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Production in Hollywood is down. Fewer distributors means fewer shows. Fewer shows means fewer jobs. Whether it’s from conglomerates culling their cable channels or eliminating their streaming services, creatives are scrambling for work they wouldn’t have needed in years past, while others are looking for new careers entirely. On top of these immediate issues, the election results have spurred intensified concern over escalating media consolidation under the second Trump administration.

All of this indicates 2025 could be a tough year for Hollywood writers, and Michael Schur isn’t blind to the signs. The acclaimed showrunner, executive producer, and writer behind elite modern comedies like “Parks and Recreation” and “The Good Place,” as well as Netflix’s upcoming “A Man on the Inside,” told IndieWire the facts and figures emerging right now are “pretty stark.”

“Yesterday, Freevee disappeared,” Schur said. “That was the home of ‘Primo,’ which was a really...

Peak television was officially declared dead earlier this year when FX boss John Landgraf revealed that the number of scripted series on air in 2023 dropped 12% from the previous year – the first reduction in over a decade.

A collection of television studio bosses gathered in Austin to talk about the “strain” of producing so many shows – 600 in 2022.

Karey Burke, President, 20th Television, Nicole Clemens, President, Paramount Television Studios, Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Entertainment, Katherine Pope, President, Sony Pictures Television Studios and Erin Underhill, President, Universal Television, discussed the topic, as well as the contraction over the last twelve months in a panel at the Atx Festival in Texas.

“We’re on the other side of it,” said Burke. “I never want to celebrate the loss of opportunity but I think we all felt the strain of 600+ television shows in the marketplace and not being able to get the eyeballs.

Nowadays, it seems like a quaint notion that a television series might stay on the air long enough to run out of ideas.

But almost fifty years ago, even a successful show like Happy Days wasn't immune to using outlandish stunts to bolster ratings.

And thank goodness for that, or we might all have been deprived of the cultural touchstone that is Fonzie jumping the shark.

Fonzie Jumps the Shark (And Enters History)

The phrase "jump the shark" has become shorthand for the moment when a television show loses its creative way and begins a downward spiral in quality and popularity.

However, when the actual shark jump happened in the "Hollywood: Part 3" episode of the show's fifth season, Happy Days hit number one in the Nielsen ratings.

The series aired for another six well-received seasons and even had successful spinoffs in the sitcoms Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. 

Fonzie's leather...

The next season of Survivor looks to have a familiar face, with former Obama administration speechwriter and Pod Save America co-host Jon Lovett seemingly among the contestants for season 47.

During Wednesday night’s finale of season 46 of Survivor, CBS’ teaser ad for the next season featured Lovett, although none of the contestants were named and there has been no official confirmation. His participation had been speculated by a notable Survivor fan site, with Inside Survivor including Lovett among its rumored cast list earlier Wednesday.

Lovett’s inclusion was confirmed by his former Obama administration colleague and fellow Crooked Media founder Jon Favreau on X (formerly Twitter), who quote tweeted the ad with the words “What did I tell you? Eat Pray Lovett.”

The first look at Survivor 47, coming this fall to CBS. #Survivor47 pic.twitter.com/NBGJqnlwQg

— Reality TV News/Updates (@Realitytv__fan) May 23, 2024

In the ad spot, Lovett says,...

Primo will not return for a second season. The coming-of-age series, which premiered on Amazon Freevee in May 2023, was ordered in October 2021, when the streamer was known as IMDb TV.

Starring Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Johnny Rey Diaz, Christina Vidal, Henri Esteve, Martin Martinez, Jonathan Medina, Carlos Santos, Nigel Siwabessy, Efrain Villa, and Stakiah Lynn Washington, the Primo TV series is inspired by the life of co-creator Shea Serrano and follows a young teen being raised by his single mother and five uncles in San Antonio.

Read More…...

Primo is no more at Amazon’s Freevee.

Creator Shea Serrano announced the news Tuesday on social media, noting that the series will not be returning for a second season at the ad-supported, Amazon-backed streamer Freevee. Sources say producers Universal Television will shop Primo in a bid to find the beloved comedy a new home.

“A short but beautiful run — sadly we’re not gonna be making any more episodes of Primo — i will always be indebted to everyone who worked on the show to make it so great and i will always be thankful to everyone who watched and championed it — thank you for real — long live Primo,” he wrote alongside a video of the rave reviews for the series from exec producer Mike Schur (Hacks, The Good Place) that doubled as a “For Your Consideration” promo.

Amazon picked up Primo to series in October 2021 after producing a pilot...

