Amid a recession, it’s déjà vu all over again as Brent Montgomery channels the hunt for hidden treasures into a wave of new programming that includes Netflix’s ‘Goldin Auctions,’ History’s ‘Secret Restoration’ and a project with collectible asset platform Rally. 

Brent Montgomery is leading the charge back into the so-called “transactional TV” genre with shows featuring rare collectibles including Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ costume and a Mickey Mantle rookie card.

During the 2009 recession, History Channel found an unlikely hit in Pawn Stars, the unscripted series in which everyday people found life-changing treasures in their attic and turned them into cash at a time when money was tight.

The series has since gone on to become a massive hit. More than 700 episodes have been commissioned, with repeats airing across History, Lifetime, A&E and Netflix. Several others in the so-called transactional TV genre launched around the same time, series like Shark Tank, American Pickers, Storage Wars, American Restoration and others. A spinoff of the successful franchise that started it all, Pawn Stars Do America, will launch Nov. 9 on History.

Now, Brent Montgomery — who gave birth to transactional TV with the creation of Pawn Stars — is the driving force behind a rebirth in the genre as the U.S. economy finds itself in familiar territory as when the Las Vegas-set show originally bowed. Montgomery, via his groundbreaking incubator at Wheelhouse, has seen interest in the genre blossom again and has set up a number of new shows in the space.

First up in the wave of “Hidden Treasures 2.0” programming is King of Collectibles, a series featuring industry leader Ken Goldin showcasing some of pop culture’s most coveted items including a high-grade Mickey Mantle rookie card, a game-used Jackie Robinson bat, game-worn jerseys from Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan and even Prince’s actual outfit from Purple Rain. The series counts Peyton Manning as an exec producer and features Goldin investor and noted collector Logan Paul, among others.

History Channel is also leaning hard into the space with the order for Secret Restoration, a series set in New England where the nation’s master craftsmen and women restore America’s treasures, working in secret for clients who wish to surprise loved ones with like-new cherished items. The cabler is also developing Restore This, a show based on a U.K. format in which tradesmen vie for jobs restoring vintage items that can be worth a fortune.

Montgomery is also in the process of shopping a series built around Rally, a platform that affords everyday people the opportunity to own a percentage of the most prized collectibles including a first edition of Harry Potter, vintage cars, the ultra-rare Honus Wagner baseball card and a copy of The Amazing Spider-Man No. 1.

“It’s a feeling of déjà vu compared with 2009 when the economy was going down the toilet. Pawn Stars launched a genre,” Montgomery tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re fortunate because of Pawn Stars and the other shows we’ve done to get the first call from networks, streamers or talent or partners like Connor Schell on Goldin’s show. There’s been more inbound interest for our development team, and we’ve brought on a casting team to help us focus on this genre.”

* * *

The quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic saw interest in collecting everything from watches, toys, sneakers, rare whiskey, wines, art and sports cards explode. For the first five months of 2020, auction house Sotheby’s saw online sales top the $100 million mark for the first time. Online art sales at the three leading auction houses — Phillips, Sotheby’s and Christie’s — rose 474.8 percent in the first half of 2020 versus the same period a year prior. An October 2020 Credit Suisse report found that the estimated value of collectibles owned by private individuals globally was a whopping $1.2 trillion. And, thanks to professional grading and authenticating companies like PSA, new markets have emerged as interest in, for instance, unopened copies of VHS cassettes and original Nintendo games explodes. A Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps rookie card, considered one of the holy grails of the hobby and examples of which will be featured on both the Goldin and Rally shows, sold in August for a record $12.6 million.

“My first real business was a baseball card business when I was in the eighth grade and through high school. I was 13 and competing against 40-year-olds at baseball card shows. That’s where my hunger to be an entrepreneur stemmed from,” Montgomery says. “I didn’t realize how comparable it was to the stock market. This time around, though, it’s professionalized. It’s a real business; there are people making real livings selling sports cards and people want to see that.”

One of Montgomery’s Wheelhouse investors found Rally, and the next thing the veteran unscripted exec knew, he was holding a Babe Ruth bat and later listening to Goldin recall the time when he bought a similar bat from the Yankee great’s estate. “I said, ‘These are both shows.’ Ken is made for TV,” says Montgomery, who is an investor in both Goldin and Rally.

