Marking its 30th Anniversary, A+E Networks heads to MIP TV with a programming slate developed for the company’s portfolio of pay-TV brands, including A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime, and FYI.
Highlighting the line-up are 18 new Lifetime Original Movies, including Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind. The movies are the first two installments from the four-part best-selling book series by author VC Andrews, and star Academy Award-winner Ellen Burstyn and Heather Graham. Flowers in the Attic premiered in January on Lifetime in the US, and was the network’s most-watched original movie since 2012, locking in 6.1 million Total Viewers. The movie triggered massive social media buzz as well; it was the second most tweeted program on all television during its premiere.
A+E Networks’ MIP TV slate features a range of factual series from the epic docu-drama World Wars to the documentary series Big History, and a paranormal series, Miracles Decoded. Character-driven series include Kim of Queens, Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne, and the company’s newest hit, Wahlburgers, featuring Hollywood stars Mark and Donnie Wahlburg. MIP TV will see the premiere of an expanded offering of lifestyle programs produced for A+E Networks’ newest channel, FYI, including the makeover show B.O.R.N. to Style. Finally, returning hits include the ratings juggernaut, Duck Dynasty.
“From movies to docu-dramas to entertainment and factual series, A+E Networks offers our clients a range of top quality programs that are proven performers,” said Marielle Zuccarelli, Managing Director, International Content Distribution. “Our growing library of original movies, including the first two films from VC Andrews’ controversial book series, Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, will captivate buyers and viewers alike. And, our new docu-drama, World Wars, commemorates the 100th anniversary of World War I with a unique perspective on three decades of devastating war.”
Movies:
Flowers in the Attic (1 x 2 hours)
Based on V.C. Andrews’ controversial book that quickly became a cult classic, Flowers in the Attic weaves the twisted story of the Dollanganger kids who, after the unexpected death of their father, are convinced by their mother Corrine (Heather Graham) to stay hidden in the attic of their wealthy grandparents’ mansion so she can reclaim the family fortune. At first they think their confinement is temporary, but as it drags on over years, they form a surrogate family, with the two older siblings serving as parents to two small twins, whose growth is stunted by their confined life in the attic. Meanwhile, as the two oldest start to mature, they turn to each other for comfort and start a forbidden sexual relationship, only to discover that their mother has abandoned them and their grandmother is slowly poisoning them, with fatal consequences. Produced by Tulip Road Productions Ltd. For Lifetime Television.
Petals on the Wind (1 x 2 hours)
Petals on the Wind, the second installment from V.C. Andrews’ bestselling Flowers in the Attic book series, follows siblings Chris and Cathy Dollanganger as they escape from the attic. After miscarrying her brother’s baby, Cathy marries a fellow dancer to try to forget her brother, but she can’t. When her husband dies, Cathy attempts to forget Chris by seducing her mother’s husband and having a child with him. The soap opera comes to a climax when her mother, deranged with jealousy and anger, sets fire to Foxworth Hall, where she had imprisoned her children in the attic, and leaves the evil grandmother to burn to death. Chris and Cathy finally reunite and run away together to find happiness, but tragedy is sure to follow them. Produced by Silver Screen Alta Productions for Lifetime Television.
HISTORY:
World Wars (6 x 1 hour or 3 x 2 hours)
With just over 20 years separating the two most cataclysmic conflicts of the twentieth century— WWI and WWII—many historians argue that they were not separate wars, but one bloody continuum that spread from Europe to the entire globe. The most iconic figures of WWII— Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, George S. Patton, Tojo, Charles de Gaulle and Douglas MacArthur—were caught up in both conflicts. Before they were giants, they were infantrymen and privates in WWI, mired first in the trenches at Ypres and the Somme, and then years later, fighting on the very same ground in the Battle of the Bulge. Using state of the art CGI, dramatic re-enactments and contributors General Colin Powell, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and British Prime Minister John Major, among others. Produced by Stephen David Entertainment, Inc. for HISTORY and H2.
Big History (16 x ? hour + 1 x 2 hour Special)
Twenty years ago, a group of innovative teachers had a breakthrough idea: break down the artificial wall between science and history. The idea: use science to teach history, and use history to reveal science. Bill Gates discovered the course and vowed to help spread the revolutionary idea. In each episode, science – from biology to astronomy, geology to chemistry – reveals an unexpected twist on historical events. For example, viewers will discover how every time they use a cell phone, they’re using radio wave lanes assigned after Titanic telegraph rescue calls went unanswered 100 years ago. Then producers connect that same call to an exploding star a billion years into the past using tantalum, a rare but essential element linked to the Big Bang and a trace part of every cell phone. The 2-hour finale will reveal a breakthrough idea that connects all of the Big History episodes into one grand narrative of the universe. Produced by Flight 33 Productions, LLC in association with Bill Gates’ Big History Project for HISTORY and H2.
