AMC will air the fourth and final season of post-apocalyptic drama Snowpiercer months after TNT canceled it. 

AMC Networks acquired the rights to all four seasons of the series, the first three of which aired on TNT from 2020-2022 before its cancellation this past January. AMC and AMC Plus will run the first three season later this year, with season four debuting sometime in 2025. 

The series, based on the graphic novel series by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette as well as a 2013 film of the same name, follows the exploits of human survivors on a perpetually moving train seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland. The series stars Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Rowan Blanchard and Alison Wright.

The Tomorrow Studios-produced series is executive produced by Paul Zbyszewski, Christoph Schrewe, Marty Adelstein, Beck Clements, Alissa Bachner, Matthew O’Connor, Ben Rosenblatt, Scott Derrickson, Bong Joon Ho, Miky Lee, Jinnie Choi, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi. 

“Snowpiercer is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride with a loyal fanbase — similar to the passionate fandoms we serve across our biggest franchise series — and a welcome addition to AMC and AMC Plus,” AMC Networks and AMC Studios executive VP of original programming Ben Davis said in a statement. “We look forward to giving viewers an opportunity to binge the first three seasons later this year, in anticipation of the arrival of a remarkable fourth season helmed by Paul Zbyszewski and this stellar cast, which will premiere in 2025.”

TNT will not air the completed fourth season of its last original scripted series, Snowpiercer, which has become the latest show to be buried by Warner Bros. Discovery for the purpose of generating tax write-offs and royalty savings.

The decision comes two weeks after WBD's CFO and proverbial man with the sharp hatchet, Gunnar Wiedenfels, declared that the company's corporate bloodletting was over.

"We can confirm that TNT will not air season four of Snowpiercer," the network said in a statement, confirming an initial report late last week by the Penske showbiz trade conglomerate. "This was a difficult decision, but our admiration for the talented writers, actors and crew who brought Snowpiercer’s extraordinary post-apocalyptic world to life remains strong. We have been working collaboratively with the producers since last year to help the series find a new home where fans can continue to enjoy the compelling story and exceptional visual experience. We look forward to working with them on future projects."

Tomorrow Studios, which produced the cable series adaptation of an eponymous 2013 post-apocalyptic Korean feature film, will now shop Snowpiercer to other distributors. (The original film version was directed by Bong Joon-ho, whose Parasite won a Best Picture Oscar in 2020.)

WBD, of course, has conducted a wide-ranging purge of the HBO and HBO Max catalogs, burying straight-to-streaming feature films, full seasons of classic cartoons and full series of Emmy-nominated original series. But HBO Max in particular is starting out with a fairly robust library.

With WBD CEO David Zaslav working hard these days to express a bull-market posture on an upcoming renewal of TNT's NBA contract, you've got to wonder what will soon be left of one of basic cable's top programming networks.

WBD is the highly leveraged corporate outcome of AT&T's decision in 2021 to spin off WarnerMedia and merge it with Discovery in a $43 billion deal.

Now around $50 billion in debt, WBD has pledged investors $3.5 billion in cuts.

Post-apocalyptic drama Snowpiercer will not see season four on TNT. Producer Tomorrow Studios is searching for a new home for season four, which was planned to be the final one. 

Snowpiercer is based on a 2013 movie. The cast includes Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs. 

Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are persistent themes.

"We can confirm that TNT will not air season four of Snowpiercer," the network said in a statement. "This was a difficult decision, but our admiration for the talented writers, actors and crew who brought Snowpiercer’s extraordinary post-apocalyptic world to life remains strong. We have been working collaboratively with the producers since last year to help the series find a new home where fans can continue to enjoy the compelling story and exceptional visual experience. We look forward to working with them on future projects."

The show debuted in spring 2020. It was initially a TBS series, but WarnerMedia brass decided Snowpiercer was better suited for TNT’s audience.

Deadline previously reported of Snowpiercer’s demise at TNT, calling the show the only remaining original scripted series on the network. Deadline said season four production has been completed. 

Tomorrow Studios' Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements executive produce, with showrunner Graeme Manson, director James Hawes; Matthew O’Connor; Scott Derrickson, and the original film's producers, Bong Joon Ho, Miky Lee, Tae-sung Jeong, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi. Bong Joon Ho directed the movie. ■

B+C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: Exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through January 23.

Various athlete-centric NBC promos for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics top the chart (the example shown here focuses on American snowboarder Shaun White) — the second week in a row at No. 1 for the Winter Games.

