First Trailer for ‘Futurama’ Season 12 Sees More Cross-Universe Adventures (TV News Roundup)

Futurama Season 12
Courtesy of Hulu

Fry, Leela and Bender are back. Hulu has unveiled the trailer for Season 12 of the revival of “Futurama,” set to premiere July 29 on the streamer.

The crew embarks on different adventures in the new season, including birthday party games to the death, A.I. friends and enemies, the next chapter in Fry and Leela’s romance and more.

John DiMaggio, BIlly West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamar and David Herman all return to the animated sci-fi series. Created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen, “Futurama” comes from executive producers including Groening, Cohen, Ken Keeler and Claudia Katz.

Related Stories

Watch the trailer below.

Popular on Variety

In other TV roundup news:

TRAILERS

Acorn TV has released a new trailer for its detective drama series “Signora Volpe.” The three-part series is set to return for its second venture on Monday, July 29 and will broadcast on Acorn TV with a co-premiere on BBC America.

The show’s logline reads: “As a high-ranking British spy, Sylvia’s physical prowess, investigative skills, surveillance expertise and proficiency as a markswoman have made her exceptional at solving mysteries. At the end of season one, having fallen in love with Italy and re-established bonds with her sister Isabel, played by Tara Fitzgerald (“Game of Thrones,” “Belgravia”), Sylvia decided to resign from her job at MI6 and start a new life in Umbria. But old habits die hard, and though Sylvia might have left her job at MI6 behind, her unique skill set and appetite for solving mysteries remain undiminished.”

It continues: “Over the course of season two, she finds herself investigating the murder of a pillar of the local community and going undercover for MI6 at a perilous house party by the lake. Then, a dead man comes looking for vengeance, and Sylvia’s family have to race against time to save her life.”

Emilia Fox (“Silent Witness,” “Delicious,” “The Pianist”) will reprise her role as detective Sylvia Fox. Joining Fox are Matteo Carlomagno (“All the Money in the World,” “Jumper”), Issy Knopfler (“Before We Die,” “Silent Witness”), Imma Piro (“La Mazetta,” “Fontamara”) and Giovanni Cirfiera (“American Crime Story; The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” “Queen of the South”), with Nicholas Farrell (“The Crown,” “The Iron Lady,” “Chariots of Fire”) set to guest star in two episodes as a mystery guest.

“Signora Volpe” is created and written by Rachel Cuperman (“Midsomer Murders”) and Sally Griffiths (“Midsomer Murders.”) Watch the the trailer for Season 2 here:

*

We TV has unveiled the trailer for its new reality series “The Braxtons,” which is set to debut Aug. 9 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

According to an official series description, “In this new series, the fierce Braxton women reunite for the first time since the loss of their beloved sister, Traci, offering viewers a raw and unfiltered look at the family’s highs and lows across eight captivating episodes. Toni, Towanda, Trina, Tamar and Ms. E navigate careers, health challenges and busy personal lives while growing their family bond.”

The Braxton family returns to television after appearing in “Braxton Family Values,” which ran for seven seasons on We TV from 2011 to 2020.

Tara Long, Ri-Karlo Handy, Oji Singletary and Michelle Kongkasuwan executive produce for Blink49. Datari Turner serves as executive producer for Datari Turner Productions alongside Toni Braxton for Intonation Entertainment and Tamar Braxton for Tamar Braxton Productions. Trina, Towanda and Evelyn Braxton also executive produce.

Watch the trailer below.

DATES

A new season of unscripted series “Big Freedia Means Business” is set to premiere Oct. 2 on Fuse and Fuse+.

Following rapper and performer Big Freedia, the second season sees Freedia and her team go all in on different business ventures including Royal Bud, Shade Sunglasses and the Big Freedia Hotel. The artist also works on a gospel album and her plans to write a children’s book.

Special guests this season include Macy Gray, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tamar Braxton, Billy Porter and Cimafunk.

EVENTS

Leslie Jones and Deon Cole will headline the second annual Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival, which will run from Sept. 27-29 in Washington, D.C.

Nice Crowd, in association with Events DC, is putting on the festival that aims to spotlight BIPOC comedic talent and celebrate Washington, D.C., as a “comedy hub.”

BTF’s lineup includes headline shows, the “Breakout Comedian of the Year Competition,” panels, comedy classes, networking events and the “BTF Cares” Charity Fundraiser. Cole, best known for his roles in “Black-ish,” “The Color Purple,” “The Harder They Fall,” and “Average Joe,” will host BTF’s flagship competition, “Breakout Comedian of the Year.”

