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TV Network and Streaming Mandates 2021

The document outlines the programming mandates and priorities for several television networks for the 2021 season. Key points include: - ABC is focusing on female empowerment stories and soaps/character dramas. They want a new family drama and are open to very character-driven procedurals. - CBS wants tentpole shows and is open to medical dramas but not law shows. They seek family comedies. - The CW wants culturally relevant grounded dramas and genres shows for their 18-34 demographic.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
438 views15 pages

TV Network and Streaming Mandates 2021

The document outlines the programming mandates and priorities for several television networks for the 2021 season. Key points include: - ABC is focusing on female empowerment stories and soaps/character dramas. They want a new family drama and are open to very character-driven procedurals. - CBS wants tentpole shows and is open to medical dramas but not law shows. They seek family comedies. - The CW wants culturally relevant grounded dramas and genres shows for their 18-34 demographic.

Uploaded by

jaimechso
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Network / Streaming Mandates 2021 Season

ABC
Drama
• Female forward content and female empowerment is key
o Bigger bolder tentpole series – ie LOST, UGLY BETTY, REVENGE, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
o Sophisticated, emotional, fun
• How can they can be ​disruptive​, risk-taking and bold in the stories they’re trying to tell.
o If you think it might not be for them, it might be – pushing the envelope this season with
their content and working outside of the box
• Soaps and character dramas are a focus (a la DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES & UGLY BETTY)
• They’d like to find a new iteration of a family drama

• Would love a drama version of THE CONNORS and THE MIDDLE – appealing to that same
audience (middle America/Blue Collar)
• Open to procedurals if they’re VERY character driven
o The character pieces need to be paramount and the procedure can back it up (ie LUTHER,
KILLING EVE and SHERLOCK)
• Passionate creatives are key – they’ll hear anything if it comes from creatives with undying passion

• Trying to stray away from medical dramas, but are open to hearing pitches if there is a really
different twist/take

Comedy
• Goal is to find “hits” that are hard funny, relevant, inclusive, emotional, with heart and ultimately
will make the audience happy and optimistic.
• Family comedies are least interesting to them, as they have just wrapped up shows like MODERN
FAMILY and THE MIDDLE
• They want writers who are passionate about what they are pitching
• All types of comedy interest them, but anything overtly political will be a challenge since
whatever they develop now will be airing in the Fall of an election year (2020)
• Examples of shows on other networks that they like:
o CAROL’S SECOND ACT – because they worked and love with Patricia Heaton, but also like
the twist of it being a multi-cam doctor show as well as a family show
o DEAD TO ME – tone a little darker than ABC but the female friendship structure is
dead on ​o ​CATASTROPHE​ ​–​ ​again too dark, but the reverse–engineered relationship is a
great high
concept
o ​ONE DAY AT A TIME​ ​–​ ​have been trying for a while to get a Latinx show​ ​–​ ​family multi
cam​ ​style – though would want more sophisticated writing than that show
CBS

Drama
• Trying to stay away from law shows – big NO.
• Looking for a tentpole show/out of the box idea. It must be character driven and doesn’t have to be
procedural
• Very open to medical shows, as they don’t have one
• Not overly hungry for soaps, unless it has a franchise built in (ie THE GOOD WIFE).
o They will NOT be buying something like GRAND HOTEL
• Military and investigative/FBI themed might be tough as this is already a prominent theme for them.
• Like last season, they are trying to stay open minded and are open to being pitched anything
• Trying to be open to unorthodox or serialized fare.
• They want busted development or cable-skewing scripts that can be mended to broadcast.