Once again, traditional broadcasters have the edge, with NBC joined by ABC, which promotes new family drama Promised Land in second place, and CBS, which promotes crime procedural NCIS: Hawai’i in fourth and sitcom Ghosts in fifth.

Rounding out the ranking: TNT, which hypes the third season of its post-apocalyptic drama Snowpiercer in third place.

1) 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, NBC

Impressions: 566,090,643

Interruption Rate: 2.56%

Attention Index: 75 (25% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 93%, Local 6%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $6,540,073

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $31,367

2) Promised Land, ABC

Impressions: 329,911,696

Interruption Rate: 1.60%

Attention Index: 90 (10% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 4%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $2,414,036

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $1,348,710

3) Snowpiercer, TNT

Impressions: 274,542,336

Interruption Rate: 2.04%

Attention Index: 96 (4% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 97%, Local 2%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,681,877

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $3,670,410

4) NCIS: Hawai’i, CBS

Impressions: 234,187,209

Interruption Rate: 1.24%

Attention Index: 77 (23% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 96%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,724,136

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Ghosts, CBS

Impressions: 212,016,999

Interruption Rate: 1.14%

Attention Index: 70 (30% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $3,955,745

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

* Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands *

Impressions: The total impressions within all U.S. households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD plus OTT, and Local.

Attention Score: Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index: Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Impression Types: Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-Network Value: Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-Network Spend: The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live: A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local: A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD: This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load).

OTT: On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

TNT has released a video trailer and January launch date for the return of its drama series Snowpiercer.

The drama series, which follows the passengers of a train that circles the globe carrying the last survivors of humanity, stars Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Rowan Blanchard, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness and Lena Hall.

According to TNT, season three picks up with Layton (Diggs) and his inner circle commanding a small 10 car “pirate train” in search of Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) and a possible warm location to restart civilization; while back on Snowpiercer, Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean) is consolidating power, awaiting Layton’s return.

Snowpiercer is executive produced by Graeme Manson, Aubrey Nealon, Christoph Schrewe, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, Matthew O’Connor, Ben Rosenblatt and Scott Derrickson, as well as the original film’s producers, including Bong Joon Ho, Miky Lee, Jinnie Choi, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi. 

TNT has already greenlit a fourth season of Snowpiercer. ■

TNT has renewed its original series Snowpiercer for a fourth season in advance of the sci-fi drama series' third season.

Snowpiecer, which stars  Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean, Rowan Blanchard, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner and Iddo Goldberg, recently finished production on its third season, which will debut on the network early next year. 

Read Also: 2021 Summer TV Premiere Dates 

Snowpiercer follows the passengers of a train that circles the globe carrying the last survivors of humanity. The series is executive produced by Graeme Manson, Aubrey Nealon, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, Matthew O’Connor, Ben Rosenblatt and Scott Derrickson, said TNT.

“‘Snowpiercer has been an incredibly successful series for us that continues to capture the imagination of viewers, grow audience and maintain strong ratings,” said Sam Linsky and Adrienne O’Riain, co-heads of scripted original programming for TBS, TNT and truTV in a statement. “All of our seasons embark on an emotional, unexpected ride and the well-plotted storylines will continue to evolve and remain relevant to audiences. We’re excited to keep the train running into season four.”   

The French graphic novel Le Transperceneige is about a futuristic train, which perpetually circles an utterly barren, frozen planet Earth, its occupants not so neatly divided by class—the bourgeoisie in the warm, cozy front cars, the proletariat in the frigid rear, subsiding on some sort of Soylent Green-like nutrient. 

Oscar-winning Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho adapted this little allegorical masterpiece into a 2013 motion picture, which became a cult hit. And last year, WarnerMedia fashioned it into a TNT sci-fi drama series. Consider Snowpiercer, which stars Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs, as a kind locomotive in WarnerMedia’s futuristic universe, transversing the cold, harsh cross-platform media planet, the fates of the conglomerate’s flagship linear cable network and its more pampered direct-to-consumer HBO Max streaming service all riding on Snowpiercer’s ability to stay on the tracks. 

WarnerMedia has certainly punched its ticket for the series, which averaged 3.2 million viewers on TNT in its first season, while also streaming on HBO Max at a time when the service desperately needs original shows—season 2 debuted Jan. 25, and season 3 is already in the works.

We recently caught up to the conductor himself, veteran Canadian film and TV producer Graeme Manson, who along with Josh Friedman serves as co-showrunner and executive producer of Snowpiercer.

