Ned as Martin and Allison Tolman as Nan in ‘Downward Dog’ (ABC/Bob D’Amico)
ABC’s just announced their schedule for the upcoming 2016-2017 primetime season which will feature nine new shows including Still Star-Crossed, Time After Time, Downward Dog, and American Housewife. The newbies will be joining a lineup that includes returning series Last Man Standing, Scandal, black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, and The Real O’Neals. The network’s also bringing back the Emmy nominated series American Crime from creator/executive producer John Ridley. When We Rise, a limited series created by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black (screenplay, Milk), will air during the upcoming season as will the specials Dirty Dancing and Ali: The Champion.
“Our new shows reflect the inclusive and empowering storytelling that defines the ABC brand. We will continue to raise the bar for our audience, investing in great storytellers and reflecting the authentic faces and voices of the world around us,” said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment Dungey.
ABC’s Primetime Schedule
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Conviction”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle” (new day/time)
8:30 p.m. “American Housewife”
9:00 p.m. “Fresh Off the Boat” (new time)
9:30 p.m. “The Real O’Neals” (new time)
10:00 p.m. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (new time)
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Secrets and Lies”
10:00 p.m. “Quantico”
NEW FALL AND MIDSEASON SERIES:
CONVICTION – Lawyer and former First Daughter Hayes Morrison (Hayley Atwell, “Marvel’s Agent Carter”) is about to accept a job offered from her sexy nemesis, NY District Attorney Wayne Wallis, to avoid jail time for cocaine possession and avoid hurting her mother’s Senate campaign. Working with his team at the new Conviction Integrity Unit will let her use her brilliant mind to turn over cases, where there is credible suspicion of wrongful conviction, and give her a chance to turn things around with her high-powered political family.
In addition to Atwell, “Conviction” stars Eddie Cahill as Wayne Wallis, Shawn Ashmore as Sam Sullivan, Merrin Dungey as Maxine Barton, Emily Kinney as Tess Thompson, Manny Montana as Franklin “Frankie” Rios and Daniel di Tomasso as Jackson Morrison.
“Conviction” is from The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. “Conviction” is co-created by writer Liz Friedman (“Elementary,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones”) and director Liz Friedlander (“The Following”). Friedman and Friedlander will executive produce with Mark Gordon (“Criminal Minds,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Saving Private Ryan”) and Nick Pepper.
DESIGNATED SURVIVOR – Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) returns to primetime in a conspiracy thriller as Tom Kirkman, a lower-level cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on Washington. He will struggle to prevent the country and his own family from falling into chaos, as he is thrust into one of the most difficult presidencies in history.
“Designated Survivor” stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, Natascha McElhone as Alex Kirkman, Maggie Q as Hannah Watts, Kal Penn as Seth Wheeler, Adan Canto as Aaron Shore, Italia Ricci as Emily Rhodes, LaMonica Garrett as James Ritter, and Tanner Buchanan as Leo Kirkman.
“Designated Survvor” is from The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. David Guggenheim is creator and executive producer. In addition to Guggenheim, the series is executive produced by Simon Kinberg, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper, Suzan Bymel, and Aditya Sood. Paul McGuigan directed the pilot episode.
NOTORIOUS – “Notorious” is inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, who serve as executive producers. The series is a provocative look at the unique, sexy and dangerous interplay of criminal law and the media. Josh Berman (“Blacklist,” “Bones,” “CSI”) is writer and executive producer, and Allie Hagan (“Suri’s Burn Book”) is writer and co-executive producer.
“Notorious” stars Piper Perabo (“Covert Affairs”) as Julia George, Daniel Sunjata (“Graceland”) as Jake Gregorian, Sepideh Moafi as Megan Byrd, Kate Jennings Grant as Louise Herrick, Ryan Guzman as Ryan, Kevin Zegers as Oscar Keaton, J. August Richards as Bradley Gregorian and Aimee Teegarden as Ella Benjamin.
“Notorious” is from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios. Michael Engler, Kenny Meiselas, Jeff Kwatinetz and Josh Barry are also executive producers. Michael Engler directed the pilot.
STILL STAR-CROSSED – “Still Star-Crossed,” a period drama from Shondaland, picks up where the famous story of Romeo and Juliet ends, charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate. The series is based on the book by Melinda Taub.
“Still Star-Crossed” stars Wade Briggs (“Home and Away”) as Benvolio Montague, Anthony Head as Lord Silvestro Capulet, Zuleikha Robinson as Lady Guiliana Capulet, Lashana Lynch as Rosaline, Ebonee Noel as Livia, Sterling Sulieman as Prince Escalus, Medalion Rahimi as Princess Isabella, Grant Bowler as Damiano Montague, Susan Wooldridge as Nurse, Torrance Coombs as Paris and Dan Hildebrand as Friar Lawrence.
Heather Mitchell (“Scandal,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) is writer and executive producer. Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and Michael Goldstein are executive producers. Michael Offer is executive producer and director of the pilot, from ABC Studios.
TIME AFTER TIME – Based on the novel and movie “Time After Time,” executive producer/writer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Scream” franchise, “Dawson’s Creek”) delivers a fantastical cat and mouse adventure through time when famed science fiction writer H.G. Wells is transported to modern day Manhattan in pursuit of Jack the Ripper. Once H.G. arrives in New York City, he finds a world he never thought possible and a young woman who captivates him.
The series stars Freddie Stroma (“Harry Potter” films) as H.G. Wells, Josh Bowman (“Revenge”) as John Stevenson/Jack the Ripper, Genesis Rodriguez (“Big Hero 6”) as Jane and Regina Taylor (“Dig”) as Vanessa Anders.
“Time After Time” is from Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television. Williamson and Marcos Siega (“Blindspot,” “The Following”) are executive producers. Siega directed the pilot. Williamson wrote the teleplay. “Time After Time” is based on the novel written by Karl Alexander.
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – Katie Otto (Katy Mixon, “Mike and Molly”), a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring.
The series stars Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, Diedrich Bader as Jeff Otto, Johnny Sequoyah as Taylor, Daniel DiMaggio as Harrison, Julia Butters as Anna-Kat, Carly Hughes as Angela and Ali Wong as Doris.
“American Housewife” is written by Sarah Dunn (“Spin City,” “Bunheads”) and produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios. Aaron Kaplan, Rick Weiner and Kenny Schwartz are executive producers. Ruben Fleischer directed and was executive producer of the pilot.
DOWNWARD DOG – Based on the web series, “Downward Dog” is about a struggling millennial, Nan (Emmy-nominated Allison Tolman, “Fargo”), from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog, Martin. One session at obedience school already makes them realize that even at their worst they may be the best thing for each other.
The series stars Allison Tolman as Nan, Lucas Neff as Jason, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Jenn, Barry Rothbart as Kevin and Mo Collins as Kim. Samm Hodges is the voice of Martin.
“Downward Dog” creators/writers Samm Hodges and Michael Killen will executive produce with Mosaic Media Group’s Jimmy Miller and Sam Hansen, and Animal’s Kathy Dziubek. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky were executive producers of the pilot. The series is from Legendary Television and ABC Studios.
IMAGINARY MARY – Alice (Jenna Elfman, “Dharma & Greg,” “Friends With Benefits,” “EDtv”) is a fiercely independent career woman whose life is turned upside-down when she meets the love of her life – a divorced father with three kids. This triggers even more upheaval when the slightly unhinged imaginary friend she created as a child suddenly reappears to help her navigate the transition from single girl to a woman ready for a family.
The series stars Jenna Elfman as Alice, Stephen Schneider as Ben, Rachel Dratch as Mary (VO), Nicholas Coombe as Andy, Matreya Scarrwener as Dora and Erica Tremblay as Bunny.
