Thursday, March 10, 2016
GSN Upfront 2016 with New Shows Including with Donald Faison; George Lopez Star Joins Sharknado 4
Following four consecutive years of growth, driven by an increasingly aggressive original programming slate and new youthful brand refresh, GSN introduced at its upfront presentation in New York City a slate of new innovative and original greenlit series, specials and pilots. The announcement of new programming follows GSN's most-watched year ever (2015), a year in which the network also added more than 16.5 million new viewers to its air. Additionally, the popularity of the network's skill-based, competitive entertainment shows provided the perfect, organic platform to bolster its social media strategy, with GSN originals enjoying more than 18 million social engagements. Over the past three years, GSN has more than doubled its original programming output, and is introducing another creative slate of originals in 2016. The network will also add a second screen participation aspect to selected original programming later this year. This real-time platform will engage viewers and connect them with the content, allowing them, through their second screen devices, to interact directly with the show and play along in real time.
The executives were joined by GSN talent, including Rebecca Romijn, host and executive producer of hit series Skin Wars; master of transformation RuPaul Charles, who serves as judge on Skin Wars and will now host and executive produce the new spinoff, Skin Wars: Fresh Paint; comedian and actor Donald Faison (Scrubs), host of the new Winsanity; comedian Ben Gleib, host and executive producer of GSN's hit series Idiotest and new spinoff Political Idiotest; and Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka the Twisted Twins, who serve as masterminds behind the scenes on the horror-themed game show Hellevator, returning for a second season.
Going into detail about the Faison series, Winsanity is GSN's latest innovation on the play along game show format. Each half-hour episode features a contestant attempting to rank ten compelling and surprising facts in numerical order, from highest to lowest (i.e.: Which is greater: the number of times a man thinks about sex in a day, or the number of words a woman speaks in a day?). Every time a contestant is correct and wins a prize, so does a randomly selected portion of the studio audience. However, if a contestant gives a wrong answer at any point, they, and the audience lose everything, and a new contestant takes his or her place and continues the game, trying to win prizes that increase in value with each round. Hosted by comedian and actor Donald Faison (Clueless, Scrubs), the series has a 40-episode order.
Syfy and The Asylum announced that Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210) will slay again in Sharknado 4 (working title), reprising his role as shark-fighting hero Fin Shepard, while Tara Reid (American Pie) is set to return as April Wexler to reveal the outcome of the fan-voted #AprilLives or #AprilDies social campaign. The fourth addition to the hit global franchise also sees the return of David Hasselhoff (Baywatch) as Gil Shepard and Ryan Newman (See Dad Run) as Claudia Shepard. Set to premiere on Syfy this July, Sharknado 4 (wt) will take place five years after the East Coast was ravaged in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Fin, his family and the cosmos have been blissfully sharknado-free in the intervening years, but now sharks - and 'nados! - are being whipped up in places (and ways) least expected...
Joining the franchise for Sharknado 4 are:
· Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon, Celebrity Apprentice), as Wilford Wexler, April's father and a lead scientist at Astro-X. He's at the forefront of advances in the field of robotics.
· Tommy Davidson (Black Dynamite, In Living Color), as Aston Reynolds, playboy tech billionaire. Aston is the CEO of tech company Astro-X, developers of a revolutionary energy system that can stabilize the atmosphere and prevent the formation of tornadoes.
· Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris), as Gabrielle, Matt's best friend and a fellow soldier. Gabrielle is tough and no-nonsense, can take care of herself and isn't afraid to show what she's capable of doing.
· Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Melissa & Joey), as Matt, Fin and April's eldest son. After surviving the first Sharknado, Matt finished flight school and joined the Army. He's experienced the events of the last six years from afar and longs to reunite with his American Hero father.
· Masiela Lusha (George Lopez), as Gemini, Fin's cousin. Ever resourceful, Gemini is chock full of shark-busting attitude and is ready to dive into the fight once the sharks hit the fan.
· Cheryl Tiegs (The Apprentice), as Raye, Fin's mother and Col. Gil Shepard's ex-wife. Raye is a little bit of a former flower child, but not afraid to speak her mind or protect her family.
Currently filming, Sharknado 4 (wt) will include a plethora of additional outrageous and surprising cameos to be announced soon. Stay tuned...
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, December 13
Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 9:15PM ET/PT)
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."
Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Dateline" (NBC, 9:45PM ET/PT)
When George's controversial new appliance turns up dead, he mounts a true-crime investigation; Chance tests the bounds of honesty with his family.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Splitting the Hairs" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob, Douglas and Christina try to get Dottie to make a will; Abishola and Kemi's friendship is tested after Abishola catches Kemi in a lie.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "There's My Nigerians" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While Bob and Abishola struggle to pull Dottie out of her depression, Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde come over to lift her spirits.
Children Ruin Everything - "Bedtime" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When James finds an old game console, he and Astrid attempt to find free time to play; but a bedtime routine threatens to eat up all the time between when the kids are supposed to be in bed and when Astrid and James have to go to bed themselves.
Children Ruin Everything - "Drama" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Astrid and James struggle to hold onto their identities while raising their two young children in the city.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 9)
Friday, December 13
- Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy appears on repeats of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC and on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Milana Vayntrub (Other Space), Jessica Lowe (Wrecked) and Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) - Milana, Jessica and Jason are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Spin City/Mad About You) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - NBC's Today catches up with Richard and Fred in the 9am hour.
- Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia talks about Laid on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Christian Slater (Breaking In) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Christian and Sarah are sitting down with Drew to talk all about working together on Dexter: Original Sin on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Lisa Kudrow (No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/The Comeback/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa talks about chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Tom Selleck (The Closer) and Donnie Wahlberg (Return of the Mac) - Tom and Donnie discuss the series finale of Blue Bloods on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Nancy McKeon (The Facts of Life/Can't Hurry Love) - Nancy will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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