The coming-of-age comedy “Primo” from author and journalist Shea Serrano has been canceled at Freevee after a single-season run. Serrano, who created the series and served as executive producer, shared the news on social media Tuesday, two days after the sitcom’s one-year anniversary at the Amazon AVOD streamer.

“A short but beautiful run — sadly we’re not gonna be making any more episodes of ‘Primo,'” Serrano said. “I will always be indebted to everyone who worked on the show to make it so great and I will always be thankful to everyone who watched and championed it — thank you for real — long live ‘Primo.'”

Per an official logline: “The coming-of-age, single-camera comedy, inspired by Serrano’s life growing up in San Antonio, Texas, follows Rafa Gonzales (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), a wide-eyed 16-year-old being raised by his clever mother, Drea (Christina Vidal), and his five overbearing uncles Rollie (Johnny Rey Diaz...

Freevee has canceled its freshman comedy series Primo from Shea Serrano and Mike Schur.

The decision to pass on a second season came after lengthy deliberations. While the show’s fate was being decided, the options on the cast were extended twice with the second extension ending this month. As explained by a source close to production, the executives looked for ways to confirm a second season but were unable to do so.

Primo employed a large number of Latinos both in front of cameras and behind, a rarity that will continue to diminish as networks and streamers cut down and eliminate productions due to budgetary reasons amid an industry contraction. Another such series, ABC’s Not Dead Yet, was among the broadcast shows canceled at the end of this season. While neither of the shows was deliberately targeted, their cancellations are a setback for representation.

Primo is the coming-of-age,...

Primo, the coming-of-age comedy inspired by the life of author/journalist/former teacher Shea Serrano, has been cancelled at Freevee after just one eight-episode season.

Serrano — who created the series and served as an executive producer alongside Michael Schur, David Miner, Morgan Sackett, Peter Murrieta and Lisa Muse Bryant — shared the sad news on social media, almost exactly one year after the show’s May 2023 binge release.

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Wondery Sports Podcasts Six Trophies with Jason Concepcion and Shea Serrano, Over the Top with Michelle Beadle and Peter Rosenberg, and Alternate Routes with Trey Wingo and Kevin Frazier will be available on Prime Video starting on March 18, 2024 providing a new way for US audiences to discover Wondery’s premium content.

Prime Video viewers can discover new and past episodes of the three fan-favorite Wondery sports podcasts. The inclusion on Prime Video will give sports fans an entry to timely sports conversations from some of the most prominent and unique voices in sports.

The Wondery Sports Podcasts collection on Prime Video marks a new expansion for Wondery’s sports slate, as it continues to build its portfolio of unique, personality-driven sports podcasts.

“Prime Video is a huge go-to destination for sports, so we’re excited to bring our premium shows to fans who already come to Prime Video for their sports news,...

Amazon is pushing back against recent industry chatter and a new press report indicating that it is planning to shut down Freevee.

“There are no changes to Freevee,” a company spokesperson said in a statement provided to Deadline. “Amazon Freevee remains an important streaming offering providing both Prime and non-Prime customers thousands of hit movies, shows, and originals, all for free.”

The ad-supported streaming outlet traces its roots back to January 2019, when it launched as Freedive, a service from subsidiary IMDb. Five years later, with Prime Video having recently introduced advertising on its scripted series and movies, the thinking has been that maintaining Freevee could involve redundancy, both internally and for ad buyers.

Adweek, citing three unidentified sources, reported earlier Wednesday that Amazon plans to address that confusion and inefficiency by shutting down Freevee in the coming weeks, ahead of the NewFronts. The tech giant has been cutting costs of late,...

Exclusive: Courtney Taylor has signed with Anonymous Content for representation.

The actress and comedian can currently be seen starring in Netflix’s recently released series Neon, from Shea Serrano and Max Searle. The series follows an aspiring reggaeton artist who moves to Miami looking for success in the music industry alongside his two friends. Taylor plays She portrays label executive, Mia, who is interested in signing the artist to a contract.

She also has recurring roles in the hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary portraying Erica and AllBlks’s Send Help as Nicole Cooper.

Next, Taylor will star in the Participant / Disney+ feature film Out Of My Mind portraying Dr. Katherine Post alongside Rosemarie DeWitt, Judith Light and Luke Kirby.

Her previous credits include the critically acclaimed HBO series Insecure where she portrayed Quoia, assistant to Issa Rae’s starring character Issa Dee, and the Sony Screen Gems feature The Invitation,...

Exclusive: Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building), Melissa Fumero (Blockbuster), Alejandro Edda (Narcos: Mexico), Sebastian Chacon (Daisy Jones & The Six), and Carlos Pratts (Fatal Attraction) have been set to star in Red Dirt, an indie action thriller from director Crash Buist (The Stratum) that has been handed an interim agreement from SAG.