Comedy
• Open to single and multi cams
• They are always looking for family comedies, especially those with a twist of some sort.
• Open to slightly out of the box comedies, but are still willing to develop across the spectrum

CW
• Nothing too crazy or different than their usual
• There is room for more male-skewing material with the end of SUPERNATURAL and ARROW, but
nothing too high-octane or “overly male”
• Demo is still men and women between the ages of 18 and 34. 20 year olds are their sweetspot.
• Would be open to an hour long comedy that would be able to capture the audience that JANE
THE VIRGIN and CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND had
• Looking for a grounded and realistic drama that is culturally relevant and – slightly pushing the
envelope (ie FELICITY)
o ​Can touch on themes of sexuality, race, and any other culturally relevant topics
o ​Something that is particularly topical and important to men and women in their 20s
• Still open to genre pitches, though they have many genre shows on the air
o It MUST be grounded
• Trying to stay away from superhero shows outside of the DC Universe (it’s a tough sell for them) and
straight up soaps (like DYNASTY)
FOX
Drama
• Diversity and/or female empowerment should be incorporated into each of their shows and are very
important
o ​Ethnic diversity and LGBTQ, especially
o ​Want to find something to hold onto the EMPIRE audience *​PRIORITY​*
• Still open to big bold procedurals that have a twist – would love a show to accompany
PRODIGAL SON
o ​A medical or legal procedural would have to be new/out of the box
• Looking for a loud soap to replace EMPIRE for audiences in their 30s and 40s.
• They are VERY open to genre again (ie THE PASSAGE, THE EXORCIST, GOTHAM, SLEEPY HOLLOW)
• Open to music theme shows – in the world of EMPIRE, but different
• Open to hearing anything (even if it’s a little out of their norm) as long as the creatives are
passionate and have a definite vision
o ​Period is the only thing that would be tough for them to get on board with
• Themes they would love to crack:
o Military, Social Media, Social Experiments, Romance/Love, The 40-something female
conversation.

Comedy
• Animation is still the focus – nothing that pushes the envelope too far (ie BIG MOUTH), but open to
new and out of the box ideas with passionate creators
• Would be open to doing a hybrid comedy like WHAT JUST HAPPENED (talk/scripted live action
hybrid)
• Need workplace comedies (single and multi)
• Something to pair with MOODYS (the holiday special returning family show)
• More multigenerational family comedies.
o Want to pair something with LAST MAN STANDING.

NBC
Drama
• Trying to stay away from medical and political shows
• Open to legal as long as its non-traditional
• Really want more high concept, big ideas like MANIFEST
• Diversity/women are a focus
• Looking to replace their aging franchises (BLACKLIST, BLIND SPOT).
• Looking for soaps but trying to make sure they feel different from THIS
IS US. ​o ​Ok with heightened, grounded, just more execution
dependent.
• Politics is hard.

Comedy
• “No specific targets”
• Open to multi and single cam, but are keeping their mandates broad as in years
past ​o ​Want more multi cams to replace WILL & GRACE
• They are still looking to find their version of FRIENDS
• Diversity and women are a focus here as well
• Romantic comedies and office/family comedy

AMC
• Unique voices and tones – KILLING EVE is a benchmark
• Single character POV into a world we’ve never seen before
• Genre is a priority
o Not GAME OF THRONES, but would do something in the realm of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
• Still must be an hour, but open to dramedies
→​
o Plot must push the story, but can have a comedic tone ​ BETTER CALL SAUL
• Avoiding working with external studios, if possible
• Generally, the mandate is “unique characters with unique perspectives.”
• Focus areas fall into two buckets: “popcorn” and “highbrow/sophisticated”.
o Anything comic/fanboy/BIG genre related (pre-existing IP is a bonus).
o Adult contemporary/prestige.
o Suspense thrillers with a “fun” twist (think THE
AMERICANS). ​o ​Dramedies.
o ​Pulpy/pop-culture/social commentary.
o ​Anything that is unconventional or “uproots the form.”
BET
• Looking for an African American or Black version of DOOGIE HOWSER/PRODIGY.

• More female programming is a goal for them (ie TWENTIES)


BRAVO
• Focusing on developing limited/event series a la DIRTY JOHN.
• Skews female, but not male exclusionary.
• Older demographic than E! Largely set in aspirational, high end, big city/coastal locals.

