News

Exclusive: Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries will soon debut two new comedy podcasts: Tiny Dinos, from Connor Ratliff and James III, and Allan McLeod’s Walkin’ About.

Tiny Dinos premieres May 7, with episodes dropping weekly on Tuesdays, while Walkin’ About debuts on May 15, with episodes released weekly on Wednesdays. Both series will be available on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. A trailer for Tiny Dinos can be found above.

Tiny Dinos

“Connor, James and Allan are all very talented comedians, and Lord knows we all can use some laughter these days,” said McKay in a statement to Deadline. “But they’re also asking questions that boldly challenge the international corporate power structure like ‘What happens if I start taking regular walks?’ And ‘What would happen if we brought dinosaurs back but they were super tiny?'”

In Tiny Dinos, Ratliff takes improv to the next...

The Loreen Arbus Foundation and Inevitable Foundation have teamed on a new series of professional development grants aimed at supporting disabled women and nonbinary screenwriters.

The Inevitable Foundation x Loreen Arbus Foundation Elevate Collective Awards will bestow four recipients with an $8,000 grant along with mentorship, coaching and connections to advance their careers.

“As someone who is a lifelong advocate for the rights of and opportunities for people with disabilities, I couldn’t be more excited to join forces with Inevitable Foundation to invest in writers and filmmakers with disabilities. Together, we can provide them with the resources and support they need to not only succeed but thrive in this industry,” Arbus said in a statement. “The stories and perspectives of disabled creatives are essential and deserve to be heard. Our collaboration will help provide job placement, professional development, funding, and mentorship to this community, giving them the tools to build fulfilling and impactful careers.

Inevitable Foundation has launched the Inevitable Foundation x Loreen Arbus Foundation Elevate Collective Awards. The professional development grants are part of Inevitable’s Elevate Collective program and will support four disabled women and/or nonbinary people with $8,000 professional development grants and the mentorship, coaching and connections they need to level-up their careers.

“We are thrilled to partner with The Loreen Arbus Foundation, who share our unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of disabled creatives,” said Inevitable Foundation Co-Founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska. “Loreen has an incredible track record of supporting disabled creatives and upholding our shared belief that they have unique perspectives and experiences that contribute to the diversity and richness of storytelling.”

Loreen Arbus is an author, disability rights advocate, writer, and producer, as well as President of The Loreen Arbus Foundation and Loreen Arbus Productions, Inc. She has established many funds and scholarships that both enhance and...

Jerah Milligan has signed with CAA for representation.

A multi-hyphenate creative artist, Milligan co-created and starred in Netflix’s “Astronomy Club,” which was executive produced by Kenya Barris and Dan Powell, and co-wrote, executive produced, and starred in an original presentation of “Sherlock Homies” for HBO Max.

As a director, he recently directed the sketch segments of Yvonne Orji’s latest HBO Special “A Whole Me.” Milligan’s short film “Mahogany Drive,” which he directed and co-wrote, was recently screened at the Slamdance Film Festival. His additional directing credits include Showtime’s “Desus & Mero” and MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out.” Milligan is a product of Viacom’s Viewfinder: Emerging Directors Program.

On screen, his acting credits include Netflix’s “Black Mirror,” “Broad City,” “Blue Bloods,” “Chicago P.D.,” and “The Detour.” Most recently, he appeared in Apple TV+’s “Helpsters” as Cheerleader Chadwick. He has also produced shows for MTV,...

Exclusive: Daniel Powell, co-creator of Inside Amy Schumer, and Aaron Augenblick, producer of Ugly Americans and The Jellies, are launching kids animation producer Future Brain Media.

The pair have teamed up to bring a distinct sophistication and aesthetic to the world of children’s content. Future Brain Media is a full-service company that can handle every aspect of production from development through delivery.

They already have a pilot in the works for PBS Kids created by Augenblick, designed by Gemma Correll and featuring original music by Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio, and are working on a project with General Mills.

They are also working with the likes of Katie Wendt (The Jellies), Devin Clark (Ugly Americans), Gemma Correll (The Worrier’s Guide to Life), R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics), Brian Weaver (Joey Fly), Ryan Mauskopf (The Onion) and Kevin Maher (Kevin Geeks Out) on projects.

Augenblick and Powell previously...