* * *

Rally co-founder Rob Petrozzo has been a regular at Montgomery’s Wheelhouse events. The company has supplied such one-of-a-kind items as the former Staples Center basketball floor on which Bryant last played for the L.A. Lakers that have been known to attract everyone from Wheelhouse partner Jimmy Kimmel to Alex Rodriguez and John Stamos. The invitation-only events connect investors like Petrozzo, athletes and celebrities to executives with greenlight power. It helps that Montgomery — who made more than $360 million when he sold his baseball-inspired production company Leftfield Entertainment to ITV in 2015 — is there to light the path.

“Stocks don’t have a heartbeat. The pitch for our business is that it’s a stock market for collectibles; we’ve got museum quality stuff that we split into shares,” Petrozzo says. “We saw it as a bigger opportunity to tell stories and Brent saw that.”

In success, the untitled Rally show will tell the story behind assets like the house featured in The Godfather, rare baseball and basketball cards, early manuscripts for The Lord of the Rings and more as the New York-based company finds experts to verify and validate them and ultimately turn them into stock with an IPO.

“Wheelhouse took what Pawn Stars set up and brought it to the next level. You see these items, get the stories, the quest to find it, find experts in those areas, and then you can now leave with a piece of it in your portfolio,” Petrozzo says.

* * *

History Channel head of programming Eli Lehrer has known Montgomery since the early aughts, when he was an exec at Bravo buying female-leaning docuseries. The duo has remained in contact over the years, and Montgomery turned to Lehrer — who was behind the Pawn Stars touring spinoff — with the idea for a restoration show with a twist that would eventually become Secret Restoration. The series, which builds on History and Montgomery’s own American Restoration, will be paired on the schedule with Pawn Stars Do America, as Lehrer feels the shows share the same DNA.

“American Restoration was a great format and satisfying show, and we hadn’t been in the restoration space for a number of years,” says Lehrer, who grew up collecting baseball cards and enjoys viewing watch collectible videos on YouTube. “When Brent brought us the idea for Secret Restoration, it felt like a fresh and interesting way to get back into a space we already knew was resonating for our audience.”

After airing nearly 600 episodes over 20 seasons, Pawn Stars remains a hugely important show for History, where it’s been among the cabler’s highest-rated shows for more than a decade. Repeats, it’s worth noting, have launched the series into Netflix’s top 10 acquired programs.

“There is a committed audience there week after week, year after year,” Lehrer says. “There is a renewed interest in collectibles and after two years of COVID, Rick Harrison wanted to hit the road and see what kind of stuff people, after two years stuck in their houses, had found in their attics.”

Montgomery, for his part, still values the lessons he learned from Pawn Stars and has utilized that knowledge to help build Wheelhouse. When Pawn Stars launched in 2009, for example, History relied on Montgomery and his Leftfield banner to cast the show and discover the items featured on it. Now, Montgomery has created Wheelhouse’s own casting department. Of those six staffers, half focus specifically on sports cards, sneakers and restoration. For a network like History, the Wheelhouse casting department will look for items related to the cable network’s IP. “It’s all brand-friendly,” Montgomery enthuses. “As more streamers have to do advertising, these are ad-friendly programs.”

Looking forward, Montgomery cites Goldin’s company as the first example of what he calls the “Wheelhouse effect,” in which the production company serves as not only an investor but a partner in its growth as new revenue streams can be found in original programming.

“I’m excited! A lot of people don’t get the difference between baseball cards and art and how one card can be worth that much money,” Montgomery says. “We want to tell stories that explain it and broaden out interests that are thought of as subcultures. Nobody questions the stock market and publicly held companies, but this is more fun!”

The Real Housewives regular stars in the new Netflix reality show alongside his daughters Farrah and Alexia, whom he shares withwife Kyle Richards

Mauricio Umansky is bringing a fresh dose of drama to the Beverly Hills real estate scene!

Netflix’s newest reality series, Buying Beverly Hills, follows Mauricio and his team at high-end real estate firm The Agency as they compete to sell some of the priciest — and most star-studded — properties in the city. The Agency has recently listed the homes of Norman Reedus and Diane Krueger, Finneas and the Hemsworth brothers.

