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NBC Gives Pilot Order to Military Hero Drama ‘For God and Country’
28 minutes ago
NBC has ordered a pilot for the drama “For God and Country,” Variety has learned.
The drama is described as “a heart-pounding look” into the complex world of the bravest military heroes who make personal sacrifices, while executing challenging and dangerous missions behind enemy lines.
The project hails from Keshet, which is partnering with Universal Television to produce the pilot. Keshet CEO Avi Nir will serve as executive producer on the drama, along with Peter Traugott, Rachel Kaplan and “Tomb Raider” screenwriter Dean Georgaris, who is penning the pilot.
The pickup marks the second pilot to be ordered at NBC, following the drama “Good Girls” from Shondaland alum Jenna Bans. The network still has yet to pickup a comedy pilot, though pilot season is still in the very early stages of ramping up. Earlier today, ABC picked up two drama pilots. So far, ABC has ordered the most pilots for the 2017-2018 television season with a total »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
‘Black-ish’ Spinoff in the Works at ABC
57 minutes ago
The Johnson family may soon be taking up more airtime on ABC.
The network is considering a spin-off of its hit comedy “Black-ish,” Variety has confirmed. The spin-off, which would star Yara Shahidi, would focus on her character, oldest daughter Zoey Johnson, in college. The spinoff, which is in very early stages, would be introduced as a backdoor pilot this spring. Sources stress that this is early development and nothing has been officially ordered yet.
The series is being developed by “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris. For Barris, the development marks yet another project on the mega-producer’s resume. The “Black-ish” creator is looking toward a fruitful 2017-2018 television season, as he has two more hot projects in the works at ABC. Aside from this spinoff, he’s already nabbed an early pilot order for a new comedy, “Libby & Malcolm,” starring Felicity Huffman and Courtney B. Vance, plus has an action dramedy starring Toni Collete in contention at »
- Variety Staff
‘UnReal’: ‘Masters of Sex’ Star Caitlin FitzGerald Cast in Season 3
3 hours ago
‘Masters of Sex’ star Caitlin FitzGerald has been cast in season three of Lifetime’s “UnReal.” FitzGerald will be the first female suitor on “Everlasting,” the fictional reality show at the center of the scripted drama.
FitzGerald will star in season three opposite Shiri Appleby’s Rachel Goldberg and Constance Zimmer’s Quinn King, the producers of “Bachelor”-styling dating competition “Everlasting.” FitzGerald’s character will pick from a bevy of male suitors competing for her affection on national television.
Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro co-created “UnReal” and serve as executive producers on the series. Showrunner Stacy Rukeyser, Robert M. Sertner, and Sally DeSipio also serve as executive producers. The show is the first scripted series fully produced and distributed by A+E Studios.
FitzGerald starred as Libby Masters on Showtime’s original drama series “Masters of Sex” and as Carol on the final season of Sundance TV’s drama “Rectify.” She »
- Daniel Holloway
TV Review: Netflix’s ‘Frontier,’ With Jason Momoa
3 hours ago
The theme music for “Frontier” encapsulates the whole show. It starts a little outsize, with an electric guitar riff over the orchestral strings that we’ve come to associate with adventure shows. But then the drumbeat changes subtly, and a chant-like singing is mixed into the music. The new element is Cree powwow drumming and singing — a warlike song, if not a war song. Against the brash guitar and “epic” strings, it’s at first buried, and then dissonant, before coming together to create a distinct, beautiful sound.
“Frontier,” a Canadian Netflix original debuting stateside this weekend, is a historical epic that capitalizes on the best features of prestige television. It’s sprawling, diverse, and detailed, with an eye towards complicating simple assumptions about its subjects. Because we’re in the midst of a glut of shows touting prestige markers, “Frontier” at first seems to be just another show parading its blood, guts »
- Sonia Saraiya
Abbi Jacobson on How ‘Broad City’ Changed After Trump’s Election, Her New Sundance Comedy
4 hours ago
“Broad City” co-creator Abbi Jacobson is making her first trek to Sundance this year for the premiere of “Person to Person.” It’s a different kind of project for Jacobson — a comedy that’s more interested in human behavior than hilarious gags. But just as “Broad City” focuses on 20-somethings trying to make it in the big city, Jacobson’s character in “Person to Person” is also grappling with finding her place in the real world. In the new film she plays a cub reporter who faces an ethical dilemma while reporting on a murder case for a tabloid newspaper. Michael Cera, Philip Baker Hall, Tavi Gevinson, and Isiah Whitlock, with Dustin Guy Defa directing.