Written by Buist, Jonathan Medina (Primo), and Lauren Senechal (The Stratum), the film is a family-driven revenge tale about two brothers, Miguel (Dominguez) and Dom (Edda) who are thrust back together after years apart when their family is murdered by cartel gangsters in a New Mexico border town. The brothers are the only surviving members of a family that dies crossing the border between Mexico and the United States. Upon doing so, they’re found and cared for by a white couple, Brent and Margaret. The backdrop of their struggle arises with the opposing realities of where...

Today, premium podcast studio Wondery announced three new free ad-supported (Fast) Channels that will launch on Amazon Freevee, as a new entry point for audiences to discover Wondery’s premium content. Wondery’s three new Fast Channels will be the first podcast video channels on Freevee, featuring over 20 Wondery series, centered around True Crime, Sports, and Entertainment & Pop Culture.

Starting October 31, Freevee viewers can discover new and old episodes of Wondery’s fan-favorite podcasts through a mix of on-camera video, cinemagraphs, animation, and show artwork from series like Morbid, Business Wars, Dr. Death and Baby, this is Keke Palmer. These new Fast channels highlight Wondery’s unique brand of immersive storytelling to audiences through a video-first free streaming service like Amazon Freevee.All Fast Channels available on Freevee can be accessed through the Freevee app, as well as within Fire TV and Prime Video.

“With podcast video being a means...

Neon is a comedy series from Netflix with a cast of hustlers led by Tyler Dean Flores, Emma Ferreira, and Jordan Mendoza attempting to break into the reggaeton industry.

Co-created by executive producers Shea Serrano and Max Searle, Neon follows three friends who move to Miami aiming to make it big in the world of reggaeton. However, the show also explores the harrowing realities that come with the music industry.

Neon made its debut on Netflix on October 19.

Read full article on The Direct.

Well before it even dropped, Netflix's new show "Neon" found itself embroiled in a bit of controversy. After all, how could a show that follows the trials and tribulations of a young reggaetonero on his path to fame allegedly not include Puerto Rican voices in its conception when the island - along with Panama - helped to pioneer the genre and take it to new heights? Well, after a few course corrections and the participation of reggaeton leyenda Daddy Yankee himself, "Neon" is finally available to stream. And while the criticism about the reported lack of Puerto Rican participation was warranted, it doesn't tell the whole story of what the show's trying to achieve in the first place.

You see, "Neon" isn't a story about the perreo born in Puerto Rico. Nor is it a story about the reggae en Español produced by Panama. It is a story about the global,...

On Entourage, the central tension always involved the question of whether Vince was gonna do the movie. Only there was never really any tension, because of course Vince was gonna do the movie — or, if he didn’t, things would in some other way work out just fine for him, E, Turtle, and even Johnny Drama. Yet for a show with no real stakes and only a modest level of humor (especially if you weren’t amused by Ari screaming actionable insults at Lloyd), it ran for eight seasons. And a movie!

Neon is a new series created by Shea Serrano and Max Searle. It stars Tyler Dean Flores, Emma Ferreira, and Jordan Mendoza among others.

“Neon” is a music series that revolves around a group of young individuals striving for success in the music industry, specifically in the realm of reggaeton, in Miami. If you’re a fan of this genre of music, then this series is definitely for you.

Santi, a singer, and his two assistants move to the city of their dreams to fulfill their aspirations.

However, it won’t be an easy journey.

Neon

With plenty of rhythm, ambitious youngsters, and captivating stories, “Neon” delves into the intricacies of music production and showcases how an artist strives to rise from obscurity to the pinnacle of success. It’s a series that explores the pursuit of dreams and the necessary steps to achieve them.

Moreover, it delves into the...

By now, the beats of an aspiring-musician saga are as familiar as those of a fairy tale. There’s the hungry young artist who seems marked for stardom long before the rest of the world has caught on. There’s the crappy starter apartment, and the glitzy industry parties, and the boardroom meetings with labels who don’t quite get it. There’s the moment when the hero hears his own song on the radio, and the moment when he caves to the temptations of fame, and the moment he’s made to decide to be true to himself.

Sometimes, in the darker iterations of this story, there’s also the spectacular crash after the meteoric rise; in the more thoughtful or incisive versions, there might be conversations about the limitations of his art or the compromises it demands or its impact on the world. But Neon is not that tale.

A reggaeton star is about to be born. On Thursday, Netflix will premiere Neon, a comedy show that follows rising reggaetón star Santi, played by Tyler Dean Flores, as he moves to Miami to pursue his music dreams after his song “Exagerao” goes viral online. Ahead of the scripted show’s premiere, Rolling Stone exclusively premieres the music video for the song that catapults Santi.