Exclusive: Inside Amy Schumer co-creator Daniel Powell and Alex Bach’s Irony Point production banner is expanding its relationship with Netflix as the streaming giant bolsters its comedy slate. The company has signed a multi-year production commitment overall deal with the streamer, with a first-look component for projects developed by Irony Point, encompassing stand-up comedy, sketch, variety, alternative formats and more. Irony Point co-Presidents Powell and Bach will serve as executive producers on all projects.

Netflix and Irony Point have previously partnered on series including I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, which launches its second season later this year, and specials such as Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine, among others. As part of the deal, Irony Point will render its production services for specials, series and various comedy formats for its own projects and select original Netflix productions in those genres. Ayesha Rokadia will continue to produce for Irony...

“Anne With an E” (Netflix)

Final Episode Jan. 3 “Harvey Girls Forever!” (Netflix)

Final episode Jan. 10 “Limetown” (Facebook Watch)

Canceled Jan. 16 “Sorry for Your Loss” (Facebook Watch)

Canceled Jan. 16 “The Ranch” (Netflix)

Final episode Jan. 24 “Flirty Dancing” (Fox)

Final episode Jan. 25 “Star Wars Resistance” (Disney Channel)

Final episode Jan. 26 “Arrow” (The CW)

Final episode Jan. 28 “Homicide Hunter” (ID)

Final episode Jan. 29 “The Good Place” (NBC)

Final episode Jan. 30 “New Looney Tunes” (Boomerang)

Final episode Jan. 30 “Bojack Horseman” (Netflix)

Final episode Jan. 31 “Soundtrack” (Netflix)

Canceled Jan. 31 “Spinning Out” (Netflix)

Canceled Feb. 3 “Ray Donovan” (Showtime)

Canceled Feb. 4 “If Loving You Is Wrong” (OWN)

Canceled Feb. 5 “Power” (Starz)

Final episode Feb. 9 “Shimmer and Shine” (Nick Jr.)

Final episode Feb. 9 “Insatiable” (Netflix)

Canceled Feb. 14 “Mike Tyson Mysteries” (Adult Swim)

Final episode Feb. 16 “Criminal Minds” (CBS)

Final episode Feb. 19 “Fresh off the Boat” (ABC)

Final episode Feb. 21 “High Noon” (ESPN)

Canceled Feb. 25 “Hawaii Five-0” (CBS)

Canceled Feb.

It’s the time of Peak TV! There’s TV everywhere! You can’t shake a stick without hitting another TV show on another streamer! TV! TV! TV!

All that’s true — until it’s not.

The sheer quantity of TV does not always equate to quality TV winning out, and each year, there are a number of worthy shows that don’t reach whatever mystical threshold television executives have ascertained is required to keep a project in production. This is even more true this year, with the business pressures created by the pandemic often — and some cynics would argue, conveniently — cited as the reason for cancellation.

Here, IndieWire lists, in alphabetical order, the year’s shows that were canceled too soon. They’re gone — but not forgotten, thanks to the afterlife they could receive on those same streaming outlets that didn’t want to fund new episodes. As it turns out,...

Kenya Barris is in talks to launch a new studio venture at ViacomCBS, TheWrap has confirmed.

The new agreement would see Barris become an equity partner in a joint venture overseen by BET Networks president Scott Mills and CBS Chief Creative Officer and Showtime CEO David Nevins. A representative for the company did not return TheWrap’s request for comment.

Barris is just over two years in to a three-year overall deal at Netflix, which he would have to exit should the ViacomCBS venture proceed. The streamer is said to be willing to let Barris out of his deal early, but Netflix declined to comment on the matter.

Barris previously left his overall deal with ABC Studios early after clashing with executives over the decision to shelve an anti-Trump episode of “black-ish” that was deemed too partisan. (The episode was recently released on Hulu in the wake of the George Floyd protests earlier this summer.

Kenya Barris is currently in talks to be a part of a new venture at ViacomCBS, according to a source familiar with the situation, one in which he would be an equity partner.

Per the source, ViacomCBS is in “serious talks” to launch a new studio that would be overseen by BET Networks president Scott Mills and CBS chief creative officer and Showtime CEO David Nevins.

Deadline first reported the news.

The move would mean that Barris might have to exit his three-year, $100 million Netflix deal early. The “Black-ish” creator inked the deal in mid-2018 after departing ABC Studios, and during his time at Netflix has created “#blackAF,” which was renewed for a second season in June, and executive produced sketch comedy series “Astronomy Club,” the latter of which was canceled after one season. “#blackAF” was Barris’ first show to be produced under his overll deal at the streamer.