LIFESTYLE:
B.O.R.N. to Style (10 x 1 hour)
B.O.R.N. to Style is a lifestyle makeover series centered on a “fierce” four-some from New York, and their larger than life boss, Jonathan Bodrick. Springing from the Harlem-based eclectic boutique, B.O.R.N. (borrowed, old, recycled and new), the style super heroes land at the door of those desperately in need of some “color in their lives.” By rifling through their client’s belongings and asking blunt questions, the team at B.O.R.N. gets to the root of their fashion malaise, before whisking them away for a transformation that goes beyond just their look. In each episode, viewers will see them offer up their own brand of therapy and inspiration to clients as they transform them into their best possible selves. Produced by Left/Right for FYI.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Kim of Queens (12 x 1 hour)
Dance Moms meets My Fair Lady in this real-life series starring Georgia’s most outspoken and outrageous pageant coach, Kim Gravel. Kim’s a sharp-tongued drill sergeant with an uncanny ability to spot diamonds-in-the-rough. Kim was the youngest Miss Georgia in the pageant’s history and alongside her mother and sister has been training pageant winners at “The Pageant Place” since 2006. Their family-run business will be at the center of this series with Kim and her team helping their girls tackle a specific challenge ending with a pageant or a talent showdown. While she charges very high prices for her services, Kim prefers to take chances on the less polished girls and will turn away pushy, wealthy moms who think “money buys crowns,” creating no shortage of mama drama. Produced by Relativity REAL, LLC for Lifetime Television.
Wahlburgers (8 x ? hour + 1 x 1 hour)
The American dream is alive and well in Boston, Massachusetts. From the streets of Dorchester to the red carpets of Hollywood, the city’s most famous family, the Wahlbergs, has taken on a new sizzling business venture. Brothers Mark and Donnie Wahlberg have impressed us in the world of entertainment and now they are joining forces with their self-professed ‘most talented sibling,’ Paul, as he sets out to make the family name as synonymous with burgers as Boston is to baked beans. Viewers will go behind the scenes with the Wahlberg family and the group of eccentric employees who work for them, as they face the challenges that come with running a burger joint. But with a name like Wahlberg comes high expectations to take the city (and eventually the country) by storm. Produced by 44 Blue Productions for A&E Network.
Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne (13 x ? hour)
Andrew Mayne is a charming, underhandedly likeable troublemaker who also happens to be a brilliant illusionist. Andrew uses his comically antagonistic sense of humor and creates an arsenal of illusions to help someone exact revenge on a friend or family member who has done them wrong. In each episode, Andrew has fun with man-on-the-street illusions, all culminating in a spectacular trick that puts the wrongdoer-of-the-week in his or her place. And, despite his politically incorrect edge, in each episode Andrew performs the greatest magic trick of all – he stays incredibly likeable and charming. Produced by Joke Productions for A&E Network.
PARANORMAL:
Miracles Decoded (8 x 1 hour)
A riveting new series about miracles and supernatural phenomena. Around the world there are people who have experienced life-changing miraculous events that challenge our understanding of the natural world. In America, a mechanic is crushed by a logging truck, has an out of body experience and sees angels who save his life. In Italy, a medieval ritual involving the blood of a Saint is thought to protect a city from calamity. In Poland, mysterious witches claim the power to see devils and set people free from their demons. In Ireland, a faith healer uses a secret prayer and lays hands to cure the sick. Can everything be explained through reason or are there powers at work beyond understanding? This timely series looks for meaning in a complicated world. Appealing to the most faithful as well as the unbeliever, this gripping, dramatic series explores the fascinating relationship between science and faith. Produced by Saloon Media for HISTORY.
RETURNING SERIES:
Duck Dynasty (67 x ? hour + 5 x 1 hour)
Ask anyone in Louisiana and they’ll tell you that the Bayou States favorite family doesn’t live in the governor’s mansion, but in the backwoods where they operate a sporting empire fabricating, of all things…duck calls! Meet the Robertsons. They’re modern-day Beverly Hillbillies living the American Dream operating a multi-million dollar enterprise while remaining true to themselves and their outdoor lifestyle. The most famous Robertson of all is the patriarch of the family, Phil Robertson, better known as the Duck Commander. Along with his brother Silas, sons Willie and Jase, their respective wives Korie and Missy, and Phil’s best friend John, they run Duck Commander Products and employ half their neighborhood as they grow a booming business. It’s a never-ending adventure as they put out one fire after another – but that’s not to say they don’t have their share of fun.
