CraveTV kicks off the New Year with hot new programming featuring some of the biggest names in entertainment like J.K. Simmons and Lena Waithe. New series, documentaries, and specials that begin streaming in January include:
- Following her historic Emmy® win earlier this year, Lena Waithe (MASTER OF NONE) teams up with Academy Award®, Emmy, and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma) for THE CHI, the new one-hour drama series from SHOWTIME that explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story focusing around a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Waithe serves as creator and executive producer. Episode 1 is now available to CraveTV subscribers as a First Look before the series makes its official debut on Sunday, January 7. Episode 2 begins streaming on Sunday, January 14 at 10 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME in the U.S.
In THE CHI, Kevin (Alex Hibbert, Moonlight) is a pre-teen who must step past shattered illusions and embrace the normal rites of childhood, while Brandon (Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton) is a dreamer who makes the nearly impossible leap of faith to succeed in life and love with girlfriend Jerrika (Tiffany Boone, THE FOLLOWING). Emmett (Jacob Latimore, Sleight) is a carefree teen thrust into complex responsibility with guidance from his mother Jada (Yolonda Ross, TREME), and Ronnie (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Queen of Katwe) is a drifter whose struggle to love and be loved calls into question his every pursuit. Sonja Sohn (THE WIRE), Jahking Guillory (Kicks), and Steven Williams (THE LEFTOVERS) recur.
- STAR TREK: DISCOVERY returns for its second chapter beginning Monday, January 8. New episodes stream on CraveTV Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, following their linear premiere on Space, Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET. In addition to being the most-watched series in Canadian specialty TV history, the premiere episode of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is CraveTV’s biggest series debut ever. The series follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new lifeforms, and for one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.
Also returning in January is AFTER TREK, the series’ official after show where host Matt Mira discusses each new episode with celebrity fans, cast members, and crew from the series. AFTER TREK begins streaming every Monday night at 9 p.m. ET following each new episode of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY.
- Academy Award®-winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) stars in two roles in the upcoming spy drama series COUNTERPART, a suspenseful thriller set in the captivating world of espionage, intrigue, and government conspiracies. Episode 1 is now available to CraveTV subscribers as a First Look before the series makes its official debut on Sunday, January 21. Episode 2 begins streaming on Sunday, January 28 at 8 p.m. ET, day-and-date with Starz in the U.S. COUNTERPART tells the story of a mysterious world hidden beneath the surface of our everyday existence, exploring themes of identity, fate and lost love, and posing the eternal question, “what if our lives could have been different?”
- New Year, new DOCTOR WHO. Following its run on Space, the 12-episode tenth season of the iconic BBC series begins streaming on Monday, January 1. Season 10 sees Peter Capaldi embark on his thrilling final chapter as the Twelfth Doctor, as well as the introduction of brand new companion Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts and the return of Matt Lucas as Nardole. CraveTV is the exclusive streaming home of DOCTOR WHO, with Seasons 1-9 of currently available on the service.
- CraveTV presents THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, an exclusive, commercial-free, and extended version of CTV’s THE LAUNCH, the all-new original music series and international TV format that’s set to premiere on Wednesday, January 10 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV. Episodes of THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT stream immediately after the CTV broadcast, Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET. Each episode of THE LAUNCH gives viewers an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to break a new artist and launch a new original song to the world, and features superstar mentors and producers like Shania Twain, Fergie, Julia Michaels, Boy George, Alessia Cara, Ryan Tedder, Jennifer Nettles, Nikki Sixx, and Stephan Moccio.
- Just one month after concluding its run on Much, the 10-episode fourth season of Comedy Central’s BROAD CITY begins streaming on Friday, January 5. The series made headlines earlier this summer when show creators and stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson announced that President Donald Trump’s name would be censored throughout the new season. In Season 4, twenty-somethings Abbi and Ilana experience New York City in a whole new way: in the dead of winter. The ladies get new jobs, celebrate their friendiversary, receive a visit from Abbi’s mom, trip on mushrooms, discover their witchdom, and travel to Florida.
- Sports and comedy come together in SHOWTIME’s new comedy special UNSPORTSMANLIKE COMEDY WITH ROB GRONKOWSKI, streaming Friday, January 5 at 10 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME in the U.S. Hosted by New England Patriots tight end Gronkowski, the special features the stand-up comedy of Juston McKinney, Finesse Mitchell, Jay Larson, John Caparulo, and Lenny Clarke.
