TLC made headlines at their upfront presentation earlier today as they announced they would be partnering up with Tyler Perry Studios on their first ever scripted show! In addition, the network revealed a slate of new and returning unscripted shows, including a 90 Day Fiancé spin-off featuring former cast members!
“At TLC, we want to give our viewers more of what they love, and more of what we do best – we tell stories of big, fascinating characters and we tell them without judgment,” says Nancy Daniels, President, TLC & Discovery Life. “We have long celebrated the differences that make us each unique, and this summer our new ‘I AM’ marketing campaign will engage our viewers like never before. This year we’re also making a big move into the scripted space with Tyler Perry and bringing back our beloved property programming with big names like Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. We’re beyond excited to introduce our audience to new content and refresh a genre that TLC dominated for years.”
Here’s the scoop on the Tyler Perry show:
In the second half of this year, TLC will launch its first scripted series. An 8-episode drama produced by Tyler Perry Studios, TOO CLOSE TO HOME (working title), tells the story of a young woman who escaped her working class upbringing to discover unparalleled success in the fast-paced D.C. political circuit, only to find herself at the center of a scandal. After a steamy affair with a married senator makes national headlines, she is forced to return back to her trailer park beginnings, where her past, and everyone in it, resurfaces to complicate everything. The cast and official premiere date will be announced later this year.
As far as the 90 Day Fiancé spin-off, it has a working title of 90 Day Fiancé: After the 90 Days. Here’s what the network said about it in their official press release:
90 Day Fiancé: After the 90 Days (working title)
We follow some of the most memorable couples from 90 Day Fiancé as they now face the next chapter in their marriages. The panicked countdown to the altar may be behind them, but the true drama is just starting to unravel as these newlyweds face life’s challenges with someone they barely know. (Sharp Entertainment)
The network did not release any names of which 90 Day Fiancé cast members would be returning, but we spoke with an inside source and we’ve got a tentative list of possibles that includes Alan and Kirlyam from Season 1, Russ and Paola from Season 1, and Chelsea and Yamir from Season 2. One couple that our source tells us is definitely on board is none other than Danielle and Mohamed!
In case you missed it, it seems Mohamed has given up on his fairy tale romance having a happy ending as he recently announced he planned on heading back to Tunisia after moving out on Danielle. That wouldn’t seem to lend itself to much of a follow-up show, but Danielle’s recent post on Facebook may mean DanMo is going to give it another go. “People who are meant to be together find their way back,” she wrote, “they may take a few detours, but they’re never lost.” In other words…TV gold!
We don’t have anyone from Season 3 that is on the list of cast probables. Obviously, the second biggest fan draw (behind Danielle and Mohamed) would be the return of Mark and his much younger bride Nikki, but given Mark’s reactions to all the negativity he received for being on the show, I can’t imagine he would go through it all over again.
I suppose we will all just have to just wait and see.
In related news, TLC also confirmed 90 Day Fiancé Season 4, so there is lost more K-1 drama to come!
Meanwhile, here are the rest of the programming details from the TLC upfront presentation press release:
This summer and later this year, some of TLC’s biggest hits return with more milestones, celebrations, struggles and journeys of self-discovery, including SISTER WIVES; MY BIG FAT FABULOUS LIFE; THE LITTLE COUPLE; LONG ISLAND MEDIUM and more. The popular series 90 DAY FIANCÉ will also return with a new season and spawn a spinoff series, 90 DAY FIANCÉ: AFTER THE 90 DAYS. In 2017, TLC’s iconic series SAY YES TO THE DRESS celebrates 10 years of helping brides-to-be find their perfect dress.
BRAND CAMPAIGN
Complementing our new and returning hit series, this summer TLC will launch a powerful brand campaign, “I AM,” that celebrates with TLC’s most beloved talent the differences that make us each who we are and creates a world without judgment. Featuring iconic TLC talent like Theresa Caputo, Kate Gosselin, Jazz Jennings, Whitney Thore, the cast of Sister Wives, Little People, Big World and others, these on-air favorites embrace their flaws and strengths to empower us all to define ourselves, rather than letting others label us.
HOME AND PROPERTY
In late 2016, the network will make a big move back into the property space with star design couple Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. MARRIED TO DESIGN: NATE & JEREMIAH (working title), produced by Asylum Entertainment, marks Nate and Jeremiah’s first venture into TV together and will follow the married couple inside and outside of the home, as they juggle married life and raising their adorable baby daughter, Poppy, while helping distressed homeowners turn a disaster into a dream home.