Up to 16 comedians will be selected from the pool of submissions to perform live at the semifinals in mid-August in Los Angeles. On Saturday, Sept. 28, the six finalists will compete for a $10,000 grand prize and the opportunity to secure representation by the Hollywood talent agency Innovative Artists. 

Additionally, three-time Primetime Emmy Award-nominated comedian and actress Leslie Jones will put on a performance on Sept. 29. Jones is known for stints in “Saturday Night Live,” “Our Flag Means Death,” “Coming 2 America” and “The Daily Show.”

“We’re thrilled to have Leslie and Deon headline the festival and are thankful to our partners at Events DC for supporting this event, which showcases BIPOC artists and brings diverse communities together through levity, camaraderie and culture,” Jeff and Nicole Friday, CEO and president, respectively, of Nice Crowd, said in a joint statement.

The event will take place at The Wharf, and you can click here for ticket information.

PROGRAMMING

Bill Burr will premiere his next comedy special as part of Hulu’s new comedy brand. Burr’s eighth stand-up special, which was taped in June at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, will also launch on Disney+ outside of the U.S. The release date and the special’s title will be announced in the near future.

Hulu’s comedy brand launches in November and features monthly stand-up special premieres. The brand will also include a curated collection of licensed stand-up specials from classic and contemporary comics.

*

Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures has tapped acclaimed journalist Albert Lewitinn has been tapped as showrunner and executive producer for the new daily syndicated crime show “True Crime News,” from Warner Bros. Unscripted TV and Telepictures. Hosted by Ana Garcia, “True Crime News” has been cleared in 98% of the country and premiere on Sept. 9.

“I am eager to lead this exceptional team in crafting a groundbreaking program that will redefine true crime journalism with real-time news reporting,” said Lewitinn, whose credits include CBS News 24/7, ABC, CNN, and CNBC. “As a daily show, we will bridge the gap between local crime coverage and crimes of national interest, not only spotlighting true crimes in today’s headlines, but also delving into murder, mysteries, scams, frauds, and con artists.”

Jeremy Spiegel and Theresa Coffino also serve as EPs of “True Crime News.”

*

NBCUniversal Local’s Cozi TV diginet has acquired the digital broadcast rights to Sony Pictures Television sitcoms “Married… with Children and “The King of Queens.” “Married” will debut on Aug. 3 with a special eight-hour, 16-episode first-season marathon from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. It then becomes part of Cozi TV’s regular lineup Aug. 5 with four-episode blocks Mondays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. “King of Queens” joins Cozi TV on Sept. 9 with four episodes airing from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. That show will also receive an 11-hour marathon on Sept. 15, starting at 11 a.m. ET.

AWARDS

The Hollywood Creative Alliance announced nominations for its 2024 Astra TV Awards. FX’s “The Bear” led with 15 nominations, followed by 13 each for Max’s “Hacks” and Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts” each secured 11 nominations, as did Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show.”

The 2024 Astra TV Awards will stream live from the Avalon Hollywood on Sunday, Aug. 18. Here are the nominations in major series categories:

Best Broadcast Network Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC) 

Animal Control (Fox) 

Ghosts (CBS) 

Not Dead Yet (ABC) 

Son of a Critch (The CW) 

The Connors (ABC) 

The Neighborhood (CBS) 

Young Sheldon (CBS) 

Best Cable Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) 

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) 

Resident Alien (Syfy) 

Shining Vale (Starz) 

The Righteous Gemstones (HBO) 

What We Do In The Shadows (FX) 

Best Streaming Comedy Series

Gen V (Prime Video) 

Girls5eva (Netflix) 

Hacks (Max) 

Loot (Apple TV+) 

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 

Palm Royale (Apple TV+) 

Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu) 

Ted (Peacock) 

The Bear (FX on Hulu) 

The Gentleman (Netflix) 

Best Broadcast Network Drama Series

9-1-1 (ABC) 

Elsbeth (CBS) 

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) 

The Cleaning Lady (Fox) 

The Equalizer (NBC) 

The Good Doctor (ABC) 

Will Trent (ABC) 

Best Cable Drama Series

Billions (Showtime) 

Chucky (Syfy) 

Outlander (Starz) 

The Curse (Showtime) 

The Gilded Age (HBO) 

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO) 

Best Streaming Drama Series 

3 Body Problem (Netflix) 

Ashoka (Disney+) 

