April 6
AMC Networks

AMC Networks held its NYC Upfront event at Skylight Clarkson North on April 6, its first ever to feature all of its networks: AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV and WE tv. The stars of those networks were put to work, making the rounds of tables of ad buyers. There were clips aplenty, with an overriding message of “content with intent.” (“Now, enjoy your tomato soup,” joked Charlie Collier, president & GM of AMC and SundanceTV, after a particularly bloody tape.) Execs pointed to shows like The Walking Dead and Portlandia that offer advertisers an engaged audience.

And a large audience, noted Collier. The Walking Dead wrapped season 7 as the #1 show on television among A18-49 for the fifth consecutive year, the only drama in television history to hold the #1 title for five consecutive years, and extended its lead over the #2 program, CBS’s Big Bang Theory, by 61% in the demo. Aftershow Talking Dead remains the #1 talk show on television, averaging 4.9 million viewers per week for the just-completed season. Upcoming series on AMC include and The Son, starring Pierce Brosnan, anthology series The Terror and Lodge 49.

Collier also shared the news that SundanceTV will start airing the first season of Amazon’s Transparent this summer. In addition to season 2 of Hap and Leonard comes the second season of SundanceTV’s Top of the Lake, with Nicole Kidman joining the returning Elisabeth Moss. New drama Liar stars Downton Abbey’s Joan Froggatt.

At IFC, new comedy Brockmire is winning raves and has already picked up for season 2, genre-bending Stan Against Evil returns in the fall and new original Living With Yourself debuts in 2018. Following AMCN’s recent acquisition of a 20% stake in Funny or Die, the digital comedy hub will be used to promote a full night of programming in the fall.

WE tv is on solid footing as a home for reality TV. The From Not to Hot reveal delivered 2.4 million viewers, its highest-rated show to date, and Friday night’s #1 cable show among all key demos. The net also launched Doctor Miami, about a Snapchatting surgeon, renewed Million Dollar Matchmaker for season 2 and is expanding franchises with Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta and Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition.

Stunning footage from Planet Earth II illustrated why that show has helped BBC America become the top ratings gainer year over year among entertainment networks in1Q17. Spinoff Top Gear America arrives later in 2017, and Orphan Black starts its final run on June 10.

FX
The highlight of FX’s seventh annual upfront bowling party, aside from the strikes, was the season 3 premiere of Fargo, debuting Wednesday, April 19. The drama “is a show that typifies the power of ad-supported cable television to compete, and often surpass, our ad-free competitors,” said FX CEO John Landgraf. “Advertising is fundamental to our business.”