A+E Networks
Highlights include an upcoming series starring Adrien Brody as “Houdini” and an all-star cast for a TV version of “Bonnie & Clyde”, to be simulcast on all three networks.
Nancy Dubuc, President & CEO of A+E Networks, has announced its 2013/2014 upfront slate on May 8 for three of its networks – A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime.
The network has picked up a new unscripted reality series, Modern Dads – a new take on Stay at Home Dads, set to debut on A&E. The network has also announced that HISTORY’s The Bible and Vikings were the number one mini and new cable series respectively, with production of season two for Vikings already underway. Additionally, A+E Networks renewed 12 of HISTORY’s current series including Pawn, Pickers, Swamp, Counting Cars and Top Gear. The channel has also picked up three new series – Daredevils, Sons of Liberty, as well as Houdini, starring award-winning actor Adrien Brody.
Lifetime has picked up three new series including country music series Hillbetties; Witches of East End which stars Jenna Dewan-Tatum, May-Chen Amick and Julia Ormond; and Devious Maids, executive produced by Desperate Housewives’ Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria. The channel renewed scripted series The Client List, Army Wives, and Drop Dead Diva with a season five set to launch in June this year.
It has also been announced that A+E Networks’ adaptation of the iconic American love story, Bonnie & Clyde, featuring an all-star cast including Holly Hunter, William Hurt, Emile Hirsch and newcomer Holliday Granger, will be simulcast on all three networks.
CBS
The slate highlights the return of 20 series and pick up of comedy series “The Crazy Ones”, starring Robin Williams.
CBS has unveiled its slate of programmes for the 2013/2014 upfront. In efforts to expand its comedy block, the network has picked up four new comedies including The Crazy Ones, a single-camera comedy from executive producer David E. Kelley starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar; We Are Men, an ensemble single-camera comedy starring Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn, Chris Smith and Jerry O’Connell; The Millers; and Mom. Dramas Hostages and Intelligence have been picked up as well.
Additionally, CBS has renewed 20 existing shows for a new season set to return in the fall. They include How I Met Your Mother, 2 Broke Girls, NCIS: Los Angeles, Person Of Interest, Survivor, Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Two and a Half Men, Undercover Boss, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, 48 Hours, The Amazing Race, The Good Wife and The Mentalist. Comedy Mike & Molly has been ordered for a full 22-episode season slated to return mid-season.
Sony Pictures Television
The 2013/2014 slate reveals more new series than renewal of current ones.
Sony Pictures Television has announced its 2013/ 2014 upfront slate. NBC’s comedies The Michael J. Fox Show and Welcome to the Family, medical drama The Night Shift, and The Blacklist, have been picked up by the network set to be distributed globally. Additionally, the network has also picked up ABC’s comedy The Goldbergs; FOX’s Us & Them – a U.S adaptation of the U.K’s Gavin & Stacey – of which both has been ordered for a full series; FOX’s adaptation of Australian drama Rake; AMC’s Showville; Syfy’s drama Helix; syndicated talk show The Queen Latifah Show; as well as CBS’ comedy Bad Teacher.
The network has also renewed several existing series including NBC’s The Sing-Off set to return for the fourth season; Community; AMC’s Breaking Bad, returning for season six; FX’s Justified; and Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva.
NBC
Highlights of the slate include “The Michael J. Fox Show”, “The Blacklist” and a home design show by Nate Berkus.
Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment announced a new lineup of primetime shows for the 2013 – 14 season, including comedies Welcome to the Family; Sean Saves the World; and The Michael J. Fox Show, executive produced by Fox and Will Gluck, as well as dramas Ironside, starring Blair Underwood; limited series Dracula, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers; and James Spader’s The Blacklist. Additionally, NBC picked up two new alternative series – The Million Second Quiz and American Dream Builders, hosted by Nate Berkus.
The network also ordered six new series for unscheduled midseason premieres – Believe, Crisis, Crossbones, Chicago PD, The Night Shift, and Food Fighters. NBC has also made late announcements about the renewals of The Apprentice and the recently launched Hannibal.
Returning series include Grimm, Parenthood, Law & Order: SVU, Revolution, Chicago Fire, Parks and Recreation, Community, The Biggest Loser, The Sing-Off, and The Voice with a season 5 to launch in September this year.
FOX
Greg Kinnear and Chris Meloni get their own series and Ramsay will attempt a U.S. “Junior Masterchef”.
Kevin Reilly, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, has unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2013 – 2014 television season. The network picked up several new series including comedies Dads – which stars award-winning Seth Green; Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Enlisted; Surviving Jack; Us & Them; Murder Police; dramas Almost Human, executive produced by J.J Abrams with an all-star cast; Rake with Greg Kinnear set to make his television debut; Gang Related; and adventure thriller Sleepy Hollow, originally based on a book. Culinary competition series Junior Masterchef (working title) was also picked up by the network with chefs Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot, as well as Joe Bastianich slated to coach. M. Night Shyamalan’s Wayward Pines will premiere in 2014 with New Girl to air following Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014.
FOX has also announced the renewals of its series including American Dad, American Idol, Bob’s Burger, Bones, Family Guy, The Following, Glee, Hell’s Kitchen, Hotel Hell, Kitchen Nightmares, Masterchef, The Mindy Project, New Girl, Raising Hope, The Simpsons, So You Think You Can Dance and The X Factor.