Netflix...

Exclusive: Kenya Barris is making the leap from content creation to content ownership. The prolific comedy creator behind the black-ish comedy franchise is in serious conversations with ViacomCBS for a new venture, sources said. I hear the negotiations are focused on jointly launching a studio, in which Barris will be an equity partner. At ViacomCBS, the joint venture would be overseen by BET Networks President Scott Mills and David Nevins, Chief Creative Officer of CBS & Chairman And CEO of Showtime Networks, whose portfolio includes BET, I have learned.

Barris is midway through a mega overall deal at Netflix. According to sources, the streamer is considering letting Barris out of his deal to pursue the big opportunity of co-owning a studio. Reps for Netflix and ViacomCBS declined comment.

The deal with ViacomCBS would allow Barris to join the elite ranks of entertainment moguls. ViacomCBS also has a joint venture with Tyler Perry,...

Netflix has produced many hit TV shows over the past seven years, ever since they started pumping out their own original programming. However, the streaming service has developed a reputation for not letting its series go on for too long. Fans know to be wary of getting attached to their favorite new Netflix shows as they could be unceremoniously cancelled after one or two seasons.

Earlier today, for instance, Hilary Swank vehicle Away was given the chop by the company after just a single outing. This makes it the 56th original series that Netflix has cancelled. That number only includes shows that were original to the platform and produced in-house, so it doesn’t count pick-ups like Lucifer, for example. Those series luckily enough to end on the creators’ own terms, such as House of Cards, are likewise not included. Shows that were axed by Netflix before being picked up elsewhere,...

HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show has entered the Emmy race but the sketch category has been decimated to only three nominees.

Robin Thede’s comedy has been nominated in the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series category alongside Saturday Night Live and Drunk History.

It comes as the Emmy rule change means that categories with less than 20 submissions have a sliding scale between zero and four nominations.

While it might increase A Black Lady Sketch Show’s chances against regular winner SNL, it is a blow for shows such as Sherman’s Showcase, At Home With Amy Sedaris, Alternatino with Arturo Castro, The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show, Crank Yankers and Astronomy Club.

Two of last year’s nominees, Hulu’s I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman and Showtime’s Who Is America? were no longer eligible. The streamer cancelled Silverman’s show in January 2019, while it...

In the wake of the unleashed 'Covid-19' pandemic virus plague, film studios have canceled a slew of TV series, including shows from Netflix, Hulu, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, A&e, USA, Pop TV, Starz, CBS All Access, History, Paramount, Syfy, Showtime, Facebook Watch and Freeform:

Canceled Series

Lost in Space (Netflix)

Turn Up Charlie (Netflix)

Osmosis (Netflix)

Mortel (Netflix)

Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show (Netflix)

Marianne (Netflix)

Soundtrack (Netflix)

Spinning Out (Netflix)

Aj and the Queen (Netflix)

Messiah (Netflix)

V Wars (Netflix)

October Faction (Netflix)

Next in Fashion (Netflix)

Cops (Paramount)

Live Pd (A&E)

Tell Me a Story (CBS All Access)

Project Blue Book (History)

Knightfall (History)

The Purge (USA)

Treadstone (USA)

Dare Me (USA)

The Magicians (Syfy)

Vagrant Queen (Syfy)

Reprisal (Hulu)

Harlots (Hulu)

Emergence (ABC)

Single Parents (ABC)

Schooled (ABC)

Bless This Mess (ABC)

Kids Say the Darndest Things (ABC)

Broke (CBS)

Carol's Second Act (CBS)

God Friended Me...

“Comedy 100% changes things,” says Kenya Barris, the creator and star of Netflix’s #blackAF. He is discussing whether the art of laughter can bring about a meaningful societal shift in light of the May killing of George Floyd and the subsequent protests against police brutality.

Barris, who also created ABC family comedy Black-ish, says that television comedy can help people “take the medicine with a spoonful of sugar.”

#blackAF, which also stars Rashida Jones as Barris’ wife, explores the meaning of being Black and successful and raising kids in America. The eight-part scripted series—Barris’ first scripted series since signing a major overall deal with Netflix—launched on the streaming service in April. It has started an interesting conversation online about race and class.