“The music video is one of the first times we see Santi do his thing, showing off his talent but also his charm,” the show...

Are you ready for your next TV obsession?

Neon, Netflix's highly-anticipated reggaeton comedy-drama, premieres Thursday, October 19, 2023.

TV Fanatic scored an exclusive first look at a clip from one of the freshman season's most pivotal episodes.

In the clip, we see Isa, an A-list Latin pop star who gathers her friends for a trip to her exclusive tropical island getaway.

In perhaps a nod to the rich and famous, our three leads get out of their car to escape to the private jet for a luxury holiday.

They have a pre-conceived expectation of what's about to go down, but the truth is, they couldn't be more wrong.

Isa, played by the Umbrella Academy's Genesis Rodriguez, tells them this isn't like the getaways other celebrities can give them.

How?

We're not giving it all away here because we want you to be at least a little surprised when you watch the TV clip below.

Wondery is reuniting Shea Serrano and Jason Concepcion for their brand-new weekly NBA pop culture podcast series, Six Trophies. Shea and Jason will go through all the NBA news from the past week and hand out six pop culture-themed trophies to six basketball-related activities. The pair will honour the most magical and messy moments from the NBA and beyond by handing out awards...

The hustle isn’t easy, but three friends are committed to doing it together in Netflix’s new Daddy Yankee-produced series, Neon.

The streamer released the trailer for the upcoming music comedy on Tuesday, which is set to feature a number of cameo appearances including Brray, Jon Z, Lyanno, Jowell, Ken-y, Jota Rosa, Villano Antillano and Daddy Yankee.

The series follows Tyler Dean Flores as Santi, a rising reggaeton artist who, alongside some old friends — Ness (Emma Ferreira) and Felix (Jordan Mendoza) — from small town Florida, and a brand new one, A&r rep Mia (Courtney Taylor), attempts to leave his mark on the Miami music scene.

The eight-episode comedy is a look at the hilarious and sometimes even harrowing realities of trying to make your dreams come true — whether it’s being the biggest star in reggaeton, a music manager, or a music video director — in the music industry.

Exclusive: United Talent Agency has signed rising-star actor, writer and filmmaker Jordan Mendoza for representation in all areas by a large, cross-departmental team.

Most recently, Mendoza wrote for Season 3 of FX’s acclaimed comedy series, Dave, co-created by and starring Dave Burd, which chronicles Burd’s pursuit of a reputation as one of the greatest rappers of all time under the name Lil Dicky.

Additionally, he was recently cast as one of the leads of the new Netflix series Neon, where he also serves as a consulting producer. The comedy created by Shea Serrano (Primo), which follows three small-town Florida friends as they look to make it in Miami’s world of reggaeton, debuts October 19th. Mendoza can also be seen starring in Netflix’s limited series Kaleidoscope, a heist drama from Eric Garcia and Ridley Scott’s Scott Free, which premiered at top of year.

Mendoza appeared opposite Jennifer Lawrence...

Netflix’s official trailer for its upcoming Daddy Yankee-executive produced series “Neon” showed its star, Santi, (Tyler Dean Flores) is no “one-hit-wonder.”

“This is it, we’re moving to Miami,” says Felix (Jordan Mendoza) in the trailer’s opening.

“I’m going to be the biggest Reggaeton star in the world,” Santi chimes in.

And Santi means what he says, as he and his two friends Ness (Emma Ferreira) and Felix set their sights on South Florida to pursue their dreams of putting Santi on the map as a Reggaeton artist in the music industry — even it means preparing for the biggest meeting of their lives inside a gas station bathroom or living in a 2009 Toyota Corolla.

Despite the odds against them, “We have a plan,” says Ness, who acts as Santi’s manager alongside Felix, who serves as Santi’s creative director. Together, the trio is determined to...

Aside from Mike Flanagan’s latest, the most exciting shows in October aren’t of the frightening variety, unless you’re scared of fboys and hormone monsters. Standout series that premiered in the midst of the pandemic, like Our Flag Means Death and The Gilded Age, return with new episodes (and more hats!), while promising new shows from Shea Serrano and Lee Eisenberg make their debuts. But there are plenty of tricks and treats in store, as Tom Hiddleston dons Loki’s horns again, Matt Bomer romances Jonathan Bailey, and Megan Thee Stallion heads to Bridgeton Middle School.

Here, you’ll find a list of the 10 must-see shows of October, brought to you by the fearless Primetimer staff. Scroll to the end to find even more notable premieres (no costume required).

Premieres October 5...

