TNT Aims to Turn Bold Strategy Into Emmys
14/08/2018
The Emphatic Showing by TNT in the recent Emmy nominations, with The Alienist in the running for a half-dozen trophies, was a noisy announcement that the network's strategy of offering more ambitious originals is paying off. With Kevin Reilly, president of TNT and TBS and chief creative officer at Turner Entertainment, calling the shots, TNT has swapped out closed-ended procedural original series, such as Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles, in favor of bolder serialized dramas that offer what Sarah Aubrey, executive VP of original programming, calls a deeper dive into story.
Those original series include Claws, Animal Kingdom and Snowpiercer. That's what audiences have an appetite for, Aubrey said.
Slowly but surely, TNT's originals slate is looking more like that of a premium cable network. Late last month, the Turner network picked up two more unique projects: Constance, produced by Robert Downey Jr. and starring Elisabeth Shue as a former beauty queen turned small-town bureaucrat; and Beast Mode, about a brilliant yet damaged female boxing trainer.
The Alienist, a look at a serial killer preying on street kids in late 1800s Manhattan, and the brainy gumshoes tracking him down, was first up in the TNT Suspense Collection. The series was based on the Caleb Carr novel.
The second series under the Suspense rubric is I Am the Night, debuting in January. That one tells the story of a teenage girl, played by India Eisley, given away at birth who starts to investigate the secrets of her past. She and a down-and-out reporter, played by Chris Pine, end up facing off with a Los Angeles gynecologist involved in dark debauchery. It's a very worthy successor to The Alienist, Aubrey said. It's really juicy storytelling mixed with quality acting.
TNTs "Animal Kingdom"
Spending Money to Make Money
As befits original series with premium cable ambitions, the newer TNT series have heftier budgets than their predecessors. Published reports had pegged The Alienist at $9 million an episode, before tax credits, which TNT did not dispute. Animal Kingdom and Claws, on the other hand, are very reasonably priced, according to Aubrey, who would not divulge figures.
We're very proud of how much bang for the buck we get, she added, and what we get on screen for what we pay.
Last month, TNT renewed Animal Kingdom for season four (Denis Leary was a guest star in the third season), and Claws for season three.
To be sure, not all of TNT's bold originals have found an audience. Will, a look at Shakespeare in London before he established himself as a pre-eminent playwright, did not see a second season after its initial run last summer. TNT has not decided whether Good Behavior, starring former Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery as ex-con grifter Letty Raines, will return for season three.
Ending their runs on TNT recently were Major Crimes, a spinoff of The Closer, after six seasons; and adventure drama The Librarians after four.
Aubrey, who was a producer on NBC drama Friday Night Lights, came on board at TNT in early 2015, months after Reilly took over. Among the originals she's excited about are Tell Me Your Secrets, a thriller about a woman who falls in love with a serial killer, and Snowpiercer, which stars Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs and starts next summer. She describes the latter as post-apocalyptic meets Willy Wonka.
Dr. Jeffrey Jones, executive director of the Peabody Awards, suggested the TNT shows are on his radar screen. Kevin Reilly is taking a lot more chances, he said. He's done a good job of leaning Turner into more aggressive programming.
Life of Reilly
Reilly is a well accomplished hit-maker. He started at Turner Entertainment late in 2014 after a run as entertainment chairman at both Fox and NBC. Reilly was an early proponent of cutting back on commercial loads at TNT, making the viewer experience a wee bit closer to that at HBO or Netflix, and elevating the effectiveness of the ads that do play. The newer TNT dramas see eight to 10 minutes of commercials. Aubrey notes that the 50 to 52 minutes of content is similar to what one might see on HBO. I think that's the sweet spot, she said.
The Alienist's Emmy nominations include outstanding limited series. It's not TNT's first series to get nominated for an Emmy; Aubrey said The Closer was previously singled out.
The common ground among TNT's new series, besides their serialized nature, is distinct characters. They're more complicated, Aubrey said. They're not all good and they're not all bad.
