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2013-14 ABC New Series

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday May 22, 2013 @ 1:20pm PDT

2013-14 ABC New Series

Dramas

Betrayal — A chance meeting between photographer Sara Hadley (Hannah Ware) and Attorney Jack McAllister (Stuart Townsend) leads to an instant and undeniable attraction. Sarah’s husband, Drew (Chris Johnson), is a successful prosecutor with political aspirations, while Jack is married to Elaine (Wendy Moniz), the daughter of his boss, Thacher Karsten (James Cromwell). When Karsten’s brother-in-law Lou is murdered, all evidence points to Karsten’s son, T.J. (Henry Thomas). Jack, the company’s lead counsel, will have to defend him, but for Sara’s prosecutor husband, Drew, this is the kind of high-profile murder case that can secure his political future. Just as Sara and Jack’s affair is starting, the lovers find themselves in an impossible situation — on opposite sides of a murder investigation. “Betrayal” stars Hannah Ware (“Shame,” “Boss”) as Sara, Stuart Townsend (“The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) as Jack, James Cromwell (“Babe,” “American Horror Story”) as Thacher Karsten, Henry Thomas (“E.T.,” “Gangs of New York”) as T.J. Karsten, Chris Johnson (“The Vampire Diaries”) as Drew, Wendy Moniz (“Guiding Light,” “The Guardian”) as Elaine, Elizabeth McLaughlin (“The Clique”) as Val and Braeden Lamasters (“Men of a Certain Age”) as Vic. “Betrayal” was written by David Zabel (“ER”) and directed by Patty Jenkins (“The Killing,” “Monster”) and is executive-produced by David Zabel, Rob Golenberg (“Red Widow”) and Alon Aranya. “Betrayal” is produced by ABC Studios.

Killer Women — Of all the notorious lawmen who have ever patrolled the violent Texas frontier, none are more … Read More »

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Barnes & Noble Shares Rise On Speculation About Deals And Changes For The NOOK

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Monday May 20, 2013 @ 3:26pm EDTTags: Barnes & Noble, Nook, Nook Tablet

Barnes & NobleThe book retail chain’s shares are up 8.1% in mid-afternoon trading, making it one of the day’s biggest gainers in the media pack. Barron’s appears to be largely responsible for the move after it seized this weekend on reports that Microsoft might be willing to pay $1B for Barnes & Noble‘s NOOK tablet and e-reader platform. “It’s possible Microsoft may bid for Nook or the whole company, and there could also be interest from Liberty [Media]” which already owns 17% of Barnes & Noble, Barron’s says. Deals could send shares up as much as 50% the magazine estimates. The Microsoft rumor took off two weeks ago after Techcrunch cited “internal documents” that confirmed an offer. That sent shares to a 52-week high of $23.71. But enthusiasm fizzled last week when website Insider Monkey reported that a “highly placed source inside Microsoft” said an acquisition “is not happening in the foreseeable future.” That hasn’t put speculation about a big deal to rest. Founder Leonard Riggio has said that he might make an offer for the retail stores, although he hasn’t made it yet. Meanwhile Techcrunch yesterday cited “a source close to the matter” who says that Barnes & Noble is preparing to add a web browser, email, and apps to the Nook Simple Touch e-readers — potentially a big boost in functionality for a $79 device. The company recently … Read More »

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CANNES TOLDJA! Weinstein Co Beginning Production on ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Sequel

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday May 16, 2013 @ 1:03pm PDTTags: Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Wrap-Up, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Weinstein Company
Mike Fleming

Deadline’s Mike Fleming reported several months back that The Weinstein Company was setting a production start in Asia on a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Here’s the official release that just dropped confirming Crouching Dragon Hidden Tiger II — The Green Destiny and that Yuen Wo Ping, the legendary fight choreographer responsible from the high-wire action work in the original pic, will direct this one. He and sequel writer John Fusco worked together on The Forbidden Kingdom. Here’s the release:

New York, NY (May 16, 2013) – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today production of CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON II – THE GREEN DESTINY will begin in March 2014 in Asia. Yuen Wo Ping is set to direct with Donnie Yen starring as Silent Wolf and Michelle Yeoh reprising her role as Yu Shu Lien. The screenplay is based on IRON KNIGHT, SILVER VASE by Wang Du Lu, book 5 in the CRANE-IRON PENTALOGY series, on which the original CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON was based. The screenplay is written by John Fusco (FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, HIDALGO, SPIRIT) and will be produced by Harvey Weinstein and David Thwaites, co-produced by Johnny Levin with Executive Producer Anthony Wong. Yucaipa Films is co-financing the project.