- Hailed by critics in Canada and from around the world, the hit homegrown drama series CARDINAL officially returns for Season 2 beginning Thursday, January 4 on CTV. CraveTV subscribers once again get an early First Look at each new episode the day before it premieres on CTV, beginning with Episode 1 which begins streaming on Wednesday, January 3 at 9 p.m. ET. In the new season, detectives John Cardinal (Billy Campbell) and Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse) find themselves with a strange case on their hands involving a young woman with a gunshot wound to the head. The investigation quickly takes a turn as Cardinal and Delorme uncover a series of disturbing, ritualistic killings that may be connected to their young victim.
- CraveTV bolsters its epic Music Collection with two new specials this month. In SAM SMITH: LIVE IN LONDON, streaming Friday, January 12, the Grammy-winning artist performs tracks from his latest album The Thrill Of It All, along with some of his biggest past hits including “Stay With Me” in front of a live studio audience. HARRY STYLES LIVE IN MANCHESTER, which begins streaming Friday, January 19, features Styles as he performs new tracks from his #1 debut album as a solo artist, alongside covers of classic songs. BBC radio host Nick Grimshaw also talks to the music megastar about his extraordinary career, his future ambitions, and his debut acting role in the World War II drama Dunkirk.
Additional information about CraveTV’s January lineup is outlined below. Program assets, including episode synopses and images are available at BellMedia.ca/pr.
SHOWTIME SERIES, DOCUMENTARIES & SPECIALS:
UNSPORTSMANLIKE COMEDY WITH ROB GRONKOWSKI (January 5 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE CHI, Season 1, Episode 1 (January 7 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE CHI, Season 1, Episode 2 (January 14 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE CHI, Season 1, Episode 3 (January 21 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE CHI, Season 1, Episode 4 (January 28 @ 10 p.m. ET)
SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA:
THE BEAVERTON’S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2017, THE YEAR THAT SADLY WAS (January 2)
THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, Season 1, Episode 1 (January 10 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE BEAVERTON, Season 2, Episode 9 (January 12)
THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, Season 1, Episode 2 (January 17 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE BEAVERTON, Season 2, Episode 10 (January 19)
THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, Season 1, Episode 3 (January 24 @ 10 p.m. ET)
THE BEAVERTON, Season 2, Episode 11 (January 26)
W5, Season 52, Episode 12 (January 26)
THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, Season 1, Episode 4 (January 31 @ 10 p.m. ET)
WORTH WATCHING:
DOCTOR WHO, Season 10 (January 1)
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Season 1, Episode 10 (January 8 @ 8 p.m. ET)
AFTER TREK, Season 1, Episode 9 (January 8 @ 9 p.m. ET)
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Season 1, Episode 11 (January 15 @ 8 p.m. ET)
AFTER TREK, Season 1, Episode 10 (January 15 @ 9 p.m. ET)
COUNTERPART, Season 1, Episode 1 (January 21 @ 8 p.m. ET)
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Season 1, Episode 12 (January 22 @ 8 p.m. ET)
AFTER TREK, Season 1, Episode 11 (January 22 @ 9 p.m. ET)
COUNTERPART, Season 1, Episode 2 (January 28 @ 8 p.m. ET)
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Season 1, Episode 13 (January 29 @ 8 p.m. ET)
AFTER TREK, Season 1, Episode 12 (January 29 @ 9 p.m. ET)
CraveTV EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOKS:
CARDINAL, Season 2, Episode 1 (January 3 @ 9 p.m. ET)
CARDINAL, Season 2, Episode 2 (January 10 @ 9 p.m. ET)
CARDINAL, Season 2, Episode 3 (January 17 @ 9 p.m. ET)
CARDINAL, Season 2, Episode 4 (January 24 @ 9 p.m. ET)
CARDINAL, Season 2, Episode 5 (January 31 @ 9 p.m. ET)
#ICRAVEFRIDAYS:
BROAD CITY, Season 4 (January 5)
UNDERGROUND, Season 2 (January 5)
TRAINING DAY, Season 1 (January 5)
THE PRESIDENT SHOW, Season 1A (January 12)
SAM SMITH: LIVE IN LONDON (January 12)
ARTIE LANGE: STENCH OF FAILURE (January 12)
REIGN, Season 4 (January 19)
HARRY STYLES: LIVE IN MANCHESTER (January 19)
ADAM DEVINE’S HOUSE PARTY, Season 3 (January 19)
PETE DAVIDSON: SMD (January 26)
BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN (January 26)
LAST CHANCE PROGRAMMING:
MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN 2016 (January 8)
MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN 2017 (January 8)
COMING SOON:
GIRLS
THE YOUNG POPE
ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS