SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Once again, we're in that mid-spring "too early for the new season, too late for the current season" mode where there isn't much news, but we are starting to hear of some cancellations, a reunion of the cast of a popular teen sitcom from the 90s, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

The ABC Television Network will launch an exciting 2018-19 season with a slate of returning hit shows and several new series, beginning with the premiere of the 27th installment of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, Sept. 24 from 8-10pm, immediately followed by the highly anticipated season premiere of last year's No. 1 new drama, The Good Doctor at 10. This fall's new dramas A Million Little Things, which is about a group of friends coping with an unexpected loss, premieres Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 10pm; and The Rookie, starring Nathan Fillion as one of the newest - and oldest - police trainees in Los Angeles, premieres Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 10pm. That same night, ABC will launch two new comedies - The Conners, a spinoff of the groundbreaking show Roseanne at 8, and The Kids Are Alright at 8:30, inspired by creator Tim Doyle's Irish-Catholic upbringing in the turbulent '70s. Single Parents, which is about a group of adults who lean on each other to raise their children while trying to hold on to their personal lives, rounds out the new comedy slate, and premieres Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 9:30pm.

Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, which will pair celebrity kids with professional junior ballroom dancers, launches with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, Oct. 7 from 8-10pm. Rounding out the roster of new fall titles is The Alec Baldwin Show, featuring in-depth conversations with some of today's most intriguing personalities. Starring the three-time Emmy(R) winner, the hour-long show, which first aired as a sneak preview last March, will premiere Sunday, Oct. 14 at 10pm. Friday nights herald the return of TGIF on ABC, which first launched the iconic programming block nearly 30 years ago. The new TGIF premieres Oct. 5 and will feature Fresh Off the Boat at 8 and Speechless at 8:30pm on their new night, followed by Child Support with Ricky Gervais and Fred Savage, at its new time at 9pm.

Shark Tank celebrates its 200th episode and 10th season premiere on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10pm, before moving to its regular timeslot the following Sunday, Oct. 14 at 9pm. ABC's longest-running prime-time drama series, Grey's Anatomy, kicks off its record-breaking 15th season with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 8-10pm, followed by the fifth season premiere of How to Get Away with Murder at 10. Station 19 returns to the TGIT lineup the following Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9pm. American Housewife returns Wednesday, Sept. 26, at a new time at 8:30. Fan favorites America's Funniest Home Videos, black-ish, The Goldbergs, Modern Family and Splitting Up Together complete the fall lineup.

TBS comedy Wrecked premieres its third season on Tuesday, August 7 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). This season, the Wrecked gang find themselves shipwrecked on a mysterious billionaire's private island where they're forced to hunt each other to the death in a basic-cable battle royale. Last season, pirates invaded the island. This was bad news for Danny, Owen and the other stranded airline passengers, who've only recently recovered from the loss of wi-fi, indoor plumbing and Steve's attempted takeover of the island. Season three stars Ally Maki, Asif Ali, Brian Sacca, Brooke Dillman, Jessica Lowe, Rhys Darby, Will Greenberg, and Zach Cregger, along with guest stars Rob Corddry, Eugene Cordero, Jonno Roberts, Karan Soni, Rachel House, Robert Baker, and Will Hines.

Turner's TBS has renewed three of the network's most recent hit original comedy series: The Guest Book, People of Earth and Wrecked. All three shows rank among the top 10 cable comedies with adults 18-49 in Live +7, and The Guest Book is cable's #1 new comedy series of the year. The network's summer series join TBS' previous 2017 renewals, including the dysfunctional family comedy The Detour and police procedural spoof Angie Tribeca.