On the eve of the film’s Sundance launch on Friday, Jacobson spoke with Variety about jobs she hated, how “Broad City” is changing after Donald Trump’s presidential election, and what’s next for the Comedy Central show.
How »
- Brent Lang
ABC Orders Pilots for Greg Berlanti Magician Drama, Dan Dworkin-Jay Beattie Time-Travel Show
4 hours ago
ABC has ordered two drama pilots — “Deception” from Greg Berlanti” and “The Crossing” from Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie.
“Deception,” is written and executive produced by Chris Fedak. It tells the story of superstar magician Cameron Black, who, when his career is ruined by scandal, has only one place to turn to practice his art of deception, illusion, and influence — the FBI. Black becomes the world’s first consulting illusionist, helping the government solve crimes that defy explanation and trap criminals and spies by using deception. Berlanti, Martin Gero, and Sarah Schechter also serve as executive producers. “Deception” is produced by Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House in association with Warner Bros. Television. David Kwong serves as co-producer.
In “The Crossing,” refugees from a war-torn country start showing up to seek asylum in an American town. Only the country these people are from is America and the war they are fleeing is 250 years in the future. The »
- Daniel Holloway
TV News Roundup: Raquel Welch and Barry Watson Join Up Series, Food Net Picks Up More ‘Ginormous Food’
5 hours ago
In today’s TV News Roundup, “7th Heaven” alum Barry Watson will star alongside Raquel Welch in a new family dramedy for Up, Food Network tacks on new episodes to “Ginormous Food,” and Tinopolis Group and Lionsgate Television get new execs.
Executive News
David Mortimer has been appointed director of content at the Tinopolis Group. In the new role, Mortimer will be responsible for U.K. content direction and performance and identifying and recruiting new talent (with an emphasis on popular factual and factual entertainment). He will also work with U.K. and U.S. production companies to develop a transatlantic production strategy. Mortimer previously worked at NBCUniversal.
Lionsgate Television has upped two of its business affairs executives: Matthew Kearns and Dan Hadl have been promoted and signed new long-term agreements as executive vice presidents of business affairs. They will continue to report to Lionsgate TV Group president Sandra Stern.
Renewals »
- Dani Levy and Sarah Ahern
Miguel Ferrer’s Cousin George Clooney, Friends and Co-Stars React to His Death
5 hours ago
After news broke of the death of “NCIS: Los Angeles” actor Miguel Ferrer on Thursday, there was an outpouring of emotion and reminiscing on Twitter. The actor’s cousin George Clooney was among the first to pay tribute to the prolific voice and character actor.
In a statement obtained by Variety, Clooney expressed his family’s grief on what he called a historic day for the country.
“Today history will mark giant changes in our world, and lost to most will be that on the same day Miguel Ferrer lost his battle to throat cancer. But not lost to his family,” Clooney said. “Miguel made the world brighter and funnier and his passing is felt so deeply in our family that events of the day, (monumental events), pale in comparison. We love you Miguel. We always will.”
Many celebrities, friends and co-stars joined Clooney in paying tribute to the “RoboCop” and “Twin Peaks” actor on Twitter.
Rip »
- Will Thorne
Mark Gordon Company Names David Brownfield Evp
5 hours ago
David Brownfield has been named executive vice president of the Mark Gordon Company. He will oversee all production activities for the company’s current series and work with its creative team in developing premium television content.
Brownfield served as senior vice president of current programming for nine years, seguing to a production deal with CBS Television Studios in 2013 with his shingle Eleven Stitches Productions. Brownfield’s hour-long drama “The Case Runner” was in development at CBS for the 2016-17 season.
“David is a rare talent whose immense creative abilities match his superb skills in keeping productions on track,” said Gordon. “He is a highly respected and effective executive with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past on ‘Criminal Minds.’ We are delighted to have him steer our programming activities and help us continue to develop and expand our television pipeline.”
Among the Mark Gordon Company’s current series are “Ray Donovan,” “Grey »
- Daniel Holloway
Natpe: Endemol Shine Signs Angie Martinez, Keshet Pacts With Mega
6 hours ago
Endemol Shine North America has set a development deal with radio star Angie Martinez. The pact calls for Martinez to work with Endemol Shine on scripted and unscripted projects for TV and digital outlets. Martinez is known for hosting a weekday radio talk show that airs in New York, Miami, and other markets. She penned a memoir last year titled “My Voice.”
“I’m looking forward to using my voice and platform to develop content that authentically speaks to the culture,” Martinez said.
