TBS Goes for Digital Series & Notorious B.I.G. Show

ATLANTA: TBS has greenlit the digital animated series Storyville and a scripted show inspired by rapper The Notorious B.I.G.

Created and produced by Mass Appeal in partnership with Okayplayer, Storyville will feature animated takes on stories told by celebrities. The series will premiere this fall across TBS digital and social platforms.

The network is also developing Think B.I.G., a scripted series chronicling the misadventures of an inner-city teen trying to create a better future for his daughter and infant son. The plot lines for Think B.I.G. will be loosely based on the lyrics of Notorious B.I.G. Mass Appeal is also producing the series, in partnership with Wayne Barrow of Bystorm Films and Voletta Wallace for Notorious B.I.G. Inc.

“Storyville and Think B.I.G. speak to the types of projects we will cultivate with Mass Appeal moving forward,” said Brett Weitz, the executive VP of original programming for TBS. “Mass Appeal is a leader in developing unique stories with diverse voices. There’s no better partner for us to connect with this vibrant, impassioned audience.”

“The new direction that the good folks at TBS are taking is inspiring and totally akin to our position on popular culture,” said Sacha Jenkins, Mass Appeal partner and chief creative officer. “In essence, Mass Appeal’s strength lies in our ability to articulate the innermost feelings of artists and revolutionaries who are in the throes of their most potent creative moments, in a manner that is true to the creators and the movements they help spawn. I think our marriage will produce programming that will inspire a huge cross-section of people to tune in, interact and, in the case of TBS, laugh their asses off.”

Peter Bittenbender, the CEO of Mass Appeal, added: “This deal is a major turning point for our business. With the help of Turner, we will now be able to accelerate our vision of growing Mass Appeal into the premier brand for exploring and expanding urban culture. We look forward to helping inspire cultural ingenuity at TBS & TNT.”