TNT Greenlights Three New Originals

ATLANTA: TNT has given the go-ahead to three new original shows, one of which is an alien-invasion series from DreamWorks Television and Steven Spielberg.

The as-yet-untitled series stars Noah Wyle (ER) as the leader of a rag-tag group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Also starring in the series are Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) as Anne Glass, a therapist who works with the surviving children to help them cope with the traumatic situation; Drew Roy (Lincoln Heights) as Hal and Maxim Knight (Brothers & Sisters) as Matt, Tom’s two sons; Jessy Schram (Crash) as Karen, who is one of the survivors’ motorcycle scouts; and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) as Lourdes, an orphaned teenager who helps run the group’s commissary.

Delta Blues (working title) is an offbeat comedy starring Jason Lee (My Name is Earl) and Alfre Woodard (Three Rivers). The series is being produced for TNT by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon Television. Lee plays Dwight Hendricks, a Memphis police officer who lives with his bother, while Woodard plays a demanding boss who keeps Hendricks on a tight leash.

The crime drama Rizzoli & Isles (working title) stars Angie Harmon (Law & Order) and Sasha Alexander (NCIS). The series is based on Tess Gerritsen’s mystery novels and is produced for TNT by Warner Horizon Television and Ostar Productions. In the series, Harmon plays a Boston detective who works closely with a medical examiner, played by Alexander, to solve crimes.

TNT has ordered ten episodes of each of the new series, with plans for Delta Blues and Rizzoli & Isles to premiere this year and the untitled DreamWorks series is to follow in 2011. This brings the total number of original series on TNT to ten.

"We’re very happy with the quality and performance of our original programming, and we’re excited to be expanding our horizons with these excellent new shows," said Michael Wright, the executive VP, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "These three series—ranging from science-fiction to a quirky drama to a gripping crime procedural—are wide ranging in their appeal and subject matter. They’re rich in character, with great performances and engaging stories. And with their emphasis on relatable, everyday heroes, they’re a great fit with our lineup."