The Guest Book emerged from Emmy® winner Greg Garcia's habit of writing fictitious stories in the guest books of various rental cabins in an effort to freak out the next renters. Season one stars Garret Dillahunt, Carly Jibson, Kellie Martin, Charlie Robinson, Aloma Wright, Lou Wilson, Laura Bell Bundy and Eddie Steeples as residents of a small mountain town who interact with visitors renting vacation home 'Froggy Cottage.' Executive-produced by Emmy® winners Conan O'Brien and Greg Daniels along with creator David Jenkins and showrunner Norm Hiscock, People of Earth centers on a support group for alien abductees in Beacon, N.Y. In season two, StarCrossed's members must reckon with the arrival of FBI Agent Alex Foster and the discovery that they were all previously abducted as children. The ensemble cast stars Wyatt Cenac, Ana Gasteyer, Nasim Pedrad, Oscar
 Nuñez, Michael Cassidy, Alice Wetterlund, Luka Jones, Brian Huskey, Nancy Lenehan, Tracee Chimo, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Björn Gustafsson and Ken Hall. In season two of the hit survival comedy Wrecked, pirates invade the island. This is bad news for Danny, Owen and the other stranded airline passengers, who've only recently recovered from the loss of wi-fi, indoor plumbing and Steve's attempted takeover of the island. Season two stars Asif Ali, Zach Cregger, Rhys Darby, Brooke Dillman, Will Greenberg, Jessica Lowe, Ally Maki and Brian Sacca.

Everyone needs a happy place and Hallmark Channel offers viewers the perfect escape with the network's premier programming event, "Countdown to Christmas." The annual, 24/7 holiday programming schedule showcases a record 21 new, original holiday premiere movies that are sure to help even the biggest Scrooge recapture the Christmas spirit. From Friday, October 27, until Sunday, December 31, audiences will be able to immerse themselves in feel-good holiday fare throughout the season. Even as the temperatures drop around the country, viewers will be reminded that true love can still burn brightly - even when it's freezing. Whether a returning favorite from holidays past or brand-new yuletide offering, Hallmark Channel's schedule is brimming with tales of love, family and joy.

Returning to spread Christmas cheer are Hallmark Channel's "Queens of Christmas," Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House) and Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls), who have each previously appeared in five original, world premiere Christmas movies for the network. The star-studded lineup leading the new, original movies continues with Catherine Bell (Army Wives, JAG), Lori Loughlin (Fuller House), Alison Sweeney (Days of Our Lives), Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years), Alexa PenaVega (Spy Kids franchise), Carlos PenaVega (The Loud House) and Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House).

TBS's Wrecked returns for a brand new season on Tuesday, June 20, with a special two-Episode premiere at 10p/9c. Wrecked is TBS's hit survival comedy about a diverse group of airplane passengers stranded on an uninhabited island, a dangerous new world where they must face many threats – mostly brought on by themselves. No longer plugged into the rest of the world, the group struggles to navigate their makeshift society while also learning to live without such modern comforts as indoor plumbing, wi-fi, social media and Chipotle. The second season of Wrecked premieres Tuesday, June 20, with back-to-back episodes starting at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), exclusively on TBS.

ION Television announced a deal with global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), signing an agreement for the all-new original series The Detail. The deal gives ION the exclusive U.S. television rights for current and future seasons of the procedural crime drama from ICF Films, eOne and Canadian broadcaster CTV. Production on the 10-episode first season is currently underway. Shenae Grimes-Beech (90210) stars as street-smart Detective Jacqueline 'Jack' Cooper, with keen investigative skills, but a messy personal life. Angela Griffin (Coronation Street) stars as Detective Stevie Hall, a sharp, quick-witted interrogator who is Jack's mentor - even while she balances the demands of work and her complicated family life. Wendy Crewson (Saving Hope) plays Staff Inspector Fiona Currie, the homicide unit's formidable boss, who works overtime to secure justice no matter what the cost.

The Detail joins ION Television's library of scripted original programs, including Private Eyes and long-running series Saving Hope, and a robust catalog of made-for-TV holiday movies. The series also joins ION's acclaimed library of hit series, including Criminal Minds, Law & Order, Burn Notice, Psych, Law & Order: SVU and Blue Bloods. And back to Private Eyes, it was announced about a month ago that ION Television partnered with global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), for that series starring Jason Priestley. That deal makes ION the exclusive U.S. television home for current and future seasons of the drama series - the latest in a string of successful originals to join the network from eOne.