Mauricio’s daughters, Farrah Brittany, 33, and Alexia Umansky, 26 — whom he shares with his wife, RHOBH star Kyle Richards — are among the ambitious agents featured in the show.

 Kyle Richards’ Husband, Mauricio Umansky, and Daughters To Star in Netflix Real Estate Reality Show

There’s no shortage of juicy moments in the series, which premieres on November 4. In the exclusive trailer above tears are shed by multiple agents as Mauricio offers some stern words of advice: “The more successful you are, the more they’ll talk s— about you.”

Later in the clip, an agent’s dating history with one of Mauricio’s daughters becomes a point of contention, and Alexia’s career is called into question as she’s asked: “Do you think real estate is the right business for you?”

Also starring in the series are agents Santiago Arana, Ben Belack, Joey Ben-Zvi, Jon Grauman, Brandon Graves, Allie Lutz Rosenberger, Melissa Platt and Sonika Vaid.

 Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky’s Relationship Timeline

 Kyle Richards Moved Her Wedding Date Up 3 Months Due to Pregnancy ‘So My Dress Would Still Fit’

The Richards-Umansky family have been making some major real estate moves of their own recently. They sold their Bel Air home in January 2022 for $6.1 million after more than 4 years on and off the market. They also listed their vacation home in Aspen, Colorado, for $9.75 million in June.

In 2017, they bought a home in Encino after Richards says she “fell out of love” with Beverly Hills.

Along with Alexia and Farrah, Mauricio and Richards are parents to daughters Sophia, 22, and Portia, 14.

In November 2021, the family celebrated Farrah’s engagement to businessman Alex Manos. Richards posted a sweet tribute on Instagram to congratulate her daughter, which featured a snap of the happy couple and a celebratory cake.

“My baby @farrahbritt is getting married! We love Alex so much and couldn’t be happier!! Congratulations Farrah & Alex,” she wrote in the caption.

A+E Networks’ History Channel will once again reunite Tim Allen with his former Home Improvement co-star Richard Karn via the non-fiction series More Power, which premieres on June 29.

The 10-episode series, which also co-stars YouTube DIY woodworking personality April Wilkerson, will take place in Allen’s home shop, where the hosts will explore the history of the coolest, most powerful and iconic tools. Each episode will focus on a different tool, from blades and batteries to magnets and lasers, and trace how they evolved from handheld and basic to industrial and mighty while also explaining such phenomena as how a magnet can light up a whole city.

The trio will also venture into the field to play with some of the biggest machines that power our everyday lives, and meet the men and women who operate them. Allen will also invite experts into his shop for “Tim’s Maker Challenge,” tasking them to create new builds for unique tools like an automatic leaf-vacuum-rake that sucks up leaves and puts them directly into the garbage, or a battery-powered mobile kitchen.

This is the second series featuring the trio to air on History and is effectively, pardon the pun, a retooling of the previous program. Assembly Required, unveiled in 2020, aired in 2021. According to an A+E spokesperson, “Assembly Required was produced during the throes of the pandemic to continue to deliver great content until we were able to safely produce More Power as originally intended.”

The new series, like Assembly Required, is produced by Wheelhouse subsidiary Spoke Studios (which recently hired former Shed Media general manager Pam Healy as president) and Boxing Cat Entertainment. Allen and Karn are executive producers, along with Brent Montgomery, Eric Wattenberg, Will Nothacker, Joe Weinstock, K.P. Anderson, Cindy Kain and Katherine D. Fox. Eli Lehrer, Mary E. Donahue and Max Micallef serve as executive producers for History.

(With files from Barry Walsh)

Hulu Originals today announced four food series from Vox Media Studios and David Chang’s Majordomo Media, including one from Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with David Chang, Majordomo, and Hulu with these brand new series that will leave Hulu’s audience hungry for more,” said Chad Mumm, Chief Creative Officer, Vox Media Studios in a statement. “With a mix of notable chefs, talent, and partners, these innovative series are a fresh take on culinary competitions.”

