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Turner
Broadcasting said it is working on a new lineup of original movies that
will debut in November and December under The TNT Tuesday Night Mystery
banner.
TBS has greenlit a new hour-long comedy called The
Wedding Band, ordering 10 episodes.
Turner also said that
Conan O'Brien will take his late night show to New York in 2011 and
Chicago in 2012.
"With strong brands and solid foundations in
programming, TNT and TBS present a great value proposition to our
clients," said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports
of Turner Broadcasting System, which holds its upfront presentation in
New York Wednesday morning. "Turner continues to make investments in
original programming that has broad demographic appeal for advertisers
and their brand messages, helping create meaningful connections with
consumers everywhere TNT and TBS live, from on-air to online."
The following are the networks' development plans:
The "TNT Tuesday Night Mystery" movies in development
* Innocent - Twenty years after being cleared in the death of his mistress, Judge Rusty Sabich is charged with the murder of his late wife. During the trial, a secret affair from Rusty's recent past threatens to hamper his defense and fracture his relationship with his son. Innocent is based on Scott Turow's book, a sequel to his blockbuster hit Presumed Innocent. The movie is written, directed and executive-produced by Mike Robe (TNT's Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King).
* Ricochet - Two homicide detectives find their careers - and lives - on the line when they get caught up in a case of murder and betrayal in high-society Savannah. Based on the book by #1 New York Times best-selling author Sandra Brown, the project is executive-produced by Howard Braunstein (The Informant!) and Jim Head (On Strike for Christmas) and written by Donald Martin (The Craigslist Killer).
* Silent Witness - In this legal drama based on a novel by Richard North Patterson, prominent defense attorney Tony Lord returns to his hometown to defend an old friend, a teacher accused of murdering one of his students. The case re-opens the heartache from Tony's own high school days, when he was a student falsely accused of murdering his first love. Lizzie Friedman and Greg Little, the team behind One Lucky Elephant, Whiz Kids and Sex and Death 101, serve as executive producers. The script is being written by Thomas Michael Donnelly (Our Fathers).
* Deck the Halls - Adapted from the first book in Mary Higgins Clark and daughter Carol Higgins Clark's series of holiday mystery novels, this warm-hearted story brings together two of the authors' most popular characters: Detective Regan Reilly and cleaning-woman-turned-private-eye Alvirah Meegan. The women investigate the kidnapping of Regan's father and a young female driver just before the holidays. The race is on to rescue the pair and get them home in time for Christmas. Howard Burkons (John Q, TNT's The Ron Clark Story) is set to write the script. He will executive-produce with Brenda Friend (Joan of Arc, The Ron Clark Story).
* Good Morning, Killer - Based on a novel by April Smith, this thriller follows FBI special agent Ana Gray as she hunts for a kidnapper. As Ana develops a rapport with the kidnapper's latest victim, the suspect suddenly changes his pattern. Now Ana must race to find him before he strikes again. Smith is set to write the script and executive-produce the project.
* Hide - Based on the book by Lisa Gardner, the show pits two detectives against a killer who seems to have returned from the dead. The project is written by Janet Brownell (Eloise at the Plaza) and executive-produced by Stephanie Germain (The Day After Tomorrow).
* The Killer Next Door - This project is based on the true story surrounding the horrific attack on a respectable couple in an upscale New York neighborhood. With the man killed and the woman disfigured, suspicion immediately falls on their charming, handsome son. As the truth becomes clear, the community is shocked to learn that the murderer may not be the person they would expect. Ilene Kahn Power (Gia, Traffic,Who Is Clark Rockefeller?) serves as executive producer, with the script by co-executive producer Edithe Swensen (Who Is Clark Rockefeller?).
* The Broken - This tense drama centers on a Los Angeles police officer caught in a dangerous situation when she is forced to go on the run with a murder suspect. They must fight to stay one step ahead of the assassins and cops on their trail. Written by Rick Dahl, the project is being executive-produced by Danielle von Zerneck (Living in Oblivion, God's Lonely Man) and Frank von Zerneck (Miracle on Ice, First Daughter).