Turner's TBS is preparing to cap its banner year with a week-long binge of the network's hit slate of original comedies. Kicking off Christmas night at 11 p.m. (ET/PT), the 121-hour TBS Binge-A-Thon will showcase every episode of the hit series Angie Tribeca, The Detour, Wrecked, People of Earth and Search Party, all of which have garnered tremendous praise from critics and rank among cable's Top 25 new scripted comedy series of 2016 among adults 18-49. At the center of the TBS Binge-A-Thon will be a nightly primetime showcase, which will shine a spotlight on a different series each night, with a full season of episodes presented with limited commercials from 7:30 p.m. – midnight (ET/PT). The primetime showcase will kick off with the first season of The Detour on Monday, followed by Search Party on Tuesday, People of Earth on Wednesday, Wrecked on Thursday and the second season of Angie Tribeca on Friday. The non-primetime portions of the TBS Binge-A-Thon will be packed with additional full-season stacks of each show airing in rotation around the clock through Friday, Dec. 30.

TBS's new original comedies are part of an extensive brand evolution that began in January with a 25-hour binge premiere for Angie Tribeca. The acclaimed cop show parody was the first of six consecutive hits for the network, which also includes Full Frontal with Samantha Bee in February, The Detour in April, Wrecked in July, People of Earth in October and, most recently, Search Party in November. All six shows have been renewed for new seasons in 2017.

TBS Binge-A-Thon: The Schedule

Sunday, Dec. 25
11 p.m. – 4 a.m.: People of Earth

Monday, Dec. 26
4 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Angie Tribeca (Season 1 selections + Season 2)
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Search Party
2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Wrecked
7:30 p.m. – Midnight: Primetime Showcase: The Detour
Midnight – 4:35 a.m.: Search Party

Tuesday, Dec. 27
4:35 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Wrecked
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Angie Tribeca (Season 2)
2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: The Detour
7:30 p.m. – Midnight: Primetime Showcase: Search Party
Midnight – 4:35 a.m.: People of Earth

Wednesday, Dec. 28
4:35 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Angie Tribeca (Season 1)
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: The Detour
2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Search Party
7:30 p.m. – Midnight: Primetime Showcase: People of Earth
Midnight – 4:35 a.m.: Wrecked

Thursday, Dec. 29
4:35 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: The Detour
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Search Party
2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: People of Earth
7:30 p.m. – Midnight: Primetime Showcase: Wrecked
Midnight – 4:35 a.m.: Angie Tribeca (Season 1)

Friday, Dec. 30
4:35 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Search Party
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: People of Earth
2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Wrecked
7:30 p.m. – Midnight: Primetime Showcase: Angie Tribeca (Season 2)
(All times ET/PT)

Welsh actor Bernard Fox, who was best known for his role as Dr. Bombay in Bewitched, has died. He died on December 14 of heart failure at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California. Mr. Fox was 89.

Fox first appeared in Bewitched as a professional witch debunker named Osgood Rightmire in the 1966 episode Disappearing Samantha. He played witch doctor Dr. Bombay in 18 episodes of the series from 1967-1972. He reprised the role in two episodes of Tabitha in 1977-1978. Fox appeared as Dr. Bombay in two episodes of the supernatural-themed daytime soap opera Passions in 1999-2000. In 1999, he was interviewed for the E! True Hollywood Story on Bewitched.

He guest starred as Colonel Rodney Crittendon in eight episodes of Hogan's Heroes from 1965-1970. Colonel Crittendon was a Royal Air Force group captain whose medals include the Distinguished Service Order, Order of the British Empire, Military Cross and Bar, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Force Cross. He played the dual role of British traitor Sir Charles Chitterly in the two-part episode Lady Chitterly's Lover in 1970.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Make Room for Daddy, McHale's Navy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, F Troop, I Dream of Jeannie, The Farmer's Daughter, The Monkees, The Partridge Family, Love, American Style, Soap, M*A*S*H, What's Happening!!, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, Punky Brewster and Dharma & Greg.

His drama guest appearances included Perry Mason, I Spy, Burke's Law, Twelve O'Clock High, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Wild Wild West, Daniel Boone, It Takes a Thief, Ironside, Night Gallery, Columbo, Barnaby Jones, Emergency!, Cannon, Fantasy Island, The Dukes of Hazzard, Lou Grant, Hart to Hart, Knight Rider, Hotel, Simon & Simon, The Fall Guy, Riptide and Murder, She Wrote.

Fox was also known for his role as Colonel Archibald Gracie IV in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. He delivered the line "Iceberg dead ahead, sir!" while playing the part of a sailor in the ship's crow's nest. He starred as Captain Winston Havlock in the 1999 film The Mummy. Some of his other film credits included Yellowbeard, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo and The Private Eyes. He provided the voice of the Chairmouse in the Disney animated features The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under.

