TCA TALK
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, the only female-hosted late-night program, is forging on – TBS ordered two more seasons of the show, which returns Wednesday, February 7 at 10:30p.
Tracy Morgan returns to TV Tuesday, April 3 at 10:30p, with the launch of The Last O.G. Morgan exec produces the new TBS comedy alongside creator and EP Jordan Peele. Morgan stars as Tray, an ex-con shocked to see how much the world has changed when he’s released from prison after 15 years.
TBS renewed unscripted comedies Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild and Drop the Mic for second seasons. Both are set to debut in spring 2018.
American Dad! was picked up for two more seasons ahead of its Season 12 premiere on Monday, February 12. The series will be joined by the Conan O’Brien-produced intergalactic space saga Final Space on Monday, February 26 at 10:30p, forming an hour-long animation block on TBS.
Audience Network TV announced its full slate of original programming for the first half of 2018. Conspiracy thriller Condor bows Wednesday, June 6 at 10p; the second installment of Ice debuts Wednesday, March 28 at 10p; Audience Network and eOne are bringing back a third season of You Me Her on Tuesday, March 20 at 10p; and new documentary series Refugee, about different refugee groups around the world, and The Pitch, which explores different aspects of soccer, bow Wednesday, February 14.
HBO signed former MSNBC anchor Ronan Farrow to a three-year deal, which begins later this year. Farrow will develop and front investigative documentaries for the premium cabler.
Flight of the Conchords, toplined by musical comedians Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement and taped live before an audience during their UK tour, is set for May on HBO. The special features the duo performing their classics as well as new original songs from Flight of the Conchords Sing Flight of the Conchords Tour.
BritBox, the U.S. streamer backed by ITV and BBC Worldwide, is delving into original programming with The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco, a spin-off of The Bletchley Circle. The original series was a ratings’ hit that ran for two seasons.
TruTV’s Talk Show the Game Show premieres Thursday, February 1 with back-to-back episodes at 10:30p and 11p. The following week, on February 8, the show moves to its regular scheduled 11p timeslot. Adam Ruins Everything returns Tuesday, March 20 at 10p, while The Chris Gethard Show bows immediately following at 11p.
Upcoming comedic anthology, Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & Monsters debuts this summer on truTV. Series examines universal truths in society and pop culture.
TruTV greenlit Paid Off, a 16-episode comedy game show from Orange is the New Black’s Michael Torpey. The show gives three college graduates the chance to test the depth of their degrees with fast paced trivia questions. Winner gets the chance to have their student debt paid off.
Jane Fonda in Five Acts, set to premiere at the Sundance Festival, will air on HBO later this year. Fonda speaks candidly about her life and missteps in the doc.
HBO is also airing a two-part documentary from Judd Apatow on late comedian Garry Shandling on March 26 and 27. The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling features conversations with over 40 of Shandling’s family and friends, including James L. Brooks, Jim Carrey, Sacha Baron Cohen and more.
Elvis Presley: The Searcher, focusing on The King as a musical artist, has been set for Saturday, April 14 on HBO. Three-hour, two-film project is a journey from Presley’s childhood through the final 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions.
The Season 5 premiere of HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver is set for Sunday, February 18 at 11p. The show has been renewed for an additional two seasons, through 2020.
PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Producer Richard B. Lewis (August Rush, Backdraft, The Outer Limits) and his Southpaw Entertainment Group are developing three projects at Universal Cable Productions. One is an adaptation of Nicola Moriarty’s novel, The Fifth Letter, while another is a comedic adaptation of Lars Von Trier’s The Boss Of It All. The third is about monsters and their creators.
Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studio announced an additional two-season order of Funny You Should Ask. The comedy game show is a daily half-hour strip featuring a panel of comedians who interact with contestants for cash and big laughs.
Look Mom! Productions began working on Gary and His Demons, an animated comedy centering on 45-year-old Gary, who longs for retirement. Series premieres on MONDO’s channel on VRV in Spring 2018.
Hulu issued a pilot order to Search and Destroy, from Portlandia co-creator Carrie Brownstein and Annapurna Television. The project is loosely based on Brownstein’s best-selling memoir, Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl, and her experiences as a young musician growing up in the Pacific Northwest during the punk rock feminist movement of the 1990s.
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
CBS announced its spring premiere dates. Elementary returns Monday, April 30 at 10p, while Code Black bows Wednesday, May 2 at 10p. Elementary replaces Scorpion, following its season finale on Monday, April 23 at 10p, while Code Black replaces Criminal Minds, after the conclusion of its season on Wednesday, April 25 at 10p.
Investigation Discovery set Sunday, February 25 as the premiere date for true-crime docuseries Love & Hate.
Time Inc. Productions, launched in 2016, has already racked up ratings wins, picked up an Emmy and is about to expand into scripted. Bruce Gersh, SVP, strategy and business development, and Ian Orefice, head of programming, share the company’s secret sauce in the new Cynsiders – but save the best for last.
