English Entertainment
Colors Infinity brings new seasons of ‘Fargo’ & ‘Better Call Saul’
MUMBAI: Colors Infinity is all set to premiere the latest seasons of two of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of recent time. After the gripping season finale, the channel is all set to showcase Season 3 of Better Call Saul along with the latest season of Fargo, adding to the library of Instant Premieres.
The second season of Better Call Saul allowed fans into a new world of complexity by deepening one of the shows pivotal relationships. Colors Infinity lawyers up this April to showcase season three, as it kicks off with Jimmy and Kim dealing with Chuck and the fallout of their Mesa Verde scheme. The all new season is set to premiere within 12 hours of its US premiere.
Globally acclaimed show Fargo returns to Colors Infinity with its third season on 20 April, 2017, bringing in an all new story and fresh cast. The second season of Fargo received numerous accolades and awards including three Golden Globe as well as several Emmy nominations.The new season of Fargo promises to be the closest tothe original Fargo storyline and theme, starring Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, David Thewlis and Jim Gaffigan.The Fargo story dials back the scale from its second season; making it more intimate neo-noir about desperate people doing things for dubious reasons, triggering a cascade of consequences for a widening array of people. In plot and tone, the premiere strongly evokes the 1996 classic by the Coen brothers that inspires the show’s wintry milieu.
Viacom18 English Entertainement programming head Hashim D’Souza said “While shows such as Fargo and Better Call Saul have immense global popularity, we were pleased to receive a welcoming response from the Indian audience. Viewers today are discerning and are more accepting to fresher, newer content. We have constantly aimed at offeredgy, unique content and are excited to bring the new seasons of Better Call Saul and Fargo for the eager audience. Committed to showcasing engaging content, we are certain that the viewers will welcome the new addition to our line-up.”
In addition to the season premieres, Colors Infinity will also continue to showcase Instant Premieres of shows such as Riverdale, Arrow, The Flash, Shades of Blue, Taken and Blindspot after their respective mid-season hiatuses. Viewers will also get a chance to bid adieu to their newest favorite crime-thriller show The Blacklist: Redemption, until it returns with a new season.
Shows to watch out for in April
Show: Better Call Saul
Date: Tuesday 11 April | Time: 7 pm
Synopsis:
Follow the journey of Jimmy McGill, a con man turning into the ethically clean Saul Goodman. Latch on to the whole new episodes of Better Call Saul as every wrong step ever taken by Saul comes back to haunt him, every wrong decision unraveling deeper drama. Catch Better Call Saul Season 3, to know more about the rip-roaring conflict that engulfs Saul Goodman.
Show: Fargo
Date: Thursday 20 April | Time: 7 pm
Synopsis:
The all new episodes of Fargo on the channel scream out how Every bad decision leads one to many more bad decisions, and it set out a chain that engulfs everyone into madness. Don’t miss out on any bit of insanity as Fargo Season 3 returns with the story of an escalating feud between a pair of brothers, and the intriguing turn of actions that take place.
Ongoing on Colors Infinity
Show: Arrow
Date: Wednesday 26 April | Time: 7 pm
Synopsis:
Jump into the action packed bandwagon as Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak are about to fall out over the Helix hacker group. Is this the last chance for Team Arrow to stop the psychotic Adrian Chase, who recently added a few fresh victims to his murderous rampage? Stay tuned to know more on Arrow Season 5 only on Colors Infinity.
Show: Blindspot
Date: Wednesday 26 April | Time: 8 pm
Synopsis:
As Jane Doe and Roman struggle to get back as much as they can from their past life, lives in New York are in danger with Shepherd planning the massive destruction. Will the FBI ever manage to be a step ahead of the attack that Shepherd has on cards? Stay tuned as Blindspot Season 2 returns from its hiatus only on Colors Infinity.
Show: The Blacklist Redemption
Date: Friday 14 April | Time: 8 pm
Synopsis:
Do not miss the final episode of The Blacklist Redemption as a war strikes between Tom and Scottie before the truth unravels. Watch the final episode Americas most watched crime drama show The Blacklist Redemption only on Colors Infinity.