Survivors include his wife, Jacqueline; daughter Amanda; daughter-in-law Lisa, and two grandchildren. His daughter Valerie died on May 17, 2006.

Mr. Fox was a fine character actor. He was everywhere in the 1960s with his distinguished mustache. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us during his lengthy career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Bewitched message board. View photos in our galleries.

Turner's TBS ends an impressive and transformative year with renewals of all six of its 2016 scripted comedies. The network announced 10-episode season 2 renewals of its two most recent critically acclaimed comedies, People of Earth and Search Party, which join the network's previous 2016 renewals of Angie Tribeca, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Detour and Wrecked, in addition to comedy mainstays Conan and American Dad! To reach younger viewers Search Party launched with a unique binge of the entire first season over Thanksgiving week, drawing more than 1.1M viewers per episode across all platforms over five days and growing. The show performed especially strong with millennials with 18% of its audience in the adults 18-34 demo. On VOD Search Party was the fastest TBS original to reach 1M views and delivered the youngest, most diverse audience of any TBS original. The dark comedy about a group of 20-something New Yorkers has garnered a 100% Fresh rating on RottenTomatoes.com, and landed on best of 2016 lists including Vanity Fair, Vulture, Yahoo!, Daily Beast, The Guardian and more. The complete first season of Search Party is now available on tbs.com, TBS On Demand and the Watch TBS mobile app. Another binge of the entire first season is scheduled to premiere during the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Since premiering Halloween night, People of Earth has ranked one of the year's Top 10 new cable comedies among adults 18-49 and is currently reaching 4.3 million viewers per episode across all platforms. The series has continued to grow throughout the season, with episode seven hitting a season high up 28 percent vs. the season average. People of Earth, airing Mondays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) from Emmy® winners Conan O'Brien and Greg Daniels, along with creator David Jenkins stars an ensemble cast led by Wyatt Cenac as a reporter investigating a support group for alien abductees. Looking ahead, The Detour is set to start its second season in February, followed by the third season of Angie Tribeca in the spring, the second seasons of Wrecked and Search Party in the summer and the second season of People of Earth later in the year. In addition, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will continue its weekly look at news and issues as it moves to a new night, Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT), starting January 11. Those shows will be joined in 2017 by the new comedy anthology The Guest Book.

Sticking to Turner news. Turner's TNT has given a series greenlight to Claws, a midnight-dark, wickedly funny meditation on female badness set in a South Florida nail salon. Niecy Nash (Getting On, The Soul Man), Carrie Preston (True Blood), Harold Perrineau (Lost, OZ), Jenn Lyon (Justified), Judy Reyes (Scrubs, Devious Maids), Jack Kesy (The Strain), Karrueche Tran (The Nice Guys), Kevin Rankin (Dallas Buyers Club, Friday Night Lights) and Jason Antoon (Famous in Love) star in the hour-long dramedy from executive producers Rashida Jones (Angie Tribeca), Will McCormack (Toy Story 4) and Janine Sherman Barrois (ER, Criminal Minds), who also serves as showrunner.

Claws follows the rise of five diverse and treacherous manicurists working at the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon, where there is a lot more going on than silk wraps and pedicures. At the center is salon owner Desna (Niecy Nash), who lives with and cares for her mentally ill twin brother, Dean (Harold Perrineau). Desna's staff includes best friend Jennifer (Jenn Lyon), a tenuously sober ex-party girl raising two children from previous relationships; Quiet Ann (Judy Reyes), Desna's enigmatic driver who also provides security for the salon; Polly (Carrie Preston), a mild-mannered preppy who recently served time in prison for identity theft; and Virginia (Karrueche Tran), who makes no effort to hide her boredom and impatience with her job.

TBS and TNT have renewed three original series currently airing on the networks: the critically acclaimed TNT drama Animal Kingdom, the new TBS comedy series Wrecked and the hit TBS comedy Angie Tribeca. First, Wrecked ranks among cable's Top 25 scripted series for the year-to-date and is the #1 new cable comedy among adults 18-49. Angie Tribeca's second season premiere delivered cable's largest increase of adults 18-49 (+41%) for a returning comedy this year. Animal Kingdom is pulling in a young audience profile and has been on an upward trajectory since its premiere. The renewals mark the latest steps in the ongoing evolution of the networks under TBS and TNT President Kevin Reilly, who has set out to energize both brands and draw in younger audiences. Since rebranding in January, TBS has premiered and renewed four new comedies: Angie Tribeca, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Detour and Wrecked. All four rank among the year's Top 10 new cable comedies among adults 18-49, with Wrecked and The Detour topping the chart.

