Turner Entertainment Networks (known to you as TNT, TBS and truTV [formerly known to you as Court TV]) piggybacked on the broadcast upfronts with their own announcement today. I’m only one man, and a lazy one at that, so I didn’t attend, but the networks announced a number of shows. Theoretically. Most of the announcements concerned series in development (many of which were already announced), which means they may or may not make air, so in the meantime you can peruse the list after the jump and dream.
While this may be mainly a clever gambit for attention by Turner, in the context of this week’s upfront overall, it may just be another sign of TV’s future, namely: the big networks get smaller and everything else gets bigger. The difference between network and cable—and ultimately, online—will become more and more academic, both culturally and economically. If TNT, for instance, is really offering new scripted programming Monday through Wednesday by 2010, it becomes something that much closer to a sixth (or seventh, or eighth…) major network. To the extent that any network will be major by 2010.
In the meantime, the document dump of Turner’s new shows, actual or hypothetical, follows forthwith:
TNT Programming and Development Plans
TNT has enjoyed great success with its original series, including THE CLOSER and SAVING GRACE, both of which return with new episodes in July. By 2010, TNT expects to offer original programming Mondays through Wednesdays in primetime. To reach this important goal, the network is working on an extensive lineup of new series. Today, TNT unveiled development plans for several new, scripted dramas:
DELTA BLUES (working title) tells the tale of an outstanding but unusual Memphis cop: an Elvis impersonator who lives at home with his mother. DELTA BLUES comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television and SmokeHouse and is executive-produced by George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck), Abby Wolf-Weiss, Liz Garcia and Josh Horto. The series is written by Garcia and Horto.
MORSE CODE (working title) is a crime drama about a young war hero/Drug Enforcement Administration officer who works in his hometown of Boston. The pilot is from Warner Horizon Television and is expected to star Donnie Wahlberg (Boomtown). It will be produced by Wahlberg, Jon Avnet (Boomtown, The Starter Wife) and Walon Green (Law & Order, ER), with Green writing and Avnet anticipated to direct.
UNTITLED JOEL SURNOW PROJECT is a fast-paced, gritty drama about the life of an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The pilot is being executive-produced and written by Joel Surnow (co-creator of 24) and Todd Robinson.
ANGEL CITY (working title) features six cops in three cars during one shift, in the spirit of such classic dramas as Adam-12 and Hill Street Blues. The show, conceived by Los Angeles police officer Will Beall, will be written by Beall and Barry Schindel (Law & Order) and directed by Steve Schill (Dexter). ANGEL CITY comes to TNT from Mandalay Television.
TOUGH TRADE is a dramatic but humorous look at the Nashville music scene. The show, which focuses on a family of country stars who live like the lyrics to a country song, comes to TNT from Lionsgate Television. It is written by novelist Chris Offutt and executive-produced by Offutt, Sean Furst and Bryan Furst.
UNTITLED ROB ULIN PROJECT is a quirky yet authentic family drama in the mold of Little Miss Sunshine. It is is executive-produced by Rob Ulin (Roseanne, Malcolm in the Middle).
As previously announced, TNT has greenlit three new series that will debut later this year or in early 2009:RAISING THE BAR is a new legal drama series from Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue). The series comes to TNT from ABC Studios and stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue), Gloria Reuben (ER) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle).
LEVERAGE is an action-packed drama series starring Oscar® winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, Nero Wolfe) and executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT’s The Librarian movie franchise) and John Rogers (Transformers). The series comes to TNT from Electric Entertainment.
TRUTH IN ADVERTISING stars Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Tom Cavanagh (Ed). The series comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television. It is executive-produced by Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny (all of TNT’s The Closer) and written by Baldwin and Coveny.
TNT has ordered a pilot for this scripted drama, as previously announced:MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE, starring Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), focuses on three middle-aged best friends. The pilot will be written and produced by Romano and his collaborator, Mike Royce. TNT Originals will serve as the studio.
TNT is also branching into unscripted dramas. Episodes have already been ordered for one series:WEDDING DAY is a series in which deserving couples are given the wedding of their dreams. The series is from Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks Television, with Mark Burnett (Survivor), Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey and Janelle Fiorito (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) serving as executive producers.
As previously announced, several other unscripted dramas are in development (pilots have already been ordered or produced for the first three listed):SCOTT FREE’S CRIMES OF THE CENTURY (working title) examines incidents that both shocked and fascinated the nation and were windows on the times in which they were committed. The show comes from Scott Free Productions and is executive-produced by Ridley Scott (Gladiator), Tony Scott (Numb3rs), Skip Chaisson (Domino) and David Zucker (Phone Booth).
BEHIND THE DRAMA is a series of documentaries about the little-known stories of great films, TV dramas and top actors. The series is executive-produced by Gay Rosenthal (Behind the Music).
SHADOW OF A DOUBT, a series executive-produced by Star Price (The Amazing Race), introduces and solves a new mystery each week.