The series are:

Drag Me to Dinner. If you want a great party, hire a party planner. If you want an outrageous, unforgettable party, call in someone who makes something fabulous and supremely entertaining out of almost nothing… a Drag Queen! Created and executive produced by and featuring Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka and their celebrity friends, Drag Me to Dinner is the new close-ended comedic competition that doesn’t take itself too seriously. In each of these episodes, two new pairs of visionary Queens go wig-to-wig in a competition to throw the coolest themed dinner party on a dime. Set in a chic yet lo-fi studio, Drag Me to Dinner is a mix of bawdy humor embracing the sharp, unfiltered nature of authentic Drag Culture, and the irreverent fourth wall breaking moments and creative editing of cult hits like Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun and Between Two Ferns. Each episode features something completely unexpected and entertaining. It’s from Vox Media Studios, Majordomo Media, Matador Content (a Boat Rocker Company), and Boat Rocker. Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka serve as Executive Producers in addition to Chad Mumm and Mark W. Olsen for Vox Media Studios, and David Chang, Dave O’Connor, Chris Ying and Christopher C. Chen for Majordomo Media. Todd Lubin serves as an Executive Producer for Matador Content and Jay Peterson for Boat Rocker. James Sunderland is the Showrunner and Executive Producer.

Secret Chef. From Executive Producer David Chang comes a radical twist on the cooking competition, as ten chefs anonymously rank each other’s food through a series of blind tastings. With their true identities concealed, everything will be hidden except the one thing that matters most… the food. Produced by Vox Media Studios, Majordomo Media, Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios. Executive producers for Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios include Eric Wattenberg, Scott Lonker, Will Nothacker and Liz Fine. Chad Mumm and Mark W. Olsen executive produce for Vox Media Studios, and David Chang, Dave O’Connor, Chris Ying and Christopher C. Chen are the executive producers for Majordomo Media. Patrick J. Doody serves as showrunner and executive producer.

Burning Men. On this bracket-style competition series we pit pepper growers against one another in a fight to prove whose creation is hottest. Each episode a new region of growers goes head to head in a series of challenges aimed at testing the heat behind their superhots. The winner of each region advances to the finals, where their peppers are put through the rigors in an attempt to determine whose really is hottest. In the end, only one grower will emerge victorious and take the crown for World’s Hottest Pepper. Produced by Vox Media Studios, Majordomo Media, High Noon Entertainment.

Chefs vs. Wild. In each episode of the show, two different world class chefs will be dropped into the wilderness where they’ll embark on a grueling and unprecedented mission – survive and forage enough wild ingredients to create a restaurant worthy, five-star meal. Episodes will culminate in the chefs going head-to-head in a “wilderness kitchen,” using their foraged ingredients and ingenuity to create savory dishes and, ultimately, impress the judges. The series will be hosted by renowned chef and adventurer Kiran Jethwa. Jethwa will also serve as judge, alongside wild foods expert Valerie Segrest. Produced by Vox Media Studios, Majordomo Media, Leftfield Pictures. It’s executive produced by Shawn Witt, Gretchen Palek and Jordana Hochman for Leftfield Pictures, Chad Mumm and Mark W. Olsen for Vox Media Studios, and David Chang, Dave O’Connor, Chris Ying and Christopher C. Chen for Majordomo Media. Stephen Rankin serves as showrunner and executive producer.

Vox Media Studios has produced six series as part of its food focused programming deal with Hulu. Additional series include the David Chang hosted series The Next Thing You Eat and Eater’s Guide to the World, narrated by Maya Rudolph.

Based in Los Angeles, the former Shed Media and High Noon executive will lead all creative efforts and growth strategies for the prodco. Among Spoke’s marquee projects are four Netflix series – including Hype House and the upcoming Goldin Auctions with Executive Producer Peyton Manning, as well as multiple series for Hulu, More Power for History, starring Tim Allen, and a slate of more than a dozen new series and projects.

Concurrently, Spoke Studios’ Will Nothacker, who has been key to development of the current slate, will return to his production roots in an expanded role as executive vice president of programming for Wheelhouse Entertainment, running the in-house production services and production management arm of the company. For Spoke Studios, Nothacker will work hand in hand with Healey; he will also work directly with Wheelhouse Entertainment’s other label heads on their projects.

Healey most recently served as general manager for nearly seven years at Warner Bros.’ Shed Media, and as EVP for nine years at lifestyle production company High Noon – developing, selling, producing and overseeing such series as Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC), 100 Humans (Netflix), Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo), First Dates (NBC), Cake Boss (TLC), Basketball Wives (VH1), Eric and Jessie (E!), Huda Boss (Facebook), Child Genius (Lifetime), Criminal Confessions (Oxygen), Tough Love (VH1), Fast Foodies (TruTV), Genius Junior (NBC), Mexican Dynasties (Bravo), Long Lost Family (TLC), Supernanny (Lifetime), and The Warriors of Liberty City (Starz), among others.

