English Entertainment
Fox kicks off eighth season of ‘That 70s Show’ in November
MUMBAI: Fox kicks off the eighth season of period sitcom That 70s Show in November. In India, the show airs on Star World.
For the uninitiated, the show explains what it was like for a group of 17 year olds living in 1976. Eric Forman is a typical high school student growing up in Wisconsin in 1976 with his family and his friends. Together, they have the same kind of joys and sorrows that just about every teenager has while growing up. This show parodies many of the attitudes, events and fads of the 70’s, along with those who grew up at the time and are now in their 30’s-40’s.
The eighth season picks up with Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red (Kurtwood Smith) discovering their empty nest isn’t very empty, even with Eric in Africa. Meanwhile, Hyde (Danny Masterson) returns from Las Vegas, where he went to clear his mind after catching Jackie (Mila Kunis) and Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) in a compromising position. But when Kelso and Donna (Laura Prepon) tell Jackie that Hyde planned on proposing to her, Jackie tries to win him back, only to discover that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas.
Things go from bad to worse for Hyde, who discovers that while he was away, Leo (Tommy Chong) nearly put the record store out of business. But Hyde’s plan to fire Leo goes up in smoke when he ends up keeping Leo and hiring a new guy, Randy (new cast member Josh Meyers). Meanwhile, in an effort to get over Hyde, Jackie drags Donna and Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) out for a night on the town, but ends up getting humiliated when she reveals a little too much.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