Wrecked centers on a diverse group of plane crash survivors on a remote island where they must face many threats – mostly brought on by themselves. The ensemble cast for the first season includes Asif Ali, Zach Cregger, Rhys Darby, Brooke Dillman, Ginger Gonzaga, Will Greenberg, Jessica Lowe, Ally Maki and Brian Sacca. The second 10-episode season will premiere in 2017. Angie Tribeca stars Rashida Jones, Hayes MacArthur, Jere Burns, Deon Cole, Andrée Vermeulen and Jagger. The first two seasons of the buzz-generating hit about a squad of LAPD detectives is the brainchild of executive producers Nancy and Steve Carell, with Ira Ungerleider serving as executive producer and showrunner. The 10-episode third season is slated to launch in early 2017. Animal Kingdom, which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), stars Emmy® and Tony® winner Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Daniella Alonso and Molly Gordon. Season two will return with 10 episodes in early 2017.

Both TBS and TNT will continue their evolution over the coming year with additional series launches. TBS's upcoming slate includes the new dark comedy Search Party, with Alia Shawkat, and the alien-abduction comedy People of Earth, starring Wyatt Cenac. TBS has also entered the rapidly growing eSports fray with the launch of Turner's ELEAGUE. TNT will follow up its Animal Kingdom success this fall with the premiere of Good Behavior, starring Michelle Dockery as a thief and con artist trying to regain her life. TNT's 2017 slate includes The Alienist, based on Caleb Carr's New York Times bestseller about a serial killer in New York during the Gilded Age; Tales from the Crypt, a new horror block from executive producer M. Night Shyamalan being built around a revival of the Tales from the Crypt anthology series, complete with a re-imagined Crypt Keeper; Will, a period drama told in contemporary style centering on a young William Shakespeare; and Foreign Bodies, a comedic drama produced with Channel 4 and featuring an international group of young adults traveling across Asia. Pilots in the works for TNT include Civil, a gripping political and social drama starring Eliza Coupe, Bradley Whitford, Courtney B. Vance, Toby Jones and Enrique Murciano that finds America on the brink of a modern day Civil War, and Claws, a wickedly funny dramedy set in a Florida nail salon starring Niecy Nash.

Fresh off the recent success of its "June Weddings" movie programming event, Hallmark Channel dives into its first-ever "Summer Nights" event with a new, original movie premiere each weekend for six weeks beginning Saturday, July 23 and concluding Saturday, August 27. The movies feature a roster of talent including James Denton, Hilarie Burton, Vivica A. Fox, Natasha Henstridge, Rachel Leigh Cook, Deborah Gibson, Lauren Holly. Hallmark Channel's new, original series Chesapeake Shores makes its debut on Saturday, August 14, 9 p.m. ET/PT, as previously announced.

Premiering Saturday nights this July and August on Hallmark Channel as part of the network's "Summer Nights" programming event: Summer Villa - Saturday, July 23 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill), Victor Webster (Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce). For Love and Honor - Saturday, July 30 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: James Denton (Good Witch, Devious Maids), Natalie Brown (The Strain). My Summer Prince - Saturday, August 6 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: Taylor Cole (The Originals), Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Lauren Holly (NCIS). Summer in the City - Saturday, August 13 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: Vivica A. Fox (Empire, Independence Day: Resurgence), Natasha Henstridge (Beauty and the Beast, Species). Summer Love - Saturday, August 20 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: Rachel Leigh Cook (Perception). Song of Summer - Saturday, August 27 (9 p.m. ET/PT). Stars: Deborah Gibson (Acting Dead), Robert Gant (Supergirl).

The CW 2016-17

Fall 2016

Mondays
8:00PM Supergirl (NEW Network!)
9:00PM Jane the Virgin

Tuesdays
8:00PM The Flash
9:00PM No Tomorrow (NEW!)

