Fanatic Feed: South Park Sets AI Special, Golden Bachelor Delivers Healthy Ratings, and More

Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

Paramount+ has dropped details for its next South Park exclusive event.

South Park: Joining the Panderverse is set to debut Friday, October 27, in the U.S. and Canada.

“Cartman’s deeply disturbing dreams portend the end of the life he knows and loves,” reads the logline for the special. 

“The adults in South Park are also wrestling with their own life decisions as the advent of AI is turning their world upside down.”

South Park has been known to put a comedic spin on topical storylines in the past, and it looks to do so again with this next special.

It’s also good to have the show back.

Check out the promo below.

Over in the world of Saturday Night Live, Pete Davidson returns to host the upcoming season premiere.

That much we’ve known for a while now.

In true SNL fashion, the series has unveiled a first look at Davidson’s return.

In the clip, Pete tells former castmates Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang that he’s living on the set while his apartment is under construction.

“Only cast or hosts are allowed in the studio,” Fineman tells him.

“Oh, OK. I’ll do that,” he shrugs.

“Do what?” Yang fires back.

“The host thing. I’ll host,” Davidson retorts.

“Pete, that’s not how it works. You can’t just say you’re hosting,” Fineman says.

“That was my Kenan face,” he jokes after pulling a face.

Meanwhile, ABC has released more TV ratings data for The Golden Bachelor.

The series premiere has now eclipsed 11 million viewers.

These numbers include an encore telecast just days after its premiere.

The September 28 telecast has reached 9 million total viewers after seven days of viewing across linear and streaming, picking up an additional 4.64 million viewers in delayed cross-platform viewing.

In the demo, it reached a 2.46 — quadruple its initial Live+Same day rating (+297%).

With Bachelor in Paradise sinking in the ratings, it’s interesting that viewers are embracing a different take on the original format.

There’s a good chance we’ll get The Golden Bachelorette reasonably soon if the numbers hold up.

Meanwhile, Acorn TV has announced it will premiere the two-part miniseries Mayflies on Monday, October 30.

The series was written and adapted for TV by BAFTA® Award-nominee Andrea Gibb (Elizabeth Is Missing, Call the Midwife) from Andrew O’Hagan’s bestselling and award-winning Mayflies: A Novel.

The limited series stars Martin Compston (Line of Duty, Vigil), Tony Curran (Your Honor, Ray Donovan), Ashley Jensen (Agatha Raisin, After Life), Tracy Ifeachor (Treason, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Rian Gordon (Karen Pirie, Outlander), and Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon, Dunkirk).

“A memorial to youth’s euphoria and to everyday tragedy, Mayflies tells the story of a tender goodbye to an old union, while discovering joy and the costs of love,” reads the logline.

“Thirty years since they first met and bonded over music, films, and the rebel spirit in the small Scottish town of their birth, successful writer Jimmy Collins (Compston) receives devastating news and a shocking request from best friend Tully Dawson (Curran).

Tully wants to take control of his terminal cancer diagnosis and end his life by assisted suicide in Switzerland, and he wants Jimmy to help.

As Jimmy wrestles with this life-changing moral dilemma, the two men reflect on their friendship and the course of their lives, reminiscing about a magical teenage weekend in Manchester where they made a vow – to go at life differently.

Theirs is a friendship nurtured over the years and miles, bonded by a history of youthful glories, a passion for culture and a fierce determination not to end up like their fathers.

But now, they must face the ultimate expression of their vow, testing their friendship, love, and loyalty to the limit.”

Check out the trailer below.

Edit Delete

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.