When did you first see Bong Joon Ho's film version of "Snowpiercer," and what did you think of it?
I saw the film in the theater (remember theaters??) in Toronto when it was released there, maybe mid-2014. A lot of friends with good and twisted taste were talking about it. I loved the train itself -- the sets and the look and the outlandish surprises behind every door. It was, and still is, one of the craziest action movies I've ever seen. A relentlessly paced, existential, allegorical, sci-fi action movie set on a frozen train. Plus Tilda Swinton. What's not to love!!??

Why did you think it would work as a series?
At the time, I idly wondered how it could be a series. I think that was mostly because it was self-contained and claustrophobic, which I always like in films, but wasn't sure if the small screen and its gatekeepers could handle. When I heard that Tomorrow Studios was adapting it, I got a chance to pitch. I went back to the graphic novels and found a quote from Jean-Marc Rochette, the artist of all the books, who I think was also involved in director Bong's concepts and design for the film. He felt Snowpiercer still had more to say, and described the political and emotional elements of what made a good Snowpiercer story.  How it should critique contemporary society through characters "damned" by their survival, but also offer the hope of a better future, and that at its core, it was a high impact action-adventure tale. That sounded to me like it could find an audience on TV, and be faithful to the franchise, and thankfully, Tomorrow Studios and TNT agreed.

Is there fan pressure to keep it true to the original graphic novels?
I'm not feeling that, but I can't let myself go too far into the commentary on social media, mostly because time is very tight now prepping season 3. And as our writer's room is all Zoom now, I need to turn screens off when I can. But the writers go back to the books at the start of each season to find threads of philosophic and thematic inspiration. The graphics and the tone remain a real inspiration for the writer's room. Plus we bookend every season with an animated homage to the books. I love giving the books to people who may know the movie or our show, but haven't read the originals.

How has the pandemic affected your production?
COVID shut down our season 2 in the final block, with just a couple of weeks left to shoot. There was a big adjustment in post production, but our post and VFX teams kept that moving admirably. We had to return to finish up, so we rewrote a bunch of the remaining scenes to be a little more COVID friendly -- less crowded, etc. We shoot in Vancouver, so the actors from outside Canada with work remaining all returned and had to quarantine, some for only a day or two of shooting. Shout out to Roberto Urbina and Katie McGuinness who had to come all the way from Columbia and the U.K. respectively. We wrapped up shooting safely in October -- just enough time for that overworked post and VFX team to finish the final episodes for the upcoming broadcasts.

Why are we hearing more about Snowpiercer as a linear series on TNT as opposed to a streaming show on HBO Max? What makes it such a good pay TV series?
I think that's a question for Broadcast & Cable! But personally, I like watching old school and waiting for the next episodes. If that ain't your bag, you can save up and binge on HBO Max!

The Bonus Five

What shows are you binge-watching right now?
I chewed through The Great. So witty and so much fun. I loved David Simon's The Plot Against America so much recently that it threw me into a rewatch of The Wire. I'm in season 2 now, with McNulty just washed up on harbor patrol. I'm also back rewatching The Leftovers because ya, it's The Leftovers. So much there I didn't pull out first time around.

What’s technology that you use every do you like the best (hardware or software)? 
I'm really ambivalent about my phone, and my eyes hate Zoom. So I'd have to say it's my Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. Basic science and perfectly applied technology since the 1930's. That shit will surely outlast Zoom.

What book are you reading now and what's it about?
Not a lot of reading outside of endless Snowpiercer drafts, but I've been slowly savoring The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin. I'm definitely late to the party on this epic, but it's a multi-dimensional story of alien contact running through recent Chinese political history. The next two books in the trilogy are waiting patiently on the shelf.  

How about that Super Bowl?
Yeah, I was super disappointed. There was no hockey at all that day.

How many times have you left the house this week?
Umm ... three? I went for a couple morning walks anyway. Wait, I haven't left the house for 48 hours at least.  What day is it?

After consuming so much doom and gloom on TV for the past year, including news reports of COVID-19, the election and the Capitol invasion, viewers want warmer fare when they’re looking for entertainment. Producers and programmers say they are focused on delivering happier programming to an audience fed up with all the misery. 

“It’s definitely leaning much more into love, fun, wish fulfillment, hopeful, aspirational,” said a development veteran who spoke on background to give an accurate read on pilot season. “It’s, the world is a good place.”