The live action/CGI hybrid comes from “The Goldbergs” team Adam F. Goldberg (writer/executive producer), David Guarascio (writer/executive producer) and Doug Robinson (executive producer). Mary CG animation is designed by Patrick Osborne (creator of Academy Award- winning animated short, “The Feast”), who is also executive producer. The pilot was directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum,” “Cheaper by the Dozen”), who is also executive producer. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television, Happy Madison and ABC Studios.
SPEECHLESS – Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver, “About a Boy,” “The Riches,” “Good Will Hunting”) is a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband, Jimmy, and kids Ray, Dylan, and JJ, her eldest son with special needs. As Maya fights injustices both real and imagined, the family works to make a new home for themselves and searches for just the right person to give JJ his “voice.”
“Speechless” stars Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo, John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory”) as Jimmy DiMeo, Mason Cook as Ray DiMeo, Micah Fowler as JJ DiMeo, Kyla Kenedy as Dylan DiMeo and Cedric Yarbrough as Kenneth.
Scott Silveri (“Friends”) writes and is executive producer of the show, along with “Fresh Off the Boat”‘s Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. The series is from Twentieth Century Fox Television and ABC Studios.
LIMITED SERIES, SPECIAL EVENTS
AMERICAN CRIME (Limited Series – Season 3) – Critically acclaimed limited series “American Crime,” nominated for 10 Emmys and winner of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Regina King, returns for its third season and will feature a new crime committed in a different setting, as told through the eyes of those affected.
The series was created and executive produced by Oscar-winner John Ridley (“12 Years a Slave”). Michael J. McDonald also serves as executive producer. “American Crime” is produced by ABC Studios.
WHEN WE RISE (Limited Series Event) – “When We Rise” chronicles the real-life personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once unfathomable successes of today.
Written and created by Oscar(R)-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (“Milk,” “Big Love,” “J. Edgar”), the limited series event stars Guy Pearce as LGBT activist Cleve Jones, Mary-Louise Parker as women’s rights leader Roma Guy and Rachel Griffiths as her wife, social justice activist Diane. Also starring are Austin McKenzie as Younger Cleve Jones, Emily Skeggs as Younger Roma Guy, Jonathan Majors as Younger Ken Jones, and Fiona Dourif as Younger Diane.
The miniseries is executive produced by Black, Laurence Mark (“Julie & Julia,””Dreamgirls,””I, Robot,” “Jerry Maguire”), Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty,” “Milk”) and Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”) for ABC. Van Sant will direct the two-hour premiere of the seven-episode-limited series event. “When We Rise” is from ABC Studios.
DIRTY DANCING – “Dirty Dancing,” the global pop-cultural phenomenon, becomes a three-hour filmed musical event this season on the ABC Television Network. An adaptation of the beloved 1987 romantic drama and instant music classic, “Dirty Dancing” will be produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Allison Shearmur Productions, executive produced by Allison Shearmur (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Hunger Games” franchise; “Cinderella”); Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie; and Grammy Award-nominee Adam Anders (“Glee,” “Rock of Ages”), who also serves as executive music producer. Wayne Blair (“The Sapphires,” “Septembers of Shiraz”) is the director, and Andy Blankenbuehler (“Hamilton,” “Bring It On,” “In the Heights”) is the choreographer.
“Dirty Dancing” stars Abigail Breslin as Baby, Debra Messing as Marjorie Houseman, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Jake Houseman, Nicole Scherzinger as Penny, Colt Prattes as Johnny, Sarah Hyland as Lisa Houseman, Tony Roberts as Max Kellerman, Trevor Einhorn as Neil, Shane Harper as Robbie Gould, J. Quinton Johnson as Marco, Beau “Casper” Smart as Billy, Katey Sagal as Vivian Pressman and Billy Dee Williams as Tito.
UNTITLED DAVID BLAINE – David Blaine returns to ABC for his final primetime special to follow-up his critically acclaimed ratings smash “David Blaine: Real or Magic,” with a groundbreaking new primetime event. The special reunites Blaine with Emmy Award-winning director Matthew Akers, who helmed “David Blaine: Real or Magic,” and is executive produced by David Blaine, along with Justin Wilkes and Dave O’Connor for Radical Media.
ALI: THE CHAMPION (working title) – An athlete, a humanitarian, and a civil rights activist, Muhammad Ali will be honored for his goodwill efforts that have impacted individuals from different walks of life around the world. In a new, two-hour special featuring live musical performances, his closest friends and contemporaries, admirers come together to celebrate the man who’s known the world over as simply The Greatest. The project is executive produced by Ron Weisner.
Frankie J. Alvarez, Jonathan Groff, and Murray Bartlett in ‘Looking’ (Photo: Richard Foreman / HBO)
The promised conclusion to the series Looking now has a premiere date and plot synopsis. Looking: The Movie will air on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT and will provide closure to fans of the three friends played by Jonathan Groff (Frozen, Glee), Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett. The series ran on HBO for two seasons but was not picked up for a third. Instead, the hour and a half movie will wrap up the series.
The conclusion to Looking was written by Andrew Haigh and Michael Lannan. Haigh directed and also executive produced along with Michael Lannan and Sarah Condon.
The Plot:Looking: The Movie wraps up the story of three close friends living in San Francisco who explore the options available to a new generation of gay men seeking fulfillment in love and life. In the film, Patrick (Groff) returns to the city for the first time in almost a year to celebrate a momentous event with his old friends. In the process, he must face the unresolved relationships he left behind and make difficult choices about what’s important to him.
The first trailer’s arrived for Buddymoon starring Grimm co-stars David Giuntoli and Claire Coffee along with Flula Borg. The twisted comedy was written and executive produced by Giuntoli, Borg, and Alex Simmons, and also features Brian T. Finney and Jeanne Syquia. Buddymoon will premiere simultaneously on demand and in theaters on July 1, 2016.
The Plot: David (Giuntoli) is left by his fiancé days before the wedding, and Flula (Borg), his eccentrically upbeat best man, insists that they go on David’s honeymoon together: a backpacking trip through Oregon’s scenic mountains. Prepare to laugh when the pair crosses paths with a dazed conspiracy theorist, an attractively charming backpacker (Coffee), and a bloodthirsty predator (an actual wolf) who all partake in a trek that tests their friendship – and their lives.
“Man, Bridgit somebody sure scrambled your eggs,” says Selina (Camren Bicondova), knocking out Firefly (Michelle Ventimiglia) after she tried to roast her alive in Bridgit’s enhanced fireproof room in season two episode 21 of FOX’s gritty, comic-book inspired crime thriller series, Gotham.
When Selina doesn’t show to meet Bruce (David Mazouz) up on the rooftop, he realizes she must have gotten caught and is now a prisoner of Dr. Hugo Strange (BD Wong). He quickly goes to the GCPD and arrives just after acting Captain Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) finishes his uncomfortable and hilarious press conference regarding the death of Azrael. Bullock and Gordon (Ben McKenzie) disagree over how to pursue taking down Hugo Strange who they know is behind the resurrection of Galavan and turning him into Azrael but still have no proof. Bruce sees Gordon leaving Bullock’s office and tells him he needs his help regarding Selina.
At Wayne Manor, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) is yelling at young Bruce for involving Selina in the business of Dr. Strange and putting her in danger. (It seems Alfred has taken a liking to Selina since she only helped save Bruce’s life three or four times.) Also in the room are Gordon and Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) who have come to help Bruce find a way to get poor Selina out of Arkham. As the four of them talk, Lucius and Gordon agree that Dr. Strange’s experiments could not be taking place in Arkham but most likely in a secret lab underground, underneath the mental hospital. So the four come up with a plan: Lucius and Bruce will go into Arkham asking for a tour of the place to make sure the Wayne Foundation donations to the Asylum are being well spent while Gordon will sneak in, find Selina, and get her out. Lucius also has a mini Geiger counter that should help find the secret entrance to the hidden lab.
