Despite some technical issues, TNT and TBS unveiled their extensive programming plans earlier today at the annual upfront presentation. And the biggest announcement concerned "The Closer," TNT's signature drama series that is about to enter its seventh and final season.
As expected, "The Closer" will air 15 new episodes this year, with the remaining six episodes to run in the summer of 2012; where they will lead into the debut of "Major Crimes." Mary McDonnell ("Battlestar Galactica") will headline "Major Crimes" as Capt. Sharon Raydor, a character who has previously gone up against Kyra Sedgwick's Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on "The Closer."
"Major Crimes" will also take place in Los Angeles, raising the possibility that characters from "The Closer" may also appear on the spinoff.
TNT is also debuting at least two new drama series within the next year: Steven Spielberg's "Falling Skies" this summer and "Perception," a new crime drama set to run in 2012. The network also released a list of ten new series currently in development. Oddly enough, the "Dallas" revival that was announced months ago wasn't mentioned at all, despite being fully cast and stocked with returning performers like Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
The TNT Tuesday Night Mystery will run in November and December as a series of six different stand alone crime dramas based on novels by Scott Turow, Richard North Patterson, Sandra Brown, Lisa Gardner, April Smith, Mary and Carol Higgins Clark .
For TBS, the major announcement was the greenlight for "The Wedding Band," a new one hour comedy series starring Brian Austin Green ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and Harold Perrineau ("Lost") which will premiere in the summer of 2012. Talkshow host Conan O'Brien was also on hand to reveal that he will be taking "Conan" on the road to New York this October, with another road trip to Chicago planned for 2012.
For a list of TNT and TBS series currently in development, head to the next page!
