Thursday, June 12, 2014
USA Network Orders Second Season of Sirens; 2 New Multicast Networks Launching in Summer: Escape and Grit
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.
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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, August 8
Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.
Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."
Electric Bloom - "How It All Came Out in the Wash" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Jade and Posey experience opposite feelings about their first crushes. Meanwhile, Tulip discovers an exciting new talent.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 4)
Friday, August 8
- Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Renée Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Renée appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Pamela is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) - Marc appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) and Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) - Gillian and Paul are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers) - Steve talks about Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Kelsey Grammer (Frasier/Partners/Hank/Back to You/Cheers) - Kelsey talks about his book Karen: A Brother Remembers on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie is a guest on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers perform in the Citi Concert Series on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Christopher Lloyd (Taxi/Stacked) - NBC's Today catches up with Christopher in the 9am hour.
- Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Sketch on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) - Oliver is a guest on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) - Jack talks about HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
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