Wednesdays
8:00PM Arrow
9:00PM Frequency (NEW!)

Thursdays
8:00PM DC's Legends of Tomorrow
9:00PM Supernatural

Fridays
8:00PM The Vampire Diaries
9:00PM Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Unscheduled Mid-Season 2017:

COMEDY:
DRAMA: Riverdale (NEW), iZombie (returning), The 100 (returning), Reign (returning), The Originals (returning)
REALITY:

NOTES: The CW has four new additions. They also announced that starting this fall, The CW app will be available to more than 80 million devices on mobile, tablet, and all major OTT platforms, making it even easier to stream The CW’s primetime series for free and without need for authentication.

Also launching later this year is a new vertical on CWTV.com, CW Good, which highlights the causes that The CW’s stars and fans are passionate about, will launch in August. It will be highlighted by the new series My Last Days, an inspiring docuseries about how to truly live, as told by those who are dying. Hosted by Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni, My Last Days features the stories of six real-life superheroes who remind us that having a limited amount of time doesn’t mean you can’t make a profound impact on others. My Last Days will premiere on The CW Network in August, concurrent to its launch as a digital series on CW Good. CW Good content was created in partnership with Wayfarer Entertainment. The second season of My Last Days was created by Justin Baldoni and produced by Wayfarer Entertainment, in association with SoulPancake, actor Rainn Wilson’s media company.


Discuss The CW's 2016-17 lineup and also you can view complete program information.



Turner, the global content leader across all screens and platforms, lighted up The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City yesterday morning with a powerful message that included premium content from its portfolio of top-rated media brands, as well as forward-thinking innovations for advertisers and especially consumers. Turner's message is backed up with some extraordinary results from the company's ongoing efforts to transform the viewing experience, as well as its progressive and industry-leading approach to advertising. Turner's portfolio of leading entertainment, kids, news and sports brands - including Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, CNN, Great Big Story, HLN, TBS, TNT, truTV and Turner Sports - are being highlighted throughout the presentation. Across its portfolio, Turner is delivering rich content experiences that drive engagement across all screens in a way that is most appealing and satisfying to the core audiences using them.

The Turner Upfront 2016 presentation included a number of new announcements that demonstrate the company's commitment to transforming the viewing experience, expanding platform availability and investing in premium content. They join several recent announcements made about new series greenlights and development projects. TNT has given the greenlight to Will, a new drama series about the wild younger days of William Shakespeare. TNT has also ordered a pilot for Civil, a drama about a second civil war in the United States, and cast Niecy Nash (Reno 911, Scream Queens, The Mindy Project) in Claws, a wickedly funny dramedy set in a Florida nail salon.

Adult Swim has ordered a pilot for a new series from Childrens Hospital creator and star Rob Corddry. Last week, Adult Swim announced it has ordered the new live-action series Million Dollar Extreme Presents: World Peace and Dream Corp, LLC, along with the new special Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead. Over the past nine months, Turner has introduced a wealth of new programming with outstanding results, including the hit TBS comedies Angie Tribeca, The Detour and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, the first salvo in the network's extensive rebrand; Cartoon Network's re-imagined The Powerpuff Girls; and truTV's new hit shows Billy on the Street and Adam Ruins Everything. The company also successfully launched the millennial-targeted digital brand Great Big Story. And CNN Digital Studios premiered the new three-part film series Giving Birth in America, as well as new installments of its ongoing Future of Adventure series.

During this year's Upfront season, Turner will roll out 13,000 hours of original content, from high-quality dramas, comedies, animation and specials to world-class sports and news coverage. The roster features nearly 1,000 hours of scripted and unscripted series and specials, including the hotly anticipated TNT dramas Animal Kingdom this summer, Good Behavior in the fall and The Alienist, Tales from the Crypt; TBS's new comedies Wrecked, Search Party and People of Earth. Turner is home to three of basic cable's top 10 networks in primetime and total day with adults 18-49, with TBS ranking #1 in prime and Adult Swim topping the charts for total day.