COMEDY CENTRAL
• The big target continues to be animation – they want their RICK & MORTY.
• Another priority is non-scripted/non-narrative, in the vein of TOSH.O or NATHAN FOR YOU.
• Also looking for sketch series, but not aggressively.
• Interested in scripted narrative series as well, but they have a good amount of those
projects already.
• Brand filters are “super funny, culturally relevant, and provocative.”
• Looking to attract a more female audience with shows like AWKWAFINA

E!
• Focusing on developing limited / event series.
• Younger, topical content centered on celebrity and pop culture.
• Stories that can’t be told via a reality show.

Freeform
• Demo is 18 to 34 and female skewing, with early to mid-twenties being the sweet spot.
• Can develop in any genre.
• Content should have a strong theme with a “cool factor” – something that would stand out on a line
of billboards.
• They’re very active in developing original movies, that includes Christmas Movies.
• Open to Period, but must have a relevant and/or Feminist lean.
• Dark concepts are welcome, as long as they have some component that is aspirational.
• Interested in more lighter soaps like THE BOLD TYPE.
• Open to their version of RIVERDALE – can center around high schoolers but they should have adult
problems not high school problems.
• Also would want to do their version of ALIAS – a genre/action series.
• They are in search of a workplace comedy with an ensemble in their 20s to accompany GROWN-ISH.

FX
• Looking for hard-hitting comedies as opposed to those that are more indie-leaning.
• Since THE AMERICANS is done, looking for a replacement.
• Prestige/strong ongoing dramas.
• Want to produce things that are topical, socially relevant and address the now – difficult topics
HBO
• Diversity is key across the board (when it comes to content and talent).
• For comedy, concepts that take place in big worlds are key – as seen in BALLERS (with the sports
community) or SILICON VALLEY (the tech world).
• For drama, world-building concepts are always of interest – big, loud, flashy.
• Grounded family comedies and female-driven dramas continue to be targets as well.
• HBO is looking for bigger worlds that haven’t been explored before. They are focusing less on
domestic phase of life stories (ala Divorce, Togetherness).
o ​They would love to find a unique, specific Asian/Asian-American story.

HISTORY CHANNEL
• Looking for a replacement for VIKINGS, which will soon be coming to an
end ​o ​Anything epic and historic
o ​Ideas they are toying with​ ​–​ ​Joan of Arc, Hannibal

• Would love to find a project with some of sense of nostalgia (1980s-1990s) along with an interesting
historical take

• Their audience tends to be males from Middle American, but they would love to find a show that
women would enjoy watching, as well
• Open to building off of IP

LEGENDARY TV

80-% is big genre, 20% sophisticated character drama and some comedy.
• They just sold a soapy thriller and a ½ hour based Jacob Tobias book – these are passion projects.
• Really looking for culturally specific genre show centered on racially diverse, gender diverse.

MGM TV (Studio)
• Doesn’t matter what world or period, what matters is “what is the story behind it the
show?” ​o ​They want interesting, unique worlds.
• They’ll pitch to streamers, premium and basic cable, but broadcast is hard.
• They love everything and want to hear everything.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (NATGEO)


• Distinctive and premium drama consistent with the history and legacy of National Geographic
• Role of the brand is to deepen people’s understanding of the world and their role in it

• Stories that are fact-based and steeped in authenticity with a contemporary setting and subject
matter (post WWII)
• Must have global appeal and relevance (not exclusively American-focused)
• Themes they’re open to
o Science and innovation
o Adventure and exploration
o Environment and conversation
o The Human Journey – contemporary stories that resonate globally
• Their programming must remain fact-based (ie THE HOT ZONE, THE RIGHT STUFF, EINSTEIN series to
name a few)
o Very keen on working off of fact-based IP, though not a mandate

NICKELODEON
• They are still looking for a family multi-cam, focusing on diverse
families. ​o ​Latino family sitcom is a need​ ​–​ ​LatinX family comedy
• Generally want grounded buddy comedies in the spirit of Drake & Josh (any gender combo) – it does
not need to be high concept
• Open to potential teen comedy features that could be produced as a backdoor pilot
o Ie a toned-down SUPERBAD
• Still looking for a family musical – looking for creatives (a la Kenny Ortega) to start come to them
with ideas

