Your Entertainment Corner

Lifetime Releases Aggressive New Line-Up for the 2011-12 Season

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  • May 13, 2011

  • 13 mins to read

It looks like the Lifetime Network wants to play with the big boys with its new programming slate for the upcoming 2011-12 season. Since I’m a fan of the network’s original series, Army Wives and Drop Dead Diva, both of which have been renewed, as well as reality shows, Project Runway and Coming Home, I couldn’t be happier. Joining the aforementioned scripted shows will be The Protector, starring Ally Walker and Tisa Campbell-Martin, along with Against the Wall, with Rachael Carpani, Treat Williams and Kathy Baker. Both shows premiere this summer. Lifetime has also ordered drama pilot Modern Love from Emmy® and Golden Globe award winner, writer/executive producer, Jenny Bicks (The Big C, Sex and the City).

Lifetime is also growing its unscripted (aka reality) series to 11, three times the amount of reality hours currently on the network. Project Runway, One Born Every Minute and Coming Home will be returning, and new shows, Vanished with Beth Holloway, Love Handles, Brighton Beach, The Conversation, Dance Moms, The Day that Changed My Life, Project Runway All-Stars, Project Accessory, Roseanne’s Nuts, To Live & Buy, and The Tracey Gold Project (working title) have been added to the line-up.

For a synopsis of these shows, read the official release below.

Regarding the announcement, Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks, said, “We have made great strides over the last year shaping our programming strategy to partner with proven producers and talent on quality dramas, reality series and movies.  This diverse slate built upon great stories and characters is the right mix of bold, confident and relevant programming viewers can expect from Lifetime.”

Highlighting the network’s scripted growth are the summer 2011 launches of the character-based procedural dramas The Protector (formerly Exit 19) and Against the Wall.  The Protector centers on divorced mother Gloria Sheppard (Ally Walker, Sons of Anarchy, Profiler), who juggles her demanding personal and professional life as an intuitive LAPD homicide detective while raising two boys with the help of her troubled younger brother Davey (Chris Payne Gilbert, Dexter, Bones).  Co-starring Tisha Campbell-Martin (Rita Rocks, My Wife and Kids) as Gloria’s partner and Miguel Ferrer (Crossing Jordan, Traffic) as their boss, The Protector is from ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.  Writer Jeffrey Bell (V), Nina Wass (Less than Perfect) and Gene Stein (Accidentally on Purpose) executive produce.

In Against the Wall, starring Rachael Carpani (The Glades, NCIS: Los Angeles), Treat Williams (127 Hours, Everwood) and Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award winner Kathy Baker (Picket Fences, Medium), loyalty is put to the test when Chicago police detective Abby Kowalski (Carpani) causes a rift within her close knit, blue collar family of cops when she decides to join the department’s Internal Affairs division.  Nancy Miller (Saving Grace, CSI: Miami) executive produces the series from Universal Cable Productions, with creator/writer Annie Brunner (Saving Grace, Huff) serving as supervising producer.

Cast of "Drop Dead Diva"

Lifetime’s comedic-drama Drop Dead Diva, featuring breakout star Brooke Elliott (Wicked) and Margaret Cho (Ghost Whisperer), is set to return for its third season on Sunday, June 19.  The critical-darling tells the story of a shallow wannabe model who dies in a sudden accident, only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney.  Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Drop Dead Diva also stars Jackson Hurst (Living Proof), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man), and is executive produced by its creator Josh Berman (Bones), as well as Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago) and Alex Taub (Eli Stone).

The ladies of "Army Wives"

Army Wives, the number one drama on cable among Women 18-49 currently averaging 3.7 million Total Viewers in its fifth season, follows the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women and one man living with their spouses and families on an active army post.  The series stars Kim Delaney (NYPD Blue), Sally Pressman (My Best Friends’ Girl), Brigid Brannagh (Kindred: The Embraced), Brian McNamara (Billionaire Boys Club), Sterling K. Brown (Starved), Wendy Davis (High Incident), Drew Fuller (Charmed), Terry Serpico (Rescue Me) and Catherine Bell (Lifetime’s Last Man Standing).  Produced by ABC Studios and The Mark Gordon Company, Army Wives is executive produced by Mark Gordon (Grey’s Anatomy), Deborah Spera (Criminal Minds) and Jeff Melvoin (Alias).

To further grow its scripted slate, Lifetime has ordered the drama pilot Modern Love, which follows newspaper science editor Simon McElvane as he faces a deteriorating marriage, the ramifications of potentially starting over and balancing his relationship with his adopted 15-year-old daughter.  Unexpectedly handed the job of editor of the newspaper’s Modern Love column, Simon discovers he has a lot to learn about life and love.  The show will weave in actual column stories, optioned from the New York Times, and will explore the state of our complicated and modern relationships.  Created and executive produced by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Jenny Bicks (The Big C, Sex and the City).  Bicks executive produces with Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Gene Stein and Alan Poul (Six Feet Under, Swingtown).  The pilot will be produced by Sony Pictures Television and BermanBraun.

Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum, hosts of "Project Runway"

In the unscripted arena, Lifetime’s Emmy nominated hit series Project Runway, 2010’s number one competitive reality program on ad-supported cable among Women and Households, will return for its ninth season this summer.  Hosted by Heidi Klum, Project Runway provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion under the watchful eyes of mentor Tim Gunn and judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.  The program is produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture Productions, and executive produced by Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Meryl Poster, Barbara Schneeweiss, Jon Murray (The Real World), Sara Rea (The Real World), Heidi Klum, Desiree Gruber and Jane Cutler.