If 2022 was the year of the deadpan Latina, then 2023 is shaping up to be the year of el vago: a genial but aimless dude; sometimes well meaning, occasionally just a lost cause. Not exactly a sinvergüenza, but hardly someone with a five-year plan.

Shea Serrano and Greg Daniels’ Primo offers a few takes on the type — Rafa’s (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) uncle Rollie (Johnny Rey Diaz) and his tío Mondo (Efraín Villa) are both amiable slackers, but their lack of ambition comes from different places. The Zen-like Mondo mostly thinks attachment and desire lead to suffering, while Rollie usually isn’t thinking past the weekend. Rafa quickly learns to take their advice with a whole salt shaker, but their unreliability makes the moments when they do come through gratifying and hilarious.

Neon sounds like a winner for Netflix. The exciting new comedy series has a trailer and premiere date.

The streaming service will launch Neon on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

"From small-town Florida to the bustling beaches and bright lights of Miami, Neon follows three friends as they hustle their way to making it big in the world of reggaeton," the official description teases. 

"The eight-episode comedy captures not only the three besties' larger-than-life dreams, but also the harsh realities and funny mishaps of surviving the music industry."

The series stars Tyler Dean Flores as Santi, a rising reggaeton artist who, with the help of his friends Ness (Emma Ferreira), Felix (Jordan Mendoza), and A&r rep Mia (Courtney Taylor), hopes to become the biggest star in reggaeton.

"Or at least pay his rent," the tongue-in-cheek logline adds.

Neon was co-created by Shea Serrano and Max Searle, who also serves as showrunner.

The...

Netflix’s new comedy “Neon,” which executive produced by Daddy Yankee, is bringing all the heat this fall.

In the teaser for “Neon,” which is set for an Oct. 19 launch, three friends from a small town in Florida make their way to Miami as rising reggaeton artist Santi (Tyler Dean Flores) attempts to climb his way to the top of the music industry with the help of his friends Ness (Emma Ferreira), Felix (Jordan Mendoza), and A&r rep Mia (Courtney Taylor).

“Picture it: you are a star,” Ness tells Santi, who dreams of becoming “the biggest reggaeton star in the world” in the teaser. “We have to show them that we’re not just some loser wanna-bees.”

“Ness, the three of us currently live in a 2009 Toyota Corolla,” Felix says, injecting some reality into the group’s dreams.

While industry staples are immediately impressed by Santi’s “rare” fluency as a writer,...

:When it comes to teen coming-of-age movies, the premise of Hulu's "Miguel Wants to Fight" sounds pretty formulaic. Our hero Miguel wants to get into a fight before moving out of town and is helped by his group of loyal friends. Think "American Pie" but violence - rather than sex.

Director Oz Rodriguez's "Miguel Wants to Fight" is about trying to fit yourself into the mold society says you should be in. In this particular case, it's a physically aggressive male, which isn't true to who our protagonist is.

"This kid lives in a town where fighting is a big deal. Where boxing is a huge deal and his dad is a fighter," Rodriguez tells Popsugar, "Miguel would rather not. He just wants to watch movies and watch dudes beat up themselves."

Still, that's where Miguel finds himself, butting up against cultural norms that can be pretty limiting for Latino boys.

The rules of the streets are clear: If a brawl ensues, you fight too. It doesn’t matter who threw the first punch or instigated the fracas. A blow at your friend is an attack on the group.

It’s odd, then, that Miguel (Tyler Dean Flores), the protagonist of Miguel Wants to Fight, a spry and entertaining film directed by Oz Rodriguez, has never even thrown a punch. His friends aren’t habitual fighters, but even they’ve found themselves in the middle of a melee or two. Plus, Miguel’s dad (Raúl Castillo) runs a boxing studio and the kid’s obsessed with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

So, what gives? Is it inexperience? (Yes). Lack of confidence? (That too). Fear? (Bingo).

In Miguel Wants to Fight, the eponymous character seeks out a skirmish to avoid telling his friends about his family’s impending move. It’s a...

Most people spend their entire lives avoiding physical altercations, but in Miguel’s case, all he can think about is giving someone the gift of chin music in the Hulu Original film Miguel Wants to Fight. Hulu debuted the first Miguel Wants to Fight trailer on Tuesday, teasing the next film from American High. The light-hearted coming-of-age comedy taps into the curse of peer pressure, self-doubt, and the mystery of knowing if you can hold your own in a schoolyard scuffle.

Here’s the official synopsis for Miguel Wants to Fight:

Despite living in a neighborhood where fighting is stitched into the fabric of everyday life, high school junior Miguel (Tyler Dean Flores) has never found himself in one. And, to be honest, he’s perfectly fine with that. But when a combination of events turn his life upside down, Miguel and his three best friends —the stoic David...