PARAMOUNT NETWORK
• Across the board, want premium cable feeling shows that have a hook, but still keeping in mind
ratings to some extent.
• For drama, they’re looking for “red blooded” and “kickass” concepts; they already have a few series
in the works that are gritty, small town dramas.
o ​YELLOWSTONE is a huge success for them and is one of the highest rated cable shows
on television
▪ Open to more programming for this type of audience
▪ For comedy, they are targeted premium, creator driven content that feels like it
has a voice (in the vein of ATLANTA). Not softer/broad like former

POP TV
• Schitt’s Creek is their biggest show (which is a Canadian acquisition), so they are looking to do more
of these cult-following comedies.
o ​Their sweet spot
o ​Ie Adam Herz’s BEST INTENTIONS (creator of AMERICAN PIE)
• Open to drams as long as they are a little lighter (ie FLACK)
• Nothing that would involve a massive budget.

SHOWTIME
• Aim for character-driven stories across the board.
• Comedies and dramas must have sophisticated and adult
themes ​o ​Must also be topical, timely, and socially relevant
o ​Open to big emotional stories (ie THE AFFAIR)
• Not looking for anything majorly genre or scifi
• All content must have a grounded sensibility with strong characters
• Still open to period, but nothing earlier than the 20​th​ Century

STARZ
• Female-driven shows are their sweet spot (POWER and OUTLANDER draw in a massive female
audience)
• Think of them as premium programming for women. They are genre agnostic, but SciFi would need
very big auspices to get their interest.
• Dramas, grounded comedy, hour, ½ hour and limited .
o For the first time they are open to limited series and anthologies of prestige (ie BIG LITTLE
LIES and SHARP OBJECTS).
• They remain committed to serialized storytelling.
• They are open to working with other studios to supply them programming, not just Lionsgate.

SyFy
• Have re-branded as the home for the sci-fi fan.
o On unscripted/news side that means commenting on and getting fans excited
about competitive sci-fi and genre films, shows, games, etc. as well.
• For scripted, it means that all sub-genres are open: YA, Fantasy, Horror, Grindhouse, etc. in addition
to the more classic sci-fi.
• Well known or exciting sci-fi IP is always a plus.

TBS
• Wants big, noisy, exciting, and different.
• They are cable and do not consider themselves broadcast with edge. If the project is going out to
broadcast, TBS should not be a stop.
• What they want to develop programming that is either conceptually interesting and accessible OR
prestige and niche.
• They are really looking to develop more animation, and the project can come from animators or
writers. They want bigger and broader than ever before.
o ​They would program BIG MOUTH.
o ​To them, FINAL SPACE is big and stands out with the kids cartoon vibe.
o ​They would NOT develop another AMERICAN DAD.
• Busted ½ workplace or family comedies in the vein of MODERN FAMILY and PARKS & REC
o They aren’t necessarily in the development business, so they want to see things that are set
up and can immediately go
• Will eventually be going under HBO Max
TNT
• Brand is still smart, sophisticated, entertaining, and female-forward
• Looking to add projects to their “suspense collection” in the vain of THE ALIENIST and TELL ME YOUR
SECRETS – would run for 10 episodes
• If they do humor, it would have to be something with a similar tone to CLAWS
• Developing single-camera dramedies, not as much of a focus as before, though.
• Less interested in magical realism than before.
• Looking for more sci-fi content or elevated horror
• Target is strong female characters who are flawed but not victims. Not exclusive to that though.
• Open to period, but it’s not a priority as they have THE ALIENIST.
• Will eventually be going under HBO Max

USA
• Two tracks for development
o The MR ROBOT/SINNER type shows – more indy
o The more commercial action/family/Americana type shows like QUEEN OF THE
SOUTH/SHOOTER
• IP is key to most of their development.
o They’re willing to come on earlier in the development process if it is for the right IP
• Do NOT want procedural, looking for serialized
• Period is still not what they need, but they’re open to it if it is of quality
• Would love a dark family drama or dramedy