TNT
scripted series in development
- Untitled Kip
Koenig/John Wells Productions Project - Set against the backdrop of the
Pacific Northwest, this drama follows a family of cops who uncover the
mystical and often crime-ridden world of a small town where things
aren't as they appear. The project comes to TNT from Warner Horizon
Television, Kip Koenig (Grey's Anatomy) and John Wells
Productions (Southland, Shameless, The West Wing). - Scent
of the Missing - A search-and-rescue officer braves the harshest
conditions with her best friend and partner, a Labrador retriever. Based
on the book of the same name, Scent of the Missing comes to
TNT from CBS Television Studios and executive producers Barry Josephson (Bones)
and Carol Mendelsohn (CSI), and producers Diane Nabatoff (Take
The Lead) and Shelly Glasser (The Good Girl). - Gateway
- In a nation still healing from the Civil War, lawlessness rules
the small towns of the Old West. Three brothers bound by duty, honor and
self-preservation take a stand. Together, they fight to survive and
thrive - all in a small town called Gateway. The series comes to TNT
from Warner Horizon Television, Bruce McKenna (The Pacific, Band of
Brothers), Danny Cannon (CSI) and Deran Serafian (House,
CSI). - Untitled Eric Garcia Project - A daydreaming police
clerk's overactive imagination isn't just a way to escape her mundane
work life. It's also her mind's way of helping detectives solve crime.
The project comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television, Eric Garcia (Matchstick
Men) and executive producers McG (Terminator Salvation,
the Charlie's Angels movies) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural)
of Wonderland Sound and Vision (Supernatural, Chuck, The O.C.). - Untitled
Jay Cocks Project - Based on the character from the Laura Lippman
series of books, this drama centers on Tess Monaghan, a former newspaper
reporter who has become a private eye in the tough city of Baltimore.
The project comes to TNT from Jay Cocks (Gangs of New York) and
Bill Haber's Ostar Productions (TNT's Rizzoli & Isles). - Untitled
Shaun Cassidy/Kimberly Williams-Paisley Project - When a hot Southern
mess of a family takes in their widowed daughter-in-law and her gifted
young son, these vibrant characters, all in their own way come, to learn
that it's not the family you're born into that counts but the family
you make. This emotional comedy/drama, set in and around the bucolic
town of Franklin, Tenn., comes to TNT from executive producers Kimberly
Williams-Paisley (According to Jim), Brad Paisley and Shaun
Cassidy (Roar, Invasion). - Untitled Mitch Albom Project -
Set in a Detroit radio station, this drama follows a station manager
who, against his wishes, returns home to try and breathe life into his
struggling city. The project comes to TNT from best-selling author and
columnist Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie). - Snatched
- Should she settle down and have a family? Or jump out of a plane
while retrieving a priceless artifact? This hero finds herself at the
ultimate crossroads of domesticity and a full-throttle adrenaline rush. Snatched
comes to TNT from Prospect Park and Steven Mitchell and Craig W. Van
Sickle (Tin Man). - The Command - The Command
centers on an elite and real squad of detectives within the New York
City police department - Borough Command. Cherry-picked by one
commanding officer, these detectives get only the toughest,
highest-profile and most-unsolvable cases. The best detectives, the
hardest cases. The Command comes to TNT from Cineflix Studios;
director/executive producer Antoine Fuqua (Shooter, Training Day);
writers/executive producers Todd Komarnicki (Resistance, Elf)
and Tony Spiridakis (Ash Tuesday); and producer Jim Thompson (War). - Enigma
- A modern-day mystery-of-the-week in the vein of Sherlock Holmes,
this project comes to TNT from CBS Television Studios and Anthony
Zuiker (CSI), Matt Weinberg and Ed Whitmore (Waking the
Dead), who will write the pilot script.