Updated, 9:09 a.m.: “Miguel, have you ever gotten into a fight?” Tyler Dean Flores’ high schooler is asked in the first trailer for the Hulu Original Film, Miguel Wants to Fight. “It’s like what everyone does.”

He once got into an altercation outside of a grocery store, involving “aggressively hugging,” he recalls. But realizing that this doesn’t count, he succumbs to a bit of peer pressure, embarking on a series of misadventures with his three best friends — the stoic David (Christian Vunipola), the rowdy Cass (Imani Lewis) and the quick-tongued Srini (Suraj Partha) — as he tries to get into his first real brawl.

Read more about the film, arriving on Hulu on August 16th, below. Check out the trailer above.

Previously, July 19: Hulu on Wednesday unveiled a series of first look photos for Miguel Wants to Fight — its eighth Original Film from American High (Big Time Adolescence...

Exclusive: Neon has added Grammy-Award Winning Reggaeton Producer Tainy – along with Lex Borrero and Ivan Rodriguez – all from Ntertain and Neon16, collectively known as Tainy & One Six, to serve as Executive Music Producers. The group is writing and producing original songs for the series.

The Music Supervisors are One Six of Neon16 and Ntertain, and Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuno of Indice. Deadline also exclusively revealed in May the addition of reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee as an executive producer who will also cameo in the series.

The eight-episode series set to premiere later this year focuses on three friends who move from a small town in Florida to Miami with the hopes of making it big in the world of reggaeton. The show chronicles not only their larger-than-life dreams but the harsh comic realities of attempting to make it in the music industry.

Tyler Dean Flores plays Santi, a budding reggaeton artist who,...

“Being on ‘Primo’ is a blessing,” assures Carlos Santos, who plays Ryan on the eight-episode Amazon Freevee comedy. “My imposter syndrome is at its lowest. Very manageable.” As he says the words, Santos’s co-stars on “Primo” Henry Esteve (who plays Mike) and Johnny Rey Diaz nod in understanding. The trio represent three of the five uncles on the series who surround Rafa Gonzales (played by Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), a 16-year-old high school junior who carries the hopes and dreams of his extended Latinx family in San Antonio, Texas. The uncles regularly dispense loving guidance (read: unsolicited advice) to young Rafa, and the actors who play them believe they’ve died and gone to performance heaven to be on a series that afford them such a positive, supportive environment in which to work. “It’s hands-down the most collaborative and beautiful experience I’ve ever had on a set,” Diaz agrees.

Ignacio Diaz-Silverio wasn’t necessarily expecting that his first significant job as actor would find him starring in a comedy series, a daunting task for an unknown who is barely old enough to drink. But that’s the prospect that the Tampa, Florida-born Diaz-Silverio found himself in after landing the job to front “Primo,” an eight-episode sitcom on Amazon Freevee that casts him as Rafa Gonzales, a 16-year-old high school junior who carries the hopes and dreams of his extended Latinx family in San Antonio, Texas – and the son of his tough-but-tender mother Drea (played by Christina Vidal). “I didn’t feel as much pressure as I’d expected,” Diaz-Silverio admits. “The producers did an incredible job of creating a warm, welcoming and joyful environment, so any pressure I felt was sort of self-generated. They never made me feel like I had to prove myself or like I was green and inexperienced.

[Spoiler Alert: The below contains spoilers from Primo Season 1.] Amazon Freevee‘s new comedy Primo may only have eight episodes streaming in its first season, but work is well underway on a second yet-to-be-ordered season, according to executive producer Mike Schur. The creative behind shows like Parks and Recreation and The Good Place tells TV Insider, “We’ve written most of Season 2.” When we spoke to Schur, it was prior to the announcement of the WGA Writers Strike, and he admitted then that “we don’t know if it’s gonna get ordered,” but added, “We’re obviously hopeful.” (Credit: Jeff Neumann/Amazon Freevee) Debuting Friday, May 19, the series centers around Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), a high-schooler being raised by a single mom and his five uncles. Primo was created by Shea Serrano, who utilizes aspects of his own childhood experiences to fold into Rafa’s story. “What we found is in writing Season 2, it broke incredibly quickly,...

Henri Esteve is a charmer and a delight!

You may be familiar with his stint on Freeform's Grown-ish as Javi, but he'll make you laugh and give you all the family feels as Uncle Mike on Freevee's new coming-of-age series, Primo.

It's a series inspired by author, journalist, and show creator Shea Serrano's life and executive produced by comedy TV veteran Mike Shur.

So, yes, hot off the massive success of Jury Duty, Freevee may have delivered its second comedic, heartfelt, feel-good hit of the season.

