Network Greenlights Second Season of THE MORTIFIED SESSIONS
Adds Five New Original Non-Fiction Series to Development Slate
New York, May 11, 2012 – Sundance Channel has announced the renewal of unscripted original series “The Mortified Sessions” for a second season and unveiled its 2012/2013 non-fiction original development slate. The five series in development explore aspects of our contemporary culture in fresh and relevant ways, all with extraordinary characters compelled to follow their own path. These unscripted projects build on Sundance Channel’s overall programming slate which includes the network’s first wholly owned scripted drama series “Rectify,” and the Jane Campion’s mini-series “Top of the Lake” to premiere in 2013.
Sundance Channel General Manager, Sarah Barnett, commented, “Sundance Channel’s non-fiction shows tell terrific stories about compelling characters, and at the same time lift the lid on a world you may not have seen before. People come to Sundance Channel because they want programming that is entertaining and that gives them a new perspective.” She continued, “By airing shows that shatter expectations and explore our contemporary world in disarming and novel ways, we offer something different on the TV landscape.”
2012-2013 Non-Fiction Development Slate
Dream School
Imagine a school where your favorite rock-star is the music teacher, P.E. is run by an Olympian, and the science professor has a Nobel prize. A place where celebrities with a passion to give something back, strive to transform the children our education system has failed. Welcome to Dream School – an ambitious social experiment where the best and the brightest in our culture teach kids that have been falling through cracks in the system. Based on the UK phenomenon, Executive Produced by Jamie Oliver and Fresh One, "Dream School" reinvents education to rekindle a generation’s love for learning. Produced by Fresh One.
Dead & Found
How do you piece together the story of a life that has left very few clues? This dramatic non-fiction series follows a team of government investigators in Reno who seek to decode the lives behind unidentified dead bodies. Nevada has the highest number of unidentified corpses in the country, and with only one week to locate the next of kin, every case is an unexpected journey of discovery as the team reconstructs a life. And whether the victims’ families react with shock, sadness or apathy, the circumstances of death are always a surprising window into the dramas of life. Produced by This is Just a Test.
Kenya & Carl
Explore the often misunderstood world of open marriages through an unusual team of marriage counselors. Husband and wife team, Kenya and Carl, are out to prove that partners can be open and honest with each other in every way. When over half of all marriages end in divorce, Kenya and Carl offer a radical reinvention of the nuclear family. Produced by GRB.
The Trouble with Love and Sex
Who knows the truth that lies behind the façade of any relationship? Often, the therapist does. The sometimes shocking truths that come out in therapy are born out of our innermost compulsions, fears, and bizarre fantasies. This revealing series takes actual recordings from couples therapy sessions and brings them vividly to life as animated stories. Dare to stare as relationship troubles and shocking confessions unfold. Be a fly on the wall to hear if America thinks love and sex are worth the anguish or just plain trouble. Produced by BBC Worldwide.
Wino
When most people hear the term “wine sommelier” they think rarified and elitist. Self-taught maverick sommelier Brian Kalliel shatters those stereotypes, as he travels the world, using wine as a way in to the culture and character of a people. Wine, as metaphor for life, with a truly surprising personality. Produced by Giant Pirates Entertainment.
New and Returning Original Non-Fiction Programming
The Mortified Sessions: Season Two
Last season, Ed Helms, Ricky Schroeder, Cheryl Hines, Jennifer Grey and other celebrities, shared some of the most embarrassing, emotional and hilarious stories from their pasts in The Mortified Sessions.. This second season will continue to dig up revealing mementos of a celebrity’s past which shed light on who they are today. From embarrassing teenage photos to love-sick song lyrics, our personal history is always full of surprising and insightful revelations. Hosted by David Nadelberg the creator of the nationwide performance sensation and bestselling book series, Mortified, every episode introduces you to the true person behind the celebrity image. Produced by Relativity Real (6×30).
All on the Line with Joe Zee: Season 3 – Previously Announced
Joe Zee – Creative Director for ELLE – is always one step ahead of the trends. Back for a third season, Joe is using his style smarts and eye for detail to guide struggling fashion designers back on the road to success. With insider savvy, a positive spirit, and a double dose of tough love, Joe inspires these listless labels to rekindle their creative fire and stay true to who they are. This just may be their last chance to transform cutting room concepts into rack ready fashions, as art meets commerce with a dramatic collison. With a make or break presentation to a buyer looming, it’s “All on the Line.” Produced by Authentic Entertainment (8×60)
Iconoclasts: Season 6 – Previously Announced
Sundance Channel and GREY GOOSE ENTERTAINMENT® are set to debut the sixth season of Iconoclasts on Sundance Channel in fall 2012. Each one-hour episode pairs two trailblazing creative visionaries in unique encounters that reveal unseen, and often unexpected, sides of these public personalities. Produced by @radical.media. (6×30)
About Sundance Channel
Sundance Channel 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 AMC Networks Inc, Sundance Channel provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity. sundancechannel.com
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.