Epix dramedy Bridge and Tunnel came to be from a conversation between creator Edward Burns and Epix president Michael Wright about creating something that will leave viewers in a good mood. Burns’s goal for Bridge and Tunnel, about young adults just out of college in 1980, is to make people smile in the way early Beatles songs do. “We need to do a show that makes you feel when you hear ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ or ‘Eight Days a Week,’” he said. “Songs that make you feel great.”

ALSO READ: Edward Burns Period Piece ‘Bridge and Tunnel’ Hits Epix

News consumption is sky high in these troubling times, and it may spark a commensurate craving for warmer entertainment. “If you spend a whole day watching cable news, you think the world will come to an end tomorrow,” media consultant Bill Carroll said. “You look for things that help you escape, things that are a little lighter than what you see on cable news.”

As a result, NBC comedy Young Rock, a series about the life of Dwayne Johnson that launches Tuesday, Feb. 16, may find itself launching at the right time. “2020 has been a hard year for everyone, and the show has inherent optimism and hopefulness,” executive producer/co-showrunner Jeff Chiang said. 

Game Time

A summer staple, game shows are up and down the dial across the winter, whether it’s The Wall and Weakest Link on NBC, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and The Chase on ABC, The Masked Dancer and Name That Tune on Fox and primetime The Price is Right and Let’s Make a Deal on CBS. 

On cable, TBS recently launched Go-Big Show and a new season of The Misery Index. Brett Weitz, general manager of TBS, TNT and TruTV, mentioned “the comradery of friendship” and “fun escapism” as elements of the networks’ winter offerings. 

Game shows simply suit America right now. “Everyone’s happy, it’s overlit, they want you to win,” Carroll said. “It’s just fun and games.”

Trish Kinane, executive producer and showrunner on ABC’s American Idol, believes the singing series is well-positioned to find a large audience when it returns Sunday, Feb. 14. “People just want to watch something that’s positive, fun, warm, normal, uplifting — all that stuff,” she said. 

ALSO READ: TBS Goes 'Big' With 10-Hour Order for Extreme Talent Show

Of course, development is a long game, and the true fruits of viewers’ shifting taste may become more evident next season, when current shows being developed make their premieres. Projects in development include Fox’s The Big Leap, a dramedy about a group of underdogs competing to be on a reality show putting on a modern Swan Lake; NBC’s Ordinary Joe, which shows the three parallel lives of a character based on a decision he made at a crossroad in his life; and ABC drama Epic, which will present reinvented fairy tales. 

After the success of Bridgerton on Netflix, romance is in demand by programmers, and so are shows that are just plain fun. 

Holding Out for an Antihero

The top series on cable have long been defined by saturnine antiheroes, whether it’s Tony Soprano or Don Draper or Walter White. Time will tell if the current trend will affect the scowling cable staple. “It’s always cyclical,” the development veteran said. “That will be back.”

Not everything is happier and lighter. CBS’s major mid-season debutants include edgy drama The Equalizer and The Silence of the Lambs spinoff Clarice. “Clarice is not a fun fairy tale,” said Carroll. 

But even the darker dramas can offer bright spots. Snowpiercer debuted on TNT in May, and some surely wondered if viewers, stuck at home amidst the pandemic, would tune into a series about people stuck on a train following an apocalypse. They did. 

Season two started Jan. 25. It “develops a strong theme of hope and the strength it takes to have hope,” said Graeme Manson, showrunner and executive producer. 

Programmers have long spoken of offering happier and lighter fare during pilot season. This time, it’s more than words. “I do think it’s truly happening right now,” said the development vet. “I definitely think people are really trying this time.” 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Jan. 24.

On the strength of 317.6 million TV ad impressions, a TNT promo for Snowpiercer takes first place. Cable networks have the edge in our ranking this time, with TNT joined by MTV, which hypes Teen Mom OG in second place, and CNN, which promotes Lincoln: Divided We Stand in fourth.

Rounding out the ranking are traditional broadcasters CBS, which gives some love to Clarice in third, and Fox, which drums up interest in the new season of Prodigal Son in fifth.