*
Keshet International has inked a development deal with Chile’s Mega network. The partners plan to develop an entertainment series together to air on Mega in Chile with Keshet handling international distribution.
“Mega is renowned for its innovation in programming and delivering what its viewers want — before they know they want it. So this is a very exciting alliance for us,” said Kelly Wright, head of Latin America for Keshet International.
Keshet »
- Variety Staff
Natpe Wraps as Syndicators Fight ‘Gridlock,’ Biz Braces for M&A Rush and Miami Breeds Drama
6 hours ago
Miami — The impact of Peak TV is all anyone can talk about in the primetime arena. But daytime TV is dealing with the opposite problem: a dearth of new offerings.
Executives who gathered at the Natpe conference this week cited the dilemma that many stations face in having little to choose from in the way of new strips for daytime, afternoon, and early evening hours. One of the biggest impediments is the lack of available time slots in some of the largest markets.
The most crucial stations in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are stocked up with franchise shows as far out as 2020 in some cases. That gives distributors less incentive to roll the dice on a costly new launch if the best time periods in the biggest markets are sure to be occupied for years. And yet there are plenty of middle-market stations out there that are hungry for new material. The »
- Cynthia Littleton
Miguel Ferrer, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ Actor, Dies at 61
7 hours ago
Miguel Ferrer, the character and voice actor who appeared in shows including “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Crossing Jordan,” and films such as “RoboCop” and “Iron Man 3,” died on Thursday of throat cancer. He was 61.
Ferrer was the son of top 1950s singer Rosemary Clooney and actor Jose Ferrer, and first cousin to George Clooney. He appeared on “NCIS: Los Angeles” for seven seasons.
George Clooney said Ferrer “made the world brighter and funnier” in a statement obtained by Variety.
“Today history will mark giant changes in our world, and lost to most will be that on the same day Miguel Ferrer lost his battle to throat cancer. But not lost to his family,” Clooney wrote. “Miguel made the world brighter and funnier, and his passing is felt so deeply in our family that events of the day, (monumental events), pale in comparison. We love you Miguel. We always will.”
- Pat Saperstein
Bryan Cranston’s ‘Sneaky Pete’ Renewed for Season 2 by Amazon
7 hours ago
Giovanni Ribisi’s “Pete” will sneak on for at least another season: Amazon has renewed “Sneaky Pete.”
The renewal comes less than a week after the full first season debuted on Amazon’s Prime streaming service. Amazon claims “Sneaky Pete” had the second-biggest premiere day streaming audience of its originals thus far. (“The Man in the High Castle” holds the record.)
“Bryan Cranston and Graham Yost have done a masterful job of steering the cast to fantastic performances,” said Joe Lewis, Amazon Studios’ head of comedy and drama. “Both the critical response and our customers’ engagement with the series are key factors in our enthusiasm to bring our audience a second season of ‘Sneaky Pete.’”
The series follows con-man Marius (Ribisi) as he takes on the identity of Pete, a fellow prisoner (Ethan Embry) who wowed Marius with tales of his idyllic childhood. However, the family, headed up by Margo Martindale’s Audrey, is »
- Oriana Schwindt
WGA West Awards Susannah Grant for ‘Confirmation’ Script
8 hours ago
Susannah Grant has been named the recipient of the Writers Guild of America West’s Paul Selvin award in recognition of her script for HBO’s Anita Hill drama “Confirmation.”
The award is given by the WGA West to a script which “best embodies the spirit of constitutional rights and civil liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere.”
Grant has also been nominated for a WGA award in the long form original category for “Confirmation.” She will be honored at the Writers Guild awards ceremony on Feb. 19 at the Beverly Hilton.
“From ‘Erin Brockovich’ onward, Susannah Grant has used her extraordinary talents to tell the stories of those whose lives inspire us to be more courageous — and those whom wealth and power would ignore or discard,” said WGA West President Howard A. Rodman. “‘Confirmation’ tells Anita Hill’s harrowing tale with grace, heart, and consummate craft, all »
- Dave McNary
Univision Host Raúl De Molina to Donald Trump: ‘Stand With Us to Unite This Country’ (Guest Column)
9 hours ago
The 2016 campaign revealed deep divisions within America, fueled by the troubling rise of hate and contempt.
As a parent, I have noticed President-elect Trump’s influence on his children. He has mentored them as they joined the family business and launched their own ventures.
They were the centerpiece of his campaign, either by his side or representing him at rallies. I have some thoughts for him, from one father to another.