At Arkham Asylum down in Indian Hill, Dr. Strange and Ms. Peabody (Tonya Pinkins) are getting ready to try to re-animate Fish Mooney’s preserved corpse. Hugo tells his employees to raise the voltage for Fish up to 200 and injects her with cuttlefish DNA. The attempt works and Fish (Jada Pinkett Smith) wakes up but unlike others before her, Fish knows who she is. She tells Dr. Strange, “My name is Fish Mooney, bitch, and you better tell me what the hell is going on.”
Lucius and Bruce arrive at Arkham and are greeted by Dr. Strange. After a brief talk, Hugo agrees to give them a guided tour. Bruce asks if it would be all right if Lucius inspected the hospital while he and Strange talked about the running of the mental ward and its funds in his office. Hugo agrees but insists that Peabody escorts Lucius around the hospital to ensure his safety. Gordon slips out of the trunk of the car unnoticed and sneaks into Arkham wearing a security guard’s uniform.
In Hugo’s office, Dr. Strange and Bruce first talk briefly about the hospital but the conversation soon turns to the death of Bruce’s parents. Hugo tells young Bruce that he reminds him of his father Thomas Wayne and that he knows Bruce would do or give anything to have his parents back again. He hints that he and Thomas Wayne had minor disagreements about life and the experiments at Indian Hill but as the conversation goes on Hugo practically admits to being involved in the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Hugo tells Bruce not to follow the path his father did but to turn back for the sake of himself and those he cares about. Bruce tells Hugo that he’s right, he IS his father’s son with the same moral principles and values and he will stay true to his mission. Hugo has his security team take Bruce, along with Lucius who found and marked the secret entrance to the elevator that leads down into Indian Hill, as well as Gordon who had just found Lucius’ marking on the entrance. (Not such a great rescue plan it seems.)
In Fish’s cell, she’s being given her dinner by one of the staff when she grabs his hand as he is putting it through the small opening to her cell and tells him to make her a grilled cheese sandwich. A weird wave of energy passes from Fish to the employee and a few minutes later he returns with her order. Fish asks why he made her the sandwich and he tells her because she told him to, and it’s almost as though he’s in a trance.
Bruce and Lucius are put into a large room together and Bruce tells Lucius that he feels terrible that he got him, Gordon, and Selina into all this danger and that they might die here. But Lucius tells the young billionaire that he didn’t force them to do anything. They decided to help him in trying to bring down Hugo Strange. Lucius also tells Bruce not to give up and that they will be missed and help will come.
Back in his office, Hugo is watching Bruce from a monitor and admits to Peabody that he likes the boy. “He reminds me of Thomas,” says the doctor who at one point it seems did care for Thomas before their friendship went bad. Suddenly a masked lady appears on Hugo’s screen and yells at him about his experiments at Indian Hill being failures. She reminds the doctor that she and his other employers paid him to invent a reanimation drug that would bring back the dead to life with their identity and memories intact and not create the brutal monsters he’s been letting loose upon Gotham. Hugo tells the masked woman that his latest experiment has been a success and he is sure he can repeat the process given time and funding.
Meanwhile, Selina is using one of the enhanced flamethrowers to try to break out of the fire-resistant prison she’s locked in when Bridgit, aka Firefly, wakes up. Selina tries to restart Bridgit’s memories by talking about when they were kids and how she took Selina in when her mother ran off, but Bridgit has been reprogrammed to believe she is the fire goddess Firefly. Selina, fearing Firefly is going to try to cook her with her flamethrower, uses the one she took on Bridgit only to find out that Bridgit’s new outfit is fireproof. Selina quickly decides to save herself by playing along with Bridgit being the fire goddess and says she’ll need a servant to which Firefly agrees that Selina can be her obedient servant. (Whew, quick thinking Cat!)
After being caught trying to escape Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) has been locked up with a cannibal who’s chained only inches away from Ed and is terrifying him. Hugo and Peabody decide to give Ed a chance to redeem himself and help them break Bruce. Nygma becomes the interrogator of Bruce and Lucius and tells them if they don’t tell him everything they know about Hugo’s operation, they will be exposed to a poison gas and that they have five minutes to decide. The two try frantically to look for a way out, but Nygma just laughs. Seems the Riddler is back…
Back at the GCPD, Alfred tells Bullock about the plan to save Selina from Arkham and that it must have gone wrong because he hasn’t heard from anyone and he should have by now. Bullock, being in charge, decides to use his authority to take an army of cops to Arkham to rescue Jim, Bruce, Lucius, and Selina. At Indian Hill, Gordon is tied to a chair and exposed to a liquid substance while his head is in a device. When it’s removed he sees a patient of Arkham named Basil sitting across from him and Dr. Strange has his men put the same device and liquid on Basil’s head. When it is taken off, Basil looks just like Gordon. Dr. Strange puts a hairpiece on Basil’s head similar to Gordon’s head of hair and Basil begins to mimic Gordon’s voice. Gordon yells at Hugo that he’ll never get away with it and Hugo just laughs.
Review of Gotham Season 2 episode 21:
Very dark, creepy, and at times unsettling, season two episode 21 titled “A Legion of Horribles” brings back to life a major villain from season one and puts most of the show’s heroes in deadly situations. It also changes the tone of the show from a gritty crime thriller to more of a suspenseful horror film.
The stand-out performance in this episode goes once again to David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne. He conveys so wonderfully the regret and blame he feels for having put Selina, Lucius, and Gordon into such a dangerous situation without overplaying his emotions. He also shines in the cat and mouse scene with BD Wong as Hugo as he finally gets the mad doctor to basically admit his part in the killing of Bruce’s parents.
With Bruce and Lucius at the mercy of a crazed Nygma and Gordon about to be replaced by Basil aka Clayface, here’s hoping that Bullock, Alfred, Selina, and maybe even Penguin can help our heroes escape Indian Hill and bring down Dr. Strange.
Frederick Murray (Lane Garrison), Nancy Holt (Anna Paquin), Tom (Sedale Threatt Jr), and Jerusalem (Mekhi Phifer) in ‘Roots’ (Photo by Steve Dietl / History)
History’s summer of 2016 program lineup will include new and returning shows as well as event series, a docu-drama, and a documentary. The four-part Roots event series will premiere on May 30th at 9pm ET/PT starring Laurence Fishburne, Tip T.I. Harris, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rege-Jean Page, Anna Paquin, Anika Noni Rose, Forest Whitaker and Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte. Barbarians Rising debuts on June 6th at 9pm ET/PT and features “dramatized portrayals” of Hannibal, Spartacus, Arminius, Boudica and Attila told over four two-hour episodes. Season one of Six begins on July 18th at 10pm and focuses on Navy SEAL Team Six.
The network also revealed details and premiere dates for new and returning shows including Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour, Forged in Fire, Big Easy Motors, and Counting Cars.
“HISTORY’s robust summer slate helps build upon the network’s position as the leader in factual programming, by widening the net of history to include our recent past,” stated Jana Bennett, President and General Manager of HISTORY. “This lineup exemplifies the best of historical storytelling about centuries past as well as explosive events of the past few decades.”
HISTORY EVENTS:
ROOTS – ROOTS is a historical journey of one family and their will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity. Spanning multiple generations, the lineage begins with young Kunta Kinte, who is captured in his homeland of The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America, where he’s sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history, including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation. The story of Kunta Kinte and the women and men who came after him echoes through the history of millions of Americans of African descent, and reveals powerful truths about the universal resilience of the human spirit.
