Latest news with #20thTelevision
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Former Doctor Odyssey crew allege rampant harassment, sue Disney for retaliation and toxic work culture
A disturbing lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court has cast a shadow over Doctor Odyssey, the medical drama from 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Television, with three former crewmembers accusing Disney of allowing a workplace rife with sexual misconduct and retaliation. Allegations of harassment and a toxic environment Caroline Mack, Alicia Haverland, and Ava Steinbrenner allege that they endured a 'persistent and unchecked campaign' of sexual harassment while working in the props department. The complaint describes repeated verbal abuse, inappropriate touching, and retaliation after reporting the incidents to management. Tyler Patton's conduct at the centre of the lawsuit The plaintiffs worked under assistant prop master Tyler Patton, whose behaviour is at the centre of the complaint — though he is not listed as a defendant. According to the lawsuit, Patton created an environment where sexual comments and discomfort were routine. The suit alleges he made crude remarks, including asking aloud why one crewmember 'had not been broken yet,' and referring to another with vulgar suggestions about oral sex. Patton is also accused of sending explicit content to colleagues under false pretences. In one incident, he allegedly sent a link appearing to reference political news. Upon clicking, recipients were redirected to a pornographic image. The plaintiffs claim Patton later joked that only his relationship with the prop master, his wife, Tammie Patton, prevented his firing. HR complaints and claims of retaliation The plaintiffs reported this to human resources and their union. They allege that 20th Television and Disney were aware of ongoing misconduct, including issues related to mishandling replica firearms. Patton was eventually terminated. However, the lawsuit claims that Tammie Patton retaliated by giving the women degrading tasks and threatening their job security. According to the complaint, the entire props department, except Patton's replacement, was later dismissed under the guise of a layoff. The plaintiffs argue that this was a strategic move to silence complaints and remove any remaining ties to the controversy. They allege the department was quickly replaced with new hires for the same production. Ongoing industry fallout Since the incident, Mack, Haverland, and Steinbrenner state they have been unable to secure further work on Disney or 20th Television sets, effectively blacklisting them from the industry. The lawsuit accuses Disney and its affiliates of sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and negligent hiring. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages. As of now, Disney and 20th Television have not commented. Meanwhile, Doctor Odyssey , starring Joshua Jackson as a physician aboard a cruise ship — remains the only ABC scripted series still without a decision on its future.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Felicity Huffman supports Desperate Housewives reboot led by women of color titled Wisteria Lane
Felicity Huffman, best known for her role as Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives, has shared her support for the upcoming reboot of the iconic series. In a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Huffman expressed excitement for the new project, titled Wisteria Lane, though she noted she likely won't be involved beyond cheering from the sidelines. 'They're going to do Wisteria Lane with all women of color, and I'm all for it,' she said. 'I'm going to do craft services,' she joked, adding, 'I just think it's wonderful, and I'm a huge fan of Kerry's.' The upcoming reboot will reimagine the original suburban drama with a new cast of women of color. It is being developed by 20th Television in collaboration with Kerry Washington's production company and will be written by Natalie Chaidez. The title, Wisteria Lane, references the fictional street where the original show was set. Desperate Housewives, which aired from 2004 to 2012, starred Huffman alongside Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, and Marcia Cross. When asked who should portray Lynette Scavo in the reboot, Huffman replied humbly, 'I think a lot of people could do it better than I did, so I can't wait to see it.' Since its announcement in April, Wisteria Lane has sparked a range of reactions from fans, with some voicing concern over reviving a beloved classic with a new approach. Huffman also appeared on the morning show to promote her upcoming Lifetime project, The Thirteenth Wife: Escaping Polygamy, a two-part movie based on true events.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Scrubs fans delight as Zach Braff finally signs on for reboot after tense negotiations over his deal
Scrubs made its biggest stride yet toward returning after its most identifiable star signed on. The rebooted series, which is set to air on ABC, has signed on original star Zach Braff to return as John J.D. Dorian, sources told Deadline on Wednesday. The move helps put in place the most important member of the original main cast, after the show also enlisted original creator and showrunner Bill Lawrence. Representatives for ABC and 20th Television, which is producing the show, haven't commented on the reported development. The return of Braff, 50, signals the series is more likely than ever to make it to air, as his participation make make it easier to lock in other members of the original lead cast. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. According to the publication, the negotiations to talk Braff into returning had some major hiccups along the way. One sticking point was the actor and filmmaker's wish not to shoot the reboot in Vancouver, Canada, as was being proposed, presumably as a cost-cutting measure. However, Braff reportedly insisted on keeping the series in Los Angeles. Scrubs' first eight seasons were primarily filmed in a decommissioned hospital located in Los Angeles' North Hollywood neighborhood, while the show's ninth and final season moved to neighboring Culver City. Braff also reportedly clashed with producers over money issues, and sources claimed that the dual issues created an impasse big enough that it could have scuttled the entire project. However, the parties eventually found a compromise that was agreeable enough for everyone, though it hasn't yet been announced if Braff was successful in moving production back to Hollywood. His desire to keep the show filming in LA comes in the context of fears of disastrous tariffs after President Donald Trump announced a plan to institute 100 percent tariffs on films made outside the US, though it's unclear if he intended television shows to suffer the same fate. Southern California's iconic industry capital has struggled in recent years as productions have been lured to other states and international destinations to shoot films and TV shows by lucrative tax credits and cheaper operating costs. Other complications for the Scrubs reboot have been tied to the show's creator. In August, Braff revealed that negotiations were taking so long on the reboot because of Bill Lawrence's exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros TV, which would forbid him from making a show with 20th Television and ABC under normal circumstances. Lawrence, who was also showrunner on the original series, has created the ongoing Apple TV+ shows Shrinking, Bad Monkey and Ted Lasso — which is set to return for a fourth season — as well as an upcoming comedy starring Steve Carell for HBO as part of his current deal. Even after negotiations with Warners allowed Lawrence to develop the scrubs reboot on the side for Disney-owned 20th TV and ABC, he'll still have to sit out writing or showrunning duties due to his extreme time commitments on his other shows. Scrubs originally aired on NBC for its first eight seasons, before moving to ABC for its ninth and final season. Although there were bumps along the road to getting Lawrence and Braff back on the show, the two have continued to display a strong professional relationship in recent years. Now that Braff's participation is secured, the production is in a stronger position to get the original main cast members to return. Those include Donald Faison, who played J.D.'s best friend Christopher Turk, as well as Sarah Chalke (Elliot Reid), Judy Reyes (Carla Espinosa) and John C. McGinley (Perry Cox). Lawrence previously said he envisions the returning series as a hybrid of reboots and revivals, with the cast comprised of a mix of actors from the original series, along with new characters. It's unclear if his plans for the show still involve all of the original cast members returning, and even if they do their roles may be necessarily diminished in order to give screen time to Scrubs' newer generation. Braff — who has directed multiple films, including Garden State — worked as a director on an episode of Ted Lasso, which earned him Emmy and Director's Guild of America nominations. He also had a guest spot on Lawrence's Courteney Cox–starring comedy Cougar Town, and more recently, he returned to direct episodes in the last two seasons of the Jason Segel and Harrison Ford–starring Shrinking on Apple TV+. Braff also appeared in a multi-episode arc with star Vince Vaughn on Bad Monkey, and he's set to direct on Lawrence's HBO series with Steve Carell. His most recent feature as director — and writer — was 2023's A Good Person, which starred his then-girlfriend Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman.
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Bryan Cranston returns as Hal in ‘Malcolm in the Middle' revival: 'I missed him'
Bryan Cranston is officially back as Hal Wilkerson in the upcoming Malcolm in the Middle revival series. In a new interview with People published on May 25, Cranston described his return to the iconic role as 'so rewarding.' 'Slipping back into that character of Hal for me was so rewarding — I missed him,' Cranston said. 'It's been almost 20 years since we said goodbye. He's a sweet, lovable man, and it was fun to see my whole family back together. It was great.' Cranston even shared a personal touch he used to reconnect with Hal's quirky personality — wearing one of Hal's signature short-sleeve patterned shirts. 'It screams out he's not going anywhere,' he joked. The Malcolm in the Middle revival brings back much of the original cast, including Frankie Muniz, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson, and Justin Berfield. Newcomer Caleb Ellsworth-Clark takes over the role of Dewey, and two new characters join the mix: Malcolm's daughter Leah, played by The Fabelmans star Keeley Karsten, and a new sibling, Kelly, portrayed by Vaughan Murrae. The limited-run series is being produced by 20th Television and New Regency. Series creator Linwood Boomer returns as writer and executive producer, alongside Bryan Cranston and a team including Tracy Katsky, Gail Berman, Arnon Milchan, and Ken Kwapis, who will direct all four episodes.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sterling K. Brown's ‘Washington Black' Limited Series Gets Premiere Date At Hulu
Hulu has set a July premiere date for Washington Black, the Sterling K. Brown-fronted adaptation of Esi Edugyan's novel. The series, which received a straight-to-series order, will launch with all eight episodes on Wednesday, July 23 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, Washington Black follows the 19th-century odyssey of George Washington 'Wash' Black, an eleven-year-old boy born on a Barbados sugar plantation, whose prodigious scientific mind sets him on a path of unexpected destiny. When a harrowing incident forces Wash to flee, he is thrust into a globe-spanning adventure that challenges and reshapes his understanding of family, freedom and love. As he navigates uncharted lands and impossible odds, Wash finds the courage to imagine a future beyond the confines of the society he was born into. More from Deadline 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 'The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives' Season 2 Draws 5M Views Globally In First 5 Days On Disney+ & Hulu Brown stars and executive produces the series. Also starring are Ernest Kingsley Jr., Rupert Graves, Iola Evans, Edward Bluemel, Sharon Duncan Brewster, Eddie Karanja and Tom Ellis. Washington Black is produced by 20th Television in association with Indian Meadows Productions and The Gotham Group. Selwyn Hinds, Kim Harrison, Brown, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wanuri Kahiu, Mo Marable, Rob Seidenglanz, Jeremy Bell, Lindsay Williams, D.J. Goldberg, Jennifer Johnson and Anthony Hemingway executive produce. Hinds and Harrison are also showrunners for the series. Edugyan is co-producer. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds All The 'Mission: Impossible' Movies In Order - See Tom Cruise's 30-Year Journey As Ethan Hunt