“We’re in a major moment of volatility and huge opportunity in the business, which is why Pam’s range across broadcast, cable, streaming, and producing makes her a great fit for Spoke,” said Wheelhouse Founder and CEO Brent Montgomery. “Very much like the early days at Leftfield, we’re focusing on locking great talent and expanding creatively, even when a lot of the industry is bracing and battening down the hatches. This strategy goes to the heart of Wheelhouse and aligns perfectly with Pam.”

Added Healey, “This has always been a hit-driven business and job one is seeking out those gems that can break through. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart and you have to be fearless and fortunate to have the support of great collaborators. I’m so impressed with what Brent and his team are building at Wheelhouse and am eager to dig into it all with everyone at Spoke.”

Netflix is doubling down on property.

The streamer has handed breakout reality series Selling Sunset a two season order – taking it through seasons six and seven and ordered a slate of new property, real estate and renovation shows.

Production on season six of high-end real estate series Selling Sunset, which follows the likes of Chrishell Stause, Christine Quinn and Mary Fitzgerald and their colleagues at The Oppenheim Group, will start later this summer.

The series, which is produced by Lionsgate and Done and Done Productions, is exec produced by creator Adam DiVello, Sundee Manusakis, Kristofer Lindquist, Skyler Wakil and Jason Oppenheim.

Elsewhere, the streamer has ordered four new shows and handed premiere dates to a slew of others in the property space.

Designing Miami, which premieres September 21, follows two of Miami’s two hottest designers who are competitors and husband and wife – Eilyn and Ray Jimenez. The eight-part series, produced by Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios, is exec produced by Eric Wattenberg, Will Nothacker, Deanna Markoff and Luke Neslage.

Buying Beverly Hills, which premieres this fall, follows the agents and clients within Mauricio Umansky’s The Agency in Beverly Hills, California. Produced by Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios and Just Entertainment, it is exec produced by Brent Montgomery, Will Nothacker, Justin W. Hochberg, Liz Fine, Adam Sher, Deanna Markoff, Ed Simpson, Michael Call, Steven Drieu and Sara Chamberlain.

Meanwhile, Critical Content has Instant Dream Home and Buy My House.

Instant Dream Home, which premieres August 10, is hosted by Danielle Brooks and is part home renovation show and part heist movie. It is exec produced by Tom Forman, George Verschoor, David Metzler, Jenny Daly, Jon Beyer, Bob Asher, Sue Langham, and Courtney Sanders.

Buy My House, which premieres this fall, follows homeowners from across America who come to sell their properties, on the spot, to one of four real-estate tycoons including Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, Corcoran Group CEO Pamela Liebman, NFL Linebacker Brandon Copeland, and investment property magnate Danisha Wrighster.

The six-part series is hosted by Nina Parker and exec produced by Tom Forman, Jenny Daly, Matthew Pickel, Moira Ross and Dan Morando.

Finally, the streamer has dated How To Build a Sex Room for July 8, the third season of Dream Home Makeover on July 27 and Selling Sunset spinoff Selling The OC on August 24.

How To Build a Sex Room follows luxury interior designer Melanie Rose helping couples to create stylish spaces where they can carry out any fantasy they wish. It comes from ITV America and High Noon Entertainment and is exec produced by Adam Sher, Jim Berger, Scott Feeley, Corrina Robbins and Sarah Howell.