BARBARIANS RISING – The story of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire from the perspective of the barbarian leaders who brought it down; a high-impact, visceral journey into the heart of their rebellions against absolute power. The Roman Empire called them “barbarians” – tribes the Romans viewed as beyond the fringe of civilization, who lived a brutish and violent existence. But they were also some of the fiercest warriors in history – men and women who rose up to resist so that they might live free, or die. The eight-part/ four-week docu-drama reveals the true story of the 700-year battle to bring down one of the strongest empires the world has ever known, an epic fight for freedom that shaped the world to come. Featuring fully dramatized portrayals of barbarian icons including Hannibal, Spartacus, Arminius, Boudica and Attila, and an eclectic group of experts and contributors to reveal the true history behind the legends.
SIX – Written by William Broyles (Castaway, Apollo 13, Jarhead) and David Broyles, a military special operations veteran, the eight episode first season of SIX follows Navy SEAL Team Six, the best of the best, whose 2014 mission to eliminate a Taliban leader in Afghanistan goes awry when they uncover a U.S. citizen working as a jihadist fighter with the terrorists. SIX stars Barry Sloane, Kyle Schmid, Juan Pablo Raba, Edwin Hodge, Brianne Davis, Nadine Velazquez, Dominic Adams, and Walton Goggins.
NEW SPECIALS:
ALEXANDER HAMILTON (WT) – This two-hour documentary captures the amazing life and times of our nation’s forgotten founding father: Alexander Hamilton. Exploring the iconic American political and financial institutions he helped to create, from the US Mint and Wall Street to the two-party political system, we’ll examine Hamilton’s enormous influence that still resonates today. Ron Chernow, whose biography Alexander Hamilton served as the basis for the hit Broadway play, along with other notable names including Tom Brokaw and Maria Bartiromo, contribute to an all-encompassing look at one of our nation’s most accomplished leaders.
DB COOPER – On November 24th, 1971 a man dressed in a suit and tie hijacked a Northwest Orient flight bound for Seattle, Washington. He said he had a bomb and demanded 200-thousand dollars in cash and four parachutes. Once he got his ransom, the man jumped into the night, never to be seen again. In the more than 45 years since the epic heist, the FBI has looked at over a thousand potential suspects, but the questions remain: Who is DB Cooper? Did he die? Did he live? And is he still out there? Now, in this four hour documentary series, viewers will go on the trail gaining an unprecedented perspective from the FBI, including exclusive access to the evidence, while a former FBI agent and a crime journalist dive deep into the case revealing new information through exclusive interviews with nearly 20 experts and insiders, including the only people ever to come face to face with the hijacker. Plus, a citizen sleuth and his team of forty investigators reveal the findings of their five year investigation arriving at an explosive conclusion.
THE RISE AND FALL OF EL CHAPO – Killer, drug smuggler, folk hero, Houdini of jailhouse escapes – Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman continues to make headline news. But now The Rise and Fall of El Chapo takes an in depth look at the man behind the myth and how his international drug cartel impacts us right here at home. In this two-hour documentary, we’ll learn how a poor Mexican orange-seller with a third-grade education rose to lord over a multi-national drug cartel with billion dollar profits. HISTORY traces his rise to become “Public Enemy Number One” for the U.S. agents on a mission to bring him down and stanch the flow of illegal narcotics into the heart of America. This special documentary features rarely seen footage of the prison escape that stunned the world… as well as the cat and mouse chase that followed. Through on-the-ground access to the San Diego Tunnel Task Force, viewers get a first-hand look at the intricate drug smuggling tunnels that have become El Chapo’s trademark. We’ll hear from a host of voices connected to the kingpin including his beauty queen wife, Emma Coronel, former undercover DEA Agent Mike Vigil, former senior official and legal advisor to both the Dept. of Justice and Homeland Security, Peter Vincent and investigative reporter, Anabel Hernandez.
NEW & RETURNING NON-FICTION SERIES:
OZZY AND JACK’S WORLD DETOUR – Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour stars heavy metal legend, Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack. In this new 10-episode hour-long non-scripted series, the self-proclaimed history nerds hit the road in a father-son journey they’ve waited years to take. There will be no roadies, no tour buses and no boundaries. Just a bucket list of iconic and historically significant spots that includes Mt. Rushmore, Stonehenge, The Alamo, Roswell, The Jamestown Settlement and Sun Studios and a hit list of some fascinating sights and people that they’ve read about. From a Cold War era Missile Silo to Bletchley Park; from gold miner Rattlesnake Randy’s stream of dreams to vintage tank collector Allan Cors’ private museum of working war machines, Ozzy and Jack get their eyes and hands on history.
COUNTING CARS – On the HISTORY series Counting Cars, Danny and his team restore, customize and sell cars in a hurry, scrambling to keep their Las Vegas shop in the black. From vintage Thunderbirds to classic Corvettes, toy cars to souped-up sidecar motorcycles, Danny and the crew of Count’s Kustoms will stop at nothing to find and flip the greatest rides of all time. The upcoming season will see the crew take on some of their baddest rides yet including a custom supercar for Guns N Roses guitarist DJ Ashba, and surprising flip for rock legend Dee Snyder. Plus we’ll get a look inside the epic car collection of Mr Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton.
BIG EASY MOTORS – There’s undiscovered treasure in the bayous of Louisiana and Charles Handler knows how to find it. From a 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible to a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT, Handler and his team find long-forgotten piles of junk into dazzling custom cars. He searches all over Louisiana for one-of-a-kind classics, invests his own money to fix them up, and then sells them at auction. These treasures can sell for big money so there’s a huge profit to be made, if everything goes according to plan. Each episode, based in New Orleans, will feature amazing vehicle restorations and high stakes auctions where everything’s on the line.
FORGED IN FIRE – Forged in Fire returns for season three with an increased episode order from 10 one-hour episodes to 16. The hit competition series features world-class bladesmiths creating many of history’s most iconic edged weapons, from the War Hammer to the Egyptian Kopesh. In each episode, four master bladesmiths will put their skills and reputations on the line, trying to avoid elimination while using traditional and state-of-the-art tools and machinery to turn raw metal into authentic, fully functional classic bladed weapons of yesteryear. In the hands of these gifted craftsmen, every weapon is not just a lethal instrument of war, but also an elegant work of art. The colorful histories of these weapons will be told throughout the forging process, and then the weapons will be assessed and tested by a panel of internationally recognized judges. Season three will kick off with a championship edition, bringing back former contestants to settle once and for all who is the best of the best in the forge in a lightning round of epic proportions.
Ryan Phillippe as Bob Lee Swagger in ‘Shooter’ (Photo by: Dean Buscher/USA Network)USA Network’s unveiled the official trailers for season two of Mr. Robot and the first seasons of Shooter and Falling Water. The critically acclaimed award-winning Mr. Robot will return for its second season beginning on July 13, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT. Season one of the dramatic series Shooter, based on Stephen Hunter’s book and the 2007 feature film, will debut this summer. And season one of Falling Water starring David Ajala (Fast & Furious 6), Will Yun Lee (Hawaii 5-0), and Lizzie Brochere (American Horror Story: Asylum) will be part of USA Network’s fall primetime lineup.
Mr. Robot‘s second season stars Rami Malek reprising his role as cyber-engineer Elliot Alderson and Christian Slater. The series comes from writer/executive producer Sam Esmail (Comet), Steve Golin (True Detective), and Chad Hamilton (Breakup at a Wedding). Shooter stars Ryan Phillippe (Secrets and Lies) and Omar Epps (House) and “follows the courageous journey of Bob Lee Swagger, a highly-decorated ex-Marine sniper who is coaxed back into action after he learns about a plot to kill the President.” Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and John Hlavin are executive producers, with Hlavin also writing the pilot. Ballers‘ Simon Cellan Jones directed the pilot.