Show: Riverdale
Date: Thursday 13 April | Time: 7 pm
Synopsis:
Twisted, gooey and messy, expect nothing less from the season finale of the much loved Riverdale! Don’t miss out on the Archie- Betty – Veronica saga as alot of relationships break and many more come together on Riverdale only on Colors Infinity.
Show: Taken
Date: Monday 24 April | Time: 8 pm
Synopsis:
Would things get even messier for Robert and Frances? Or is there something darker that still remains to unravel. Don’t miss the action packed finale of the much anticipated Taken Season 1 only on Colors Infinity.
English Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount deal
Investors wave through a $111 billion megamerger but deliver a stinging, if toothless, rebuke over half-a-billion-dollar goodbye packages
NEW YORK: The shareholders said yes to the deal. They said no to the cheque. At a virtual special meeting on Thursday that lasted barely ten minutes, Warner Bros. Discovery investors voted overwhelmingly to approve Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of the company — and then turned around and voted against the lavish exit pay packages lined up for chief executive David Zaslav and his fellow outgoing executives.
Not that it will make much difference. The compensation vote is purely advisory and non-binding. The Warner Bros. Discovery board can, and almost certainly will, pay out as planned.
But the symbolism stings. It is the second consecutive year that WBD shareholders have voted against the executive compensation packages, and this time they had good reason. Zaslav’s exit deal is, by any measure, extraordinary. Under the terms filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he is set to receive $34.2 million in cash severance, $517.2 million in equity in the combined company, and $44,195 in continued health coverage — a total of at least $550 million. On top of that, Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to reimburse Zaslav up to $335 million for taxes assessed by the Internal Revenue Service on his accelerated stock vesting, though the company says that figure will decline depending on when the deal closes. As of March 11, Zaslav also held $115.85 million in vested WBD stock awards — and last month sold a further $114 million worth of WBD shares.
Shareholder advisory firm ISS recommended voting against the compensation measure, citing “problematic” tax reimbursements to Zaslav and the full vesting of his stock awards.
Zaslav will be bound by a two-year non-competition covenant and a two-year non-solicitation of customers and employees after the deal closes.
His lieutenants are not walking away empty-handed either. J.B. Perrette, chief executive and president of global streaming and games, is in line for $142 million, comprising $18.2 million in cash severance and $123.9 million in equity. Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer, will receive an estimated $121.5 million, including $18.8 million in severance and $102.7 million in equity. Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels is set for $120 million, made up of $6.6 million in cash severance and $113.1 million in equity. Gerhard Zeiler, president of international, will get $82.6 million, including $11.9 million in severance and $70.7 million in equity.
The deal itself, clinched in February after Netflix declined to raise its bid for Warner Bros., still needs regulatory clearance from the Justice Department and European authorities. Several state attorneys general are also weighing legal action to block it.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unsparing. “The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger isn’t a done deal,” she said after the shareholder vote. “State attorneys general across the country are stepping up to stop this antitrust disaster. We need to keep up this fight.”
If it does go through, the combined entity would be a formidable beast, bringing together Paramount Skydance’s stable — CBS, CBS News, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, BET, MTV and Nickelodeon — with WBD’s portfolio of HBO, Max, Warner Bros. film and TV studios, DC, CNN, TBS, TNT, HGTV and Discovery+. Paramount has said it expects $6 billion in cost savings from the merger, which is Wall Street shorthand for mass layoffs on a significant scale.
The ten-minute meeting was presided over by chairman Samuel Di Piazza Jr., with Zaslav, Campbell, Wiedenfels and chief communications officer Robert Gibbs in virtual attendance. Di Piazza was bullish. “We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio,” he said. “With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community.”
Zaslav echoed the sentiment. “Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership,” he said. “Today’s stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders.”
Paramount Skydance struck a similar note. “Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery,” it said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to “closing the transaction in the coming months.”
The shareholders have spoken on the merger. On the pay, they were ignored before the vote was even counted.