Notably, the Prodigal Son spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (148) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) Snowpiercer, TNT

Impressions: 317,614,942

Interruption Rate: 2.86%

Attention Index: 96 (4% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 94%, Local 5%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,323,552

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $3,672,199

2) Teen Mom OG, MTV

Impressions: 267,193,719

Interruption Rate: 3.34%

Attention Index: 105 (5% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 84%, Local 15%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $2,093,039

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $100,484

3) Clarice, CBS

Impressions: 265,291,171

Interruption Rate: 0.88%

Attention Index: 104 (4% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 97%, Local 2%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $7,262,004

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

4) Lincoln: Divided We Stand, CNN

Impressions: 256,253,662

Interruption Rate: 1.61%

Attention Index: 111 (11% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 99%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $832,997

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Prodigal Son, Fox

Impressions: 213,289,316

Interruption Rate: 0.64%

Attention Index: 148 (48% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 91%, Local 7%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $4,136,552

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $405,644

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

Season two of Snowpiercer is on TNT Jan. 25. About a train whizzing around the world carrying the world’s last survivors, Snowpiercer has Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connelly and Sean Bean in the cast.

The series premiered in May. With so many people stuck at home due to the pandemic, a yarn about people trapped on a train offered a unique take on escapism. Showrunner/executive producer Graeme Manson mentioned “an all around sense of watching something close to home,” and said he was pleased with how Snowpiercer landed. 

“It made it feel of the zeitgeist,” he added. “There were political parallels going on at the time, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I like to squirm.”

Season two offers some hardy head-to-head battles, including Connelly’s Melanie and Bean’s Mr. Wilford. 

Snowpiercer shoots in Vancouver. Manson doesn’t ride trains much in his “walkable” nabe, he said, but mentioned having crossed Canada twice on trains and digging the experience. “I love train lore and I love train songs — a Western song with a train in it,” he said. 

Dark as it may be, Snowpiercer also shows the decency of humankind. “Season two develops a theme of hope,” said Manson, “and the strength it takes to have hope.”

Resident Alien starts on Syfy Jan. 27. A mix of comedy and drama, the series follows Harry, an alien that crash-lands on Earth and passes himself off as a doctor in a small Colorado town. 

Chris Sheridan, longtime Family Guy writer, is showrunner and exec producer. The folks at Amblin sent him the graphic novel to gauge his interest in adapting it. “I loved the story, I loved the character, and I could see it as a show,” he said. 

Alan Tudyk plays Harry. Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds and Alice Wetterlund  are also in the cast. 

Sheridan notes “slight similarities” between Resident Alien and Family Guy, but “very different worlds.” Producers can get away with stuff on Family Guy because the characters are animated, he said, and on Resident Alien because the main character is an alien. 

The series begins with Harry trying to kill a boy who knows he’s an alien. “That’s not a likeable trait, wanting to kill a kid,” said Sheridan. “But you forgive him, and the horrible things he might do, because he’s an alien.”

While Harry is on Earth, he’s searching for a device he lost when he crash-landed. He needs the thing to complete his mission, according to Sheridan. 

He called Fargo an influence. “We go for a similar tone,” he said. “Resident Alien has dramatic things in it and it’s also got some dark comedy. And the setting is specific to the show.” 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Jan. 17.

On the strength of 392.7 million TV ad impressions, a Fox promo for  9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star takes first place. Fox also pops up in an NFL promo — along with NBC and CBS — for NFL Football divisional playoff games in third.

CBS grabbing fourth place to hype The Equalizer means that traditional broadcast networks have the edge in our top 5. Rounding out the ranking: cable nets CNN and TNT, which promote, respectively, Lincoln: Divided We Stand in second and Snowpiercer in fifth.

Notably, the CNN spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (116) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

Also Read: TV By the Numbers: Sports, News Dominate Watch-Time for Jan. 11-17

1) 9-1-1 | 9-1-1: Lone Star, Fox

Impressions: 392,734,221

Interruption Rate: 1.27%

Attention Index: 101 (1% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 91%, Local 8%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $2,445,841

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $4,058,005

2) Lincoln: Divided We Stand, CNN

Impressions: 313,428,605

Interruption Rate: 1.37%

Attention Index: 116 (16% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 100%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 0%

In-network Value: $403,522

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

3) NFL Football, NFL

Impressions: 294,846,377

Interruption Rate: 1.67%

Attention Index: 84 (16% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 97%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $15,129

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $14,019,811

4) The Equalizer, CBS

Impressions: 236,059,604

Interruption Rate: 0.76%

Attention Index: 114 (14% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 4%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $4,295,568

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

5) Snowpiercer, TNT

Impressions: 231,170,874

Interruption Rate: 2.51%

Attention Index: 91 (9% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 94%, Local 4%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $2,941,955

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $1,475,801

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

TNT has ordered a third season of thriller series Snowpiercer. Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connolly and Sean Bean are in the cast of a show about a train whizzing around the globe carrying the world’s last survivors. Season two begins Jan. 25. 