Mr. President, I believe one of the most important traits we can pass on to our children is empathy. We must have empathy for the hundreds of thousands of people who left their homes behind in order to come here to create the American dream. As parents, our greatest wish is to give our children the best future we can. Immigrants work hard for this, often juggling two or three jobs to keep their families afloat. I frequently meet such people on my travels — the woman »
- Raúl De Molina
‘Cold Case Files’ Revived by A&E With Danny Glover
9 hours ago
A&E has given a 10-episode order to a revival of “Cold Case Files.” Actor Danny Glover will serve as narrator of the true-crime series, which will premiere Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.
Using dramatic reenactments and first-person accounts, each episode of “Cold Case Files” explores a single criminal case that has gone years without being solved. The hour-long series brings in the accounts and insights of victims’ loved ones and detectives who have studied the case.
The original “Cold Case Files” premiered on A&E in 1998, spanning 125 episodes and nearly 10 years.
“’Cold Case Files’ remains one of A&E’s most beloved and successful series of all time,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming for A&E. “The new creative team has infused the franchise with a rejuvenated approach to storytelling at a time when true crime investigation is capturing the nation’s attention more than ever.”
- Daniel Holloway
Mark Burnett’s Ties to Trump Put Him in Tricky Situation
9 hours ago
Donald Trump brings a wealth of diverse business connections with him to the White House. From his years in the entertainment industry, there’s no more significant relationship that he forged than his ties to the prolific and wildly successful TV producer Mark Burnett.
Burnett courted Trump for the role that vaulted the media-savvy billionaire onto the national stage — as the star of NBC’s reality-competition series “The Apprentice” — by emphasizing the inspiration he had drawn from the 1987 book “Trump: The Art of the Deal.”
Starting in early 2004, Burnett and Trump turned “The Apprentice,” and later “The Celebrity Apprentice,” into a global juggernaut that minted profits through brand integration deals and international format licensing. Local-language productions of the show became hits in the dozens of territories to which it traveled. The U.K. edition remains a top draw for the BBC.
Jake Chessum for Variety
In almost any scenario, having a personal connection to the U.S »
- Cynthia Littleton
China’s TV Players Look to Boost Profile in Global Programming Marketplace
9 hours ago
Miami — At a time when television’s import-export business is booming, China is eyed by Western media companies as Shangri-La, a market more than twice the size of the U.S. with some 400 million television homes.
But the business of television is a two-way superhighway. China’s TV production community was on display at Natpe this week as the conference hosted its first-ever China Pavilion. The fact that so much Chinese investment coin is flowing into Hollywood has also heightened interest in building stronger business ties among Chinese and Western production players.
Eighteen companies, including CCTV and a subsidiary of Shanghai Media Group, exhibited their wares on the trade show floor, an effort organized by the Beijing-based China Television Drama Production Industry Association and state entities. Many of those companies are expected to participate in the first-ever Mip China conference set for May in Hangzhou, about 700 miles south of Beijing.
Hangzhou »
- Cynthia Littleton
Inside the Battle ‘For the Soul of Conservative Media’
9 hours ago
In life, Andrew Breitbart was a first-class rock thrower, attacking Democrats and the press with the zeal of a guerrilla partisan. The website he founded, Breitbart.com, did not play by the same rules of combat as its forebears in conservative media, as it generated outrage and scandals with occasional carelessness about facts. While outlets like Forbes and The Wall Street Journal thrived on access to Beltway and Wall Street insiders, Breitbart operated on the fringe, and openly scoffed at the ruling elite.
How things have changed. Four years after Breitbart’s death from heart failure at the age of 43, his creation has assumed a central place in American politics, and is now staring out from the windows its founder once tried to break. It has become, in essence, the mouthpiece for the Trump administration. With that has come an invitation to be in the room where it happens: Steve Bannon, the »
- Gene Maddaus
Network Aimed at Rural America Speaks for Population That Feels Underserved by the Media
10 hours ago
For anyone who wanted to get a handle on the mood among voters in rural America leading up to the presidential election, there was an obvious metric to consult: the price of soybeans. And cattle, corn, hogs, milk, and the other staples that drive the agricultural futures markets. Prices in the past few years have been down across the board. That spelled big trouble for the incumbent party in the White House.
Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of rural-lifestyle and agribusiness-focused cable channel Rfd-tv, saw the revolt against the political status quo coming more than a year ago. So did Donald Trump’s campaign managers. In the final two weeks before Election Day, Trump’s team spent $150,000 to buy every available advertising spot on Nashville-based Rfd-tv. His rival, Hillary Clinton, spent no money on the channel, according to Gottsch.
“You could really see it turning in the last couple of weeks,” Gottsch »
- Cynthia Littleton
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