Lesley Goldberg
@snoodit.bsky.social
⚾️ for me
📺 for you
tips: Lesley.Goldberg@theankler.com
📺 for you
tips: Lesley.Goldberg@theankler.com
Capping off 2025 with a look ahead at 20 shows with big stakes coming in 2026: theankler.com/p/what-makes...
What Makes a Hit in ’26? These 20 Buzzy New Series Bet on the Answer
Stars, sequels, and more from Ryan Murphy, Taylor Sheridan are set to test the market
theankler.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Capping off 2025 with a look ahead at 20 shows with big stakes coming in 2026: theankler.com/p/what-makes...
Your TV what to watch guide for the holiday break, as determined by 28 executives who make it theankler.com/p/28-top-exe...
28 Top Execs Recommend the Best TV Series to Binge Over the Holidays
From Frances Berwick to Francesca Orsi: C-suiters reveal the can’t-miss shows they can’t stop watching (even from competitors)
theankler.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Your TV what to watch guide for the holiday break, as determined by 28 executives who make it theankler.com/p/28-top-exe...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
Heated Rivalry and Pluribus are probably THE two shows of the moment, and they're both deeply queer, and yet I keep hearing America doesn't want these stories?? So, I guess we need to turn to Canadians and Vince Gilligan to get our fix!
December 22, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Heated Rivalry and Pluribus are probably THE two shows of the moment, and they're both deeply queer, and yet I keep hearing America doesn't want these stories?? So, I guess we need to turn to Canadians and Vince Gilligan to get our fix!
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
The question of whether Heated Rivalry can win Emmys is actually far more complicated than I ever expected — but don't give up hope yet! Huge thanks to @memles.bsky.social for inspiring this piece and giving expert Canadian TV guidance
I Think ‘Heated Rivalry’ Deserves Emmy Recognition — Too Bad About This Catch
The breakout drama, streaming on HBO Max and Canada’s Crave, might be put in the penalty box for TV’s biggest awards
theankler.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The question of whether Heated Rivalry can win Emmys is actually far more complicated than I ever expected — but don't give up hope yet! Huge thanks to @memles.bsky.social for inspiring this piece and giving expert Canadian TV guidance
The success of #HeatedRivalry has done wonders for Crave and its parent, Bell Media: "There was a bit of a legacy in Canada of, ‘We’re just honored you wanted our show. We wanted to get over that.
theankler.com/p/why-bell-m...
theankler.com/p/why-bell-m...
Why Bell Media Execs Went All in on ‘Heated Rivalry’ — and How the Bet Paid Off
CEO Sean Cohan and VP content Justin Stockman on how the gay hockey drama scored globally and without financial partners: ‘We kept ponying up until we owned it’
theankler.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The success of #HeatedRivalry has done wonders for Crave and its parent, Bell Media: "There was a bit of a legacy in Canada of, ‘We’re just honored you wanted our show. We wanted to get over that.
theankler.com/p/why-bell-m...
theankler.com/p/why-bell-m...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
Rob Reiner was one of the key people behind the effort to go to court to overturn California's anti-marriage equality Proposition 8 when it passed in 2008.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
December 15, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Rob Reiner was one of the key people behind the effort to go to court to overturn California's anti-marriage equality Proposition 8 when it passed in 2008.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
Obsessed with #HeatedRivalry? Me too! I spoke with the showrunner about what U.S. buyers can learn from its success: "The surprise is that the horniness works because of the intimacy and not because of it being just endlessly titillating."
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-hb...
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-hb...
TV in 3: HBO’s Horny Hockey Hunks Go Viral; CBS’ Showrunner Scramble
Plus: Starz’s Shohei Otani home run
theankler.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Obsessed with #HeatedRivalry? Me too! I spoke with the showrunner about what U.S. buyers can learn from its success: "The surprise is that the horniness works because of the intimacy and not because of it being just endlessly titillating."
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-hb...
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-hb...
“It’s a very disruptive move but it will also disrupt them": My latest on a potential WB-Netflix deal for @theankler.com theankler.com/p/12-c-suite...
12 C-Suite Execs on the ‘Existential’ Fallout of a Warners Deal and the ‘Least Bad’ Outcome
Private whispers about why the acquisition could be as destabilizing for the buyer as it is for the rest of Hollywood
theankler.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:56 PM
“It’s a very disruptive move but it will also disrupt them": My latest on a potential WB-Netflix deal for @theankler.com theankler.com/p/12-c-suite...
What happens if Netflix Bros. decides to make all WBTV programming exclusive to its platform? That and many, many more questions about today's game-changing deal for @theankler.com
5 Burning Qs: What The Netflix-Warners Bombshell Means for Creatives, Execs & Shows
The deal would put showrunners, revered execs and piles of priceless IP under one roof, and it’s going to be messy
theankler.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:36 PM
What happens if Netflix Bros. decides to make all WBTV programming exclusive to its platform? That and many, many more questions about today's game-changing deal for @theankler.com
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
The Ankler team is LIVE right now reacting to Netflix's deal to acquire Warner Bros. and what it'll mean for the entertainment industry: theankler.com/live-stream/...
