NEW YORK – March 29, 2023 – AMC Networks’ SundanceTV is expanding its successful “True Crime Story” franchise with the renewal of It Couldn’t Happen Here, hosted by New York Times bestselling author Hilarie Burton Morgan (One Tree Hill, The Walking Dead) and greenlights for two new series – True Crime Story: Citizen Detective and Crimes of Entitlement (w/t) – both focused on telling gripping true crime stories from unique perspectives. All three series join SundanceTV’s robust slate of “True Crime Story” content this year, kicking off with the debut of Look Into My Eyes on June 15.
Blake Callaway, General Manager of SundanceTV said: “True crime is more popular than ever, and SundanceTV has an exciting slate of original series that provide a unique and elevated take on the genre. Our goal is to give audiences something they love and to raise the profile of cases that were unsolved or perhaps unjust. Even better if we can have some real-world impact along the way. We are thrilled to have Hilarie bring her empathic approach to crime in small towns and her fierce advocacy back for another season of It Couldn’t Happen Here.”
Said Morgan, “I know how special it is to partner with a studio, network, production company and crew who all see the value in doing things radically different in the true crime space. From the jump, we wanted to correct many of the predatory practices that exist in the genre, and instead lead with advocacy and compassion. The fact that fans have rallied and we are seeing real change is proof that we need to keep going and keep shining a light.”
Robert Friedman, Executive Producer of It Couldn’t Happen Here added: “We are so happy that SundanceTV is renewing the series and continuing their commitment to shining a light on small town justice. Their reach, along with Hilarie’s passion for sharing the stories of underserved individuals, will continue to make a big difference in bringing awareness to these communities.”
Produced by Bungalow Media, the second season of It Couldn’t Happen Here will consist of six episodes. Throughout the series, Burton Morgan lends empathy and advocacy to small-town American crime stories to explore how major crimes impact these tight-knit communities and shed light on previously adjudicated cases where doubt about the existing verdict lingers. The series’ first season provided crucial awareness to overlooked cases that helped secure freedom for Devonia Inman, who had been wrongfully imprisoned for 23 years. It Couldn’t Happen Here is produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment. It is exec produced by Friedman, Liz Yale Marsh, and Mike Powers for Bungalow Media + Entertainment, Hilarie Burton Morgan for Mischief Farm, Liz DeCesare and Meg Mortimer for Authentic Management Productions, and Dan Flaherty and Po Kutchins. Producers encourage those aware of any cases that were overlooked in small towns to submit their stories to ichhstories@gmail.com.
From World of Wonder, True Crime Story: Citizen Detective is a documentary series that examines fascinating true crime stories through the eyes of the untrained amateur sleuths who solved them or are still trying to do so. Each episode spotlights one new crime and the crime-fighter determined to make sure the case he or she is obsessed with is ultimately classified as “closed.” Executive producers are Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Josh Bingham and Tom Campbell.
From Sidestilt Films, Crimes of Entitlement explores what happens when people who have little to gain and much to lose resort to criminal behavior. Blinded by their ego and sense of entitlement, they plan and execute the most elaborate crimes, to the point of absurdity. So, why do they do it? In this documentary series, each episode will examine one of those absurd crimes and the entitled people behind them. The series is executive produced by Amy Bandlien Storkel & Bryan Storkel.
These series join the previously announced four-part limited series, Look Into My Eyes, which unfurls the bizarre story of Dr. George Kenney and his fall from grace after 10 years as a beloved principal at North Port High School in Florida where he practiced hypnosis on students. In 2011, three teenage students died after a series of suspicious events. When a local media story questioned his involvement, the case exploded into global news. The series investigates events leading up to these untimely deaths and the tragic aftermath as victims’ families, eyewitnesses, experts, and people involved attempt to unpack what really happened. Look Into My Eyes is executive produced by Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold for Blumhouse Television; Ethan Goldman and Keayr Braxton for Anchor Entertainment; James Buddy Day; Mary Lisio; Eric Cook; Vince Dale. Produced by Blumhouse Television and Anchor Entertainment.
SundanceTV’s “True Crime Story” franchise builds off its successful, critically acclaimed limited true crime series, including The Preppy Murder: Death In Central Park, No One Saw A Thing and Jonestown: Terror In the Jungle and the continuing strong performance of its acquired crime dramas.
About SundanceTV
Since its launch in 1996, SundanceTV has remained true to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity and distinctive storytelling through unique voices and narratives found in the best independent films. From delivering critically acclaimed Emmy®, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winning television featuring some of the world’s most talented creators and performers, to showcasing some of the most compelling and iconic films across genres and generations, SundanceTV is a smart and thought-provoking entertainment destination. SundanceTV is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.; its sister networks include AMC, IFC, BBC America and WE tv. SundanceTV is available across all platforms, including on-air, online at www.sundancetv.com, on demand and mobile.
About AMC+
AMC+ is the company’s new premium streaming bundle featuring an extensive lineup of popular and critically acclaimed original programming from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV and full access to targeted streaming services Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited, which feature content such as A Discovery of Witches, Creepshow, and Boyhood. The service features a continually refreshed library of commercial-free content, with iconic series from the AMC Networks portfolio including Mad Men, Halt & Catch Fire, Hell on Wheels, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Rectify, Portlandia, and series from The Walking Dead Universe, among many others. The service also offers a growing slate of original and exclusive series including Gangs of London, This is Going to Hurt, Dark Winds, and the first two series in a new Anne Rice universe, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches. With new movies released every Friday, AMC+ is the newest destination for exclusive film premieres direct from theaters all year long. AMC+ is available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Korea, and Spain and is available in the U.S. through AMCPlus.com, the AMC+ app, and a number of digital and cable partners.
About Bungalow Media
Founded in 2013 by CEO Robert Friedman, Bungalow Media + Entertainment is an Emmy Award-winning integrated entertainment company that develops, produces and distributes content across all media platforms. Bungalow’s recently produced projects include the documentary feature Little Richard: I Am Everything for CNN Films/HBO Max, the series Serving the Hamptons for Discovery+, the four-part mini-series Surviving Jeffrey Epstein for Lifetime, the five-part mini-series The Preppy Murder for AMC/Sundance, The Panama Papers for EPIX, and Roswell: The First Witness for History. Additional credits include Emmy-Award winning GIVE for NBC, Corvette Heroes for the History Channel, The Real SVU for Lifetime, Landmarks Live in Concert for PBS, 36 Hours with the New York Times for Travel Channel, and scripted dramas APB on Fox, Netflix’s Insatiable, and Amazon’s Modern Love. Bungalow has also produced the feature documentaries The Devil Made Me Do It for Discovery+, Spring Broke on Showtime, We the People: The Market Basket Effect, and the Clive Owen feature film, The Confirmation, among others.
About World of Wonder
World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 30 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul’s Drag Race and DragCon. WOW’s pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye. WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report. Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.
About Sidestilt Films
Sidestilt Films is a production company based in Pasadena, CA. They have produced and directed many award-winning documentary films and series including The Legend of Cocaine Island (Netflix 2019), the Emmy Award Winning documentary, Alabama Snake (HBO 2020), and the ESPN 30-for-30 film The Bad Boy of Bowling. The most recently released the quirky, fun, and adventurous documentary The Pez Outlaw, which premiered at SXSW 2022 and ranked as the top documentary on Netflix upon its release in Jan of 2023.