Fallout (Prime Video) 

Loki (Disney+) 

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+) 

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video) 

Shōgun (FX on Hulu) 

Silo (Apple TV+) 

The Crown (Netflix) 

The Morning Show (Apple TV+) 

Best Limited Series

Apples Never Fall (Peacock) 

Baby Reindeer (Netflix) 

Black Mirror (Netflix) 

Fargo (FX) 

Fellow Travelers (Showtime) 

Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+) 

Ripley (Netflix) 

The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix) 

True Detective: Night Country (HBO) 

We Were The Lucky Ones (Hulu) 

Best TV Movie

First Time Female Director (Roku) 

Mr. Monk’s Last Case (Peacock) 

Música (Prime Video) 

No One Will Save You (Hulu) 

Quiz Lady (Hulu) 

Red, White, and Royal Blue (Prime Video) 

Totally Killer (Prime Video) 

Turtles All The Way Down (Max) 

Best Animated Series or TV Movie

Big Mouth (Netflix) 

Clone High (Max) 

Curses! (Apple TV+)

Harley Quinn (Max) 

Hazbin Hotel (Prime Video) 

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (Netflix) 

Orion and the Dark (Netflix) 

South Park: Joining the Panderverse (Paramount+) 

The Simpsons (Fox) 

X-Men ‘97 (Disney+) 

Best Anime Series

Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix) 

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Crunchyroll) 

Ninja Kamui (Adult Swim) 

Pluto (Netflix) 

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) 

Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll) 

Best Children or Family Series

Blues Clues and You (Nickelodeon) 

Bluey (Disney Junior) 

Gabby’s Dollhouse (Netflix) 

Percy Jackson (Disney+) 

Sesame Street (Max) 

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku) 

Best Competition Series

American Idol (ABC) 

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) 

Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix) 

Survivor (CBS) 

The Amazing Race (CBS) 

The Golden Bachelor (ABC) 

The Masked Singer (Fox) 

The Traitors (Peacock) 

The Voice (NBC) 

Tournament of Champions (Food Network) 

Best Documentary

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (Max) 

In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon (MGM+) 

Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+) 

Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only (Netflix) 

Out of the Ring (Fuse) 

STEVE (Martin): A Documentary in Two Parts (Apple TV+) 

The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix) 

This is Not Financial Advice (Fuse) 

Best Docuseries 

American Nightmare (Netflix) 

Beckham (Netflix) 

Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu) 

Bollywed (Fuse) 

Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV (ID) 

Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Hulu) 

The Jinx: The Life and Death of Robert Durst (Max) 

Where is Wendy Williams (Lifetime) 

Best Game Show

Celebrity Family Feud (ABC) 

Jeopardy (ABC) 

Password (NBC) 

The Floor (Fox) 

The Price is Right at Night (CBS) 

Wheel of Fortune (ABC) 

Best Nonfiction Series

An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and The Weight Loss Revolution (ABC) 

Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max) 

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted (NatGeo) 

How Disney Built America (History) 

My Next Guest with David Letterman and John Mulaney (Netflix) 

The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+) 

Best Reality Series

Below Deck Down Under (Peacock) 

Big Freedia Means Business (Fuse) 

Catfish: The TV Show (MTV) 

Love is Blind (Netflix) 

Love on the Spectrum (Netflix) 

Queer Eye (Netflix) 

RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV) 

Shark Tank (ABC) 

Vanderpump Rules (Bravo) 

Welcome to Wrexham (FX) 

Best Stand Up or Comedy Special  

Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact (Netflix) 

Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (Netflix) 

Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional (Prime Video) 

Kevin Hart: Reality Check (Peacock) 

Nikki Glaser: Someday You Die (HBO) 

Ricky Gervais: Armageddon (Netflix) 

Tig Notaro: Hello Again (Prime Video) 

Trevor Noah: Where Was I (Netflix) 

Best Talk Series

Hot Ones (YouTube) 

Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) 

John Mulaney Presents Everybody’s in LA (Netflix) 

Late Night with Stephen Colbert (CBS) 

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) 

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) 

Best Variety Series or Special

2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (ABC) 

Dick Van Dyke’s 98 Years of Magic (CBS) 

Gaga Chromatica Ball (Max) 

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas (Apple TV+) 

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO) 

Saturday Night Live (NBC) 

The 30th Annual SAG Awards (Netflix) 

The 66th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS) 

The 76th Annual Tony Awards (CBS) 

The 96th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) 

More from Variety

\