Barris says on both Black-ish and #blackAF that he was inspired by Richard Pryor to “pull the curtain back” and show, “white America, Black America, and...

Right now might not be the best time to cancel a sketch-comedy series led by black comedians, but that’s clearly not enough to stop Netflix, who recently confirmed that they would not be renewing Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show for a second season.

The 6-episode series which premiered last December is only the latest show from a noticeably African American creative team canceled by the streaming giant. Previous examples include Turn Up Charlie created by and starring Idris Elba and Tuca & Bertie starring Tiffany Haddish, who also served as executive producer.

Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show came from Kenya Barris of Black-ish fame as part of a $100 million development deal alongside writer and director Daniel Powell, who’s most known for producing comedic series like Ugly Americans and Inside Amy Schumer. The show stars the titular comedy troupe, the first all-black team from the famous Upright Citizens Brigade, and...

Exclusive: The team behind Netflix’s Astronomy Club are moving onward and upward following the cancellation of their sketch comedy show and have partnered with The Problem With Apu producer Cowboy Bear Ninja on a new project.

The comedy troupe are developing Sherlock Homies, a comedy series that they describe as Curb Your Enthusiasm-meets-Reno 911 about Harlem’s first all-black detective agency.

The series is the brainchild of Shawtane Bowen, who is one of eight members of Astronomy Club, which also includes Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses, and Keisha Zollar.

Bowen said that the show was informed by living in Harlem for eight years. “I had a lot of interactions with the cops,” he told Deadline. “I thought it’d be interesting to do a show on Harlem’s first and last all black detective agency.”

Cowboy Bear Ninja partner Michael Melamedoff, who...

Why was Astronomy Club cancelled? Recently, the cast and creators of the Netflix TV show spoke with IndieWire about the series' surprising cancellation.

From Kenya Barris, the comedy series features Upright Citizen Brigade’s first all-black sketch troupe. The cast includes Shawtane Bowen, Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses and Keisha Zollar.

Read More…...

There’s an “Astronomy Club” sketch called “Activist Rally,” where a passionate male organizer derails an entire meeting by regaling the group with his grand utopian visions. As far as sketch comedy goes, it’s the perfect example of the highly specific becoming easily recognizable — even to anyone who’s never attended an activist meeting. It’s also the kind of sketch that, at least on paper, wouldn’t necessarily read like it was written for an all-black cast. Such is the beauty and brilliance of “Astronomy Club,” the six-episode Netflix sketch series that debuted on the platform in December.

Unfortunately, Netflix announced publicly this week that it would not be renewing the show for a second season. That’s disappointing, not only because the show was funny and sharp and got great reviews, but if anyone deserves a little extra joy right now it’s black people.

Starring eight cast members,...

Own and Discovery’s 18 other networks will air Own Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?, a two-night special hosted by Oprah Winfrey, on Tuesday, June 9 and Wednesday, June 10, at 9/8c.

A response to the civil unrest following George Floyd’s murder, the programming event will feature conversations about systematic racism and the current state of America with Black thought leaders, activists and artists such as Ava DuVernay, Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Rashad Robinson, Ibram Kendi, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Jennifer Eberhardt, David Oyelowo and Charles M. Blow.

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Halo Taps Penny Dreadful Alum,...

Netflix will be moving a whole lotta sewing machines into storage: The streamer has cancelled its competition series Next in Fashion after just one season, TVLine has confirmed.

Queer Eye‘s fashion expert Tan France, who co-hosted the show, first broke the news to our sister publication Variety. “This is a one-season show, we don’t know what will happen in the future,” he said. “But it was honestly one of the proudest things I’ve ever worked on. I love the show and [co-host] Alexa [Chung] so much. My focus is definitely on Queer Eye and moving forward with that.” (Queer Eye...

Netflix has canceled competition series Next In Fashion after one season, Deadline has confirmed.

Hosted by Queer Eye fashion guru Tan France and style icon Alexa Chung, Next in Fashion featured eighteen designers who faced off in different challenges centering on a different trend or design style that has influenced the way the entire world dresses. South Korean designer Minju Kim was the winner of the first and only season, taking home the $250,000 top prize and the opportunity to debut her collection with luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter.

Guest judges for the 10-episode debut season included a who’s who of the fashion world including Eva Chen, Elizabeth Stewart, Monique Lhuillier, Elizabeth Van Der Goltz, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Jason Bolden, Kerby Jean-Raymond, Adriana Lima, Christopher Kane, Beth Ditto, Josefine Aberg, “Dao”- Yi Chow, Maxwell Osborne and Tommy Hilfiger.