SUNDAY

It’s case closed on the finale of the Victorian-era mystery drama “Miss Scarlet and the Duke” on “Masterpiece.” With Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin. 8 p.m. KOCE

Systemic racism, police brutality and other issues affecting the Africa American community are explored in the current-events series “Boiling Point” and “Disrupt & Dismantle.” 8 and 9 p.m. BET

The documentary “The Vaccine: Conquering Covid” spotlights the race to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control. 8 p.m. Discovery Channel; anytime, Discovery+

It’s case closed on the finale of the three-part true-crime docuseries “The Widower” from the producers of “Dateline NBC.” 9 p.m. NBC

Return with us now to Hope Valley for an eighth season of the frontier-era drama “When Calls the Heart.” With Erin Krakow. 9 p.m. Hallmark Channel

The four-part documentary “Allen v. Farrow” wades into the controversial child-sexual abuse allegations against filmmaker Woody Allen made by former creative and romantic partner Mia Farrow and others. 9 p.m. HBO

Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce: It’s McDonald’s versus Burger King on a new “The Food That Built America.” 9 p.m. History Channel

The documentary “Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine” charts the life, times and legal woes of the controversial, heavily-tattooed rapper. 10 p.m. Showtime

MONDAY

A baker will rise in a new season of the competition series “Spring Baking Championship.” With host Ali Khan. 9 p.m. Food Network

A struggling community in Sweden pins its hopes for a comeback on the local youth hockey team in the imported drama series “Beartown.” 9 p.m. HBO

Righteous! The documentary “Mr. SOUL!” on “Independent Lens” remembers Ellis Haizlip, host of a nationally syndicated 1960s-70s variety show whose guests included Black luminaries like Stevie Wonder, Cicely Tyson, James Baldwin and Muhammad Ali. 10 p.m. KOCE

Keep your shirt on! Comic Bert Kreischer is the Texas Rattlesnake’s next guest on “Straight Up Steve Austin.” 11:30 p.m. USA

TUESDAY

OK, boomer. A now gray-haired 60-something comic grouses and grumbles about a wide variety of topics in the stand-up special “Brian Regan: On the Rocks.” Anytime, Netflix

Gooooooooooal! The Brazilian soccer legend considered by many to be the greatest player of all time is saluted in the sports documentary “Pelé.” Anytime, Netflix

“Superman & Lois” are shacked up in the Man of Steel’s hometown of Smallville in this superhero drama set in the DC Arrowverse and starring “Supergirl’s” Tyler Hoechlin and “Grimm’s” Elizabeth Tulloch. A series preview follows. 8 and 9:30 p.m. The CW

Country roads, take them home: Country music stars Clint Black and Rosanne Cash shake their respective family trees on a new “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” 8 p.m. KOCE

The Busbys and all six of their XX-chromosome offspring return in an eighth season of the reality series “OutDaughtered.” 8 p.m. TLC

A desperate mother and her young daughter try to escape the clutches of a bizarre religious cult in the new drama “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless.” With Melissa L. Williams. 10 p.m. BET

It’s Tool Time, take two, as former “Home Improvement” costars Tim Allen and Richard Karn reunite to cohost the competition series “Assembly Required.”10 p.m. History Channel

WEDNESDAY

Resistance is feudal in “Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan,” a new docuseries mixing dramatic reenactments and expert commentary. Anytime, Netflix

Woof, there it is! Oakland dog trainer Jas Leverette turns bad doggos into the goodest bois in the unscripted series “Canine Interventions.” Anytime, Netflix

A wise-beyond-her-years teen and her hot mess of a mom try to start over in a new town in the YA drama series “Ginny & Georgia.” With Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey. Anytime, Netflix

The special “LA Phil: Icons on Inspiration” features musical performances plus artistic director Gustavo Dudamel in one-on-one conversations with famous faces including Julie Andrews, Natalie Portman, Katy Perry and pianist Yuja Wang. 8 p.m. KCET

Red rover, red rover: “Nova” tracks the progress of NASA’s Perseverance Roverin the new episode “Looking for Life on Mars.” 9 p.m. KOCE

Crack is still wack as the South L.A.-set crime drama “Snowfall” hustles up a fourth season. With Damson Idris. 10 and 11 p.m. FX

Get your last laughs as the ladies of the recently wrapped “Baroness von Sketch Show” return with a batch of five bonus episodes. Midnight, IFC

THURSDAY

Estranged siblings find horror on a return visit to the family farm in the 2020 terror tale “The Dark and the Wicked.” With Marin Ireland. Anytime, Shudder

Rapper-actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges gets schooled in the finer points of the culinary arts in the special “Luda Can’t Cook.” Anytime, Discovery+

They grow up so fast: Our spunky young heroine (Soleil Moon Frye) is now a single mother of three in a reboot of the 1980s sitcom “Punky Brewster.”Anytime, Peacock

