Here’s everything you need to know about the world of television for Wednesday, March 4th, 2026:
IT'S NICE NOT TO HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT THE WBD MERGER FOR ONE DAY
I love covering media mergers as much as the next person, but honestly, I could use a breather. So I wanted to highlight a few recent or upcoming TV premieres before I lose my TV critic license:
America's Culinary Cup (CBS, Wednesday)
On paper, producing a culinary competition series should be relatively easy. You have some judges, a bunch of talented cooks competing against other and then it's time for the magic.
Unfortunately, the recent history of television is littered with shows that didn't work. Netflix has tried at least a half dozen variations, including a reboot of Iron Chef, and none of them worked until the South Korean series Culinary Class Wars (and why isn't Netflix doing regionalized versions of that one?). And with one exception, the broadcast networks haven't had much more luck, with failures such as last season's Yes, Chef!, an NBC series which managed to waste the talents of both Martha Stewart and Jose Andres. Fox is the only network that has been successful, although it's notable that MasterChef, Next Level Chef and Hell's Kitchen all include Gordon Ramsay.
The problem with these efforts is that most of them look at the success of the Ramsay shows and feel the need to hype up the trash talking and conflict. That was part of the core problem with Yes, Chef! It was so concerned with creating villains that the cooking seemed to be almost incidental.
CBS premieres America's Culinary Cup tonight and there is a lot to enjoy about the show. Most of the chefs haven't been seen on a bunch of other shows already and the cast isn't jammed with former Top Chef participants. The focus for the most part is on the cooking and the chefs create some truly memorable dishes. Yes, it's competitive and there are some twists. But if you want a show that remembers that the food is what matters, America's Culinary Cup delivers.
My big issue with the show so far (I've seen three episodes) is weirdly enough host Padma Lakshmi. Obviously, she has a lot of experience hosting and appearing on competitive culinary shows. But for whatever reason, she has swapped her normally restrained persona for one in which she is almost giddy at times. She is overreacting in a way that is disconcerting and honestly, it takes a bit of getting used to. She does settle down a bit as the season progresses, but don't be surprised if your first reaction to her in this series is "what in the hell is she doing?"
Still, I've enjoyed the series so far and while it's impossible to predict what the audience will think, this is a show that has the possibility of returning for a second season.
The Philosopher's Kitchen: Jeong Kwan (Netflix)
Speaking of Culinary Class Wars, the most recent season featured a female Buddhist monk who cooked what was described as "temple food." Other than being meat-free, it wasn't clear what that type of cuisine entailed. But this two-part documentary provides not just a more complete explanation, but an intimate look at Chef Jeong Kwan, who cooks vegan, seasonal and fermented foods that don't include the six most-used spices. She has lived at Baekyangsa Temple for more than 30 years and apparently is known around the world for her dishes, which transform simple ingredients into Michelin-worthy dishes.
The first half of episode one mostly centers on her seemingly simple style, as she walks viewers through her process of cooking with large stone bowls over an open wood fire. She talks about the connections between the food and nature and intimately stirs the ingredients in a way that she says connects her to the world. The series then opens up to show her visiting the local food market, welcoming guests who have come from around the world to learn her methods, and she even travels to an art festival to explain how she sees her cooking process.
The episodes are often quiet and filled with spaces that feel more like a small, independent documentary than what we think of as a cooking show. But it was absolutely fascinating and when it was over, I found myself wondering how much it would cost to go visit her in person.
RJ Decker (ABC)
It may seem like an obvious observation, but sometimes casting can make or break a show. You can have a perfectly fine actor as the lead, but if they aren't right for the part, the tone of the show feels off in an unsettling and ultimately unsatisfying way.
Scott Speedman plays RJ Decker, a former news photographer who spends two years in jail after being convicted of an assault. Which he committed, although there are extenuating circumstances. Now he is living in a broken-down trailer in Tampa, trying to make a living as a private investigator.
Much of the ensemble is fine and while "a rascal living on a beach in Florida" isn't breaking any creative ground, the show is perfectly fine. Except that Speedman never manages to find the right tone for Decker. Have you ever watched an actor in a show and it felt as if they were acting instead of inhabiting the role? That's what Speedman does here. And while there a number of other shows where he would be just fine, I never managed to accept him here. So watch at your own peril.
GAYLE KING SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH CBS NEWS
The Wall Street Journal's Isabella Simonetti and Joe Flint are reporting that - despite a lot of stories to the contrary - Gayle King has decided to resign with CBS News:
“Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated,” King said Wednesday. “CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. I’m excited about continuing at ‘CBS Mornings.’ As always, I’m open to new adventures here and ready to go. It took a minute, but we got there. And now that we are here, I am all in.”
King's former deal was worth $15 million and while details of her new deal haven't been announced, it's likely she took a pay cut to stay at the network.