AMAZON
• Looking for more mainstream appeal in their programming (more FLEABAG and MS MAISEL less
THE TICK
• For all genres within ​Comedy & Drama:
o They are very keen on any and all things YA
o Limited series are tricky – looking to do full size seasons
o They are really focusing on female appeal/inclusion
• Still IP focused with BIG auspices
• Diversity and female driven stories are still a mandate in all capacities

• That said, want shows that feel global/commercial without sacrificing a premium sensibility/tone.
Talking points used a lot:
o Multiple access points & demographic appeal / “co-viewing” potential
o Timely
o Propulsive/binge-wo
rthy ​o ​Strong point of view
o ​Large​ ​–​ ​or at least rich​ ​–​ ​world
APPLE+
• They still don’t have official mandates and would like to stay away from that, but are open to a
variety of genres, and to working with mostly all studios across the board.
• Generally, with few exceptions, content should have an aspirational quality.
• Content should keep in line with who the Apple brand appeals to – the entire family.
o Nothing over the top like GAME OF THRONES or BIG MOUTH

DISNEY+
• Diversity is key in all senses of the word
• Comedy is their primary focus right now
o They are heavy in the family sitcoms and are looking to build more in the ½ hour space
outside of this
o They would love to see some comedy/genre mashup (scifi comedy, fantasy comedy, horror
comedy, etc)
• They are all set on epic dramas but are looking for some sort of family/adventure show.
o Also open to grounded genre/fantasy (ie ENCHANTED), but in the modern world.

FACEBOOK
• Targeting the 25-44 age range, skewing mostly female.
• They are also thinking globally, so anything distinctly American or comedy/dramedies that
skew more funny are not a priority right now.
• Would love the following themes in their content:
o Mystery
o ​Crime
o ​Genre and especially *grounded* sci fi and fantasy
o ​Character driven drama
• Not looking to do anything political or period

HBO MAX
• Intention is to be a compliment of HBO and what they already do. They’re aiming to get the views
that HBO doesn’t usually succeed in getting (Younger Females)
o ​Gen Z YA is a huge target for them
• Want content that is relevant and significant in today’s society but want to avoid being
political. ​o ​Shows must have an element of hope
• Diversity is a priority – in terms of casting, creators, and POVs
• Intend to be far more targeted than Netflix – looking to produce 8-12 dramas a year
• Working closely with DC Digital and other WB platforms – everything will eventually be one
• Open to working with all studios, not just WBTV
• Would love to expand in the genre world
• They do not want westerns, procedurals, or world building sci fi
• Looking for limited series with prestige that skew female (ie BIG LITTLE LIES). Don’t want anything
too dark (ie CHERNOBYL).
• Would love some contemporary adult soaps with a unique hook
o THE AFFAIR would be too soft and slow for them, but THE AMERICANS would be of interest
if it were slightly lighter.
• Still very open to animation – Adult Swim-esque in tone
• Period is very difficult for them and not something they’re looking for

HULU
• 80% upscale, smart pay cable fare
o Big names, big ideas, things that deconstruct the genre (like upcoming CATHERINE THE
GREAT series – they see this series as DOWNTON ABBEY meets VEEP)
• 20% EMMY plays
o Taking iconic material and retelling it better (ie THE HANDMAIDS TALE)
o Probably looking to do this in more of a limited series capacity like CATCH 22 with George
Clooney or THE LOOMING TOWER.
▪ They are hopeful with the upcoming LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE from Kerry
Washington and Reese Witherspoon.
• Still open to YA more than ever
• Still looking for distinct, socially conscious and ideally elevated comedies
o Animated is ideal