Per USA Network, Falling Water “is the story of three unrelated people who slowly realize that they are dreaming separate parts of a single common dream. The deeper they dig, the more they come to realize that the visions found in their common dream just might hold the key to the fate of the world.” The Walking Dead‘s Gale Anne Hurd, Blake Masters (Brotherhood), and Henry Bromell (Homeland) executive produce.
Fox’s teaser trailer for The Rocky Horror Picture Show has debuted and if you’ve got a few minutes to kill, check out the reaction on YouTube to the official teaser. Let’s just say fans of Tim Curry (who is involved with Fox’s project as the Criminologist Narrator) and the original film aren’t exactly embracing this new take on the classic movie musical with open arms.
Set to air in October 2016, The Rocky Horror Picture Show stars Victoria Justice (Victorious) as Janet, Ryan McCartan (Liv and Maddie) as Brad, Laverne Cox as Frank-N-Furter, Staz Nair as Rocky Horror, Adam Lambert as Eddie, Reeve Carney as Riff Raff, Annaleigh Levan as Usherette, Christina Milian as Magenta, and Ben Vereen as Dr. Everett Scott.
Lou Adler, Gail Berman, and Kenny Ortega are executive producing, with Ortega also on board as director. The 2016 version is based on Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien’s original screenplay with lyrics and music by Richard O’Brien.
The Plot: Sweethearts JANET (Justice) and BRAD (McCartan) stumble upon flirtatious mad scientist DR. FRANK-N-FURTER’s (Cox) bizarre abode during his annual Transylvanian science convention. The two-hour event also features Emmy Award nominee Tim Curry, the original Frank-N-Furter.
Watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show teaser trailer:
Fox is continuing the 24 franchise with the new series 24: Legacy focusing on new characters and an original storyline. 24: Legacy will only air a 12 episode first season instead of a full 24 episode season like the original series, but it will stick with 24‘s real-time format. Fox has given the series the prime spot behind the 2017 Super Bowl, setting a two night premiere for Sunday, February 5th and Monday, February 6th.
24 executive producers Howard Gordon, Brian Grazer, Manny Coto and Evan Katz reunite for 24: Legacy along with director Stephen Hopkins 24 star Kiefer Sutherland.
The Plot: The series chronicles an adrenaline-fueled race against the clock to stop a devastating terrorist attack on United States soil – in the same real-time format that has propelled this genre-defining series. 24: Legacy stars Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton), Miranda Otto (Homeland) and Jimmy Smits (Sons of Anarchy).
Fox just released all the details on their upcoming 2016-2017 primetime season which is set to include three new comedies and six new dramatic series. Among the new shows that will be attempting to catch on with viewers are The Exorcist, Lethal Weapon, and Son of Zorn, all of which will debut this fall. Joining the schedule in midseason will be 24: Legacy, Star, Pitch, APB, The Mick, and Making History. Event series Prison Break and Shots Fired will premiere in midseason as well the new reality programs My Kitchen Rules and Kicking & Screaming.
“Next season on FOX, we’ll have more original programming across our schedule than ever before,” said Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs. “We’ll use our strong established hits in the fall and SUPER BOWL LI in winter to launch a diverse slate of shows that are unmistakably FOX. We’re proud of our new series, directed and created by some of the most celebrated talent in the entertainment industry. And, we are pleased to be returning to our schedule many of our most beloved shows, including broadcast’s No. 1 series, Empire!”
Fox Fall 2016 Schedule:
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GOTHAM
9:00-10:00 PM LUCIFER
TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
8:30-9:00 PM NEW GIRL
9:00-10:00 PM SCREAM QUEENS
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM LETHAL WEAPON (new)
9:00-10:00 PM EMPIRE
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM ROSEWOOD
9:00-10:00 PM BONES
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN
9:00-10:00 PM THE EXORCIST (new)
SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY: FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT / BOB’S BURGERS
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SON OF ZORN (new)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE LAST MAN ON EARTH
Fox Midseason 2016-2018 Schedule:
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM 24: LEGACY (new) / GOTHAM (spring)
9:00-10:00 PM APB (new) / LUCIFER (spring)
TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM NEW GIRL / BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (spring)
Widely regarded as the greatest horror movie ever made, “The Exorcist” broke box office records and terrified audiences around the world. Now, more than four decades after the Academy Award-nominated film, THE EXORCIST returns as a TV series. Directed by Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), THE EXORCIST is a propulsive psychological thriller following two very different priests tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession. FATHER TOMAS ORTEGA (Alfonso Herrera, “Sense8,” “The Chosen”) is the new face of the Catholic Church: progressive, ambitious and compassionate. He runs a small but loyal parish in the suburbs of Chicago. He has no idea that his quiet life is about to change forever. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, another priest finds himself locked in a life-and-death struggle with evil. FATHER MARCUS BRENNAN (Ben Daniels, “Flesh and Bone,” “House of Cards”) is a modern-day Templar Knight, an orphan raised since childhood by the Vatican to wage war against its enemies. Father Marcus is everything Father Tomas is not: relentless, abrasive and utterly consumed by his sacred mission. Caught in the middle is the RANCE family, members of Tomas’ parish. On the surface, they’re a normal, suburban family, but all is not as it seems in this household. The patriarch, HENRY RANCE (guest star Alan Ruck, “Spin City,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”), is slowly but surely losing his mind. Eldest daughter KATHERINE (Brianne Howey, SCREAM QUEENS) has become a recluse who refuses to leave her room. Her younger sister, CASEY (Hannah Kasulka, “The Fosters”), thinks she’s hearing strange noises coming from inside the walls. And mother ANGELA (Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Geena Davis, “Commander in Chief,” “Thelma & Louise”) has been plagued by recurring nightmares, each more frightening than the last. Angela believes there is something in the house, a demonic presence, growing stronger by the day. Desperate, she begs Father Tomas for help, unwittingly setting the naïve young priest on a collision course with Father Marcus. Separately, each faces an insurmountable task, but together they become the only hope against an evil force that has been mobilizing for centuries.
