Upfronts 2017: TNT, TBS Greenlight Six New Series
Turner’s TNT and TBS gave greenlights to six new series as it head into its upfront presentation Wednesday.
The networks are being rebranded and 100% of the series that were put on the air last year by Kevin Reilly, president of TBS and TNT and chief creative officer for Turner Entertainment, were renewed.
Related: Turner’s Levy Thinks Audience Buying Will Grow in Upfront [subscription required]
TBS’s new series are: Miracle Workers, a Heaven-set workplace comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe and Owen Wilson and executive-produced by Lorne Michaels; Close Enough, a brand-new animated series from Regular Show creator J.G. Quintel; An update of of the classic game show The Joker's Wild, hosted by Snoop Dogg; and a new untitled series from the comedy trio The Dress Up Gang.
TNT has greenlit two non-fiction series: Michael Moore Live From the Apocalypse from Oscar and Emmy winner Michael Moore; and
Who Run the World? from Sarah Jessica Parker, Morgan Spurlock and Refinery29.
TNT is working with Ridley Scott to develop a night of original science-fiction programming. Initial plans call for the block to serve as a showcase for hour-long series, short-form programs and other formats to be developed in collaboration with Scott.
TNT has also ordered a pilot for Highland, a scripted drama written by Liz Sarnoff and starring actress-comedian Margaret Cho; and Daveed Diggs, who earned a Tony for the Broadway hit Hamilton, will star in the network's drama pilot Snowpiercer.
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Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.