Seriously, we love to see it.

We were fortunate enough to catch up with the multitalented, laid-back star to chat about working with a comedic legend, his inspiration for Uncle Mike, working alongside Christina Vidal, and his own advice for those coming up. Check it out!

So what attracted you to Primo?

First was the role and the script, and then right after that,...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Reality, Primo and FYC events for Queen Charlotte and George & Tammy.

GLAAD Media Awards

GLAAD announced its second batch of 2023 winners at its NYC Media Awards on Saturday, where Maren Morris received the Excellence in Media Award and Jonathan Van Ness received the Vito Russo

Award. The New York ceremony for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards was hosted

by Harvey Guillén, and featured a special performance from Idina Menzel. Winners included Fire Island, We’re Here and Heartstopper.

Cast of ‘Fire Island’ Maren Morris and Jonathan Van Ness

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies FYC

The stars of the new Paramount+ series attended a FYC event for the show in Hollywood on Sunday.

Ari Notartomaso, Marisa Davila, Cheyenne Isabel Wells and Tricia Fukuhara

George & Tammy FYC...

If you’ve never heard of best-selling author Shea Serrano, you’re about to become intimately acquainted. Serrano’s life is the subject of the new comedy series “Primo,” coming to Freevee on Friday, May 19. The series follows a fictionalized and hysterical version of Serrano’s adolescence growing up in Texas, from awkward family moments to budding romances. You can watch Primo: Season 1 with a free sign-up to Freevee.

How to Watch ‘Primo’ Series Premiere When: Friday, May 19, 2023 Where: Freevee Stream: Watch with a free sign-up to Freevee. Watch Now$0 / month amazonfreevee.com About ‘Primo’ Series Premiere

The coming-of-age, single-camera comedy, inspired by Serrano’s life growing up in San Antonio, TX, follows Rafa Gonzales, a wide-eyed 16-year-old being raised by his clever mother, Drea, and his five overbearing uncles as they live their lives on the southside of San Antonio.

Rafa is at an inflection point, as three...

This coming-of-age sitcom gives new meaning to the expression “Say uncle!” Primo, as the Latino family calls 16-year-old Rafa (newcomer Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), grows up in San Antonio with single mom Drea and the influence of his five devoted uncles. Trouble is, Mom’s brothers rarely agree — on anything. While bad boy Rollie (Johnny Rey Diaz) prescribes an act of violence to get a crush’s attention, crunchy Mondo (Efrain Villa) suggests communal crying — like a group hug, but wetter. (Credit: Amazon Freevee) Sharp and semi-autobiographical, the series is created by best-selling Movies (And Other Things) author Shea Serrano, with the writers’ room presence of Emmy-winning exec producer Mike Schur (Parks and Recreation). “Primo is considerably more sweet, charming and funny than I was, but his nervousness — that’s me,” Serrano says, noting that seconds into his alter ego’s audition, “We were like, ‘He’s got it!’” While Diaz-Silverio’s easy smile,...

Based on creator Shea Serrano‘s life, Primo follows the story of young Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) as he navigates life with his single mother Drea (Christina Vidal) and his five uncles.

In an exclusive interview with uInterview founder Erik Meers, Diaz-Silverio and Vidal discussed the message behind the show.

“I think part of what the show has to say about family is just really, at least in my experience, like a universal truth which is that we don’t always know how to express our love for each other in the the most useful of ways or the best of ways, but that’s what is just inherently in all of the chaos, you know, even in the fighting, in the arguing, in the punching each other, tackling each other, pulling pranks on each other the bickering, that’s all an expression,” he said. “I think you can pick any...

Rafa Gonzales, the protagonist of the exceedingly likable new family comedy Primo, lives in San Antonio with his mother, Drea. Their modest ranch house should be more than enough for the two of them, if it weren’t for the fact that all five of Drea’s loud, opinionated, intrusive, knucklehead brothers are constantly there. When a new friend asks Rafa what it’s like having so many uncles around all the time, he suggests, “It’s like being inside a cloud of bees — except the bees are always, like,...

For its first-ever upfronts presentation, Netflix took a page out of broadcast networks’ traditional playbook and boasted about not just what series it has launching in the coming months, or even through the end of the year, but specifically calling out its fall 2023 slate.

A staple of upfronts week — though not as much lately, first because of the Covid-19 pandemic and now because of the writers strike — has been the unveiling of ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox’s fall lineups. This was done so advertisers knew what they were buying ads against and therefore what demos and audience size it would be most likely to reach by promoting products during those programs.

For Netflix, which doesn’t follow the September-to-May season that broadcast still lives by but now has an ad-supported tier it needs to supply with commercials, to take this approach is potentially a move for the streamer to...

