Fox's lead NFL analyst last fall, eventually concluding that the reason he didn't show much personality is that it might not be there to show … But the tipping point that brought on the aforementioned realization was Brady's behavior in his version of a current trend among the rich, famous, and presumably bored — buying an English soccer team, and making a documentary about it in which the star is the rescuing hero. Advertisement 'Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues' is a five-episode docuseries that debuted at the end of July on Amazon Prime. It's about a Champions League soccer team (the second tier in English soccer, below the Premier League) that Brady and his private equity pal Tom Wagner recognize as an undervalued asset (always heart-warming when vultures find their food) and purchase, with Brady taking on minority ownership but with full boss duties. Advertisement 'Built in Birmingham' is not bad at all. The city (gritty, industrial, and full of amusingly blunt fans that will remind you of specific Ted Lasso side characters), players (the third episode, featuring star player Jay Stansfield's back story, is the best in the series), and the team (whose history roughly resembles the Red Sox' from 1919-2003) are compelling. The problem is it's far less interesting when Brady is around. He speaks to the players in bromides and banalities — 'We practice like it's the Super Bowl' — about his time with the Patriots (and Bucs), which he seems to presume these futbol players know from A to Z and XXXVI to LV. He punctuates his Cliff Notes Tony Robbins proclamations with a specific expletive so often that it's a wonder it hasn't slipped through on a Fox broadcast. Related : When he is involved, Brady — who describes his role as 'being there in a visionary role' — only seems authentic when he's belittling something or angry. He joins his friends in talking condescendingly about the city and the team as they're on he way to see the Blues' aged facilities for the first time. Before a game against Wrexham — famously owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — Brady tells the camera, 'Let's go get a [expletive] win against Wrexham ... Ryan Reynolds, Mackilrey, whatever your [expletive] name is.' Advertisement When Wagner informs Brady that putting together a swag bag for visiting legend David Beckham would be considered a faux pas — Beckham never played for the team — Brady gets a look on his face that suggests Joey Galloway just ran the wrong route again. He tells Wagner through a scowl that Beckham should be gifted something anyway. He likes to talk about how he was an underdog, but he comes across as someone who can no longer remember what that was like, or what he was like. The most off-putting scene occurred in the opening episode when Brady, Wagner, and his team strategized in the back of an SUV before popping into a local pub to meet some fans for a quick public-relations opportunity and a few more Lasso vibes. 'We have to feel this one out, boys,'' Brady says. 'This is not my thing.' He's told it will only be 15 minutes. He asks if he'll be signing autographs. The pop-in is designed to make him look like a man of the people. 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USA Today
12 minutes ago
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FanDuel Promo Code: Claim $300 Betting Bonus For UFC 319, NFL Preseason
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The updated FanDuel promo code offer comes at a perfect time for new users during a Saturday that features 11 NFL preseason games, UFC 319 and a full 15-game MLB schedule. Click here or on any of our links to sign up with this offer. This new offer from FanDuel Sportsbook gives you the chance to win $300 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager to start your account. This offer doubles up on the amount you previously could have won. You can win your $300 in bonus bets with a bet on any market. You will have a loaded slate of pro football games to choose from, and we might see more of the starters for several teams with the regular season approaching. We have a full MLB slate, but the biggest game is undoubtedly the Padres-Dodgers matchup, which has big implications for the National League West division title. UFC 319 will take place at The United Center in Chicago and is headlined by the middleweight title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. Bet $5 on any of these events and secure $300 in bonus bets if your wager settles as a win. FanDuel Promo Code: Win $300 Bonus For NFL Preseason, MLB, UFC 319 FanDuel Promo Code No Code Required New User Offer Risk $5, Receive $300 in Bonus Bets With a Win In-App Promos 30% Profit Boost on Any Sport, Daily Boosts, etc. Terms and Conditions New Customers – 21+ in Eligible States Bonus Last Verified On Aug. 16, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek As noted above, you must win your $5 bet to get the $300 in bonus bets. The good news is that there is no odds restriction with your initial wager. With this in mind, you should look at a wide range of markets to find a bet you think is likely to settle as a win. For example, you could bet $5 on the Padres to win on Saturday, and if that does happen, you will receive your bonuses. However, you might want to look into some prop bets, as those can be easier to predict than the winner of an individual baseball game. A $5 bet on an NFL preseason market or one of the UFC 319 fights will qualify for this promo, too. Claim Updated FanDuel Promo Code New User Offer Lock in this promo by clicking here and creating a new account with FanDuel Sportsbook. You will be asked to provide basic identifying information, like your name, date of birth, mailing address and more. The next step is to make an initial deposit with a secure payment method, like a credit card. This should cover your $5 bet on any market. Once you place that wager, wait for it to settle to see if you win the $300 in bonus bets. If you win the $300 in bonuses, you will have one week to use them before they expire. NFL Preseason Saturday Slate As mentioned above, it will be a busy Saturday with 11 NFL preseason games, and there are some intriguing betting opportunities for new users. The odds and kickoff times for Saturday's games are listed below: Patriots vs. Vikings (-2.5), 1 p.m. EDT Panthers vs. Texans (-2.5), 1 p.m. EDT Browns vs. Eagles (-3.5), 1 p.m. EDT Dolphins (-1.5) vs. Lions, 1 p.m. EDT Packers vs. Colts (-6.5), 1 p.m. EDT 49ers vs. Raiders (-4.5), 4 p.m. EDT Ravens (-1.5) vs. Cowboys, 7 p.m. EDT Buccaneers (-2.5) vs. Steelers, 7 p.m. EDT Chargers (-6.5) vs. Rams, 7 p.m. EDT Jets vs. Giants (-3.5), 7 p.m. EDT Cardinals vs. Broncos (-3), 9:30 p.m. EDT Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
