Trio pops up for U
Net's new slate focuses on contempo culture
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Sked was laid out by channel prexy Lauren Zalaznick, who noted Trio is "not afraid to be a cultural curator" and was aiming for a match between "what is your message and what is on your channel."
Highlights of the new roster include a month of themed programming. All of December will rotate around the slogan "Brilliant, But Canceled" and include a combination of original and acquired series on critically acclaimed, but failed, TV shows.
Trio plans to continue with themed months once each quarter as tentpole events. Precedent was set earlier this summer with a June "uncensored" month and a music-centric August.
Richter narrates doc
December slate will include eponymous doc "Brilliant, But Canceled," narrated by Andy Richter. Ninety-minute special includes the perspectives of producers, stars and network execs such as Warren Littlefield, Darren Star and Aaron Spelling.
Bruce Paltrow's last interview will be a part of the special -- about his failed attempt to create a series "High" about a depressed high school student.
Half-hour doc "The Perfect Pitch" shows writers, producers and execs recounting their best and worst pitch meetings. Sherwood Schwartz, Tony Krantz and Bruce Kirschbaum are among the participants.
Both specials were produced by doc helmers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato's Worlds of Wonder. Net also announced a two-year development and production deal with the shingle, whose credits include "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" and "Monica Lewinsky in Black and White." Org will produce two more specials for the net and act as "an extension of our development team, going back and forth with ideas," Zalaznick said.
Journalist and author Kurt Andersen will host interview series "Face Time." Guests -- all industryites-- will be announced at a later date. Show will premiere Dec. 1.
'Action,' 'Kolchak' on tap
December will see the resurrection of series that didn't quite make the cut upon first airing. Skeins include Fox's "Action," '70s cult favorite "Kolchak: Night Stalker" and Robert Altman anthology series "Gun."
Other slate highlights include a three-year license to air vintage "Late Night With David Letterman" episodes, when it ran on NBC from 1982-1993. Show will be marathoned on Thanksgiving weekend, before officially joining the evening lineup in January.
Reading series "The Moth" will launch Nov. 18, focusing on the literary series of the same name that takes place around Gotham in downtown venues. Storytellers include everyday folk as well as celebs Doug Liman, author Dominick Dunne and comic Reno.
Relaunched in its current version in 2001, Trio is available in 17 million households via digital cable and satellite.