WRITER: Jeremy Slater
DIRECTOR: Rupert Wyatt
CAST: Alfonso Herrera as Father Tomas Ortega, Ben Daniels as Father Marcus Brennan, Geena Davis as Angela Rance, Brianne Howey as Katherine Rance, Hannah Kasulka as Casey Rance, Kurt Egyiawan as Brother Bennett
LETHAL WEAPON
Combining action and drama with friendship and humor, LETHAL WEAPON reboots the hit movie franchise, as it follows classic cop duo Riggs and Murtaugh, who are working a crime-ridden beat in modern-day Los Angeles. Grief-stricken after the loss of his young wife and unborn child, ex-Navy SEAL-turned-detective MARTIN RIGGS (Clayne Crawford, “Rectify”) moves to California to “start over” at the LAPD. He’s paired up with ROGER MURTAUGH (Emmy Award nominee Damon Wayans, Sr., “My Wife and Kids,” “In Living Color”), who’s just coming back to the job after a near-fatal heart attack. Riggs’ penchant for diving headfirst into the line of fire immediately clashes with Murtaugh’s prudent, by-the-book technique. It’s clear from the moment they meet, this partnership could be lethal. But during their first case together, Riggs drags Murtaugh on a high-speed chase culminating inside the Long Beach Grand Prix and into a seaport shootout with drug dealers – and despite his protests, the older cop feels more alive than he has in years. Meanwhile, Riggs gets a glimpse of why Murtaugh is so determined to get home safely at the end of each day – he’s got a family and a newborn baby of his own. By the time their investigation ends, Riggs realizes he may have found something worth living for – a partner and friend like Murtaugh. And even Murtaugh figures this arrangement might just work out after all. If only Riggs doesn’t get them killed first…
WRITER: Matt Miller
DIRECTOR: McG
CAST: Damon Wayans, Sr. as Roger Murtaugh, Clayne Crawford as Martin Riggs, Jordana Brewster as Dr. Maureen “Mo” Cahill, Kevin Rahm as Captain Brooks Avery, Keesha Sharp as Trish Murtaugh
Featuring the voice of Jason Sudeikis (THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, “Horrible Bosses,” “We’re the Millers”), SON OF ZORN is a new hybrid live-action/animated comedy about an animated warrior from a faraway island in the Pacific Ocean – where everything and everyone is animated – who returns to Orange County, CA, to win back his live-action ex-wife and teenage son. ZORN (Sudeikis), the Defender of Zephyria, Conqueror of the tribes of Agon, decapitator of the dark herdsmen of Grith, has fought in countless epic battles throughout his life, but may find the greatest challenge of all when travels back to suburbia to reconnect with his family. Once there, Zorn finds himself estranged from his son, ALANGULON or just “Alan” (Johnny Pemberton, “21 Jump Street”), a 17-year-old with a mellow, P.C. attitude; and Alan’s mother, Zorn’s ex-wife, EDIE (Cheryl Hines, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), a former wild child now living the life of an upper middle class mom. Zorn’s efforts to win them back are complicated by the fact that Edie is now engaged to CRAIG (Tim Meadows, “Saturday Night Live”), an online psychology professor and a stable presence in their lives. Nevertheless, to be a good dad, Zorn commits to remaining in Orange County for the long haul, renting an apartment and even working in the exciting field of industrial soap sales under his boss, LINDA (Artemis Pebdani, “Scandal,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), who likes his passion, but just wants him to rein it in at the office. As he adjusts to life in the suburbs, Zorn is the classic fish out of water, navigating his way through fatherhood, divorce and a boring office job. Sure, as an overlord of pain, he defeated glombeasts, wolf-bats and bloodthirsty arachnobots, but now he’ll go toe-to-toe with a new set of enemies: meter maids, dress codes and the DMV.
WRITERS: Reed Agnew, Eli Jorne
DIRECTOR: Eric Appel
CAST: Jason Sudeikis as Zorn, Johnny Pemberton as Alan, Cheryl Hines as Edie, Tim Meadows as Craig, Artemis Pebdani as Linda
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
FOX is doing the Time Warp, with a brand-new production of the 1975 cult classic THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, set to air Fall 2016. A reimagining of the original movie, the two-hour event follows sweethearts JANET (Victoria Justice, “Victorious”) and BRAD (Ryan McCartan, “Liv & Maddie,” “Heathers the Musical”), who stumble upon DR. FRANK-N-FURTER’s (Emmy Award-nominated actress Laverne Cox, “Orange is the New Black”) bizarre abode. Frank-N-Furter, a sexually ambiguous, flirtatious mad-scientist, is holding an annual Transylvanian science convention to showcase the birth of ROCKY HORROR – a muscle-bound specimen created solely to fulfill Frank’s desires. Actor and singer Staz Nair (“Game of Thrones”) will star in the role. Also featured in the event are AMERICAN IDOL alum Adam Lambert as EDDIE, Reeve Carney (“Penny Dreadful,” “Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark”) as RIFF RAFF, Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford (“Sylvia,” “You Can’t Take It With You,” “Masters of Sex”) as COLUMBIA, Christina Milian (“Grandfathered”) as MAGENTA, Ivy Levan as USHERETTE, Tony Award winner Ben Vereen (“Pippin”) as DR. EVERETT SCOTT and Emmy Award nominee Tim Curry, the original Frank-N-Furter, as the show’s CRIMINOLOGIST NARRATOR. Celebrating 40 years of theatrical distribution – longer than any other film in history – “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is one of the most popular films of all time, and still plays in movie theaters around the world. THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW is executive-produced by Lou Adler (Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and executive producer of the original “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), Gail Berman (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” former President of Fox Broadcasting) and Kenny Ortega (Emmy Award-winning director and choreographer, “High School Musical” franchise, “This Is It,” “Descendants,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Newsies”). THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW is based upon the original screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien with lyrics and music by Richard O’Brien.
DIRECTOR: Kenny Ortega
CAST: Laverne Cox as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Tim Curry as Criminologist Narrator, Victoria Justice as Janet Weiss, Ryan McCartan as Brad Majors, Reeve Carney as Riff Raff, Christina Milian as Magenta, Annaleigh Ashford as Columbia, Adam Lambert as Eddie, Staz Nair as Rocky Horror, Ben Vereen as Dr. Everett Scott, Ivy Levan as Usherette
24: LEGACY
The clock ticks again with 24: LEGACY, the next evolution of the Emmy Award-winning “24.” From Emmy Award-winning executive producer Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “24: Live Another Day”), Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning executive producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “24”), writers and executive producers Manny Coto and Evan Katz (“24,” “24: Live Another Day”), director and executive producer Stephen Hopkins (“24”) and executive producer and original series star Kiefer Sutherland, 24: LEGACY chronicles an adrenaline-fueled race against the clock to stop a devastating terrorist attack on United States soil – in the same real-time format that has propelled this genre-defining series. Six months ago in Yemen, an elite squad of U.S. Army Rangers, led by Sergeant ERIC CARTER (Corey Hawkins, “Straight Outta Compton”), killed terrorist leader Sheik Ibrahim Bin-Khalid. In the aftermath, Bin-Khalid’s followers declared a fatwah against Carter, his squad and their families, forcing them into federal witness protection. But a recent attempt on Carter’s own life makes it clear to him that his team is now exposed. To thwart further attacks, Carter enlists REBECCA INGRAM (Miranda Otto, “Homeland”), who quarterbacked the raid that killed Bin-Khalid. She’s a brilliant and ambitious intelligence officer who has stepped down from her post as National Director of CTU to support her husband, SENATOR JOHN DONOVAN (Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jimmy Smits, “NYPD Blue,” “The West Wing”), in his campaign for President of the United States. Decades of sleepless nights and missed anniversaries landed her at the top. With the White House within their grasp, can she truly embrace a new role as First Lady? Or will her love of the action draw her back in? Together, in this fast-paced thrill ride, Carter and Ingram uncover a sophisticated terrorist network that will force them to ask: “Who can we trust?” As they battle Bin-Khalid’s devotees, they are forced to confront their own identities, families and pasts.
WRITERS: Manny Coto, Evan Katz
DIRECTOR: Stephen Hopkins
CAST: Corey Hawkins as Eric Carter, Miranda Otto as Rebecca Ingram, Jimmy Smits as Senator John Donovan, Teddy Sears as Keith Mullins, Dan Bucatinsky as Andy Shalowitz, Anna Diop as Nicole Carter, Ashley Thomas as Isaac Carter, Charlie Hofheimer as Ben Grimes, Coral Pena as Mariana Stiles, Sheila Vand as Nilaa
STAR
Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Lee Daniels – creator and executive producer of broadcast’s No. 1 series, EMPIRE – partners with Tom Donaghy (“The Whole Truth”) to pull back the curtain on music’s gritty and dark reality in STAR. Featuring a soundtrack of original music and stunning music performances, STAR follows three talented singers, desperate for a new start and with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cut-throat music business on their road to success. Meet STAR (newcomer Jude Demorest), a tough-as-nails young woman, who came up in the foster care system and decides one day to take control of her destiny. Star tracks down her sister, SIMONE (newcomer Brittany O’Grady), and her Instagram bestie, ALEXANDRA (newcomer Ryan Destiny), and together, the trio journeys to Atlanta to become music superstars. Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award, Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Queen Latifah (“Bessie,” “Bringing Down The House”) plays CARLOTTA, a surrogate mother to the young crew. Emmy Award nominee Benjamin Bratt (“24: Live Another Day,” “Law & Order”) rounds out the cast as JAHIL, a down-on-his-luck talent agent looking to revitalize his career, who’s taken a certain shining to Star. The series will also feature guest star and Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “The Hunger Games”). Reality soon dawns on the girls’ fantasies, and they start to learn that ambition often comes at a cost. And sometimes that cost is too high.
