Turner Presents First-Ever Portfolio-Wide Upfront

NEW YORK: Turner Broadcasting System brought together its entire portfolio of brands for its Upfront presentation, where it announced plans for a "major TBS rebrand" and a shift in focus for the slate of TNT original dramas.

TNT has lined up The Alienist, an eight-part psychological thriller based on Caleb Carr's best-seller. It comes from Emmy winner Cary Fukunaga, Oscar winner Eric Roth and Oscar nominee Hossein Amini. The network also made two pilot orders: Will, a series about a young William Shakespeare, and Animal Kingdom, a family crime drama.

For TBS, Turner is planning a major reposition of the network's brand and programming, all of which is set to begin by the end of 2015, as well as an expansion of the network's original programming slate to more than 15 scripted and unscripted series over the next two years. The first wave of new programming is set to hit in the fourth quarter of this year, with Angie Tribeca, created by Steve and Nancy Carell and starring Rashida Jones, and The Detour, a scripted comedy from former Daily Show correspondents Samantha Bee and Jason Jones, with Jones starring. Bee and Jones are also developing a new issues-oriented series for TBS. Bee is set to headline the new show, which was teased during the Upfront presentation. Also coming to TBS is the relationship-based game show Separation Anxiety, and two new projects under the network's overhaul: Wrecked, an ensemble comedy, and The Group, from executive producer Conan O'Brien and The Office producer Greg Daniels.

"We’re on the move in a big way at TNT and TBS," said Kevin Reilly, the president of TBS and TNT, and chief content officer for Turner Entertainment. "We're doing a proactive makeover of these networks. We’ll double the number of our original series on TBS and TNT over the next three years. And we'll sharpen the point of view and be even more adventurous in our programming choices."

"The new TBS will have a huge slate of awesomely in-your-face and effortlessly diverse programming, while TNT will continue to deliver great drama and live event specials, but our presentation and portfolio will look dramatically different," said Reilly. "Two big established networks with big resources and a renewed focus and energy, new brand positions, a robust slate of new originals, premier sports and an ambitious new digital platform in the making—it's going to be incredible."

For Adult Swim, the 2015-16 lineup features more than 30 new and returning series, pilots and specials, including a new comedy pilot starring Seinfeld's Jason Alexander. There's also the new animated series TV Sucks from Brad Neely, along with live-action comedy specials from Brett Gelman and Jon Daly, and a new miniseries from Jon Glaser.

Cartoon Network is bringing back its hit originals Adventure Time, Clarence, Regular Show, Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, Teen Titans Go! and Uncle Grandpa. "We are seeing great results with our platform-inclusive strategy to expand the definition of programming across all screens," said Christina Miller, the president and general manager for Cartoon Network- Boomerang and Adult Swim. "Whether in short or long form, there are no walls for how Cartoon Network can be consumed. Digital, mobile and TV have all come together for this new generation of kids, who are very comfortable with the sheer volume of choice; and when you deliver compelling original content and innovative ways of experiencing it, they will find it, engage with it, and share it on every platform."

CNN has two new original series coming in 2016: Declassified, which looks at true stories of America's covert operations around the world, and The Eighties, following on from The Sixties and The Seventies to examine the individuals and events that shaped the decade.

truTV has been expanding its lineup of original programming. Its current hits include Impractical Jokers, The Carbonaro Effect, Fake Off, Friends of the People, Hack My Life, How to Be a Grownup and Barmageddon. The lineup of upcoming series include the scripted comedy Those Who Can't, the half-prank/half-sketch show Fameless and the unscripted series The Hustlers, Santas in the Barn and Six Degrees of Everything. In addition, the game show Funny Or Die's Billy on the Street with Billy Eichner is set to become a truTV original series, starting with its fourth season later this year. truTV just launched MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout, the network's first live boxing series. The network has now greenlit two new series: Adam Ruins Everything, an investigative comedy with Adam Conover, and The Driver's Seat (working title), which looks at what people really dish about in the privacy of their own cars.

"Turner's portfolio consists of leading multiplatform brands, each with a unique voice and identity that is unmatched in the marketplace," said David Levy, the president of Turner Broadcasting. "Our brands deliver content that resonates with socially connected audiences across a wide range of demos, from kids to Generation Next to Millennials to Generation X and beyond. We also have data and partnership opportunities that give advertisers the insight and tools to engage our viewers in exciting new ways. Turner's collective strength and reach across all platforms and demographics, combined with our ability to connect advertisers with viewers, firmly positions us for success today and well into the future."