Debuting last May, season one averaged 3.3 million total viewers across TNT and TBS, according to the networks. As the season concluded, the survivors of the revolution are trying to pick up the pieces and maintain a fragile peace amongst the now merged classes with Layton (Diggs) emerging as the train’s leader. Discovering Mr. Wilford (Bean) is alive and headed their way on a rival train, Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) risks going outside to prevent him from invading Snowpiercer. While she’s out there, it’s revealed that Alexandra (Rowan Blanchard), Melanie’s daughter, who she thought had died, is alive and has become Wilford’s protegee.

Season two features “an entirely new power struggle,” said TNT, “causing a dangerous rift as people are divided between their loyalty to Layton and to Mr. Wilford.” 

Snowpiercer is executive produced by Graeme Manson, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements, Matthew O’Connor, Ben Rosenblatt and Scott Derrickson, and the producers of the 2013 movie of the same name, including Bong Joon Ho, Miky Lee, Jinnie Choi, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi. 

Manson told B+C/Multichannel that season two “develops a theme of hope, and the strength it takes to have hope.”

Snowpiercer is produced by Tomorrow Studios, along with CJ Entertainment. ITV Studios handles international distribution.   

WarnerMedia networks TNT, TBS and TruTV have shared premiere dates for early 2021, including drama Snowpiercer coming back on TNT Jan. 25, TBS’ game show The Misery Index Jan. 26 and TruTV’s unscripted Impractical Jokers on Feb. 4.  

“At a time when we’re all craving shared experiences and connecting with friends, our shows in January and February help fulfill that need. Our diverse lineup leans into the comradery of friendship, fun escapism, and critically acclaimed dramas that bring people together,” said Brett Weitz, general manager for TNT, TBS and truTV. “Across all three networks, we continue to push the boundaries of storytelling to entertain audiences around the country with compelling characters and outstanding series from the industry’s best creators.” 

It will be season two of drama Snowpiercer, with Daveed Diggs, Sean Bean and Jennifer Connelly. 

It will be season three of The Misery Index, hosted by Jameela Jamil and featuring Impractical Jokers stars Brian Quinn, James Murray, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano. 

Go-Big Show premieres on TBS Jan. 7. The competition series promises “supersized talents on a scale never before seen on television,” said TBS, featuring monster trucks, alligator and snake trainers, stunt archery and other shenanigans. The winner gets $100,000. Bert Kreischer hosts and the judges are Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles and AEW's Cody Rhodes.  

Season nine of Impractical Jokers is set to go in February on TruTV. The Tenderloins, Quinn, Murray, Gatto and Vulcano, star in the unscripted comedy show. TruTV will debut Impractical Jokers: After Party, a weekly show also starting Feb. 4. 

Fast Foodies, which sees acclaimed chefs attempt to recreate and reimagine a guest’s favorite fast food dish, begins on TruTV Feb. 4. The chefs are Kristen Kish, Jeremy Ford and Justin Sutherland, and celeb guests include Joel McHale, James Van Der Beek and Andy Richter.

TNT has set a Jan. 25 date for the sophomore season return of its drama series Snowpiercer, the network said during its Oct. 8 New York Comic Con panel. 

The first season of Snowpiercer debuted as the #1 new cable entertainment program in May with 3.3 million total viewers across TNT and TBS and remains cable’s #1 new drama series in 2020. The series premiere marked TNT’s largest premiere since The Alienist in 2018, and the show has reached 32 million viewers to date across TNT’s linear and digital platforms. 

Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) and Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World) will join the cast of the series, which follows the exploits of passengers living on a train circling the globe during a post-apocalyptic ice age. Snowpiercer stars  Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind), Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Black-ish), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones),
Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World),  Alison Wright (The Americans), Mickey Sumner (Frances Ha, Battle of the Sexes), Iddo Goldberg (Peaky Blinders, The Zookeeper's Wife) and Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love).

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. This is the programming the networks have been promoting most heavily to drive tune-in (our data covers the seven-day period through May 17).

On the strength of 446.2 million TV ad impressions, a promo for TNT’s original series Snowpiercer is number one for the second week in a row.

