"Clueless" and "Royals Pains" are getting a reboot?! Um, I’m totally buggin'!!!
And the Jewish TV report for the week of April 28.
Hi fellow couch potato latkes! This week at TV club, we’re trying something new! A report of the Jewish TV stories occupying my mind this week — keeping you all up-to-date with exciting news and tidbits you might have missed. Pretend I’m a Jewish newspaper boy with a giant chai necklace yelling EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Nathan Fielder takes on the “Nazis” at Paramount+
The latest season of “The Rehearsal” on Max has tikkun olam vibes. Fielder, a comedian known for his total reinvention of the staged comedy TV prank, is trying to solve aviation accidents through simulated scenarios in the second season of the out of the box Max show. He’s also found a way to call out Paramount+ for removing a “Nathan For You” episode about his coat company Summit Ice which raises money for Holocaust education in the aftermath of October 7. It’s a fascinating story that my two colleagues Evelyn Frick and Andrew Lapin both covered on Hey Alma and JTA, if you’d like to learn more.
The return of “Clueless” and “Royal Pains” has this Jewish millennial excited!
OK, enough darkness. As I wrote on Kveller, both “Clueless” and “Royal Pains” are getting a reboot! Please raise your hands if this news is also life changing for you.
I can’t wait for the return of the recently confirmed to be Jewish comfort fashionista Cher Horowitz, played by OG Cher Alicia Silverstone (dayenu!) and nice Jewish doctor Henry “Hank” Lawson to the Hamptons played by your “In Her Shoes” crush Mark Feuerstein (what’s your favorite Feuerstein role? Please share in the comments!). If you’ve watched “The Baby-Sitters Club” you know these two Jewish stars played a couple in the series, so I’m choosing to attribute these two new shows to the good energy the BSC’s Jewish creator, Rachel Shukert (who also wrote this hilarious Broadway Passover parody) put into the world.
The Jewish darlings of “Love on the Spectrum” season three
I’m not caught up with “Love on the Spectrum,” but I guess I need to because season three has the cutest Jewish cast members!! Hey Alma has a charming interview with David Isaacman, who has been on all three seasons, where he talks about celebrating Jewish holidays with his darling bashert Abbey Romeo; Hey Alma also published a piece about Tina Zhu Xi Caruso and Pari Kim adorably bonding about being Jewish! My heart!
Some exciting “Fauda” news for those jonesing for season five
Things are looking a little bleak for Israeli creators right now, but “Fauda” season five is trucking along! It started production in mid-April, and a new exciting cast member was announced, Jewish actress Mélanie Laurent. She’s famous for her many, many movie roles, including in “Inglourious Basterds” and my favorite, “Beginners.” The details of the plot of the spy thriller are being kept secret, but we do know that it will be shooting in the French city of Marseilles.
I got to cozy up with Sasson Gabay at a “Kugel” event!
I had a very full-circle moment this week when I got to introduce Sasson Gabay, Michael Aloni and “Shtisel” and “Kugel” executive producer Dikla Barkai at an event at Rodeph Sholom in NYC, hosted by our sister publication New York Jewish Week. This show is the reason why I’m writing this newsletter right now — it helped me focus my writing on my love for Jewish TV. I will reflect more about it in a piece for Kveller next week, but my favorite moment was Sasson Gabay, AKA the Israeli Al Pacino/Robert DeNiro, telling me we should take a selfie together for my father, who worked with him decades ago in a theater production of Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera.” What a mensch.
“Bad Boy,” a critically acclaimed Israeli show, is coming to Netflix this week
Speaking of Israeli TV, “Bad Boy” is coming to Netflix this week. The Israeli show is “Adolescence” meets “Euphoria,” which is only appropriate because it was co-created by Ron Leshem, AKA the creator of the OG “Euphoria” — that’s right, the Zendaya-helmed drama is based on an Israeli show. I’m already obsessed with it and with its incredible cast, especially teen Guy Menaster who plays the show’s protagonist, a young teen who ends up in a teen penitentiary. I have a feeling we will chat much more about this show.
Other TV stories on my mind:
I need to watch sushi reality show “Morimoto’s Sushi Master” because how amazing is Jewish contestant Chef Marisa Baggett?
I’m really hoping Tovah Feldshuh will sing some Jewish prayers in season two of “Nobody Wants This” like she did at the Broadway Seder I attended last month.
Comedian Robby Hoffman is both on “Hacks” and “Dying for Sex” (WHICH IS SO GOOD) and I can’t wait for Hoffman and her wife to have cameos in all my favorite TV shows. Please and thank you.
I’m experiencing serious “The Pitt” withdrawal, please send help and let me know if you too are missing your weekly dose of Dr. Robinavitch.
Omg!! Love the photo of you and Sasson Gabay
Srsly, thank you for my fav substack. Re the Nathan Fielder/P+ thing: I am so confused because Sheri Redstone owns P+ and is clearly not a Jew hater. I saw your colleagues' stories but I still feel that the explanation as to why this happened is missing.