TruTV has green-lit a half-dozen new series and is developing four others.
The network, which was converted from Court TV in January, is scheduled to premiere Black Gold, which drills into the world of oil “wildcatters” in Texas, this summer. The show, from Original Productions’ Thom Beers, executive producer of the hit series Deadliest Catch, will follow several of these crews of roughnecks as they risk life, limb and millions in an attempt to strike oil.
With Man vs. Cartoon, think Wile E Coyote’s unfulfilled quest to catch the Roadrunner, despite an array of gadgets from Acme Corp. Here, a team of scientists, engineers and mad inventors in New Mexico will investigate the possibilities, about whether a product like a pair of rocket skates could work in real life.
Leftfield Productions is working on Rich & Reckless (working title) featuring investigative journalist Mark Ebner taking viewers inside the life of the young, rich and beautiful who deem themselves to be above the law, while Left/Right Productions is producing Principal’s Office, which depicts what it’s like for school administrators to serve as police, judge and jury in dealing with disputes between students and teachers.
For Ski Patrol (working title), Tru TV has turned to both Bunim Murray Productions (The Real World) and Varuna Entertainment (Trick My Truck) for episodes that will put viewers up close to the men and women who do everything from dynamiting snowdrifts to corralling unruly snowboarders.
As for Crisis Point (working title), TruTV will present life-threatening situations from the perspectives of the heroes that survived them, and how the events changed their lives. Crisis Point comes to the network from Nash Entertainment, which produces its Most Shocking series.
Projects in development include Maui Chopper, about rescue helicopter pilots working over the wind-swept islands of Hawaii, Driving Man, in which bad drivers are given a crash course in how to navigate the roads; Sky Racers, a look at being a news helicopter pilot in Los Angeles; and One False Move, an examination of rescue crews that blast two miles below the Earth’s surface or perform daring rope maneuvers hundreds of feet above ground.
“TruTV’s incredible success proves there is a strong appetite among viewers for high-stakes programming that gives them an adrenaline rush, takes them on an exploration of real-life mysteries or shows them a side of the world they may not otherwise get to see,” said Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager, in a statement. “Whether it’s something as daring as flying a rescue helicopter over Hawaii or as dangerous as working on an oil drilling rig, we promise our viewers programming that is ‘actuality,’ not the manufactured ‘reality’ fare they see elsewhere. Our development slate shows how we are fulfilling that promise, setting the stage for continued success in the future.”