Next in Fashion was created and produced by theoldschool and Executive...

Netflix has canceled the fashion design competition “Next in Fashion” after one season, TheWrap has confirmed.

Hosted by Alexa Chung and “Queer Eye’s” Tan France, the series debuted its 10-episode first season back in January.

Featuring 18 designers with established careers in the fashion industry, the show was described as a competition to find “the next big name in fashion.” The winning designer was awarded a $250,000 prize and the opportunity to debut their collection with luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter. South Korean womenswear designer Minju Kim took home the prize in the finale.

Also Read: Kenya Barris' Sketch Show 'Astronomy Club' Canceled by Netflix After 1 Season

France broke the news that show would not return, telling Variety that “it was honestly one of the proudest things I’ve ever worked on. I love the show and Alexa so much.”

“Next in Fashion” was created and produced by theoldschool and...

“Next in Fashion” has sewn its final thread — at least at Netflix.

Netflix has canceled the fashion competition series hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung after only a single season, Variety has learned exclusively.

France confirmed the news, saying “we’re not doing a second a season,” before hinting that perhaps the series could be revived elsewhere.

“This is a one-season show, we don’t know what will happen in the future,” France told Variety. “But it was honestly one of the proudest things I’ve ever worked on. I love the show and Alexa so much. My focus is definitely on ‘Queer Eye’ and moving forward with that.”

News of the cancelation comes just two days after Netflix jettisoned another show, “Astronomy Club,” after only one season. The streamer is developing a pattern of only giving shows a single outing, as “Next in Fashion” joins a list that includes “Messiah,...

The Kenya Barris-produced sketch show “Astronomy Club” has been canceled by Netflix after one season, TheWrap has learned.

The six-episode sketch series launched on the streaming service Dec. 6. A source familiar with the situation says the cancellation news was shared with the “Astronomy Club” team back in February.

Here’s the official description for “Astronomy Club,” which was produced by Barris’ Ink Society:

The members of the eponymous group, who first formed in 2014 and built a following through live performance in New York, include Shawtane Bowen, Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses, and Keisha Zollar. Sketches will explore an array of topics ranging from pop culture and social issues to the Black experience. Barris executive produces the series alongside showrunner Daniel Powell and Khalabo Ink Society’s Anni Weisband.

Also Read: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Kenya Barris' 'Astronomy Club' -...

“Astronomy Club” will not be coming back for a second season.

Netflix has decided to cancel the sketch comedy series after only a single season. The series featured the titular sketch and improv group and was produced by Kenya Barris via his Khalabo Ink Society banner at Netflix

News of the cancelation was announced in a somewhat ironic tweet from the official “Astronomy Club” Twitter account last night.

“Seems like a good time to mention ‘Astronomy Club’ was sadly not renewed by Netflix. Thank you to all the fans who watched! Hoping that more black artists & comedians are given the platform to have voices in the future,” the show’s read.

Seems like a good time to mention #AstronomyClub was sadly not renewed by @netflix. Thank you...

Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show, exec produced by Kenya Barris, has been cancelled at Netflix after one season.

The show, which features the Upright Citizens Brigade’s first all-black troupe Astronomy Club, launched on December 6.

It featured sketches that explore an array of topics ranging from pop culture and social issues to the Black experience.

Black-ish creator Barris exec produces alongside showrunner Daniel Powell, who has worked on Inside Amy Schumer and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and Khalabo Ink Society’s Anni Weisband.

The group, who first formed in 2014, built a following through live performance in New York. It includes Shawtane Bowen, Jonathan Braylock, Ray Cordova, James III, Caroline Martin, Jerah Milligan, Monique Moses, and Keisha Zollar.

Guest stars included Ice Cube, Drew Tarver, Busy Philipps and Gillian Jacobs.

The cast and crew are understood to have been told of the decision in February.

The news was revealed on Twitter.

The Kenya Barris-produced Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show is finished at Netflix.

The streamer has canceled the series after a single season, making it the latest one-and-done show at Netflix. The show, starring the members of improv troupe Astronomy Club — the first all-black house team at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York — featured sketches about pop culture and social issues.

The group announced the cancellation on Twitter Tuesday night: "Seems like a good time to mention Astronomy Club was sadly not renewed by Netflix," they wrote. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter the decision was shared with the ...

