New York, April 7, 2011 – Sundance Channel has announced that it has acquired the iconic series "My So-Called Life" from Disney-ABC Domestic Television, premiering on April 25 at 11PM ET/PT. The one-hour series broke new ground when it launched in 1994 by following a group of suburban teenagers and addressing social issues that continue to be relevant today, such as homophobia, teenage drinking and bullying. The series made stars of actors Claire Danes and Jared Leto. In 2007, "My So-Called Life" was ranked by Time on its list of "The 100 Best Shows of All-Time. "
The program is consistently recognized as a critical favorite by a devoted fanbase based on its authentic storytelling. Sarah Barnett, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Sundance Channel commented, "We love My So-Called Life because it’s both substantive and engaging. We’re delighted to bring back the series for the passionate audience that adored the show when it first premiered and we’re thrilled to introduce it to a whole new audience that can enjoy it for the first time. The timeless stories hold up brilliantly."
"My So-Called Life" was created by Winnie Holzman and executive-produced by Marshall Herskovitz & Edward Zwick. Winnie Holzman and Scott Winant served as the co-executive producers and Brooke Kennedy served as producer. The one-hour series, which originally aired on ABC from 1994-1995, was produced by The Bedford Falls Company in association with ABC Productions, Inc.
Set at "Liberty High School," the series follows protagonist Angela Chase (Claire Danes) and her emotional journey through adolescence. Starring are Bess Armstrong as Patty Chase, Wilson Cruz as Rickie Vasquez, Claire Danes as Angela Chase, Devon Gummersall as Brian Krakow, A.J. Langer as Rayanne Graff, Jared Leto as Jordan Catalano, Devon Odessa as Sharon Cherski, Lisa Wilhoit as Danielle Chase and Tom Irwin as Graham Chase.
Another recent acquisition, "The Comeback" starring Lisa Kudrow, experienced a major resurgence with fans following its premiere on Sundance Channel. The acquisition of "My So-Called Life" follows Sundance Channel’s announcement that they are doubling original programming hours in 2011 with a slate of seven new and returning series and two non-fiction series in active development. Included on the 2011 slate is a second season of the social media hit "Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys."
About Sundance Channel
Sundance Channel (sundancechannel.com) is the destination for What’s Next, Now. Showcasing both today’s creative icons and the emerging talent of tomorrow, Sundance Channel tells credible, authentic, and emotionally immersive stories of Invention, Fashion, Film, Travel, Design, and Enterprise. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC, Sundance Channel provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters, IFC Midnight and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.
About Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Disney-ABC Domestic Television (DADT) is the North American in-home sales organization for The Walt Disney Company. DADT distributes motion picture and television content across a wide array of media platforms and businesses including video/retail, video-on-demand/pay-per-view, electronic sell-through, subscription video-on-demand, pay television, basic cable, broadcast television, mobile, broadband and other digital technologies. An industry leader, DADT is responsible for sales and customer management of in-home entertainment content, distributing properties from Disney, Disney Pixar, Marvel, DreamWorks Studios, ABC Studios, ABC Entertainment, ABC Family and Disney Channel. Disney-ABC Domestic Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc.