A&E Network wants much more of the live original series, Live PD, ordering an additional 100 episodes of the popular show. The extended episode order brings the total to 142 and means Live PD will air into 2018. The series is executive produced by Dan Cesareo, David Doss, George McTeague, Kara Kurcz, John Zito, Elaine Frontain Bryant, Shelly Tatro, and Sean Gottlieb.
Live PD airs on Fridays and Saturdays at 9pm ET/PT. The first season’s been averaging 1.4 million viewers and ratings are up 92% since its premiere. The series currently ranks #1 among original cable programs adult viewers on Fridays and Saturdays.
“Live PD is emblematic of the type of groundbreaking nonfiction content A&E is committed to delivering to our viewers, and the outstanding success of the series has been a key contributor to the growth of the network at a time when the industry at large continues to experience viewership erosion,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President & Head of Programming, A&E. “We are very pleased to continue our partnership with the team at Big Fish, our host Dan Abrams, our analyst Tom Morris Jr., our studio and field crew across the country, as well as the communities and law enforcement agencies who have opened their doors to our viewers for an unfettered glimpse of the policing of America.”
“The success of Live PD is a testament to the incredible collaboration, dedication and boldness everyone involved has brought to the table. We’re grateful to A&E for giving us the opportunity to continue to bring unprecedented access in policing to viewers in this way, and to the entire production team who go above and beyond to make each episode the ultimate ride-along,” stated Big Fish Entertainment President and founder Dan Cesareo.
The Plot: Hosted by Dan Abrams with analysis from Tom Morris Jr., Live PD showcases the policing of America, following diverse police departments from across the country in real time as they patrol their communities. Using dash cams along with fixed rig and handheld cameras, the series captures the work of a varied mix of urban and rural police forces on a typical Friday and Saturday night. Abrams and Morris guide viewers through the night giving insight to what audiences are seeing in real time, bouncing between the featured police departments and offering an inside look at each live episode. Live PD also features law enforcement officers from the series who appear in-studio as guest analysts to provide additional commentary.
