TBS & TNT Unveil New Series Lineups

NEW YORK: TNT is refreshing its branding, centered on the tagline "TNT Drama. Boom.", while TBS is continuing to build on its current success with new series in development.

TNT is looking to expand its audience by attracting younger viewers and a more balanced male-female composition. The network currently has 14 original series slated for the rest of 2014, including five new scripted and two new unscripted series. TNT also has two new scripted dramas greenlit for next year, alongside a slate of original series in development from producers and creators such as Vince Vaughn and Donnie Wahlberg.

Major Crimes returns for season three on Monday, June 9 at 9 p.m., while Murder in the First makes its series premiere the same night at 10 p.m. The fifth season of Rizzoli & Isles occupies the Tuesday 9 p.m. slot starting June 17, to be followed by the third season of Perception. On Friday, June 20, Cold Justice makes its season two debut at 9 p.m. Sunday, June 22, sees the series launch of The Last Ship at 9 p.m., followed by the season four return of Falling Skies at 10 p.m. The new series Legends makes its debut on Wednesday, August 13, in a 9 p.m. slot. Following at 10 p.m. is season four of Franklin & Bash. Dallas returns for its third season on Monday, August 18, at 9 p.m. Other new series on the fall roster are On the Menu, Wake Up Call and Transporter The Series. The Librarians is set for winter 2014.

TNT has greenlit for 2015 Public Morals, which comes from Amblin Television, and Proof, a serialized supernatural drama starring Jennifer Beals. Among the scripted series in development for TNT are Anonymous, which has Vince Vaughn among its producers; Breed, an atmospheric supernatural drama produced by, among others, True Blood's Scott Winant; and Ed McBain's 87th Precinct, produced by Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Baruch and Rob Wolken. There's also Fix-It Men, Kali, President X and The Shop.

TBS, meanwhile, will continue to leverage The Big Bang Theory as a lead-in for new and current series, including the returning hits Sullivan & Son, Ground Floor and Cougar Town. New to the schedule is the comedy game show Funniest Wins and the recently greenlit sitcoms Angie Tribeca (working title), Your Family or Mine and Buzzy's.

Funniest Wins makes its series premiere on Tuesday, June 19, at 10 p.m. CeeLo Green's The Good Life launches on Monday, June 23, at 10:30 p.m. The third season of Sullivan & Son debuts with back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, June 24, at 10 p.m. American Dad heads into its 11th season in the fall, Ground Floor into its second in the winter, and Cougar Town into its sixth in early 2015.

Series in development for TBS include Good Bread, from executive producer Ed Helms; Jackass of all Trades, executive produced by John Krasinski; and Jake & Amir, an odd-couple comedy.

"Today, we are introducing an aggressive update of our drama brand—our look, our tone and the content behind it," said Michael Wright, the president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "It's time to evolve and grow TNT—and that starts with refreshing the brand and evolving our content along with it. All of it is meant to work together to deliver a clear promise to the audience: If you're in the mood for drama that thrills, turn to TNT."

"'Boom' speaks to the experience we want to deliver to TNT viewers," said Wright. "It's about the thrill of the chase, or overcoming impossible odds and winning the day; it's about what keeps you on the edge of your seat, hands clenched, heart racing, waiting to see what happens next; it's about the moment when it all goes 'Boom!' Most importantly, 'Boom' makes a promise to our audience about the kind of emotional, intense, exciting, funny, shocking, sexy and thrilling drama they should expect from TNT."