Bolstered by Project Runway, its recently renewed hospital docu-drama One Born Every Minute and surprise military personnel reunion show Coming Home, Lifetime will see a threefold increase in reality programming in 2011-12 with the pick-ups of:

  • Beth Holloway, host of "Vanished with Beth Holloway"

    The real-life series Vanished with Beth Holloway, launching next Monday, May 9, a one-hour docu-reality program hosted by Beth Holloway exploring true mysteries of families who have been victimized by unsolved abductions, disappearances and unspeakable crimes.  Lifetime has ordered 10 one-hour episodes of the program, which is produced by Jupiter Entertainment with Stephen Land (City Confidential, Sons of Guns) serving as executive producer.  Vanished with Beth Holloway will debut after the world premiere of the original movie Justice for Natalee Holloway.

  • Love Handles, set to launch in May, an hour-long docu-series from executive producer SallyAnn Salsano (Jersey Shore) featuring a dual transformation of overweight couples as they attempt to save their lives and relationships by confronting what lies at the core of the emotional, dietary and physical issues deeply affecting their well-being.  Lifetime has ordered eight hour-long episodes from 495 Productions, with Salsano and Joel Zimmer serving as executive producers.
  • 12 half-hour episodes of Brighton Beach, which follows the colorful women and men who live, love and work in the famous Brooklyn neighborhood, home to a vibrant Russian-American community where viewers will meet the multi-generational families whose dramas and dreams contend with their Russian heritage.  Brighton Beach is produced by Left/Right, with Banks Tarver and Ken Druckerman (Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, This American Life) executive producing, and Elina Miller, Alina Dizik and Ed Simpson co-executive producing.
  • The Conversation, hosted by British television personality and renowned photographer Amanda de Cadenet and executive produced by Demi Moore and de Cadenet, which, in eight 60-minute episodes, will provide a refreshing and modern take on celebrity interviews as de Cadenet sits down with some of the world’s most famous women to discuss topics universal to all women.  The Conversation will be produced by decadenet Inc., with Andrew Fried (Iconoclasts) co-executive producing.
  • Dance Moms, which reveals the world of competitive dance where overbearing mothers push their daughters to the brink while vicariously living out their own dreams through their young performers.  Produced by Collins Avenue Entertainment with Jeff Collins (Fly Girls, Outrageous Kids Parties), Bryan Stinson (High Society) and John R. Corella (Dance Flick) executive producing, Lifetime has ordered six hour-long episodes.
  • The Day that Changed My Life, which through in-depth interview segments and re-enactments, showcases true stories of ordinary people whose lives took unexpected and dramatic turns following incidents ranging from terrifying accidents to chance encounters with strangers to mind-bending miracles.  Six 60-minute episodes have been ordered from Sirens Media, with Valerie Haselton Drescher and Rebecca Toth Diefenbach (The Real Housewives of New Jersey) executive producing.
  • Eight one-hour episodes each of Project Runway All Stars, featuring talented and memorable past contestants from the series who will once again compete against each other in a series of challenges to show they still have the innovation, talent and poise that made them household names, and Project Accessory, following enterprising artists who will be put to the test to create the newest and hottest trends in accessories as they compete for a cash grand prize to help them launch their own fashion accessories business.  Project Runway All Stars will be produced by The Weinstein Company and Bunim-Murray Productions, and executive produced by Harvey Weinstein (Project Runway), Bob Weinstein (Project Runway), Meryl Poster (Chicago), Barbara Schneeweiss (Project Runway), Jon Murray (Project Runway, The Real World) and Rob Bagshaw (Top Chef Masters).  Project Accessory will be produced by The Weinstein Company and Goodbye Pictures, and executive produced by Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Meryl Poster, Barbara Schneeweiss, Sarah Emanuel and Rich Bye (Project Runway).
  • The docu-series Roseanne’s Nuts, marking Emmy-winning actress, comedienne and best-selling author Roseanne Barr’s return to television as she takes on her newest endeavor managing a fully-functional 40-acre macadamia and live stock farm in Hawaii alongside her long-time boyfriend and son.  Lifetime has ordered 16 half-hour episodes of the program from 3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA (The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition) and Full Moon & High Tide Productions, with Barr, JD Roth (The Biggest Loser), Todd A. Nelson (The Biggest Loser), Brant Pinvidic (Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition) and Steven Greener (The Bernie Mac Show) executive producing.
  • Seven one-hour episodes of To Live & Buy, following best friends and interior designers Tracy Hutson and Tanya McQueen (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) as they crisscross America to find cool relics to restore and transform into stunning and eclectic pieces for their Los Angeles home decor store.  Produced by RelativityREAL, with Tom Forman (Lifetime’s Coming Home, creator of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) and Josh Bingham (Obsessed) executive producing.
  • Six hour-long episodes of The Tracey Gold Project (wt), hosted by Tracey Gold (Growing Pains), who uses her personal experience fighting anorexia to help women overcome major eating disorders.  Produced by GRB Entertainment, the series is executive produced by Gary R. Benz (Intervention) and Michael Branton (Intervention), Gold and Ted Haimes (Aftermath with William Shatner).  Hollie Lobosky (Celebrity Fit Club) co-executive produces.

All photos ©Lifetime Network.

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!