LIVE NOW: Netflix-WBD: Panic, Chaos, Plan
Elaine Low on Substack
theankler.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The Ankler team is LIVE right now reacting to Netflix's deal to acquire Warner Bros. and what it'll mean for the entertainment industry: theankler.com/live-stream/...
This week for @theankler.com: #StrangerThings did 60M views over five days. A 99-year-old parade did half that in just three hours.
Plus the launch of 'Showrunner Sessions' featuring The Diplomat's Debora Cahn!
theankler.com/p/why-34-mil...
Plus the launch of 'Showrunner Sessions' featuring The Diplomat's Debora Cahn!
theankler.com/p/why-34-mil...
Why 34 Million Tuned In: Secrets Behind NBC’s Thanksgiving Ratings Shocker
EVP Jen Neal unpacks the strategy behind ‘our entertainment Super Bowl.’ Plus: my ‘Showrunner Sessions’ with 'Diplomat’ creator Debora Cahn
theankler.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This week for @theankler.com: #StrangerThings did 60M views over five days. A 99-year-old parade did half that in just three hours.
Plus the launch of 'Showrunner Sessions' featuring The Diplomat's Debora Cahn!
theankler.com/p/why-34-mil...
Plus the launch of 'Showrunner Sessions' featuring The Diplomat's Debora Cahn!
theankler.com/p/why-34-mil...
This week for @theankler.com: A deep dive into the business of holiday programming theankler.com/p/the-ruthle...
The Ruthless Biz of TV Holiday Movies: Lots of Joy — But ‘They Want Snow for Free’
The Grinch brings fewer films on tighter budgets, but for writers, the pay can feel like Christmas morning: ‘Sometimes money floats down from the heavens’
theankler.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This week for @theankler.com: A deep dive into the business of holiday programming theankler.com/p/the-ruthle...
Scoop: Netflix considered a weekly drop for the final season of #StrangerThings before moving to a three-part holiday release for one of its signature hits. That and more this week for @theankler.com --> theankler.com/p/turkey-nfl...
Turkey, NFL & ‘Stranger Things’: Netflix Holiday Stunt Overrides Duffers’ Push for Weekly
SCOOP: What the creators wanted as industry insiders spill on the final-season strategy and the streamer’s new openness to moving beyond the binge
theankler.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Scoop: Netflix considered a weekly drop for the final season of #StrangerThings before moving to a three-part holiday release for one of its signature hits. That and more this week for @theankler.com --> theankler.com/p/turkey-nfl...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
For The Ringer, I wrote about the best TV coaching trees, from series that did the best job of finding and nurturing writers and/or directors who would go on to make great shows of their own:
Which TV Show Has the Best Coaching Tree?
Vince Gilligan is eternal proof of the strength of the ‘X-Files’ writers room. But frankly, that room has a ton of competition across television history.
www.theringer.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:59 PM
For The Ringer, I wrote about the best TV coaching trees, from series that did the best job of finding and nurturing writers and/or directors who would go on to make great shows of their own:
Miss me breaking down the big TV news of the week? Look no further! I'm back with another weekly column launching today at @theankler.com!
Check out the first installment of TV in 3 Acts -->
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-ac...
Check out the first installment of TV in 3 Acts -->
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-ac...
TV in 3 Acts: ‘Mad Men’ Returns, ‘Poker Face’ Folds, More Paramount Carnage
My new weekly wrap on the small-screen headlines worth your time
theankler.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Miss me breaking down the big TV news of the week? Look no further! I'm back with another weekly column launching today at @theankler.com!
Check out the first installment of TV in 3 Acts -->
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-ac...
Check out the first installment of TV in 3 Acts -->
theankler.com/p/tv-in-3-ac...
#AllsFair, complete with its $100M price tag, is a fascinating case study in how to cut through in 2025. But is it all worth it? My column for @theankler.com --> theankler.com/p/100-millio...
$100 Million Hate-Watch: Inside Hulu’s ‘All’s Fair’ Trainwreck — and How It Turned Around
SCOOP: I have the budget, cast paydays and behind-the-scenes drama from Kim Kardashian's critically-savaged series that's gone ‘zero to hero’
theankler.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:57 PM
#AllsFair, complete with its $100M price tag, is a fascinating case study in how to cut through in 2025. But is it all worth it? My column for @theankler.com --> theankler.com/p/100-millio...
New on @theankler.com: My scoop-filled Q&A w/ UCP chief Beatrice Springborn, who spills on #MrRobot's Sam Esmail tackling David Cronenberg’s 1983 cult fave 'Videodrome,' the Obamas & Yara Shahidi taking on 'The Trees' & the future of Seth MacFarlane's deal
theankler.com/p/beatrice-s...
theankler.com/p/beatrice-s...