NETFLIX
Drama Programming
• General Drama Programming Priorities:
o Champion fresh, authentic voices – specifically women and people of color
o Develop and launch a new tentpole, franchise drama series
o Reach underserved audiences around the globe
• Genre & Thriller – Peter Friedlander
o Executives ​(Peter Friedlander oversees all):
▪ →​
Sci Fi & Fantasy​ ​ Kris Henigman, Aria Moffly
▪ →​
Horror​ ​ Blair Fetter, Laura Delahaye
▪ →​
Thriller/Crime​ ​ Alison Engel, Jared Berenholz
▪ →​
Period Thriller/Crime​ ​ Tara Flynn, Andrew McQuinn
▪ →​
Incubator/Low-budget​ ​ Chris Regina, Peter Corona ​o ​What
they’re looking for:
▪ World building Sci Fi or fantasy (ie ALTERED CARBON)
▪ Period with action and adrenaline (ie MARCO POLO)
▪ Family-forward crime stories (ie SOPRANOS)
▪ Crime & spy thrillers (ie BODYGUARD)
▪ Horrifying creatures & horror with a POV (ie THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE)

• Character Driven – Nina Wolarsky


o Executives
▪ Nina Wolarsky, Jinny Howe, Anne-Marie McGintee
o Purpose of this group is to create premium, character-driven drama for an adult
audience that is culturally relevant, elevated, and entertaining
o Overalls they oversee:
▪ Shonda Rhimes
▪ Jenji Kohan
▪ Laura Morelli
▪ Sugar 23
o What they’re looking for:
▪ Workplace drama (ie MAD MEN)
▪ Political drama (ie HOUSE OF CARDS)
▪ Elevated family drama (ie SIX FEET UNDER)
▪ Period drama/epic romance (ie THE CROWN)
▪ Nonfiction inspiration (ie WHEN THEY SEE US)

• Dramedy & Soap – Allie Goss


o Executives
▪ Allie Goss, Danielle Woodrow, Tiffany Hawthorne, Carolyn Newman, Penelope Essoyan,
Urooj Sharif
o Overalls they oversee:
▪ Marti Noxon
▪ Higher Ground (The Obamas)
▪ Regina King
o They have access to Overlooked (New York Times obituary column) and are looking to
expand development with this.
o What they’re looking for:
▪ Female-forward (ie KILLING EVE, SEX & THE CITY)

• Female creators, protagonists, told through a female lens is key for this
content
▪ Millennial self-exploration (ie ALLY MCBEAL)
▪ Soapy thrillers & suspense (ie BIG LITTLE LIES, THE SINNER)
▪ Soap in unexpected genres (ie TRUE BLOOD, MR. & MRS. SMITH as a tv show)
▪ Dramedy (ie DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES)

• Melodrama & Romance – Jennifer Breslow


o Executives
▪ Lisa Hamilton Daly, Jennifer Breslow, Adrianna Massar, Johnny Chiou
Their programming should be thought of as “beach reads” ​o ​What
they’re looking for:​
F​un Female Soaps (ie JANE THE VIRGIN)
▪ Soapy Crime (ie DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, REVENGE)
▪ Heartwarming, family dramas (ie THIS IS US)
▪ Inspiring female athletes (ie BLUE CRUSH)
▪ Romantic melodramas (ie THE NOTEBOOK)

• This is a particular priority for them

Comedy Programming
• Jane Wiseman oversees all comedy programming
• Executives
→​
o Adult Animation​ ​ Mike Moon, Elizabeth Porter
→​
o Live-Action Comedy​ ​ Andy Weil, Brittney Segal, Kristen Zolner, Blair Fetter, Ghazal Moshfegh,
Irene Lee, Andrea Alvarado
→​
o Kids & Family​ ​ Jenna Boyd, Brooke Kessler, Robert Prinz, Allie James, Hillary Turner
• The comedy programming group covers sitcoms, prestige comedy, soapy dramedies, adult
animation, diversity & inclusion comedies, and kids & family.
• Adult Animation – Mike Moon
o What they’re looking for:
▪ Broad animated sitcoms (ie BIG MOUTH) – will comprise 60% of their slate
▪ Franchise, IP-driven tentpole shows (ie DISENCHANTMENT)
▪ Auteur driven esoteric shows (ie BOJACK HORSEMAN) – will only comprise about 10%
of their slate
o Overalls they oversee:
▪ Alex Hirsch
▪ Shion Takuchi