TLC is also expanding the property genre with two new projects including:
Project Playhouse (working title)
Tyson and Audy Leavitt are living their dream by creating the most elaborate, over-the-top playhouses in all of North America out of their family-run shop. From castles to pirate ships to fifties diners, these playhouses are a far cry from the foursquare walls and tiny plastic homes you might be expecting—they have amazing angles, details like stone work and furniture straight out of a storybook. (High Noon Entertainment)
Hidden Money Makeover (working title)
Design expert Jill Martin and handyman Gage Cass show people around the country that their dream makeover isn’t out of reach. The jam-packed hour features real-life homeowners who turn their clutter into cash, and transform their eyesore living spaces into aesthetically-pleasing parts of the home. (Paper Route Productions)
FAMILIES, RELATIONSHIPS AND BOOMING BUSINESSES
Families and relationships have always been the cornerstone of TLC’s programming, and in 2016 the network will introduce new and fascinating families who celebrate love and tradition and embrace unconventional circumstances in a big way.
OutDaughtered
40 bottles a day, 420 diapers a week and feedings every three hours became the new normal for Danielle and Adam Busby when they welcomed home the only all-female set of quintuplets in the country. The series captures Danielle, Adam and their adorable 4-year-old daughter Blayke as they adjust to their new normal, while trying to hold on to the identities and lives they had cultivated before the five new additions arrived. It’s all hands on deck as the family relies on their tight-knit circle to make the most out of this incredible lifetime adventure. (The Boardwalk Entertainment Group)
Meet the Putmans (working title)
Bill and Barb Putman seem like the average American family– they’ve been married for 32 years, have 4 great kids and love to spend time with their grandkids. Yet their still-growing family lives a little bit differently than “normal.” That’s right, 25 people live under one roof and share one bathroom, pool all of their finances, and help raise all of the kids as one family unit. Each episode will not only detail the little things that test this family of 25, but also highlight those extreme “for better or worse” moments they experience as both couples and a family. (Discovery Studios/Mystic Art Pictures)
Sweet 15: Quinceañera
There are parties, and then there are Quinceañeras! TLC’s new series SWEET 15: QUINCEAÑERA celebrates the traditional rite of passage in a Latina’s life passed on from generation to generation, and a day of pride for the entire family. Turning 15 is a once in a lifetime event that commemorates the day a young girl enters into womanhood. Cousins Alexis and Jarling are Miami’s premiere Quinceañera party experts and dress shop owners who do it all. Along with Alexis’ wife Daniela, they work with their clients to create an unforgettable event. (High Noon Entertainment)
Ink Ink Shop (working title)
Ink Ink in Springfield, MO is a tattoo shop like no other. Owner Kelsey Rogers set out to make it feel different from the burly, intimidating, traditional shop. All the artists are women and on any given day, the place is filled with soccer moms, sorority sisters, mother and daughters, brides – anyone is welcome. Kelsey has two other talented artists that work for her, Nikki and Megan, along with Brittany who does piercings. Though she can be tough, Kelsey has a huge heart and always makes time for family – she and her boyfriend live right above Ink Ink with his 3-year-old twins. (Big Fish Entertainment)
MULTIPLATFORM
With more than 42 million fans and followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, TLC continues to see staggering success across its many platforms. And following the successful launch of TLCme – TLC’s online destination for buzzy, shareable stories relevant to its viewers’ lives – the brand is breaking new ground with a whole slate of new multiplatform initiatives. These include: TLCme Now, a weekly digital-inspired primetime segment hosted by Danni Starr; the TLCme Digital Video Network featuring the likes of DIY influencer Erica Domesek of P.S – I Made This, Estee Lalonde (aka beauty vlogger Essie Button, 1M YouTube subscribers), #NewMomDiaries with Jess Zaino, and Cupcake Cam, an always-on suite of live cams at Georgetown Cupcakes. Growing by leaps and bounds, TLCme sees 2.2 million unique monthly visitors largely driven from the mobile platform and nearly half of which are W18-34. TLCme has become one of the most popular digital destinations on TLC.com, consistently ranking alongside TLC’s highest-rated shows.
