By Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com, filed Dec. 4, 2014
Atlanta-based UP network is entering the scripted series world for the first time with a hybrid police procedural and family drama tentatively titled "Ties That Bind." It will air 10 episodes.
UP, which focuses on uplifting family-friendly programming, has focused on original movies since it rebranded from GMC last year, including several Christmas films. "The Tree That Saved Christmas" starring Lacey Chabert this past Sunday drew the biggest ratings of any original UP movie in history: 638,000 viewers.
The network has not decided where to shoot the show but Georgia is certainly in the running since the fictional female detective Allison Manchester is based in Atlanta in the press release description. Casting has not been finalized either. Up has to make a decision soon because production is set to start in February with a launch in the summer of 2015.
On the drama, Allison's world is turned upside down when her brother is arrested and sent to prison. She has two teenagers of her own and decides to take in her brother's teens as well.
" 'Ties That Bind' is series about a family, loyalty and the limits of love," said Barbara Fisher, senior vice president, original programming for UP in a press release. "It is just what we were looking for in our first scripted series-- an entertaining show with a complicated lead tackling life's most difficult challenges, while still enjoying romance and wonderful family moments."
It's executive produced by Sheryl J. Anderson ("Charmed," UP's "The Town That Came A-Courtin' ") and Stan Spry (UP's "The Town That Came A-Courtin,' " "A Place in the Sun").
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Earlier this year, Atlanta-based HLN announced it would become the social media channel for millenials.
But the network never really pivoted in that direction. It's still airing Nancy Grace, Dr. Drew, Robin Meade and copious repeats of "Forensic Files." Time Warner was shopping the network around to Vice Media and Glenn Beck over the summer. Both deals died. But Vice CEO and founder Shane Smith hasn't closed the door.
At the Paley Media Council Tuesday, he said bluntly: "There's a lot of distressed media assets out there, some of them in TV, that we can go after. HLN is a distressed media asset. It's a great opportunity because they're doing a very bad job and we believe we could do a better job."
Ouch.
UPDATE: Albie Hecht, HLN GM, and prez Jeff Zucker held a meeting at a local W Hotel (presumably downtown) with staff to tell them the network is "not for sale." Zucker also called Shane Smith an a-hole for calling HLN a "distressed media asset."
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Zack Everhart, a Kennesaw resident and finalist of the most recent season of Fox's 11th season of "So You Think You Can Dance," will have a lovely homecoming Saturday night at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. (Tickets are still available from $37 to $62.)
He's a tap-dance specialist but in preparation for the show, he learned plenty of other styles and was able to showcase his skills to the judges week in and week out with passion and consistency. The tour is set up as a prize for the fans and a victory lap for the dancers minus the pressure of competition. "There's a different energy," Everhart said last month. "We get to meet and greet everybody. We have a lot of fun. We're all really close. My favorite part of the tour has been hearing the audiences. It's an amazing feeling."
After the show's finale in August, he had only five days at home so he's looking forward to seeing family and friends, many of whom will be cheering him on at the sold-out concert.
Once the tour is over and the holidays are over, Everhart plans to move to Los Angeles. "I have a job lined up already," he said. He hopes to take advantage of connections he's made from the show, especially the many first-rate choreographers who put together many of the dances forhim.
You will see plenty of Everhart during the show: he said he will be part of almost half the 56 dances you'll see over two hours.
(The other nine dancers are Bridget Whitman, Casey Askew, Emilio Dosal, Jacque LeWarne, Jessica Richens, winner Ricky Ubeda, Rudy Abreu, Tanisha Belnap and Valerie Rockey)
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