• Live Action Comedy – Andy Weil


o What they’re looking for​:
▪ All forms of sitcoms (ie THE RANCH, FRIENDS)
▪ Strong voices and broad appeal (ie RUSSIAN DOLL)
▪ Underserved audiences (ie GRACE & FRANKIE, BLACK-ISH)
o Overalls they oversee:
▪ Kenya Barris
▪ Jenji Kohan
▪ Jason Bateman

• Kids & Family – Jenna Boyd


o Looking to for programming for children between the ages of 6-11, 9-14, and
programming that parents and children can watch together.
o What they’re looking for:
▪ Fantasy fulfillment for kids (ie HANNAH MONTANA)

▪ Authentic stories for pre-teens and tweens (ie ALEXA & KATIE, BABYSITTERS CLUB)
▪ Sitcoms for the entire family (ie TGIF, FULLER HOUSE)
Young Adult & Family Programming
• YA & Family – Brian
Wright ​o ​Executives:
• Brian Wright, Matt Thunell,
Ted Biaselli, Renate Radford,
Alex Sapot, Carolina Garcia,
Cole Galvin, Alexis Alagen,
Ro Donnelly, Coal Wright,
Emily Levitan, Tia Williams
o Family Programming – Ted Biaselli
▪ What is “family” programming?
• Entertainment for the whole family
• Equal enjoyment from both adults and kids
• Family franchises are big business (ie STAR WARS, HARRY POTTER)
• Goal is to redefine was “family” is in TV
▪ Examples of “Family” shows: LOST IN SPACE, FULLER HOUSE, UMBRELLA
ACADEMY, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, STRANGER THINGS
o Young Adult Programming – Matt Thunell
▪ Coming of age stories that are more sophisticated than usual family fare
• Material that is not appropriate for younger children
▪ Appeal to teenagers and adults, and often skew more female
▪ Examples of “Young Adult” shows: STRANGER THINGS, CHAMBERS, ATYPICAL,
13 REASONS WHY, THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, AMERICAN
VANDAL, GILMORE GIRLS
• Overalls YA & Family oversee:
o Ryan Murphy
o Janet Mock
o Shawn Levy
o Brian Yorkey
o Duffer Bros.
o Brad Falchuk
o Ian Brennan
• What they’re looking for (YA & Family):
o Supernatural & Grounded Romance (ie Baz Lurhmann’s ROMEO & JULIET, TITANIC)
o Horror/Thriller (ie FINAL DESTINATION or SCREAM for YA, GHOSTBUSTERS for Family)
o Performance/Musical (ie GLEE, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL)
o Family/Animals (ie MARLEY AND ME)
o Grounded & Glossy (ie PRETTY LITTLE LIARS or 13 REASONS WHY – for YA specifically)
o Action Adventure (ie KINGSMAN for YA, RAMPAGE for Family)
o Family Spectacle (ie CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, STAR WARS, HARRY POTTER)
o Family & Female Ensemble (ie GILMORE GIRLS for YA, CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN
for Family)

Interactive Programming
• Interactive Programming – Andy
​ ​Executives
Weil o
▪ Andy Weil, Curtis Lelash, Jenna Boyd, Carla Engelbrecht Fisher
o Examples of Interactive content: BLACK MIRROR: BANDERSNATCH, PUSS & BOOTS, YOU

o Looking for material with branching narratives in which audiences can choose their own
journey
o What they’re looking for:

General Audiences – Sci Fi, Romance, Teen Horror, Thriller, Adult Animation, Non-Fiction
▪ Kids Animation – mystery, puzzle solving, comedy, adventure, education
▪ Kids Live Action – mystery, puzzle solving, comedy, adventure, education

General Development & Programming Notes


• Looking for material at all stages/levels of development (does not need to be fully packaged
up) ​o ​IP-Based material is key for most departments
o ​Comedy programming should come in more put together/further in the development
process (especially for adult comedy)
• It is often preferred when material comes in without a studio attached
o If IP is controlled by an external studio, they are open to working with other studios
• International Language Series
o If content is primarily in English language, that content will be overseen by this group
o If content is primarily in a language other than English, that content will be overseen by
Netflix’s International Programming headed by Bela Bajaria.

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