DIRECTOR: Lee Daniels
CAST: Queen Latifah as Carlotta Brown, Benjamin Bratt as Jahil Rivera, Jude Demorest as Star Davis, Ryan Destiny as Alexandra, Brittany O’Grady as Simone Davis
PITCH
From executive producers Dan Fogelman (“Cars,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”) and Rick Singer (“Younger,” “American Dad”), PITCH is the dramatic and inspirational story of a young pitcher who becomes the first woman to play Major League Baseball. A beautiful, tough and gifted athlete, GINNY BAKER (Kylie Bunbury, “Under The Dome”) is vaulted into instant fame when she’s called up by the San Diego Padres to make her Major League debut. Like any rookie, Ginny must prove herself to her teammates. Foremost among them is MIKE LAWSON (Mark-Paul Gosselaar, “Franklin & Bash,” “NYPD Blue”), the team’s ruggedly handsome star catcher. There’s instant chemistry between them, although neither dares admit it. After all, Mike is captain of the team and a few of his players don’t even want Ginny on the field. One of the players watching Ginny’s back is center fielder BLIP SANDERS (Mo McRae, “Sons of Anarchy”), an old friend from the minor leagues. Guiding her is her agent/confidante AMELIA SLATER (Ali Larter, “Legends,” “Heroes”). Amelia saw Ginny’s star potential early on and left her previous job as a Hollywood publicist to concentrate on the young phenom. Although groomed for this moment by her demanding father, BILL BAKER (guest star Michael Beach, “Sons of Anarchy”), the end of Ginny’s improbable journey is the beginning of an almost impossible one: representing her gender as she embarks on a successful baseball career under the glare of the white-hot media spotlight. It’s a goal hard enough for anyone to achieve – except this player is also a woman, who happens to be the most important historical figure in sports since Jackie Robinson. This season, Ginny Baker will be the other woman trying to break into one of the oldest, most exclusive men’s clubs in the country.
WRITERS: Dan Fogelman, Rick Singer
DIRECTOR: Paris Barclay
CAST: Kylie Bunbury as Ginny Baker, Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Mike Lawson, Ali Larter as Amelia Slater, Mark Consuelos as Oscar Arguella, Dan Lauria as Al Luongo, Mo McRae as Blip Sanders, Meagan Holder as Evelyn Sanders, Tim Jo as Eliot
APB
Police work isn’t rocket science. It’s harder. Inspired by true events, APB is a new police drama with a high-tech twist from executive producer/director Len Wiseman (LUCIFER, “Underworld”) and executive producer/writer Matt Nix (“Burn Notice”). Sky-high crime, officer-involved shootings, cover-ups and corruption: the over-extended and under-funded Chicago Police Department is spiraling out of control. Enter billionaire engineer GIDEON REEVES (Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Justin Kirk, “Tyrant,” “Weeds”). After his best friend is murdered in a botched attempted robbery, and the killer remains at large, Gideon demands justice. Putting up millions of dollars of his own money, he makes an unprecedented deal to take over the troubled 13th District – and reboot it as a private police force: better, faster and smarter than anything seen before. With cutting-edge technology created by Gideon himself, this eccentric yet brilliant outsider challenges the city’s police force to rethink everything about the way they fight crime. But the near-overnight transition to the city’s most advanced police district doesn’t sit well with all of its members. Gideon knows if he’s going to change anything, he needs an ally, whom he finds in OFFICER THERESA MURPHY (Natalie Martinez, “Kingdom,” “Under the Dome”), an ambitious, street-smart cop who is ready to embrace Gideon’s technological changes. With the help of Gideon’s gifted tech officer, ADA HAMILTON (Caitlin Stasey “Reign”), he and Murphy embark on a mission to turn the 13th District – including a skeptical SGT. NED CONRAD (Ernie Hudson, “Grace and Frankie,” “Ghostbusters”), and determined OFFICERS NICHOLAS BRANDT (Taylor Handley “Vegas,” “Southland”) and TASHA GOSS (Tamberla Perry “Boss”) – into a dedicated crime-fighting force of the 21st century.
WRITER: Matt Nix
DIRECTOR: Len Wiseman
CAST: Justin Kirk as Gideon Reeves, Natalie Martinez as Theresa Murphy, Ernie Hudson as Sgt. Ned Conrad, Taylor Handley as Officer Nicholas Brandt, Caitlin Stasey as Ada Hamilton, Tamberla Perry as Officer Tasha Goss, Eric Winter as Scott Murphy
PRISON BREAK
PRISON BREAK is back and ready for its biggest escape yet. In the thrilling new event series PRISON BREAK, original series stars Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper, Rockmond Dunbar and Paul Adelstein are reunited for an all-new adventure spanning the globe and featuring the signature thrills and cliffhangers that were hallmarks of the original series when it aired on FOX from 2005-2009. The original action drama centered on MICHAEL SCOFIELD (Miller, “The Loft”), a young man determined to save his convicted brother, LINCOLN BURROWS (Purcell, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”), from death row by hatching an elaborate plan to escape from prison. In the all-new event series, filmed on location in Morocco, clues surface that suggest a previously thought-to-be-dead Michael may be alive. Lincoln and SARA (Sarah Wayne Callies, “Colony,” “The Walking Dead”), Michael’s wife until he was assumed dead, reunite to engineer the series’ biggest escape ever, as three of Fox River State Penitentiary’s most notorious escapees, SUCRE (Nolasco, “Telenovela”), T-BAG (Knepper, “Heroes”) and C-NOTE (Dunbar, “The Mentalist”), are pulled back into the action. “Prison Break” was an immediate critical and ratings hit when it premiered on FOX in the fall of 2005, garnering Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Television Series – Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama (Miller). The original producing team, including series creator Paul T. Scheuring, Neal Moritz, Marty Adelstein and Dawn Olmstead, will return to executive-produce the new series, with Scheuring serving as showrunner/writer.
WRITER: Paul T. Scheuring
DIRECTOR: Nelson McCormick
CAST: Wentworth Miller as Michael Scofield, Dominic Purcell as Lincoln Burrows, Sarah Wayne Callies as Sara Tancredi, Amaury Nolasco as Sucre, Robert Knepper as T-Bag, Rockmond Dunbar as C-Note, Mark Feuerstein as Jacob Anton Ness, Augustus Prew as Whip, Rick Yune as Ja, Inbar Lavi as Sheba, Paul Adelstein as Paul Kellerman
SHOTS FIRED
Examining the dangerous aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small Southern town, SHOTS FIRED is a dramatic new event series that is a “why done it?” and a “who done it?” From Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Beyond the Lights,” “The Secret Life of Bees,” “Love & Basketball”) and Reggie Rock Bythewood (“Beyond the Lights,” “Notorious”), the 10-hour event series is an explosive look at the criminal justice system. When an African-American police officer kills an unarmed white college student, a small town in North Carolina is turned upside-down. Before the town has a chance to grapple with this tragedy, the neglected murder of an African-American teen is brought to light, re-opening wounds that threaten to tear the town apart. Leading the Department of Justice’s inquiry into these shootings is seasoned investigator ASHE AKINO (Sanaa Lathan, “The Perfect Guy”) and a young Special Prosecutor, PRESTON TERRY (Stephan James, “Race,” “Selma”), both of whom are African-American. As they start to pull back the layers of both cases, they suspect a cover-up that may involve some of the state’s most powerful people, including fiercely political North Carolina Governor PATRICIA EAMONS (Academy-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress Helen Hunt, “As Good As It Gets,” “The Sessions”). She’s in a tough re-election fight, and the recent shootings in her state are making it even tougher. Meanwhile, real estate mogul and owner of a privatized prison ARLEN COX (Academy- and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss, “The Goodbye Girl,” “Jaws,” “Madoff”), is pulled into the case, as LT. ERIC BREELAND (Stephen Moyer, “The Bastard Executioner,” “True Blood”), a seasoned veteran in the town’s Sheriff’s Department, gets caught in the middle of the investigation. SHOTS FIRED tackles the racial divide from all perspectives. As Ashe and Preston navigate the media attention, public debate and social unrest that come with such volatile cases, they learn that everybody has a story, and that the truth is rarely black and white.