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Jimmy Kimmel At ABC 2013-2014 Upfront: Full Transcript

By JEN YAMATO | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 3:20pm PDTTags: ABC, Jimmy Kimmel

UPDATED: Jimmy Kimmel kicked off ABC‘s upfront presentation Tuesday at NYC’s Lincoln Center with a filmed bit alongside Scandal‘s Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and Disney/ABC TV President Anne Sweeney. The potshots at NBC also came quickly: “[ABC Entertainment President] Paul Lee isn’t really British – he’s Mexican. We think this is why Univision is beating NBC.” Here’s Kimmel’s full network-roasting upfront monologue:

Jimmy Kimmel ABC Upfront 2013“You’ve seen what we have so far. By show of hands, we’re going to let you vote one new show off our schedule. Which will it be? I’m happy to be here. I really do enjoy seeing a lot of you every year coming to New York, but I’d really rather not do the whole song and dance number again so listen, you don’t know if these shows are going to work. I don’t know if these shows are going to work. Just throw your money in these bags, we’ll pass them around and be done with it. It’s time to stop calling this an upfront and start calling it what it really is. Throwing a bunch of shit at a wall to see what sticks. And guess what, you guys are the wall.

Related: Live-Blog: ABC’s Upfront Presentation
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ABC 2013-14 Schedule: Rebel Wilson Gets Post-‘Modern Family’ Slot, ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ On Tuesday, ‘Dancing’ Shrinks To One Night

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 14, 2013 @ 9:00am PDTTags: ABC, Dancing With The Stars, Super Fun Night
Nellie Andreeva

ABC is launching eight new series in the fall and taking some big swings, including a Tuesday lineup of all-new series, anchored by Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Rebel Wilson’s hot streak continues, with the rising star landing the post-Modern Family slot for her comedy Super Fun Night. ABC is looking to stem Dancing With The Stars‘ ratings decline by eliminating the Tuesday edition, with the Monday 8-10 PM show incorporating both performances and results. Dancing, as well as The Bachelor, Shark Tank and The Taste have been formally renewed for next season. Here is ABC’s fall schedule, analysis and descriptions of all 13 new series for next season, including newly picked up adventure reality series The Quest from The Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri:

Related: ABC To Air Some Dramas In Two Batches Of 12 Episodes

ABC FALL 2013-2014 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8 PM – Dancing With The Stars
10 PM – Castle

TUESDAY
8 PM – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
9 PM – THE GOLDBERGS
9:30 PM – TROPHY WIFE
10 PM – LUCKY 7

WEDNESDAY
8 PM – The Middle
8:30 PM – BACK IN THE GAME
9 PM – Modern Family
9:30 PM – SUPER FUN NIGHT
10 PM – Nashville

THURSDAY
8 PM – ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
9 PM – Grey’s Anatomy
10 PM – Scandal

FRIDAY
8 PM – Last Man Standing
8:30 PM – The Neighbors
9 PM – Shark Tank
10 PM – 20/20

SATURDAY
8 PM – Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
7 PM – America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 PM – Once Upon A Time
9 PM – Revenge
10 PM – BETRAYAL

From ABC’s returning series, left off the schedule are comedy Suburgatory and reality series The Bachelor, which comes on in midseason, and The Taste.

Read More »

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BAFTA TV Awards: ‘Girls’ Top International Show; Olivia Colman Scores Two Prizes

By NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Sunday, 12 May 2013 21:42 UKTags: BAFTA, BBC, Girls, HBO

BAFTA handed out its TV prizes tonight in London with Olivia Colman taking two awards, one for supporting actress for BBC miniseries Accused and the other as actress in a comedy program for Olympics sitcom Twenty Twelve, which was also named best sitcom. Colman will soon be seen by U.S. audiences in ITV’s recent hit drama Broadchurch. Ben Whishaw was best actor for Neal Street Productions co-production with NBC Universal and WNET Thirteen/BBC Two, Richard II (Hollow Crown), and top comedy actor was Steve Coogan for Sky Atlantic‘s Welcome To The Places Of My Life. The best drama series was the BBC’s Last Tango In Halifax while HBO‘s Girls was named best international show. Coming into the evening, the BBC and HBO’s Hitchcock film The Girl was among the most nominated programs, but went home empty-handed. Downton Abbey had no nominations. A full list of winners follows: Read More »