ODDS AND SODS
* Season two of The Verdict premieres Tuesday, March 24th on Vice TV. Here is the official logline: "In each episode, Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo and a lineup of sports insiders, journalists, and analysts get to the bottom of the hottest debates in sports history, presenting both sides through a fast-paced documentary debate format. Season two expands the scope of The Verdict across the sports world, from baseball to boxing to tennis - delivering compelling arguments powered by data, insider insights and first-hand reporting, all filtered through Russo’s unmistakable voice and point of view. Season two of The Verdict debuts with Babe Ruth vs. Shohei Ohtani, followed by Muhammed Ali vs. Mike Tyson, Jack Nicklaus vs. Tiger Woods, Bo Jackson Vs. Deion Sanders, and closes out with Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic."
* Season two of The Four Seasons will premiere Thursday, May 28th on Netflix.
* The Taiwanese series Agent From Above premieres Thursday, April 2nd on Netflix. Here is the official logline: "Blending traditional folk beliefs with modern fantasy, Agent from Above follows Han Chieh (Kai Ko), a spirit medium bound to serve the Third Crown Prince (Wang Po-chieh) to atone for a childhood mistake by resolving supernatural disturbances in the human world. Along the way, he meets the optimistic college student Yeh Tzu (Buffy Chen) and detective Chang Min (Johnny Yang), who can see spirits. Together, they face deadly confrontations with the mysterious and ruthless villain Chen Chi-sha (Chen Yi-wen), while uncovering the truth behind Wu Tien-chi (Hsueh Shih-ling), a being threatening the balance between the human and demon realms — leading Han Chieh to rediscover his purpose and the true meaning of his gift."
* A new season of Rock The Block will premiere Monday, April 13th on HGTV. Here is the official logline: " HGTV will roll the dice in Las Vegas when it pairs the network’s top stars with celebrities who share a passion for design. This season’s celebrity and HGTV star pairings will spotlight real estate expert and contractor Scott McGillivray (Renovation Resort Showdown) with Brooke Hogan, singer, television personality and design firm owner; seasoned design pro Taniya Nayak (Battle on the Beach) with Drew Lachey, member of the Grammy Award-nominated band 98 Degrees, dancer, actor and reality TV star; real estate, home renovation and design dynamo Mina Starsiak Hawk (Good Bones) with Vernon Davis, Super Bowl champion turned actor, producer and author; and former Survivor winner, de
* The theatrical release Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 will premiere Thursday, April 2nd on Peacock.
* The Spanish film My Dearest Senorita will premiere Friday, May 1st on Netflix. It premieres in theatres on Friday, April 17th. Here is a first video look at the movie. Here is a photo gallery of images. Here is the official logline: "Adela, a solitary only child from a conservative family, spends her days between the family antique shop and the catechism classes she teaches, marked by her mother’s protectiveness and the silence surrounding her intersex condition, which she is unaware of but which shapes her life. An unexpected and beautiful friendship with a newly arrived priest, the return of a close childhood friend, and the arrival of a woman, Isabel, trigger a chain reaction that takes Adela on a journey of self-discovery, from Pamplona to Madrid, where her identity will need the love and support of others in order to be revealed."
* Netflix has picked up a second season of its reboot of Little House On The Prairie ahead of the series premiere on Thursday, July 9th.
* NBC has renewed Destination X for a second season.
* Masterpiece PBS has renewed the mystery series Miss Scarlet for a seventh and final season. Filming is underway in Serbia on the final six episodes of the series.
TWEET OF THE DAY
WHAT'S COMING TONIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH:
* America's Culinary Cup Series Premiere (CBS)
* Blue Therapy Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Body Bizarre Series Premiere (TLC)
* Dirty Rotten Scandals Series Premiere (E!)
* Feds (Investigation Discovery)
* Flavortown Food Fight Series Premiere (Food)
* Hunt For The Missing: Chicago Series Premiere (Investigation Discovery)
* Southern Hospitality Season Premiere (Bravo)
* Street Flow 3 (Netflix)
* The Hunt Series Premiere (Apple TV)
* Wild West Chronicles Season Five Premiere (INSP)
* Young Sherlock Series Premiere (Prime Video)
THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH:
* A Friend, A Murderer Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Boyfriend On Demand Series Premiere (Netflix)
* Deb Is Boss (ALLBLK)
* Ladies Of London: The New Reign Series Premiere (Bravo)
* Predator Hunters Series Premiere (A&E)
* Subedaar (Prime Video)
* Ted Season Two Premiere (Peacock)
* This City Is Ours: A Crime Family Saga Series Premiere (AMC+)
* Vladimir (Netflix)
SEE YOU THIS THURSDAY!
Too Much TV: Let's Not Talk About The WBD Merger For One Day
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- By Rick Ellis