On Tuesday, Netflix released a trailer for The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show, which stars on of the streaming giant's go-to comedy stars, Iliza Shlesinger. Netflix is no stranger to sketch shows, have found recent success with Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave and Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show as it expands its comedy offerings. [caption id="attachment_883548" align="alignright" width="360"] Image via Netflix/caption] Now, it's Shlesinger's turn to take a crack at stepping into the shoes of a color bunch of characters in this six-episode sketch series (say that five times …...

When I saw that there was a brand new sketch series on Netflix titled Astronomy Club I was very confused as this is not the title you would expect from this type of show… but I was pleasantly surprised.

Astronomy Club is a show perfectly made for binge-watching. Each episode is only around 20 minutes with multiple sketches appearing in one episode. If you wanted to it would only take you two hours to watch the entire of the first and only series – I really hope Netflix plans to make a second series as two hours in total for this show is nowhere near enough!

The comedy in this show is at times very light and at time extremely silly. For example, there is a sketch about a family of gingerbread people and their reaction to being eaten by a real-life family. However race is aalso a very important theme in...

Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones have found the rest of their cast for the upcoming Netflix series “#BlackExcellence.”

Genneya Walton, Iman Benson, Scarlet Spencer, Justin Clairborne, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, and Richard Gardenhire Jr. will join the eight-episode comedy series alongside Barris and Jones, who will star. The series is set to debut in 2020.

“#BlackExcellence” is inspired by Barris’ “irreverent, highly flawed, unbelievably honest approach to parenting, relationships, race, and culture,” according to Netflix, which adds that “the series uncovers and explores the messy, unapologetic and often hilarious world of what it means to be a ‘new money’ Black family trying to get it right in a modern world where ‘right’ is no longer a fixed concept.”

Also Read: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Kenya Barris' 'Astronomy Club' - Watch the First Sketch (Video)

Jones and Barris will executive produce along with Hale Rothstein. Barris’ production company, Khalabo Ink Society,...

The premiere of “Astronomy Club” is so dense with fully-formed jokes, wry social commentaries, and wild left turns that you’d be forgiven for wondering if you accidentally dropped into the show’s second season rather than its first. There are sketches about a life or death hair emergency, the chain reaction of biases of people sizing each other up from either side of a locked apartment building door, and a harrowing disaster from the perspective of its gingerbread-men victims. There’s one about a support group for Magical Negroes who can’t let go of their need to help white people (think Bagger Vance), and another about Robin Hood getting a lesson in the intersection between class and race when he tries to rob a wealthy black family. Throughout, there’s a faux MTV-style reality show starring the Astronomy Club itself. This first episode sets the standard for “Astronomy Club” as clever,...

Let “Saturday Night Live” do all the President Trump sketches it wants. Over on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” there are skits that cleverly parody how slow soul food restaurants are and how it feels to be overlooked in society with a recurring bit called “Invisible Spy.” Meanwhile, “Sherman’s Showcase” on IFC pokes fun at music-driven biopics with “This Is How He Did It: The Montell Jordan Story” and gives a nod in every episode to an obscure 1970s Afro Sheen commercial featuring Frederick Douglass. And Comedy Central’s “Alternatino with Arturo Castro,” mocks everything from drunk wedding guests to popstar Pitbull and the inhumane treatment at Ice detention centers.

When the new series “Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show” premieres on Netflix Friday, comedy lovers can expect the same type of culturally relevant topics and humor. Executive produced by Kenya Barris (“Black-ish”), the series pushes past the...

As Christmas nears, Netflix will ring in this holiday season with new Kris Kringle-themed films including “A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish,” “Home for Christmas” and “A Family Reunion Christmas.”

Tiffany Haddish, meanwhile, will be celebrating Hanukkah with her newest stand-up special “Black Mitzvah,” in which she shares how she’s embracing her roots after discovering her father’s Eritrean-Jewish heritage.

Kevin Hart’s new special also hits Netflix this month. His docu-series “Don’t F**k This Up” will highlight his Oscar hosting controversy, as well as his daily life.

Acclaimed movies like Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” with Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, along with “Two Popes,” are also joining the streamer in December. On the TV front, Season 2 of “You” starring Penn Badgley arrives on Netflix just after Christmas.

View the complete list below:

Dec. 1

Dead Kids

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl...