‘Terminator Zero’ Trailer: Scientist Malcolm Lee Tries to Save the World from Skynet in Netflix Animated Spinoff (TV News Roundup)

Skynet is making its return: the trailer for the Netflix animated series “Terminator Zero” has been revealed.

The series follows the aftermath of Skynet, an AI being, gaining consciousness and waging its war against humanity in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” It becomes self-aware on Aug. 29, 1997, after which a war rages on for decades.

“Terminator Zero” is set in 2022 and follows a soldier, Eiko (Rosario Dawson), who is sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She journeys back to 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee (André Holland), who is working on another AI system, Kokono (Sonoya Mizuno) to compete with Skynet. Although it exists in the Terminator universe, it centers entirely around new characters.

The trailer sees Lee attempting to save the Earth from Skynet, while being hunted down by an assassin from the future.

Timothy Olyphant and Ann Dowd round out the voice cast. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger executive produce the series for Skydance.

The eight-episode series will be released on Aug. 29 on Netflix. Watch the trailer below.

In other TV roundup news:

FIRST LOOKS/TRAILERS

Apple TV+ medical drama series “Midnight Family” will make its global debut with two episodes on Sept. 25, followed by one new episode every Wednesday through Nov. 20. The streamer released first look images of the 10-episode series from showrunner and director Natalia Beristáin.

“Midnight Family” features an entirely Hispanic cast and crew, led by Joaquín Cosío (“Narcos: Mexico”) and featuring Renata Vaca (“Dale Gas”), Diego Calva (“Babylon”), Sergio Bautista, Óscar Jaenada (“Hernán”), José María de Tavira (“The Candidate”), Itzan Escamilla (“Élite”), Mariana Gómez (“The Queen of Flow”), Dolores Heredia (“Capadocia”) and special guest Yalitza Aparicio (“Roma”).

The series, inspired by the 2019 eponymous documentary, follows medical student Marigaby Tamayo (Vaca), who spends her nights saving lives in Mexico City in her family’s privately owned ambulance. She and her father Ramón (Cosío) and her siblings Marcus (Calva) and Julito (Bautista) tackle extreme medical emergencies to make a living.

EXECUTIVE NEWS

Wondwossen “Wondu” Dikran has been appointed as senior vice president of Hallmark Studios, a newly created division at Hallmark Media.

Described by Hallmark as the “nerve center of the production process,” Dikran will manage relationships with creatives and business cross-functional partners while identifying new domestic and international partnerships that provide opportunities for continued innovation and production efficiencies. 

“As we continue to expand and increase innovation and efficiencies, I am thrilled to have Wondu at the helm of this critical initiative at Hallmark Studios,” Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP of programming, said in a statement. He brings a wealth of experience in the entertainment industry, a strategic vision, and a collaborative approach that will prove instrumental in shaping the future of production for Hallmark across linear and SVOD.”

Dikran was most recently head of development and production at Falkon Entertainment. Prior to that, he was head of production at NBC Universal/Dreamworks TV.  He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts-Film and Television Production from Chapman University. 

Dikran will report to Daly and collaborate closely with the development team and the forthcoming SVP of talent strategy. 

PROGRAMMING

Max has announced that the three-part Investigation Discovery docuseries “Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth?” will debut on the streamer Aug. 8.

The official synopsis describes the series as an investigation into “the haunting 2012 double abduction of two cousins, 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey and 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins, in Evansdale, Iowa,” which includes “seven years of exclusive access and insider interviews.”

“Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth?” is produced for Investigation Discovery by Maven Creative Media, Kristian Day and Nedzad Muhamedagic. Dylan Sires serves as series director. Executive producers include Douglas Banker and Alex Garinger for Five All In The Fifth, Jessica Sebastian-Dayehand and Donnie Eichar. Paul Sauer serves as co-executive producer.

AWARDS

The Hollywood Creative Alliance and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics will combine their Dorians TV Toast party and Astra TV Awards ceremony into back-to-back events on Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the Avalon Hollywood. 

The 2024 Dorian Awards TV Toast, described as “an intimate champagne-and-appetizers gathering of GALECA nominees and members,” will start at 3 p.m., followed by HCA’s larger 2024 TV Astras ceremony at 7 p.m. The organizations have also partnered to present a jointly-sponsored Mosaic Award to a TV or streaming series “that captures the power of diversity, equity and inclusion in a polished, entertaining and seamless way.”

OBITUARIES

TV writer Patricia C. (“Patt”) Shea, whose career included classic series like “All in the Family,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” “The Jeffersons,” “Happy Days,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Lou Grant,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “Valerie,” “Baghdad Café,” “Gloria” and “The Golden Girls,” died on April 12 (her 93rd birthday) in Sherman Oaks. Shea was married to the late John (“Jack”) Shea, a former two-time president of the Directors Guild of America and veteran sitcom director.

Shea specialized in “Edith-centered” episodes of “All in the Family,” including “Too-Good Edith” (the 203rd and final episode). She was a three-time Humanitas Prize-nominee, for the “Edith Gets Fired” episode of “All in the Family” and the “Tough Love” and “Relapse” episodes of “Archie Bunker’s Place.” Shea co-created the Sally Struthers “All in The Family” spinoff “Gloria.”

Shea had five children, Shawn Shea (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), Bill Shea, Michael Shea and J.J. Shea. Survivors include children  Bill, Michael and J.J.; and six grandchildren..