More than 50 stars from across the Turner portfolio walked the red carpet leading into Turner Upfront 2016, which opened with Anderson Cooper (CNN's AC360) moderating a debate between Conan O'Brian (TBS's CONAN) and Charles Barkley (TNT's Inside the NBA) on the state of today's media environment and the future of television. The talent roster attending yesterday's morning's presentation includes Adam Conover (truTV's Adam Ruins Everything); Rashida Jones, Hayes MacArthur, Jere Burns, Deon Cole and Andrée Vermeulen (TBS's Angie Tribeca); Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman and Shawn Hatosy (TNT's Animal Kingdom); Billy Eichner (truTV's Billy on the Street); Michael Carbonaro (truTV's The Carbonaro Effect); Damien Lemon (truTV's Comedy Knockout); Andy Richter (TBS's CONAN); Jason Jones and Natalie Zea (TBS's The Detour); Eric Andre (Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show); Samantha Bee (TBS's Full Frontal with Samantha Bee); Michelle Dockery, Juan Diego Botto, Terry Kinney and Lusia Struss (TNT's Good Behavior); Kevin Pereira and Brooke Van Poppelan (truTV's Hack My Life); Joe Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn and Sal Vulcano (truTV's Impractical Jokers); Charles Barkley (TNT's Inside the NBA); Wyatt Cenac (TBS's People of Earth); Breckin Meyer (Adult Swim's Robot Chicken); Alia Shawkat, John Early, John Rogers, Meredith Hagner and Brandon Micheal-Hall (TBS's Search Party); Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, Ben Roy and Maria Thayer (truTV's Those Who Can't); and Zach Cregger, Brian Sacca, Rhys Darby, Ally Maki, Ginger Gonzaga, Jessica Lowe, Asif Ali, Will Greenberg and Brooke Dillman (TBS's Wrecked). In addition, Laurie Davidson, Olivia DeJonge, Colm Meaney, Mattias Inwood, Jamie Campbell Bower and Ewen Bremner of TNT's newly greenlit series Will were on hand for the event.

TBS, a division of Turner, has set the premiere date for Wrecked, the network's new ensemble comedy about a group of strangers stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash. The latest in TBS's growing slate of daring new comedies, Wrecked is set to take off Tuesday, June 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) with back-to-back episodes. Wrecked is a single-camera comedy that centers on a diverse group of survivors adjusting to being stranded on an uninhabited island, a dangerous new world where they must face many threats – mostly brought on by themselves. No longer plugged into the rest of the world, the group struggles to navigate their makeshift society while also learning to live without such modern comforts as indoor plumbing, Wi-Fi, social media and Chipotle.

The ensemble cast for Wrecked includes Zach Cregger (About a Boy, Miss March), Rhys Darby (What We Do in the Shadows, Yes Man), Jessica Lowe (Blended, Glitch), Asif Ali (The 4 to 9ers: The Day Crew, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Ally Maki (2 Broke Girls, Hot in Cleveland), Will Greenberg (Cloverfield, Halt and Catch Fire), Brooke Dillman (Superbad, Bob's Burgers), Ginger Gonzaga (Ted, Mixology) and Brian Sacca (The Wolf of Wall Street, Single Dads).

FX has set the premiere dates for its summer comedy series Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll and drama Tyrant. Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, the comedy created by and starring Denis Leary, will begin its second season on FX on Thursday, June 30 at 10 pm ET/PT. The 10-episode second season stars Leary, John Corbett, Elizabeth Gillies, Elaine Hendrix, Robert Kelly and John Ales. Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll centers on "Johnny Rock" (Leary), lead singer of a legendary early 90s New York band called The Heathens. Known for living up to their name, the band partied so long and so hard that even Keith Richards thought they needed to slow things down. The Heathens were on the brink of becoming famous for their kickass live shows and the release of their highly anticipated first album. Until they broke up. The same day the album dropped. Because lead guitarist Flash (Corbett) found Johnny in bed with his wife. So the band became legendary for all the wrong reasons - like self-destructing sooner than any group in rock-n-roll history. 25 years later, Johnny's massively talented daughter Gigi (Gillies) reunites Johnny, Flash, and the rest of their dysfunctional rock and roll family - Ava (Hendrix), Bam Bam (Kelly) and Rehab (Ales) and- to be her new backup band, The Assassins. Together they've got another shot at rock glory.

Tyrant, the drama from Emmy(R) and Golden Globe(R) Award-winning Executive Producer Howard Gordon, will return to FX for its third season on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 pm ET/PT. Tyrant is the story of an unassuming American family drawn into the inner workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation