Sports Media Report
The personal rivalry between two former professional football quarterbacks trying to embark on post-athletic careers as sportscasters is at the center of “Now We’re Talking,” a half-hour, single-camera original comedy series created, executive produced, written by, and starring Tommy Dewey (“Casual”) and Tug Coker (“The Office”). The second season of the show will have its world premiere Thursday, September 17, on CW Seed. The never-before-seen second season consists of eight half-hour episodes, directed by Laura Murphy (“The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show”). The first season of the critically acclaimed sports comedy from Warner Bros.’ Blue Ribbon Content will also be available on CW Seed.
The athletic lives of former quarterbacks Tug Tanner (Coker) and Tommy Arondall (Dewey) peaked early. In season one, they found themselves falling from the top of their game to the bottom of their class in sports broadcasting school. “Now We’re Talking” takes a comedic look at their relationship after football, with the former adversaries now forced to work together to try to find success on a new playing field. They stumble at first, but soon begin to help each other attempt to find some dignity in a not-so-dignified world.
Season two finds the duo trying to apply what they have learned in broadcasting school to the actual job of broadcasting. Tug and Tommy take less-than-ideal positions at new streaming network CUSP Sports, swallowing their pride and hitting the road in an attempt to earn their stripes calling “fringe” sports like darts and competitive eating, all while managing increasingly complicated home lives. Little do they know, the institution to which they have pinned their hopes, CUSP, is crumbling beneath them.
Joining Dewey and Coker in season two are guest stars Michael Mosley (“Ozark”), Kyle Bornheimer (“Avenue 5”), Cynthy Wu (“American Vandal”), Bonnie Somerville (“Code Black”), Adam Lustick (“Corporate”), Kellee Stewart (“Hot Tub Time Machine”) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (“This Is Us”).
Notable figures from the world of sports and media appearing in season two include FOX Sports analyst Chris Broussard, former pro football player/“ThomaHawk” podcast co-host Andrew Hawkins, broadcaster/“Disruptors” co-host/“The Titan Games” commentator Cari Champion, professional wrestler/former mixed martial arts fighter Cain Velasquez, former pro football player/“American Ninja Warrior” commentator Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, pro football player Ryan Grant, retired pro football player/actor Thomas Jones, ESPN/Westwood One Sports/Big Ten Network sportscaster Olivia Harlan Dekker, MLB Network and NFL Network host/“BattleBots” commentator Chris Rose, and NFL Network analyst Adam Rank.
The first season of the show was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in the Short Form New Media – Original category.
