TNT released their 2008 - 2009 Fall TV schedule this week and from the notes in their press release it sounds like they’re working hard to come up with their own original programming for most nights. This worries me for my multi-hour Law & Order nightly marathons! So there will be a lot of new shows on TNT between now and 2010 to go along with the return of Saving Grace and The Closer.
Here are the new announcements for additional new shows on TNT:
- DELTA BLUES (working title) tells the tale of an outstanding but unusual Memphis cop: an Elvis impersonator who lives at home with his mother. DELTA BLUES comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television and SmokeHouse and is executive-produced by George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck), Abby Wolf-Weiss, Liz Garcia and Josh Horto. The series is written by Garcia and Horto.
- MORSE CODE (working title) is a crime drama about a young war hero/Drug Enforcement Administration officer who works in his hometown of Boston. The pilot is from Warner Horizon Television and is expected to star Donnie Wahlberg (Boomtown). It will be produced by Wahlberg, Jon Avnet (Boomtown, The Starter Wife) and Walon Green (Law & Order, ER), with Green writing and Avnet anticipated to direct.
- UNTITLED JOEL SURNOW PROJECT is a fast-paced, gritty drama about the life of an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The pilot is being executive-produced and written by Joel Surnow (co-creator of 24) and Todd Robinson.
- ANGEL CITY (working title) features six cops in three cars during one shift, in the spirit of such classic dramas as Adam-12 and Hill Street Blues. The show, conceived by Los Angeles police officer Will Beall, will be written by Beall and Barry Schindel (Law & Order) and directed by Steve Schill (Dexter). ANGEL CITY comes to TNT from Mandalay Television.
- TOUGH TRADE is a dramatic but humorous look at the Nashville music scene. The show, which focuses on a family of country stars who live like the lyrics to a country song, comes to TNT from Lionsgate Television. It is written by novelist Chris Offutt and executive-produced by Offutt, Sean Furst and Bryan Furst.
- UNTITLED ROB ULIN PROJECT is a quirky yet authentic family drama in the mold of Little Miss Sunshine. It is is executive-produced by Rob Ulin (Roseanne, Malcolm in the Middle).
Previously announced, though I missed it, were three other series coming to TNT:
- RAISING THE BAR is a new legal drama series from Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue). The series comes to TNT from ABC Studios and stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue), Gloria Reuben (ER) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle).
- LEVERAGE is an action-packed drama series starring Oscar® winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, Nero Wolfe) and executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT’s The Librarian movie franchise) and John Rogers (Transformers). The series comes to TNT from Electric Entertainment.
- TRUTH IN ADVERTISING stars Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Tom Cavanagh (Ed). The series comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television. It is executive-produced by Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny (all of TNT’s The Closer) and written by Baldwin and Coveny.
A few more shows have episodes ordered, but I can’t tell when they’ll be arriving though it probably won’t be this fall. First up is the return of Ray Romano to television (hopefully it’ll be more successful than the canceled show of his previous TV wife, Patricia Heaton) in Men Of A Certain Age which centers around three middle age men. That could be good, but we’ll have to wait and see who the other two men are.
Lastly, TNT is getting into some reality TV with an unscripted series called Wedding Day. Yikes! This one sounds like it’ll leave some folks crying. The most deserving couple, presumably from a group like in Survivor or Big Brother, will get the wedding of their her dreams.
So obviously a lot going on over there at TNT. Smart move to start stocking up on their own shows, but please just leave me a few L&O scraps!
Posted on: Friday, May 16, 2008
June 13th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
FINALLY……….MARK PAUL GOSSELAAR BACK IN A DRAMA SERIES….THANK YOU TNT
August 30th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
You can’t take away the Law and Order.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Are going to be seen only on digital, and if so, when. I don’t want to miss the new shows and The Closer. Thank you.
November 12th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Jeanne, if you’re referring to the digital signal transition in February 2009 which will affect non-cable channels then you should only be concerned if your television is receiving over-the-air analog broadcasts. If you have secured the proper equipment this transition should be seamless.
Since TNT is not a standard network (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, etc.) you are already only watching this show if you have cable/satellite/etc. and therefore are already prepared for the transition.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I don’t know what it is; maybe I’m getting older, but these new shows just don’t cut it. To wit: LEVERAGE has been touted insesently for the last 2 months. I watched it for 15 min. and here I am…typing this email; nothing but boring sis boom bang..fizzle.
CLOSER…see above. Give me somebody like….Lenny. Now I can ID with him.
Goodby….
December 17th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Just goes to show you that George Bush isn’t the only George that is a bit “out of touch”. Thanks TNT for the new show “leverage”. You woke me up AGAIN!!!!!
December 17th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Please delete my name from your responses/requests on this page, and delete my name from your mailing lists. Thanks Jeanne Basham
December 17th, 2008 at 11:23 am
@Jeanne: If you’re receiving followup comments on this post you’ll need to click the link at the bottom of those emails to unsubscribe from this thread. Since it was self-initiated I can’t remove you nor are you on any other mailing lists, unless you signed up for those yourself as well.
January 11th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Tery, being entertained by LEVERAGE tells me 2 things; you’re still asleep and your brains have turned to mush. Wake up and smell the coffee. Sorry, I forgot, the 35 and under crowd doesn’t drink coffee.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:53 am
As I sit here, well under 35, drinking my morning coffee I remember the episodes of “Leverage” I’ve watched and how much I enjoyed them. TNT is doing a great job with new programming. Better track record this season than most networks.
February 13th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Relax, Kathy O’Connor
The Law and Order isn’t going anywhere. Lenny, my hero is gone, but his legasy lives on. If Law and Order isn’t on, I turn off the TV or flip to another channel. TNT, you’ve got a good thing going….don’t let the under 40 crowd screw it up!!!
May 19th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Ok producers, I’m back and conducting class with grades.
Here you go; listen up and take notes.
Leaverage—-> EEEEEEEE Comment; BORING
Closer——–> EEEEEEEE Comment; SUPER BORING
Law and Order—–> A+, A+,A+++
Now these folks on L&O I can ID with!!!
I promise; if you keep up the good work, I’ll keep watching and buying the products of your advertisers, Cialis and Viagra included.
June 28th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I keep seeing that the Closer is supposed to be on TNT on Monday nights as 9:00 pm followed by Raising the Bar. However, all I get is Raising the Bar at 9:00 and no Closer. When is Closer going to start their new series?