Also for the second week in a row, traditional broadcasters are absent from our top five, with TNT joined by Discovery, which hypes All on the Line and Bering Sea Gold; Nickelodeon, which serves up a Team Umizoomi-themed promo for sister brand Noggin; and Fox News, which promotes its continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Notably, the Nick/Noggin promo earns the highest iSpot Attention Index (148) in our ranking, getting 48% fewer interruptions than the average promo (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) Snowpiercer, TNT

Impressions: 446,246,574

Attention Score: 92.06

Attention Index: 74 (26% more interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 90%, Local 8%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $4,894,493

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,736,984

2) noggin, Nickelodeon

Impressions: 281,907,557

Attention Score: 96.92

Attention Index: 148 (48% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 96%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $6,765,288

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

3) All on the Line, Discovery Channel

Impressions: 212,368,387

Attention Score: 94.50

Attention Index: 107 (7% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 99%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 0%

In-network Value: $928,118

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00

4) Coronavirus coverage, Fox News Channel

 Impressions: 210,671,398

 Attention Score: 95.48

 Attention Index: 123 (23% fewer interruptions than avg.)

 Imp. Types: National 100%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 0%

 In-network Value: $229,521

 Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,578

5) Bering Sea Gold, Discovery Channel

Impressions: 201,110,950

Attention Score: 96.80

Attention Index: 146 (46% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 90%, Local 9%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $1,197,094

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $70,197

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. This is the programming the networks have been promoting most heavily to drive tune-in (our data covers the seven-day period through May 10).

On the strength of 242.8 million TV ad impressions, a promo for TNT’s original series Snowpiercer is No. 1, rising from second place last time.

Traditional broadcasters are entirely absent from our top 5, as cable nets promote shows that involve adventures both large and small — Discovery’s Bering Sea Gold, Food Network’s Amy Schumer Learns to Cook and HGTV’s Celebrity IOU — while Nickelodeon entertains and educates the kiddies with a Team Umizoomi-themed promo for sister brand Noggin.

Notably, the Bering Sea Gold promo earns the highest iSpot Attention Index (143) in our ranking, getting 43% fewer interruptions than the average promo (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of May 11 to May 17 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

May 13 -- The Wrong Missy (movie) -- Netflix

May 15 -- Basketball County: In the Water (documentary) -- Showtime

May 15 -- The Great (comedy) -- Hulu

May 17 -- Snowpiercer (drama) -- TNT

May 17 -- Hightown (drama) -- Starz 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. This is the programming the networks have been promoting most heavily to drive tune-in (our data covers the seven-day period through May 3).

On the strength of 270.5 million TV ad impressions, a promo for Fox News Channel’s coronavirus coverage tops our chart for the second week in a row.

The rest of our ranking, though, promotes fare that distracts from the pandemic: TNT’s upcoming original series Snowpiercer in second, HGTV’s hit Celebrity IOU in third, Nickelodeon’s tentpole 2020 Kids' Choice Awards in fourth and ABC’s celebrity-contestant edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in fifth.

Notably, the Celebrity IOU promo earns the highest iSpot Attention Index (135) in our ranking, getting 35% fewer interruptions than the average promo (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

                    
        
1) Coronavirus coverage, Fox News
        
            
                            
            
                
                    
Impressions: 270,538,392
                    
Attention Score: 94.84
                    
Attention Index: 113 (13% fewer interruptions than avg.)
                    
Imp. Types: National 100%, Local 0%, VOD/OTT 0%
                    
In-network Value: $436,068
                    
Out-of-network Est. Spend: $24,331
                
            
        
    
                    
        
2) Snowpiercer, TNT
        
            
                            
            
                
                    
Impressions: 218,427,630
                    
Attention Score: 94.99
                    
Attention Index: 115 (15% fewer interruptions than avg.)
                    
Imp. Types: National 95%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 2%
                    
In-network Value: $4,222,188
                    
Out-of-network Est. Spend: $413,894
                
            
        
    
                    
        
3) Celebrity IOU, HGTV
        
            
                            
            
                
                    
Impressions: 217,630,680
                    
Attention Score: 96.15
                    
Attention Index: 135 (35% fewer interruptions than avg.)
                    
Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%
                    
In-network Value: $1,618,202
                    
Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00
                
            
        
    
                    
        
4) 2020 Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon
        
            
                            
            
                
                    
Impressions: 202,579,716
                    
Attention Score: 94.02
                    
Attention Index: 99 (1% more interruptions than avg.)
                    
Imp. Types: National 98%, Local 1%, VOD/OTT 1%
                    
In-network Value: $4,612,824
                    
Out-of-network Est. Spend: $0.00
                
            
        
    
                    
        
5) Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, ABC
        
            
                            
            
                
                    
Impressions: 197,816,874
                    
Attention Score: 92.88
                    
Attention Index: 83 (17% more interruptions than avg.)
                    
Imp. Types: National 80%, Local 18%, VOD/OTT 2%
                    
In-network Value: $1,673,572
                    
Out-of-network Est. Spend: $90,918
                
            
        
    
        
        
Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands
        
            
Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.
            
Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV.  The higher the score, the more complete views.  Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.
            
Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs the average. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.
            
Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.
            
In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.
            
Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.
            
National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.
            
Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.
            
VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)
            
OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).
        
    

TNT has moved up the premiere of its sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer from May 31 to May 17, the network announced Thursday.

The series, which stars Jenifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs, centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe, according to TNT.

“Snowpiercer is one of the most anticipated original series of 2020 and in this climate, viewers are craving thrilling, engaging, edge-of-your-seat content that speaks to them on a deeper level,” said Brett Weitz, general manager for TNT, TBS and truTV in a statement.. “It is extremely important that we continue with our promise to meet audiences where they are, and to that effect, we are moving up Snowpiercer’s premiere so that fans can enjoy this futuristic series even earlier.”

TNT will debut its post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Snowpiercer on May 31, the network announced during its Jan. 15 Television Critics Association press tour presentation. 

Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train that circles the globe, according to TNT. 

Based on the critically acclaimed graphic novels, Snowpiercer stars Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) and Daveed Diggs.

As WarnerMedia prepares for the launch of its new streaming service later this year, it is expanding the content breadth and depth of two of its biggest linear network brands, TNT and TBS.

“We’re committed to long-term value creation,” Kevin Reilly, Chief Creative Officer, WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer, and President, TBS/TNT said during WarnerMedia's May 15 upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden. “We’re in the midst of a transformation at WarnerMedia, building upon our significant assets to create new capabilities and new possibilities – more connection, more insight and more value in the complex media landscape."

Once focused on drama and sports content, TNT will welcome more unscripted content to its lineup, according to Reilly. Along with scripted shows such as the Alienist -- which will return to TNT for its sophomore season in 2020 -- the network will add the Ann Curry hosted non-fiction series Chasing the Cure, in which patients battling puzzling ailments meet with a panel of top doctors who work to help solve their cases. At the same time viewers will be able to interact with the show across social media pages, a Facebook group, and a dedicated website where users can submit their cases, according to network officials.

TNT will also team with NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal on a new unscripted docuseries Shaq Life, following the NBA On TNT co-host on his pursuit to become the ultimate businessman and entertainer, according to TNT. 

And TNT will get back into wrestling for the first time in 20 years as it teams with AEW Wrestling for a weekly primetime series later this fall.

RELATED: TNT Steps Back Into The Wrestling Ring

For the comedy-centric TBS, the addition of drama shows like thriller series Snowpiercer -- which has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its 2020 debut -- helps bolster the network’s brand as it looks to distinguish itself in a very crowded marketplace.

“Snowpiercer is the perfect show to kick-off TBS’ entry into dramas with intricate storytelling, stunning visuals and first-class acting,” said Brett Weitz, general manager for TBS and TNT.

Now the industry will wait to see what WarnerMedia does with its new streaming service, which WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said will have an advertising element as part of its design. “We’re investing in premium content across all of our platforms to create deeper, more meaningful connections with consumers,” he added. 

TBS has picked up a third season of its original comedy series The Last O.G., WarnerMedia said Wednesday at its upfront presentation.

The series, which stars Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish, launched as cable’s most-watched new comedy in 2018 and the highest-rated cable comedy debut since 2015. The show currently reaches a multiplatform audience of 23 million viewers, according to TBS.

The network has also greenlighted a new unscripted series starring Full Frontal with Samantha Bee correspondent Amy Hoggart. The nonpolitical, untitled Amy Hoggart project will focus on everyday problems through Hoggart’s unique lens, according to the network.

In addition, TBS has ordered a second installment of Miracle Workers. The freshman series has reached a multiplatform audience of 26.4 million viewers across all TBS platforms, according to network officials.

WarnerMedia has also ordered a second season of its post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Snowpiercer prior to the series’ 2020 premiere on TBS (where it has moved from its original home, TNT). The series stars Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs.

“Snowpiercer is the perfect show to kick off TBS’s entry into dramas with intricate storytelling, stunning visuals and first-class acting,” TBS and TNT general manager Brett Weitz said in a statement. “We believe in the longevity of this series and that audiences will be amazed by the fantastical world that brings to life such relevant social, political and environmental issues.”