Beatrice Springborn’s Bet: A ‘Flexible Model’ to Win Talent, Outsmart Streamers & Go Global
SCOOP: Universal Content Productions’ chief reveals projects with Yara Shahidi, the Obamas, Sam Esmail, Matt Charman — and the state of Seth MacFarlane’s overall
theankler.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
New on @theankler.com: My scoop-filled Q&A w/ UCP chief Beatrice Springborn, who spills on #MrRobot's Sam Esmail tackling David Cronenberg’s 1983 cult fave 'Videodrome,' the Obamas & Yara Shahidi taking on 'The Trees' & the future of Seth MacFarlane's deal
theankler.com/p/beatrice-s...
theankler.com/p/beatrice-s...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
Inside Warner Bros., the mood is “quiet panic.” @snoodit.bsky.social reports on how staff are bracing for another ownership change, what David Ellison’s bid could mean for jobs, and why “business as usual” doesn’t feel so usual anymore: theankler.com/p/warner-bro...
October 29, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Inside Warner Bros., the mood is “quiet panic.” @snoodit.bsky.social reports on how staff are bracing for another ownership change, what David Ellison’s bid could mean for jobs, and why “business as usual” doesn’t feel so usual anymore: theankler.com/p/warner-bro...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
TODAY AT 11 A.M. PT: Kristen Stewart joins Richard Rushfield on The Rushfield Lunch to chat about her sharp directorial debut 'The Chronology of Water' and her views on the state of the entertainment industry. Add to your calendar: open.substack.com/live-stream/...
October 29, 2025 at 3:58 PM
TODAY AT 11 A.M. PT: Kristen Stewart joins Richard Rushfield on The Rushfield Lunch to chat about her sharp directorial debut 'The Chronology of Water' and her views on the state of the entertainment industry. Add to your calendar: open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Breaking: Netflix has won a big bidding war for a hostage thriller starring Adam Driver and from Peter Craig (Top Gun: Maverick) and the Emmy-winning director of #Adolescence. More details coming shortly in this week's column for @theankler.com.
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October 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Breaking: Netflix has won a big bidding war for a hostage thriller starring Adam Driver and from Peter Craig (Top Gun: Maverick) and the Emmy-winning director of #Adolescence. More details coming shortly in this week's column for @theankler.com.
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Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
What would Paramount Skydance look like if it swallowed up Warner Bros. Discovery? And could that potential behemoth go head to head with Netflix? @snoodit.bsky.social spoke to insiders about David Ellison's dream merger and the fallout to come theankler.com/p/supermerge...
October 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
What would Paramount Skydance look like if it swallowed up Warner Bros. Discovery? And could that potential behemoth go head to head with Netflix? @snoodit.bsky.social spoke to insiders about David Ellison's dream merger and the fallout to come theankler.com/p/supermerge...
This week's column for @theankler.com: What a super-charged Paramount would look like if the Ellisons can make a deal for Warner Bros. Discovery — a true rival to Netflix theankler.com/p/supermerge...
Supermerger: Inside the Deal That Would Finally Give Netflix a Real Rival
Industry insiders reveal their excitement over David Ellison’s Paramount-WBD dream and a rebalance of power: ‘My enemy’s enemy is my friend’
theankler.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
This week's column for @theankler.com: What a super-charged Paramount would look like if the Ellisons can make a deal for Warner Bros. Discovery — a true rival to Netflix theankler.com/p/supermerge...
This week for @theankler.com: Which brings better value to NBCUni, the NBA or more Dick Wolf procedurals? The answer may surprise you! theankler.com/p/the-battle...
Battle for NBC’s Soul: Dick Wolf vs. the NBA (Final Score Inside)
I crunch numbers on 30 Rock’s $2.45B sports gamble and Wolf’s TV empire — and call a winner in the scripted-sports showdown
theankler.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
This week for @theankler.com: Which brings better value to NBCUni, the NBA or more Dick Wolf procedurals? The answer may surprise you! theankler.com/p/the-battle...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
NBC is benching three hours of scripted TV a week for NBA games that cost $2.45 billion a year. @snoodit.bsky.social crunches the numbers on which play makes better business sense: live sports or profitable Dick Wolf dramas theankler.com/p/the-battle...
October 15, 2025 at 6:54 PM
NBC is benching three hours of scripted TV a week for NBA games that cost $2.45 billion a year. @snoodit.bsky.social crunches the numbers on which play makes better business sense: live sports or profitable Dick Wolf dramas theankler.com/p/the-battle...
Reposted by Lesley Goldberg
Sugar is back! New music at sugarcopperblue.com PLUS May 2026 live shows in NYC and London. All the info is here!
October 15, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Sugar is back! New music at sugarcopperblue.com PLUS May 2026 live shows in NYC and London. All the info is here!