WRITERS/CREATORS: Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reggie Rock Bythewood
DIRECTOR: Gina Prince-Bythewood
CAST: Sanaa Lathan as Ashe Akino, Stephan James as Preston Terry, Helen Hunt as Governor Patricia Eamons, Richard Dreyfuss as Arlen Cox, Stephen Moyer as Lt. Eric Breeland, Tristan Wilds as Dep. Joshua Belk, Aisha Hinds as Pastor Janae James, Will Patton as Sheriff Daniel Platt, Conor Leslie as Sarah Ellis, Clare-Hope Ashitey as Kerry Belk, DeWanda Wise as Shameeka Campbell
THE MICK
THE MICK is a no-holds-barred single-camera comedy that gives new meaning to the phrase “dysfunctional family.” MACKENZIE aka “MICKEY” (Kaitlin Olson, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) is a brash, two-bit hustler from Rhode Island who has spent her entire life shirking any semblance of responsibility. Lacking any drive, but in constant search of the next easy payday, Mickey is not without her charms. She’s smart, she’s fun, and despite all appearances, her head’s always in the game. She just needs a big win. That win kinda, sorta comes true when, looking for a handout, Mickey visits her estranged sister and billionaire brother-in-law in Greenwich, CT, but gets more than she bargained for, as this absurdly rich couple flees the country to escape federal fraud charges. In a surprising turn of events, Mickey must assume guardianship of their three high-maintenance and ill-parented children: SABRINA (Sofia Black D’Elia, “The Messengers,” “Gossip Girl”), an ambitious, 18-going-on-30-year-old who is a worthy adversary to Mickey; CHIP (Thomas Barbusca, “The New Normal,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), 13, an arrogant, entitled neo-con-in-the-making with an extremely punchable face; and BEN (newcomer Jack Stanton), seven, an adorably fragile nerd. The life that Mickey has wanted for so long now is within her reach – the mansion, the convertible, the swimming pool, the walk-in closet full of designer clothes. But as Mickey is well aware, nothing in life is free. The price? Transforming these outrageously spoiled children into honest, hard-working, decent members of society – something this foul-mouthed, debaucherous and completely out-of-her-element woman knows absolutely nothing about. Being a mother was never in Mickey’s game plan, but these kids desperately need a parent. And as irresponsible as Mickey has been her entire life, she may discover that responsibility and motherhood aren’t the buzzkill she always thought they would be.
WRITERS: John Chernin, Dave Chernin
DIRECTOR: Randall Einhorn
CAST: Kaitlin Olson as Mackenzie, Sofia Black-D’Elia as Sabrina, Thomas Barbusca as Chip, Jack Stanton as Ben, Carla Jimenez as Alba, Susan Park as Liz
MAKING HISTORY
Produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“Lego Movie,” “21 Jump Street”), and written by Julius “Goldy” Sharpe (“The Grinder,” FAMILY GUY), the new comedy MAKING HISTORY follows three friends from two different centuries as they try to balance the thrill of time travel with the mundane concerns of their present-day lives. Two shows in one, it’s both a rollicking historical adventure, and a contemporary comedy about love, friendship and trying to fit in to an increasingly complex and impersonal world. DAN CHAMBERS (Adam Pally, “The Mindy Project,” “Happy Endings”), a computer science professor at a small Massachusetts college, recently discovered time travel and has been transporting himself back to the 1700s to spend time with the colonial woman he’s fallen for. In the present, Dan is an unpopular nerd. But by claiming song lyrics, lines from movies and stand-up bits as his own in the 18th century, he’s absolutely hilarious – he gets the girl and makes friends. But Dan’s actions in the past are messing up the present. That woman he’s dating is not just any woman. She’s Paul Revere’s daughter, DEBORAH (Leighton Meester, “Gossip Girl”), and Dan’s meddling in the past causes her father to delay his famous ride, which may have altered the outcome of the entire American Revolution. To set matters right, Dan enlists the help of his colleague, CHRIS PARISH (Yassir Lester, “Girls,” “Key and Peele”), a brilliant, polished and popular history professor, who’s now given the incredible opportunity to actually live the history he teaches. Can Dan, Chris and Deborah save America as we know it? Can a woman from 1775 adapt to life in 2016? Can the three intrepid time travelers improve the past, help the helpless, fight for justice and get rich?
WRITER: Julius “Goldy” Sharpe
DIRECTOR: Jared Hess
CAST: Adam Pally as Dan, Leighton Meester as Deborah, Yassir Lester as Chris
KICKING & SCREAMING
KICKING & SCREAMING is a new competition series that teams 10 expert survivalists with pampered partners to face the toughest challenges of their lives. From executive producer Matt Kunitz (“Wipeout,” “Fear Factor”), in association with Lionsgate Television, and hosted by Hannah Simone (NEW GIRL), the series drops these unlikely duos into a tropical jungle in Fiji, where they must overcome dangerous animals, raging rivers, hunger and extreme weather. While these no-nonsense survivalists are accustomed to fending for themselves, there’s one thing for which none of their previous expeditions have prepared them: their nature-phobic partners, who think “glamping” is roughing it. To win the competition, and a cash prize of $500,000, the experts will have to drag their partners, KICKING & SCREAMING, to the finish line.
CREATORS: Matt Kunitz, David Shumsky, Mark Harris
HOST: Hannah Simone
MY KITCHEN RULES
The No. 1 show in Australia for five years running is coming to FOX. The unscripted cooking series will pit celebrity duos against each other as they cook and critique each other’s food, in Hollywood homes. The teams will take turns hosting intimate dinner parties with a menu designed to impress their rival competitors and two professional chef judges, Curtis Stone (“Top Chef Masters”) and Cat Cora (“Iron Chef America”). Celebrities featured on the series include Lance Bass, Brandy & Ray J, Andrew Dice Clay, Brandi Glanville and Naomi Judd. With escalating rounds of competition, the celebrity duo with the lowest score at the end of each round will be eliminated. The last two teams standing will battle it out in the final round for a pressure-cooker evening during which they will prepare and present their ultimate dining menu. In the end, only one team will survive the heat, the drama and the right to claim MY KITCHEN RULES.
CHEF JUDGES: Curtis Stone, Cat Cora
The NBC 2016-2017 primetime lineup will include the new drama series This Is Us starring Mandy Moore (Tangled, Because I Said So), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Gilmore Girls), and Sterling K. Brown (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story). The This Is Us cast also includes Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Sullivan and Ron Cephas Jones. The series comes from Dan Fogelman (Galavant and Crazy, Stupid, Love) and reunites the writer of Tangled with the animated film’s female lead.
Fogelman is writing and executive producing, with Jess Rosenthal, Charlie Gogolak, director John Requa, and director Glenn Ficarra also executive producing.
The Plot: Sometimes life will surprise you. This refreshingly honest and provocative series follows a unique ensemble whose paths cross and their life stories intertwine in curious ways. We find several of them share the same birthday, and so much more than anyone would expect. From the writer and directors of Crazy, Stupid, Love comes a smart, modern dramedy that will challenge your everyday presumptions about the people you think you know.
