TNT is gearing up for a huge original programming push with nine new series coming to the network. Included in the new slate is the high-profile pickup and new reality series, TNT's first, called The Great Escape from the producers of the Emmy magnet The Amazing Race. Another big get for the network is David E. Kelley's medical drama Monday Mornings, which was made in collaboration with (and based on a book from) CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and scheduled to debut Summer 2013. And to accompany Kelley's new drama, TNT just added two more unscripted series for next year.
TNT is adding both the gripping police docu-drama Boston Blue and the intense survival-based competition series 72 Hours to its production slate with hopes for a 2013 launch. The network gave both series the same 8-episode initial order, and both are currently operating under working titles. Boston Blue is from executive producer Donnie Wahlberg (looks like big brother wants to follow in Mark's footsteps and start producing TV series) and follows the highly decorated 'Gang Unit' of the Boston Police Department. Described as a 'police procedural docu-drama' the series will recreate real life and often large-scale crimes that this elite unit of various police officers encounter every day on the dangerous job.
The second addition, described as a 'high-octane competition series,' is currently going by the name 72 Hours and is from the executive producer ofThe Moment of Truth. 72 Hours drops competing teams (literally drops them from a helicopter) into the middle of the wild where they are given three days (and a GPS) to find a suitcase full of cash. It's kind of like the movie Cliffhanger but without the group of bad guys also looking for the case and, well, trying to kill you. The new survival based competition show actually sounds pretty intense and a good fit to join the aforementioned The Great Escape on TNT's budding reality slate.
Michael Wright, President and Head of Programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies said of the two series,
Boston Blue and 72 Hours are excellent fits for two of TNT's most important audience segments... With Boston Blue, we're looking to grab viewers who come to TNT for such blockbuster originals as The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles. And with 72 Hours, we're going after fans of TNT's action-packed dramas, like Falling Skies and Leverage. We're very excited about moving further into the realm of unscripted dramas with these outstanding additions to the TNT lineup.