The intrepid filmmaker who brought the sport of skiing to the big screen in several decades’ worth of docs is remembered in the documentary “Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story.” Anytime, Discovery+

It’s back to Panama City Beach for another season of the reality series “Floribama Shore.” 9 p.m. MTV

Yes, ma’am! “She’s the Boss” in this new reality series starring entrepreneur, income strategist, motivational speaker, wife and mother Nicole Walters. 10:31 p.m. USA

FRIDAY

She’s the baaaaad guy … duh: The documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry” gets up close and personal with the teenage pop phenom. Anytime, Apple TV+

It’s a game of cat and mouse as the classic cartoon characters “Tom & Jerry”return in a live action/animated adventure. With Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña and “SNL’s” Colin Jost. Anytime, HBO Max

Singer-actress Andra Day portrays the legendary jazz vocalist known as “Lady Day” in Lee Daniels’ 2021 biopic “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”Anytime, Hulu

Word on the street is the six-part docuseries “Hip Hop Uncovered” is ending its run with back-to-back episodes. 9 and 10:21 p.m. FX

SATURDAY

A teen’s depraved father makes her life a living hell over the course of two horrific decades in the fact-based TV movie “Girl in the Basement.” With Stefanie Scott, Joely Fisher and Judd Nelson. 8 p.m. Lifetime

She’s torn between two brothers, feelin’ like a fool in the TV movie “It Was Always You.” With Tyler Hynes and the aforementioned Erin Krakow. 9 p.m. Hallmark Channel

Tim Allen and Richard Karn are reuniting again 30 years after their “Home Improvement” days for the History Channel’s forthcoming unscripted competition series “Assembly Required,” but don’t expect sitcom shenanigans while watching. Instead, the duo will lean into their real-life friendship and tried-and-true on-screen chemistry for a “kind of a live version of ‘Tool Time,’” Allen explained, while spotlighting the best and brightest makers from across the country with a can-do attitude and a competitive streak.

During the network’s Television Critics Association winter press tour panel Thursday, star Allen and host Karn gave the rundown on the new hourly 10-episode reality show, joined by the series’ own resident expert April Wilkerson (known best for her DIY woodworking and metalworking videos on YouTube), and Brent Montgomery, executive producer.

“Assembly Required” pits three builders head-to-head as they hammer, chop, arrange and assemble mind-blowing creations out of everyday household items in desperate need of fixing. Viewers will watch the production of a dual all-season ice melter/leaf blower, an all-in-one riding comfort mower, a do-it-yourself jacuzzi, a BBQ bicycle and more. The show is described as a competition series that lets participants “take back their sense of purpose and awaken their inner builder.” In each episode, Allen and Karn will also dive into the unique history around the materials and things used to honor the men and women who crafted them.

While producing the show during the pandemic, Allen, Wilkerson and Karn spoke on the challenges of having to judge participants remotely from their own workshops and having to connect with the creations in-person for the second part of the build.

“Because we were forced to do it in our separate space, you realize that around the country that Wi-Fi and the ability to get access to the outside world is not as easy for everybody,” Karn explained. “Sometimes we had to wait a while to make sure that the Wi-Fi and the cameras and everything was feeding us back all the information. There was a little bit of a disconnect because we would watch this stuff and talk about it with each other, but then when we actually saw it in person, we’d see the big little things that we didn’t realize in the builds. Some of them were amazing, and some of them looked great on camera.”

Even so, Montgomery rest-assured that The History Channel did not spare high-quality production and tried to make it “as least COVID-looking as possible.”

“It gave us a really great recipe to think and play and do different stuff… We would not normally have been inside these people’s shops and it probably would have been even harder for Tim to eliminate people face to face seeing them from six feet away!” Montgomery said. “So, we really think being able to highlight these people through their own environment started at a really nice baseline because they’re using a lot of their own equipment and are in their home turf. It gives us an incredible foundation to do some new and cool stuff in subsequent seasons.”

Wilkerson added that she thinks DIY will continue to be an upward trend as the pandemic continues to force us into our homes. “I think the more people that get into it, the more it inspires others to get into it too. Because, I think at the root of our DNA, we all want to build and create… I think people have the free time now to get rid of the other amenities they’re used to and put it into using their hands.”