Why This Matters: Plans to reinvent a network don't often work, but when they do, the industry watches carefully.
The Emphatic Showing by TNT in the recent Emmy nominations, with The Alienist in the running for a half-dozen trophies, was a noisy announcement that the network's strategy of offering more ambitious originals is paying off. With Kevin Reilly, president of TNT and TBS and chief creative officer at Turner Entertainment, calling the shots, TNT has swapped out closed-ended procedural original series, such as Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles, in favor of bolder serialized dramas that offer what Sarah Aubrey, executive VP of original programming, calls a deeper dive into story. Subscribe for full article
Member Exclusive
Get Access to Our Exclusive Content
Learn MoreAlready subscribed? Log In
LINK: | https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/tnt-aims-to-turn-bold-strategy-... |
See more stories from bandc |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
19/05/2024
TV Techs Weekly Product Wrap-Up
Missed any of our product coverage during your busy week? The TV Tech weekly product and services news wrap-up provides links to all of our coverage from May 13...
19/05/2024
The CW Shares Its 2024-2025 Lineup
LeVar Burton will host the new game show Trivial Pursuit on The CW, while Raven-Symon will host Scrabble....
19/05/2024
Biden, Trump Agree to Debates on CNN, ABC
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to debates, set for June 27 on CNN and September 10 on ABC....
19/05/2024
End of the Line for Young Sheldon' on May 16
Young Sheldon signs off after seven seasons on CBS, when the series finale airs Thursday, May 18. Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik reprise their roles as Sheldon Co...
18/05/2024
If Bundling Is Back, What's the Ideal Bundle?
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. Bundling is back in a big way, with all the major streaming companies and many pay TV operators exploring ways to simplify the consumer experie...
18/05/2024
FCC to Vote on LPTV Rules during June Open Meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting schedule...
18/05/2024
Matthews Launches New Multipurpose Grip Rail Telescopic Grid Pipe Solution
Matthews Studio Equipment has introduced Grip Rail, which the company said offers a better way to mount equipment on location, in the studio, or on the fly....
18/05/2024
IAB Tech Labs, Google Partner on New First Party Data Solution
In a notable development in the industry-wide effort to address privacy concerns while improving efficacy of marketing efforts in a cookieless ad landscape, IAB...
18/05/2024
TV Tech Weekly Product Wrap-Up
Missed any of our product coverage during your busy week? The TV Tech weekly product and services news wrap-up provides links to all of our coverage from May 13...
18/05/2024
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image: the DHD DX2 base and expansion modules Latest-generation ...
17/05/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne's Camden Site Leverages Modernization Investments to Accelerate Solid Rocket Motor Production
Aerojet Rocketdyne has worked to modernize facilities at its Camden, Arkansas, l...
17/05/2024
FCC Plans to Revise LPTV Rules
The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise rules governing low power TV stations (LPTV) in a number of areas, including online ...
17/05/2024
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4 Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments With the spring release of Maxon One, we...
17/05/2024
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image credit: 2023 TOHO CO., LT...
17/05/2024
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Live event productions only happen once, which ...
17/05/2024
Meet the product manager
Muster Ngobi, product manager at LYNX Technik tells TVBEurope how the ever-evolving media industry provides a truly dynamic working environment By Matthew Corr...
17/05/2024
TV, Streaming Schedule for 2024 NFL Regular Season Is Released
NEW YORK As declines in linear TV viewing make the ongoing popularity of live sports, particularly football, central to financial success of the TV industry, th...
17/05/2024
Netflix Ad Tier Hits 40M Monthly Active Users
During Netflixs second Upfront presentation to advertisers, Amy Reinhard, Netflix's president of advertising, walked advertisers through the continued growt...
17/05/2024
Scripps Promotes Jeff Kiernan to VP, Local News
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company has added to its leadership team for news by promoting Jeff Kiernan a veteran journalist and general manager of Scripps'...