TBS
scripted series in development
- An American
Couple - Set in the suburbs of Illinois, this one-hour comedy
follows a newly engaged couple embarking on their journey to the altar.
Pete, the hero and the ultimate guy's guy, decides it's time to man up,
much to the chagrin of his immature friends. An American Couple
comes to TBS from Warner Horizon Television, Conaco, writer and
executive producer Mike O'Malley (Glee), and executive
producers David Kissinger, Conan O'Brien and Jeff Ross. - Untitled
Phoef Sutton Project - Anchored by lead detective Emerson Slade, this
single-camera comedy spoofs cop and detective shows. The half-hour
series centers on an elite force of great minds who solve crimes while
working together as a dysfunctional family. The project comes to TBS
from Warner Horizon Television, Conaco, writer and executive producer
Phoef Sutton (Terriers), and executive producers David
Kissinger, Conan O'Brien and Jeff Ross. - Men at Work
(w.t.) - When Milo is thrust into single life after discovering his
girlfriend has been cheating, he finds comfort in three best friends who
help reinvent his manhood with the promise of sex, alcohol and some
serious bromance. This half-hour series is written and
executive-produced by Breckin Meyer (TNT's Franklin & Bash,
Robot Chicken).
TNT unscripted series in
development
- The Great Escape - What if you
found yourself on the deck of a sinking ocean liner, in a
prisoner-of-war camp or trapped on a desert island? What if you only had
your wits and everyday skills to help escape? The Great Escape
puts teams of ordinary people in the middle of their own epic
action/adventure movie. Players must work together to evade pursuers,
overcome obstacles, solve puzzles and be the first to reach freedom to
win a cash prize. The Great Escape comes to TNT from Fox
Television Studios, Imagine Entertainment, The Hochberg Ebersol Company,
Profiles Television Productions, and executive producers Ron Howard (A
Beautiful Mind), Brian Grazer (24), Francie Calfo (Scoundrels),
Elise Doganieri (The Amazing Race), Bertram van Munster (The
Amazing Race), Justin Hochberg and Charlie Ebersol. - Untitled
Joel Silver Project - This action-packed competition show combines the
excitement of The Bourne Identity with the voyeurism of The
Truman Show. In each self-contained episode, two contestants are
dropped into a fictional town where they find themselves at the center
of a major incident. As the minutes tick down, they must use whatever
clues they can find to figure out who and what they are before the clock
runs out. The project comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television, Joel
Silver (The Matrix trilogy) and Phil Gurin (Shark Tank),
based on an original idea by Gurin. - Shooters - Ten of
the best and brightest up-and-coming stars of the commercial-directing
world compete for bragging rights to be known as the top shooter, as
well as seed money to start their own production house. Shooters
comes to TNT from Scott Free Productions and executive producers Tony
Scott (The Good Wife), Ridley Scott (The Good Wife)
and David Zucker (The Naked Gun). - Untitled Search and
Rescue Project - The creator of Deadliest Catch takes an inside
look at the Alaskan Coast Guard's search-and-rescue team. When lives
are on the line, these elite men and women fly into storms and dive into
the Bering Sea, some of the deadliest waters in the world. The project
comes to TNT from Original Productions and executive producer Thom
Beers. - Untitled Business Makeover Project - A business titan
brings knowledge and experience to family businesses on the brink. In
each episode, a top leader will assess the big problems facing a small
business to help them turn it around before it's too late. The project
comes to TNT from executive producer Arthur Smith (Hell's Kitchen).
TBS
unscripted series in development
Pyramid - Andy
Richter, famed sidekick to Conan O'Brien, hosts Pyramid, a
modern-day take on the iconic game show that began as The $10,000
Pyramid. Contestants team with a celebrity partner to take turns
guessing words or phrases in a category. Pyramid comes to TBS
from Sony Pictures Television, Embassy Row and executive producer
Michael Davies (Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?).