Allen agreed with Wilkerson, acknowledging that he appreciates people that, instead of throwing stuff out, fix and repair to make things better. “It is in our DNA somewhere. Whatever we screw up we can fix it,” Allen added.

The series hails from Wheelhouse Entertainment’s Spoke Studios, ITV America and Boxing Cat Entertainment. Allen and Karn will executive produce alongside Brent Montgomery, Ed Simpson, Joe Weinstock, Will Nothacker, Simon Thomas, Vince Cariati and Katherine D. Fox. Eli Lehrer, Mary E. Donahue and Max Micallef serve as executive producers for History.

“Assembly Required” premieres on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on The History Channel. 

Discovery-owned Food Network is set to profile former NFL players linebacker Brian “Rak” Orakpo and safety Michael “Griff” Griffin as they step off of the grid iron and into the kitchen in The Cupcake Guys Training Camp.

Produced by Michael Strahan’s SMAC Entertainment, Spoke Studios, ITV America and The Story Lab, the hour-long documentary special will follow the retired University of Texas and Tennessee Titans players as they attempt to exploit their newfound passion: cupcakes. Griffin serves as head backer, Orakpo as lead cupcake decorator and lifelong friend “Little Bryan” Hynson handles the business side of the Austin, Texas-based bakery.

Executive produced by Strahan, The Cupcake Guys Training Camp, the football players-turned-bakers will help three aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their baking dreams. Provided with a baking truck and coaching from Rak, Griff and Little Bryan, each contestant will be tested on their baking and selling skills over a 48-hour period.

The last baker standing is awarded a seed money investment into their business.

Food Network will premiere The Cupcake Guys Training Camp on Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. ET/PT. The special will also be made available across Discovery’s nascent streaming service, Discovery+, the same day.

“The Cupcake Guys captivated us with their national commercial where the big guys donned pink aprons and decorated little cupcakes – and we’ve been wanting to get an inside look at their business ever since,” said Food Network president Courtney White in a statement.  “These lifelong friends are funny and competitive and they bring all the talent, skill and dedication they had on the gridiron to the bakery every day.”

“I’ve known Rak and Griff a long time and love that they followed their passion from professional football to cupcakes,” added Strahan. “They, along with their best friend Bryan Hynson, are the perfect team to mentor new entrepreneurs and send them on the path to success – and they are hilarious.”

Photo credit: Food Network

The Maroon 5 frontman’s 222 Productions has most notably launched ‘Songland’ on NBC.

Adam Levine is doubling down on his producorial pursuits, signing an exclusive overall deal with Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse Entertainment — one that will see the Maroon 5 frontman and his 222 Productions feeding both scripted and unscripted content for all platforms.

The singer-songwriter and multihyphenate, whose TV credits most significantly include a nine-year stint as a coach on NBC unscripted flagship The Voice, initially has already had some success as a producer. After founding 222 Productions in 2013, first with a first-look deal at NBC, Levine successfully launched singing competition Songland and YouTube series Sugar. With him, he brings 222 Productions president Josh Gummersall and vice president of development Jason Lautenschleger.

“Adam is that rare creative talent that excites audiences worldwide with everything he does,” said Wheelhouse chief creative officer and Wheelhouse Entertainment president Eric Wattenberg, who negotiated the deal alongside attorney Jeff Worob. “Beyond his musicianship, his commercial instincts are spot on, complementing Wheelhouse’s mission to help artists realize their entrepreneurial ambitions. We’re thrilled to be in business with Adam, Josh and Jason and can’t wait to get going on what 222 is already bringing to the table.”

In addition to creating and producing entertainment projects, joining Wheelhouse gives Levine and 222 access to the company’s brand and marketing arm, Wheelhouse Labs, as well as and Wheelhouse Partners — the company’s investment division, which claims to create lucrative entrepreneurial endeavors they may want to pursue. The latter has proved an enticing pitch for Wheelhouse’s nearly-three-year pursuit in making talent pacts, the latest being with With TikTok collective The Hype House.

“My team and I are excited to partner with Brent, Eric and the team at Wheelhouse to launch this new chapter for 222 Productions,” commented Levine.

Since departing The Voice in 2019, Levine haas launched a second season of Songland on NBC and released the first track from Maroon 5’s upcoming seventh studio album.

Levine and 222 Productions are repped by CAA.