17/05/2024
Survey: New Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streamer May Hurt Pay TV Sub Counts
Top executives from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have consistently insisted that their joint venture to launch the Venu Sports streaming bundle in the...
17/05/2024
Caitlin Clark's WNBA Debut Set Viewing Records
ESPN has announced that its coverage of Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut in the Indiana Fever versus the Connecticut Sun season opener was the most-watched WNBA g...
17/05/2024
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Brie Clayton May 16, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design announced today that Yoic...
17/05/2024
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vook, and Vancouver Film School
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vo...
17/05/2024
WBD Upfront Show Offers Peeks at House of the Dragon,' White Lotus,' Biden-Trump Debate
The Warner Bros. Discovery upfront presentation took place Wednesday, May 15 at ...
17/05/2024
The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson Set To Perform on The Voice' Finale
Season 25 of The Voice wraps on NBC Tuesday, May 21, with performances from The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson, Lainey Wilson, Muni Long, Thomas Rhett and ...
17/05/2024
CNN Boss Mark Thompson's Plan Includes More News in More Categories on More Devices (Upfronts)
New CNN CEO Mark Thompson spelled out his plan for the struggling news network d...
17/05/2024
Netflix To Launch In-House Advertising Tech Platform
Netflix, a newcomer to the advertising business, said it plans to launch an in-house advertising technology platform....
17/05/2024
Netflix Plots TV Takeover at Upfront Presentation
Netflix shared some programming projects at an upfront presentation in New York. Those include the basketball-themed comedy series Running Point, a Mindy Kaling...
17/05/2024
Plex Geek Week Sale Offers 20% Off Plex Lifetime Pass
Plex is offering movie and music collectors a 20% discount off its Lifetime Plex Pass as part of its Geek Week sale....
17/05/2024
GroupM Names Toby Jenner as President, GroupM Clients
Giant media buyer GroupM said it named Toby Jenner as global president, Group M Clients, a new position at the company....
17/05/2024
Clients of Independent Agencies Boost Programmatic Buying
Smaller advertisers are increasingly buying connected TV programmatically, according to a new report from FreeWheel, Comcast's ad-tech unit....
17/05/2024
TCLtvPlus Adds Streaming Music Channels From Vevo
TCLtvPlus, the streaming app on smart TVs made by TCL, has added live linear channel from music-video programmer Vevo....
17/05/2024
StackAdapt Adopts Data From Samba TV for Programmatic Campaigns
StackAdapt said it made a deal to integrate data from Samba TV into its programmatic advertising platform....
17/05/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa gets a rude awakening when Kgosi blackmails him
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa gets a rude awakening when Kgosi blackmails himDon't miss Friday, 17 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem ...
17/05/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her wedding dress
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her w...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsettled
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsett...
17/05/2024
Save Time and Money with WO Traffic v24.0
WO Traffic provides a solid foundation from which stations can manage, execute, and scale end-to-end ad trafficking and sales, both today and into the future. W...
17/05/2024
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Sports Grow
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Spo...
17/05/2024
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, Ecosystem
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, E...
17/05/2024
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNB...
17/05/2024
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They Produce Live Gymnastics Broadcasts
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They...
17/05/2024
Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for 'Bridgerton' Season 3: Part 1
Back to All News Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for...
17/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
17/05/2024
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothers
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothersThabo Mthembu was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2014 to 2019. Read Thabo's story by Thabo Mthembu 17-05-20...
17/05/2024
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musician
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musicianMusic icon Paul McCartney has become the UK's first billionaire musician, according to the Sunday ...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging Petunia
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging PetuniaDon't miss Friday, 17 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Smoke ...
17/05/2024
RT'S Operation Transformation comes to a close after 17 seasons
RT has today announced that Operation Transformation (OT) is to end after 17 seasons. As series come to an end each year, RT undertakes an editorial review to...
17/05/2024
Studio One: Your Binaural Beats Lab
By Craig Anderton When I heard about binaural beats, I was interested-I like beats, and I'm into binaural audio. But this has nothing to do with either o...