HEROES AMONG US (working title) is inspired by a People magazine series that follows the stories of everyday men and women. The show is from Time Inc. Studios, with Jim Czamicki, Larry Hackett and Paul Speaker serving as executive producers.
TNT’s numerous other projects in development include the previously announced GENIE CHRONICLES, GENERATIONS, TECHNOPHOBIA and LEAN ON ME, along with an untitled project from Angelo Pizzo and collaborator David Anspaugh and an untitled project based on characters created by author Tess Gerritsen.TBS Programming and Development Plans
TBS continues to enjoy strong ratings growth, thanks to the network’s lineup of fan favorites like Family Guy, The Office and My Name is Earl, along with original series that include FRANK TV, THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW, MY BOYS and 10 ITEMS OR LESS. TBS announced today that it is renewing 10 ITEMS OR LESS. The network previously revealed plans to renew its other original series.
TBS also announced today that it is ordering 26 additional episodes of Tyler Perry’s HOUSE OF PAYNE. The series comes to TBS from Debmar-Mercury and was created by Perry, who directs every episode. TBS initially ordered 100 episodes of HOUSE OF PAYNE, which debuted in summer 2007 and returns with new episodes in June. HOUSE OF PAYNE ranks as ad-supported cable’s #1 original sitcom of all time.
TBS has emerged as a powerful youth network, with a median age of 33 in primetime in the first quarter of this year. Prior to the 2004 rebranding of TBS as “very funny,” the network’s median age was 40.
Today, TBS announced development plans for three new, scripted comedy series:
UNTITLED WILLIAM H. MACY/STEVEN SCHACHTER PROJECT is a single-camera, half-hour comedy series that comes to TBS from Sony Pictures Television. It is written and executive-produced by William H. Macy (Fargo, TNT’s Door to Door) and Steven Schachter (Door to Door). Schachter will direct the pilot, while Macy will star.
UNTITLED HERVEY/SIMMONS PROJECT is a primetime, scripted comedy pilot, executive-produced by Russell Simmons (co-founder of Def Jam Recordings), Stan Lathan (The Steve Harvey Show) and Winifred Hervey (The Steve Harvey Show). The series stars Joey “Run” Simmons (of Run-DMC), who also serves as a producer, and is written by Hervey.
NATIONAL BANANA ALREADY IN PROGRESS (working title) is a late-night comedy sketch show being executive-produced by Jerry Zucker (Airplane!, My Best Friend’s Wedding).
The network previously announced development of these scripted comedy series:UNTITLED DAVE CAPLAN PROJECT is executive-produced by Dave Caplan (The Drew Carey Show) and Original Film’s Neal Moritz (The Fast and the Furious, I Am Legend) and Vivian Cannon (Thief). The project comes to TBS from Sony Pictures Television.
UNTITLED LATE-NIGHT HENSON SKETCH SHOW features the signature puppetry style of The Jim Henson Company and is executive-produced by Brian Henson and Lisa Henson.
UNTITLED ROBERT TOWNSEND SHOW is a sketch/variety show from writer/star/director Robert Townsend (The Five Heartbeats) and executive-produced by Townsend and Jerry Offsay (Eight Men Out).
TBS also is developing late-night comedy series, including these newly announced today:UNTITLED BUNIM/MURRAY PROJECT is a late-night comedy/reality show that takes a group of middle-aged men back to their fraternity days. It is executive-produced by Jonathan Murray (The Real World) and Gil Goldschein.
UNTITLED JAMIE FOXX/MARCUS KING PROJECT is a late-night sketch and improvisational show executive-produced by Jamie Foxx (Ray, The Jamie Foxx Show) and his longtime collaborator, Marcus King.
TOP TEN (working title) is a late-night show that pits comedians against each other. The show is executive-produced by Mad Cow Productions and Madeleine Smithberg (co-creator of The Daily Show).
truTV Programming and Development PlanstruTV – the latest addition to Turner’s stable of networks – successfully re-launched in January, when the truTV brand took the place of the former Court TV. truTV set ratings records in the first quarter and continues to attract a growing audience. The network is adding to its strong lineup of original series, including the following, all previously announced:
PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE (working title) focuses on the challenging life of being a school administrator. The project comes to truTV from Leftfield Pictures.
BLACK GOLD is an exciting new series about the risks and rewards of oil drilling from executive producer Thom Beers (Deadliest Catch). BLACK GOLD premieres June 18.
SKI PATROL gets viewers up-close and personal with men and women who work in some of the most extreme environments in the country. SKI PATROL will feature individual episodes produced separately by Bunim/Murray Productions (The Real World) and Varuna Entertainment (Trick My Truck).
MAN VS. CARTOON features a crack team of scientists, engineers and mad inventors who investigate whether inventions inspired by cartoons will work in real life. The series comes to truTV from Warner Horizon Television and is executive-produced by Pilgrim Films and Television’s Craig Piligian (Dirty Jobs).