COMING UP
The Coronation airs Sunday, January 14 at 8p on Smithsonian Channel. “There’s probably never been more interest in Britain’s Royal Family than today and we feel enormously privileged to bring the definitive film about Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation to America,” David Royle, EVP of Programming and Production, Smithsonian Channel, tells Cynopsis. “The Coronation is an extraordinary program, that includes the Queen’s personal films and her own reflections on the event. The popularity of The Crown and the upcoming marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has entranced a whole new generation. Our program sweeps aside the fictional dramas and brings our viewers a uniquely intimate portrait of the Coronation, as experienced by a beautiful 27-year-old woman whose life was transformed in front of an audience of millions.”
Speaking of, sort of: Game Show Network’s one-hour documentary, Cover Story: Meghan Markle – The Prince and The Game Show Model, bows Sunday, January 21 at 7p. Doc details Markle’s story from modest beginnings, to Deal or No Deal model, to hit-show actress, to humanitarian, to Harry’s bride-to-be. A marathon of Markle’s Deal or No Deal episodes precede the special from 9a to 3p.
Best-selling author James Patterson investigates the life and death of convicted murderer and former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez in “All American Murder,” a one-hour 48 Hours special airing Saturday, January 20 at 10p on CBS.
TV One bows Behind The Movement as the centerpiece of its 2018 Black History Month offerings on Sunday, February 11 at 7p. The original film features the actual bus where Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger spiraled into the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott.
ADVERTISING
Pepsi‘s new global creative campaign, Pepsi Generations, looks to connect fans in a year-long movement celebrating life’s important moments of the past, present and future. The 360-degree marketing campaign, touching its full portfolio, Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar and Diet Pepsi, is partnering with several Pepsi icons, including Cindy Crawford (and her son, Presley Gerber). The movement encompasses the debut of an in-game advertisement during Super Bowl LII and the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, as well as a Pepsi Generations Live pop-up that will be at cultural moments across the U.S. throughout the year, starting with the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.
Telemundo released its integrated sponsors for the first season of MasterChef Latino. Among those signed on are: Lexus, Mazola, State Farm and Universal Pictures. “We’re excited to work with advertisers, across multiple categories, who see the value in reaching the Hispanic consumers in Spanish-language television to help drive their business forward,” said Laura Molen, EVP, Lifestyle and Hispanic Advertising Sales, NBCUniversal.
United Airlines, Champagne Taittinger, Subaru, L’Oreal Paris, FIJI Water, Dove Chocolate, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants and TNT and TBS are among the corporate partners joining the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in support of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, SAG Awards People and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. The 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 21 at 8p.
Experiential marketing gives networks and brands a major edge, says Damon Haley, head of sports marketing for Troika. “Being able to provide fans, viewers, consumer and users not only content but unbelievable, unforgettable, high touch moments is a primary differentiator,” notes Haley. “Furthermore, being able to measure against these metrics helps justify investments, gauge success and refine the delivery methods of experiential activations.” You can hear more from Haley and other experts at the January 30 webinar, Getting Maximum Impact from Experiential Marketing – register here to learn how to drive tune-in and brand loyalty with one-on-one connections with consumers.
CASTING
Brooke Shields is joining The CW’s Jane the Virgin for a multi-episode arc….
Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) is set to guest in a season-long arc of Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here, when the show returns on Sunday, May 6 at 10p…
Nancy Travis (Last Man Standing) nabbed the female lead opposite Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin in Chuck Lorre comedy, The Kominsky Method.
Fiona Gubelmann (Wilfred) booked a five-episodes as a new resident on ABC’s The Good Doctor…. Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) and Maximiliano Hernandez (Sicario) joined the second season cast of AT&T’s Mr. Mercedes…Wunmi Mosake (Kiri) joined Season 5 of BBC’s Luther.
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KID STUFF
WWE superstar John Cena and Nickelodeon are teaming on three projects. Cena is slated to host the 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards, airing live Saturday, March 24 at 8p, for a second time. Plus, he’ll voice villainous new character Baron Draxum in the reimagined Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and serve as EP on new Keep It Spotless, a competition series where teams of kids go head-to-head in a battle to stay clean.
Genius Brands International appointed APC Kids as the exclusive agent to handle content distribution of Rainbow Rangers throughout EMEA, including Russia and ex-CIS Countries. The new preschool series follow the adventures of seven 9-year-old girls who are earth’s first responders and is set to debut in fall 2018 on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr.
MIPTV announced Kids’ Live Action Pitch. It is the first international pitching competition to source original live action programming ideas from producers and creators of children’s content. Five finalists will be chosen by a jury comprised of industry experts.
DIGITAL DOINGS
Grey Sloan Memorial’s latest batch of interns struggle to prove their worth in Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team. The six-episode digital series is available on ABC.com and the ABC app.
In less than one week, country music trivia series, Pedal for the Medal, garnered over 150,000 total views on Facebook and YouTube. Hosted by Rare Country’s Hunter Kelly and shot on location in downtown Nashville, the show posts new episodes the first Saturday of each month.
GOING GLOBAL
Harvey Weinstein will be the subject of another hard-hitting documentary. UK broadcast Channel 4 ordered a film from Tigerlily Productions for its current affairs strand, Dispatches.
Global content distribution platform BidSlate secured a second licensing deal with Direct TV broadcaster, Shorts TV, for six titles. The pact includes The Elf Who Saved Christmas; comedies i am virgin, Meant to Tell You, Life of Baldrick and Unplugging Aunt Vera; and horror short, Used Body Parts.
