Thursday, June 12, 2014

USA Network Orders Second Season of Sirens; 2 New Multicast Networks Launching in Summer: Escape and Grit

Sirens

USA Network announced a 13-episode order for season two of the original, half-hour comedy series Sirens from Fox Television Studios and executive producers Denis Leary and Bob Fisher. The series, starring Michael Mosley, Kevin Daniels, Kevin Bigley, Jessica McNamee and Josh Segarra, follows a group of Chicago's best EMTs who are rock stars professionally, but struggle to keep their personal lives in order. In its first season, Sirens quickly drew a loyal and consistent audience, earning its place as the top new basic cable comedy series debut of the year among total viewers P2+ averaging 1.62MM and in the key P25-54 demo averaging 870,000. The series renewal comes on the heels of the network's reality series pick up of a second season of hit show Chrisley Knows Best.

Sirens follows the ridiculous and rowdy antics of EMTs Johnny (Mosley), Hank (Daniels) and Bryan (Bigley) and police officers Theresa (McNamee) and Billy (Segarra). Throughout season one, they tackled everything while on the job; from heart attack victims and gunshot wounds to ambulance chasers and doppelgangers, all in life-threatening situations. Personally, things were equally outlandish, between Johnny's inability to commit to Theresa (McNamee), Hank's unsteady relationship with his ex and Brian's over-eagerness and general naiveté. Season one guest stars included Lenny Clarke, Jean Smart, Loretta Devine, Nora Dunn and John Scurti. The series is complemented with an immersive digital experience at usanetwork.com, featuring videos of the Sirens EMTs' unique personal take on all aspects of life -- including different types of "emergencies," such as work, romance and health.


Jonathan Katz - Bounce TV Founder/COO

Two new demo-specific broadcast networks created by Jonathan Katz, the architect and Chief Operating Officer of successful African American network Bounce TV, will launch this summer. Escape will target women 25-54 with a brand of programming that's daring, sexy and anchored in stories of crime and mystery. The network's mix of theatrical motion pictures and off-net series will emphasize heroines and heroes that slip away from pursuit or peril, while providing viewers themselves the opportunity to escape from their daily lives. With a heavy focus on western and war genres, action-oriented Grit will be a new television brand built around the classic male hero archetype. Featuring stars like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris, the network will reach men 25-54 with theatricals and off-network series that are bold, brave and legendary. Univision Television Group, which owns and/or operates television stations in major U.S. markets, will launch both Escape and Grit as a multicast channel on stations representing more than 30% of U.S. television households. Initial markets include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Miami.

We will have more details on the off-network acquisitions soon, but as of now they have acquired the television rights to 135 demo-targeted motion pictures in a multi-year licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD). Warner Bros. drama and thriller titles earmarked for Escape include: The contemporary classic Body Heat starring Kathleen Turner; Demi Moore in Disclosure; the Nicole Kidman thrillers Dead Calm and Malice; Kathy Bates creating Misery for James Caan, based on the Stephen King story; Bates in another King tale, Dolores Claiborne with Jennifer Jason Leigh; Copycat starring Sigourney Weaver; Blink with Madeline Stowe and Cate Blanchett as Charlotte Gray; John Grisham's Presumed Innocent; Michelle Pfeiffer in Tequila Sunrise; Star 80 and more. Among the stars and titles headed to Grit in the WBDTD agreement: Clint Eastwood - As Dirty Harry in Sudden Impact, leading the charge in Kelly's Heroes and also Bronco Billy; Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser; Sylvester Stallone in Cobra, Demolition Man and Victory; Jackie Chan starring in Rumble in the Bronx and Jackie Chan's First Strike; Steven Seagal (Hard to Kill, Fire Down Below, On Deadly Ground and Out of Reach); Denzel Washington (Fallen) and more. Grit also lands such westerns as the John Wayne classics Cahill, U.S. Marshall, Chisum and The Cowboys; Young Guns and Young Guns 2; The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford starring Brad Pitt and such war and military movies as Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, Memphis Belle and Purple Hearts.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, December 10

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)

Friday, December 8

  • Eddie Murphy (The PJs) - Watch Eddie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Da'Vine appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • John Caponera (The Good Life) - John is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
  • Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Triumph the Insult Comic Dog aka Robert Smigel chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals) and Molly Gordon (Ramy) - Noah and Molly talk about Theater Camp on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Eric Stonestreet (The Santa Clauses/Modern Family) - Eric talks about The Santa Clauses on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan sits down with Sherri to talk about his new book, When I Was Your Age, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)

Family Matters - The Complete Series Step by Step - The Complete Series ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

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