On the list of unlikely cultural developments in 2023, Amazon Freevee producing two of the year’s best comedies would have ranked pretty high, and yet here we are. After delivering the unexpected delights of Jury Duty, the streamer is now debuting Primo, a family comedy that's sweet without being saccharine, smart without grinding its gears to make a point, and, best of all, incredibly funny.

Primo comes from executive producer Mike Schur, who built his brand on warm-hearted series like Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, and creator Shea Serrano, an author and journalist who's covered sports and entertainment at Grantland and The Ringer. The premise, drawn from Serrano's own life growing up in San Antonio, centers on Mexican-American teenager Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) coming of age with a single mom (Christina Vidal) and her five brothers, each of whom take an active and frequently unhinged interest in helping raise him.

You may know Mike Schur for his TV creations such as Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, but as of late, the creative has been branching out beyond his own shows by lending a helping hand to up-and-coming comedic voices, in the case of Primo on Amazon Freevee. Created by Shea Serrano, the coming-of-age single-camera comedy is inspired by his life growing up in San Antonio, Texas. In this series, the action revolves around 16-year-old Rafa (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) who is being raised by his single mother Drea (Christina Vidal), and her five brothers, Rafa’s uncles Rollie (Johnny Rey Diaz), Mike (Henri Esteve), Ryan (Carlos Santos), Jay (Jonathan Medina), and Mondo (Efráin Villa). When it becomes clear that the high-schooler has the kind of potential to make him one of the first family members to head off to college, he’s pulled in various ...

The ninth annual SeriesFest, an annual television-centric event held in Denver, kicks off Friday with a slightly abbreviated schedule in light of the writers strike. Per WGA rules, writers are not allowed to make “promotional appearances” at film festivals or at “For Your Consideration” Emmy events. Already, a number of FYC showcases have either been canceled, or continued on but with just a screening, no panel, due to the strike.

SeriesFest becomes the first festival to be impacted by the strike. This year’s event takes place from May 5 to May 10, which now happens to coincide with the early days of the strike. As a result, showrunners have opted out of a handful of panels, while screenings of many new and returning shows will now take place without talent/showrunner Q&As. It could be an early peak at the pivot that may have to take place with other upcoming festivals,...

This week, Netflix announced that Season 6 of its popular real-estate reality show “Selling Sunset” will premiere on May 6. The high-powered realtors of The Oppenheim Group return with luxe listings, new rivalries, and pregnancies. They are competitive and driven — and L.A. real estate is waiting for them to descend. Jason and Brett Oppenheim are joined by Chrishell Stause, Emma Hernan, and Mary Fitzgerald, among others.

Check out the “Selling Sunset” Season 6 trailer: Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com

The new comedy “Primo,” from Mike Schur (“Parks and Recreation”) will begin streaming on May 19 on Amazon’s free streaming service Freevee. Based on the best-seller by Shea Serrano, the show is about a 16-year-old boy raised by his clever mother and his five overbearing uncles on the south side of San Antonio. “Primo” stars Christina Vidal, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Johnny Rey Diaz, Henri Esteve, Johnathan Medina, Efráin Villa, and Carlos Santos.

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At Amazon Ads NewFront presentation Monday, James Marsden took the stage to talk about his new Freevee comedy series Jury Duty, Tracee Ellis Ross was there to discuss her collaboration with Amazon Live on her beauty care line, and writer-producer Shea Serrano spoke about his upcoming Freevee series Primo.

Less than 24 hours later, there will be no acting or writing talent at the Peacock NewFront presentation today, which will be one of the first New York locations picketed by WGA in the first day of the writers strike after their contract with the studio expired at midnight and negotiations failed to produce a new one.

Related: WGA Strike Explained: The Issues, The Stakes, Movies & TV Shows Affected — And How Long It Might Last

The Peacock NewFront had already been designed to focus on the platform and new features it offers for advertisers; the streamer’s content slate will be showcased...

Patrick Somerville, creator of the HBO series “Station Eleven” and the Netflix show “Maniac,” was among a slew of Hollywood writers to weigh in late Monday after the Writers Guild of America went on strike, saying the union’s negotiating points firmly lined up with reason — and the studios knew it.

“We’re going to do this because our guild is strong enough to do it,” said Somerville, who had changed his Twitter ID to “Strikerick Somverville” in an apparent writerly flourish. “The ask is level-headed, and even they know that we’re right. Collective action is the one place they can’t win.”

We’re going to do this because our guild is strong enough to do it. The ask is level-headed, and even they know that we’re right. Collective action is the one place they can’t win. https://t.co/E8Zy6TIlVO

— Strikerick Somerville (@patrickerville...