Image Credit: Danny Feld/TNTA pair of cable networks could finally upstage broadcast’s Big Four during TV’s traditional upfront week in New York during the week of May 17. Though TBS and TNT (which, like EW, are owned by Time Warner) began staging a programming presentation for advertisers in 2008, the cable nets have a lot more to crow about this year—starting with TBS’ new 11 p.m. talk show starring Conan O’Brien that will bow in November. Given the reach of TBS and TNT, upfront week shouldn’t be limited to just the broadcast nets, argues Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks.
“TBS is the No. 5 network in all of TV, and TNT is No. 6,” he says. “We’ve earned our right to be there.” TNT has pretty much firmed up its prime-time plans for the next year, including new dramas starring Jason Lee (who’ll play an oddball police detective in Memphis Beat), Dylan McDermott (a cop in Jerry Bruckheimer’s Dark Blue), Angie Harmon (she’s a Boston detective in Rizzoli & Isles) and Noah Wyle (who’ll star in a Steven Spielberg-produced alien drama for 2011). There will also be new seasons of Men of a Certain Age, Southland, Leverage, The Closer and HawthoRNe. Doing a drama for a cable net like TNT has become an attractive outlet for actors because a typical season there lasts only 13 episodes – or less. One insider said Men’s second season, for example, is only 10 episodes long because that’s the way star Ray Romano wanted it.
TBS has yet to decide which dramedy (or two) it will pick up to potentially serve as a lead-in to O’Brien. Contenders include Uncle Nigel, a Gary Cole starrer about a Philly police detective; Glory Daze, a period series about four freshmen who rush a Wisconsin fraternity; In Security, about a sibling-owned private-security firm, starring Superman Returns’ Brandon Routh; and Franklin and Bash, which follows two streetwise lawyers (Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar) who join a high-profile firm. Boundary pushing seems to be the name of the game with TBS’ development: Rumor has it the latter pilot shows ample shots of Gosselaar’s naked butt.
Huh? Conan has already proven he can’t draw decent ratings. He’s going to get destroyed by the Daily Show.
Conan had a long life in late night for over a decade. And, the ratings for the Daily Show (outside of election year) are less than you think.
Yeah and the Daily show gets killed in the ratings by anything on HGTV.
Conan had the benefit of NBC and the Jay Leno juggernaut supporting him. Not saying his show won’t have viewers, but he won’t pull in the numbers he used to when he was on the Peacock.
Define ‘decent ratings’. His ratings on any night were beating the ratings for most cable shows in any slot (and that was for late night). I’m not much of a Conan fan, but get a clue. Conan will pull a great audience for his new network.
He merely proved he couldn’t pull ratings opposite Letterman. That hardly means he won’t be taking viewers from Jon Stewart.
It was not Letterman that was the problem. It was Leno siphoning off an audience that would only follow Leno. The rest watched his or her normal tv times. Once Leno came back, he took his audience back with him and combined it with the generic audience that normally watched TV at 11:30 after the news. I can tell there is no logic in your thinking.
Whatever happened to TNT’s plans to do an updated version of “Dallas”?
Somebody shot JR.
Love Leverage!!!
Let’s hope they’ll give us some news about this alien drama.
Scifiwire.com has lot’s of info on this show. Go to their website and do a search on Noah Wyle or Spielburg.
Great…. MORE cop shows…
I’m actually really excited for the Spielberg show. It sounds like the “V” remake we should have gotten.
TBS and TNT couldn’t be #5 and #6, respectively. The four major networks kill them in the ratings, and USA’s scripted shows kill the competition (I know Leverage and Psych were neck and neck, Leverage a little higher, but Burn Notice, Royal Pains, White Collar all do really well). Not to mention NCIS repeats.
TBS and TNT are indeed the number five and six most viewed channels overall that air scripted shows (and we’ll pretend that Fox News doesn’t show primarily fictional, scripted TV for this comparison). In 2008, Disney channel was number 6 in primetime, but not overall.
You keep waving that liberal flag.
Is “liberal” code for “true” now? Awesome!
Nah I was thinking “obnoxious”
It will be interesting to see how many of these shows catch on. It sure sounds like the are trying to play catch up to USA’s original programming. And I also thought that USA was above these channels in ratings. It would be nice to see some drama’s that don’t include spies, police, or hospitals. There has to be more than that to make drama’s about.
Although USA does have higher rated shows, their overall ratings are less. You would be surprised by how many viewers reruns of Law & Order bring in. There’s a reason why TNT airs so many of them!
You left out the Closer, which is easily the most popular show on basic cable.
I love love love Leverage!!! I can’t wait for it’s return on June 20th. No doubt cable TV has the best shows around that they believe in.. I also love USA (Burn Notice is my other favorite). Gotta love summer TV on cable
Will we ever see a Superman Returns 2. with Brandon Routh? I Loved superman returns.
I also love Superman Returns and Brandon, but sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever see a sequel to that beautiful movie, though.
However, I hope they pick up “In Security”, sounds fun and I love Brandon.
TBS and TNT are #5 & #6. No way! USA rules in this house quite often over the big 4 networks. Conan will be a bust. Almost every show mentioned on TBS & TNT is a rehash of the Cops and/or lawyers genre. BORING!!
I saw no mention of My Boys. Is it done for good? I know they have a season coming out soonish, but is it done after that?
get that show with terry o’quinn & michael emerson
I remember when TBS was the “Super Station”. You were nobody if you did not have it. Then it just became a bunch of “Fresh Prince” and “Saved By the Bell” marathons, followed by an ocassional 500th airing of “Back To The Future”.
You make it sound like that’s a bad thing.
I’ve been waiting to hear some news about “Southland”. I had a feeling it would be bad news because the ratings were so low. So I’m very happy (and surprised) that it’s been renewed! Now if we can just get Regina King an Emmy and/or Golden Globe nomination…
ummm. Lynette…Dark Blue on TNT with Dylan McDermott is not a new drama. It was renewed for its second season and is returning this spring. Just in case you wanted to know.