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UPDATE: ABC Picks Up ‘Once Upon A Time’ Spinoff, ‘Mixology’, ‘The Returned’, ‘Killer Women’, ‘Lucky 7′, ‘Betrayal’, ‘Trophy Wife’, Cullen Bros, ‘Influence’, ‘The Goldbergs’, ‘Super Fun Night’, ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ To Series

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 10, 2013 @ 6:13pm PDTTags: ABC, Disney, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Rebel Wilson
Nellie Andreeva

When all was said and done tonight, ABC picked up a total of 12 new series — seven dramas and five comedies. All comedies are single-camera as ABC passed on both of its multi-camera pilots. Here is how it all came down today as the network opened the pickup process with one Disney-friendly shoo-in pilot, Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., and closed it with another, the Once Upon A Time spinoff. Descriptions of all ABC series and first-look photos at the bottom of the post.
ABC’s Once Upon A Time is officially a franchise as the network just ordered spinoff Once Upon A Time In Wonderland to series, joining the original series, which also was renewed.

Also picked up at ABC are ensemble comedy Mixology, which had been heating up, drama The Returned, now called Resurrection, said to be one of Paul Lee’s favorite pilots, and female procedural Killer Women, executive produced by Sofia Vergara and Ben Silverman. The Malin Akerman starrer Trophy Wife also has gotten a series pickup.

It’s a great day for David Zabel, who just got a pickup call for both of his ABC pilots, dramas Lucky 7 and Betrayal.

Two more series pickups at ABC to two 20th TV pilots, the Cullen Bros. comedy starring James Caan and executive produced by Aaron Kaplan, titled Back In The Game, and the Steve Zahn-Christian Slater procedural Minds Games (formerly Influence).

Also getting a series pickup at ABC is comedy frontrunner Adam Goldberg, whose autobiographical 1980s dysfunctional family comedy is now called The Goldbergs. 

ABC wants to be in the Rebel Wilson business. The network’s first new comedy series pickup went to Wilson’s Super Fun Night. The pilot was not perfect, but with Wilson’s star rising so fast, the network couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have her on its air.

No surprise here — ABC’s first new series order for next season has gone to Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D., from The Avengers’ Joss Whedon. The network will air a first-look at the series, officially titled Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., during the season finale of Once Upon A Time on Sunday. This marks the first pilot and first series for Disney-owned Marvel on ABC.
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Adult Swim Announces New Series & Pilots

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 10, 2013 @ 6:00am PDTTags: Adult Swim
Nellie Andreeva

UPDATED: Ahead of Adult Swim‘s upfront next Wednesday, which will feature a performance by Kanye West, the network has set a slate of new animated and live-action series, pilots and specials. It includes previously announced new half-hour animated comedy series Rick And Morty, from Community creator Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, which is set to premiere in primetime later this year; a Mike Tyson quarter-hour animated series featuring the former boxer as a mystery solver; and off-network acquisition Bob’s Burgers, which launches this summer. 2013 marks Adult Swim’s most-watched year to date among adults and males 18-24, 18-34, and 18-49. Here are details about the network’s new original series, specials and pilots:

Related: Adult Swim Acquires Off-Network Rights To ‘Bob’s Burgers’

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‘Giant’, ‘Hands On A Hardbody’, Bette Midler Nab 2013 Drama Desk Nominations

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday April 29, 2013 @ 8:30am PDTTags: Bette Midler, Drama Desk Awards

Bette Midler Drama DeskMusicals Giant and Hands On A Hardbody led the field with 8 nominations apiece as the 2013 Drama Desk nominations were announced today. Meanwhile, Bette Midler earned a nod for Outstanding Solo Performance for her turn as Sue Mengers in I’ll Eat You Last and a special Drama Desk ensemble award this year went to the cast of Working: A Musical. The awards will unveil May 19 at NYC’s Town Hall. Here are the full nominations:
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Mandeville Films Taps Laurie Zaks As TV President, Signs New Deal With ABC Studios

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday April 23, 2013 @ 10:21am PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Laurie Zaks, Mandeville Films
Nellie Andreeva

Laurie ZaksEXCLUSIVE: Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman’s Mandeville Films has brought in ABC Studios-based producer Laurie Zaks (Castle) as president of television. Zaks replaces Maria Crenna, who is leaving after a one-year stint. Mandeville, which has been at ABC Studios for more than a decade, has signed a new two-year deal with the studio where the company originally developed its USA hit Monk. Mandeville has a comedy pilot in serious contention at ABC, the John Leguizamo starrer King John. Crenna will remain an executive producer on the pilot but won’t be involved if it goes to series.

Zaks has been at ABC Studios since 2006 when she left the network executive ranks to become president of Armyan Bernstein’s Touchstone TV-based Beacon Television. At Beacon, Zaks developed ABC’s Castle, on which she serves as executive producer. Zaks, who is well liked at ABC Studios, signed an overall deal with the studio last year when she launched her own production company, Second Season. Zaks, who I hear was recommended to Mandeville by ABC Studios, will bring her development projects with her, continuing to develop TV projects through Mandeville. The deal was brokered by UTA.

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D.L. Hughley and Michael Ian Black To Host TBS’ ‘Trust Me, I’m A Game Show Host’ From Mark Burnett

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday April 23, 2013 @ 10:19am PDTTags: D.L. Hughley, Mark Burnett, Michael Ian Black, Trust Me I'm A Game Show Host

Comedians D.L. Hughley and Michael Ian Black have signed on to host the TBS original series from Mark Burnett’s One Three Media and London-based Monkey. Trust Me, I’m A Game Show Host has a bit of a twist in which the two hosts duel to deceive contestants. “This is a game show where a host is legitimately trying to convince a contestant to choose the wrong answer,” said Burnett. “D.L. and Michael’s comedic styles are perfect for pulling this off”. Hughley and Black will each present the single contestant with a bizarre and seemingly implausible fact, one of which is true, the other of which is not. The contestant must then choose the true fact to be rewarded in the game. The players who prove themselves to be super-human lie detectors will go home with a cash prize. Burnett and Monkey founders Will MacDonald and David Granger serve as executive producers. Trust Me, I’m A Game Show Host is slated to premiere in late 2013. Read More »

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IFC Announces Three Comedy Pilots, Eight Half-Hour Projects In Development

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday April 10, 2013 @ 11:02am PDTTags: IFC
Nellie Andreeva

IFC today announced a slate of 11 comedy projects, including three pilot orders. Here are details:

PILOTS

TIMMS INDUSTRIAL PIPING (Pilot; working title)
A scripted comedy set in the fictional town of Timms Valley, Wisconsin, where the lives and livelihoods of its citizens are intertwined with the fate of the town’s biggest employer, Timms Industrial Piping. When the company’s founder and CEO goes missing in a plane crash, the lives of the characters are turned upside down. Shot in stop-motion animation with baby dolls repurposed as an array of adult characters, and modeled on 1980s primetime soaps like Dynasty, the show is written by Steven Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Pursuit of Happyness), and created by Conrad, Jeff Dieter and Tom Glynn. Read More »

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BAFTA TV Nominations: ‘The Girl’, ‘Last Tango’ & Olympic Programming Score Nods

By NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Tuesday, 9 April 2013 09:26 UKTags: BAFTA

BAFTA TV nominations have been announced with Hitchcock film The Girl and the BBC’s Last Tango In Halifax, Accused and Twenty Twelve scoring four nods each. On the international side, Danish/Swedish crime drama The Bridge, which FX is remaking in the States, Showtime’s Homeland and HBO’s Girls and Game Of Thrones were each mentioned. Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville also has a nod, but not for the hit period drama which scored no nominations. He’s instead in the comedy acting category for Olympics series Twenty Twelve. When combined with the BAFTA TV Craft Awards, which take place on April 28, The Girl has eight nominations, Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer Parade’s End has seven, Accused has six and the BBC’s cancelled The Hour, plus Last Tango In Halifax, Ripper Street and Twenty Twelve each have five. The BAFTA TV awards will be handed out on May 12 in London. A full list of nominees is below:

LEADING ACTOR
Ben Whishaw, Richard II (The Hollow Crown)
Derek Jacobi, Last Tango In Halifax
Sean Bean, Accused (Tracie’s Story)
Toby Jones, The Girl

LEADING ACTRESS
Anne Reid, Last Tango In Halifax
Rebecca Hall, Parade’s End
Sheridan Smith, Mrs Biggs
Sienna Miller, The Girl
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R.I.P. Annette Funicello

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday April 8, 2013 @ 10:07am PDTTags: Annette Funicello, R.I.P.

Annette FunicelloPop culture icon Annette Funicello, who began her TV and movie career as a 13-year-old member of the original Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s and grew into a movie star and singer and a teenage boy’s fantasy, died today at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield. She was 70. The Walt Disney Company said she passed peacefully from complications due to multiple sclerosis, a disease she battled for over 25 years. Disney CEO Bob Iger commented: “Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mousketeer, and a true Disney Legend. She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney’s Annette Funicellobrightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent. Annette was well known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life.”

According to Disney’s official obituary, Funicello was born October 22, 1942, in Utica, NY and was 4 years old when her family moved to Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. She was discovered by Walt Disney at age 13 while dancing the lead in Swan Lake at the Starlight Bowl … Read More »

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Specialty B.O. Preview: ‘Trance’, ‘Upstream Color’, ‘Simon Killer’, ‘Free Angela & All Political Prisoners’, ‘Lotus Eaters’, ‘The Company You Keep’, ‘The Brass Teapot’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday April 4, 2013 @ 4:26pm PDTTags: Simon Killer, Specialty Box Office, Trance, Upstream Color

Brian Brooks is a Deadline contributor

This week’s Specialty newcomers include Danny Boyle’s Trance from Fox Searchlight, IFC Films’ Simon Killer and self-distributed Sundance favorite Upstream Color. Trance will likely be the juggernaut of the group with its star-power in the form of James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel, though Upstream Color could prove a hefty presence due to strong word of mouth and a loyal following from fans of Shane Carruth’s previous film, Primer. And the folks behind 2011 hit Martha Marcy May Marlene are opening Simon Killer, a dark drama set in Paris, via IFC Films. Free Angela & All Political Prisoners is this week’s documentary newcomer, while Lotus Eaters hopes to carve itself a piece of the limited release box office pie. Also set to bow, Robert Redford’s thriller The Company You Keep. The specialty world, meanwhile, took pause today as the news of Roger Ebert’s death spread. The famed critic will be remembered for being a champion of movies big and small and will be sorely missed.

Trance
Director: Danny Boyle
Writers: Joe Ahearne, John Hodge
Cast: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel, Danny Sapani
Distributor: Fox Searchlight

As part of its overall deal with Boyle, Searchlight has been on board Trance from the very start. “This is our sixth film we’ve done with Danny starting with 28 Days Later 10 years ago in 2003, and we’ve had a fabulous time,” Searchlight co-president Steve Gilula said in introducing the film at its New York premiere, hosted by The Cinema Society. “The one thing about Danny as a visionary filmmaker is he challenges us and challenges the audience and expects us to go with him…” Boyle introduced co-stars Dawson and Cassel before the screening in Chelsea, noting about the film: “What happens in the movie is deeply, deeply unethical,” he noted to laughs from an audience that included Patrick Stewart, Emma Watson, Kathleen Turner, Gina Gershon and Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson. “But it is clinically possible…”

Related: Hot Trailer: ‘Trance’ Read More »

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Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet & ID Unveil Programming Slates

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday April 4, 2013 @ 10:24am PDTTags: Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery, TLC
Nellie Andreeva

At Discovery Communications’ upfront today, the company’s Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and Investigation Discovery presented their slates of new and returning series. (See Discovery/Harpo-owned OWN’s announcement here). Discovery Channel, which had its highest-rated January ever in total viewers and adults 25-54, is putting an emphasis on live events with specials Fast N’ Live and the Grand Canyon tightrope walk Wallenda Live as well as scripted TV with its first scripted project, miniseries Klondike. The network’s unscripted slate features 10 new series, including The Huntsmen, Rock Raiders, two Naked shows, Hidden Kingdom and Survival.

Related: Discovery Shows Off Star Power At Upfront Presentation

TLC’s slate features 52 new and returning series, including the return of pop culture hit Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Breaking Amish and its spinoff. Animal Planet returns 20 series and new ones like Eel Of Fortune, about hunting prized eels off the New England coast. Its best-performing series ever, River Monsters, returns April 7. Investigation Discovery, meanwhile, is offering up its second original newsmagazine Deadline: Crime With Tamron Hall and the Jerry Springer-hosted Tabloid.

Here are details for all the Discovery networks: Read More »

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Bravo Unveils Slate Of 17 New And 18 Returning Series, Announces Scripted & Unscripted Projects In Development

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday April 2, 2013 @ 9:31am PDTTags: Bravo, Rita
Nellie Andreeva

Bravo Media today unveiled what it says is its largest slate of original programming ever with 17 newly greenlighted and 18 returning unscripted series. That is a 15% increase over last year. Bravo also announced three new scripted and three unscripted projects in development. Bravo’s first scripted pilot, Rita, is now in production as the network is eying a launch of its first scripted series in the fourth quarter. (Bravo’s second scripted pilot, The Joneses, did not go to production.) Bravo logged its seventh consecutive year of ratings growth in 2012 and is currently running up vs. last year in total viewers and the 18-49 and 25-54 demographics. “Bravo’s ongoing investment in high-quality original content across every platform continues to drive our growth year-over-year,” said Frances Berwick, President of Bravo and Style Media. Bravo, which recently moved under the oversight of NBCU cable maven Bonnie Hammer, also is expanding its multi-screen initiatives and increasing the number of TV360 deals. The network’s slate introduced today indicates that creatively, Bravo is staying the course, at least for now. Here are the details on new and returning series and projects in development:

NEW SERIES GREENLIGHTS:

“Below Deck” – Summer 2013

Produced by 51 Minds with Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox as Executive Producers.

The upstairs and downstairs worlds collide when this young and single crew, known as “yachties,” live, love and work together onboard a privately owned extravagant yacht.  Working and tending to the ever-changing needs of their demanding charter guests is not always smooth sailing. Read More »

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Donald Trump Pulls Plug On $5M Bill Maher Lawsuit

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Monday April 1, 2013 @ 3:31pm PDTTags: Bill Maher, Celebrity Apprentice, Donald Trump

Well, it’s April 1st and we have our fool. After all his huffing and puffing, Donald Trump has unsurprisingly withdrawn his $5 million lawsuit against Bill Maher. The Celebrity Apprentice host had his lawyers file the request for dismissal with prejudice in LA Superior Court on March 29. Trump, whose NBC show hit a season low last night, first filed the breach of contract suit back in early February against the HBO host. He said that Maher broke a written promise that he’d give $5 million to the charities of Trump’s choice if The Donald could prove he wasn’t “the spawn of his mother having sex with an orangutan.”

Related: Maher On Trump Lawsuit: “Suck It Up” – Video Read More »

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Next Disney Fairy Tale Blockbuster? How About ‘Trance’ Scribe Joe Ahearne Reimagining ‘Beauty And The Beast?’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday March 11, 2013 @ 5:50pm PDTTags: Beauty and the Beast, Big Deals Film, Disney, Joe Ahearne, Oz: The Great and Powerful
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Hot on the heels of another splashy revisionist fairy tale opening in Oz The Great and Powerful, Disney is in talks with UK-based writer Joe Ahearne to reinvent its Beauty And The Beast franchise. Ahearne most recently scripted Trance, the film that Danny Boyle directed and then completed between his production of the Opening Ceremonies of the last Summer Olympics in London. This will be live action, and most certainly 3D.

Disney is calling this film The Beast, and considering the subject matter of Trance – an art auctioneer is pummeled so badly by his criminal cohorts that a hypnotherapist is needed to coax out the memories of where he hid a priceless painting — indicates that this revisionist take on Beauty and the Beast could be a bit on the dark side.

The film will be produced by Mandeville’s David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman and Disney’s LouAnne Brickhouse will steer the project. Ahearne is repped by Resolution and United Agents in the UK. He’s managed by Thruline and Principal Entertainment.

I thought Hollywood’s infatuation with public domain fairy tales would have abated by now, because they are running out of good titles. I figured they’d be looking at limericks by now, with development titles like There Once Was A Man From Nantucket and There Once Was A … Read More »

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