NBCUniversal‘s cable powerhouse Bravo Media will expand this fall to seven nights a week of original, primetime programming.
The move was announced today along with a slate of 11 new and 20 returning series. While most remain in the unscripted sweet spot, newer offerings include Dirty John, a scripted anthology series starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana. New unscripted titles include a home design-meets-fashion series featuring Queer Eye alum Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia as well as Flipping Exes, about a former couple who remain partners in an Indiana real estate business.
“Our brand offers a unique environment for our viewers to escape with drama that is fun and funny, yet far from their normal reality,” said Jerry Leo, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy, Lifestyle Networks and Production at the NBCUniversal network. “By doubling down on noisy formats and big characters, expanding our lifestyle programming in the design and home space, and offering seven nights a week of originals, we’ll be able to serve our fans more of what they crave while also attracting new viewers with our wide scope of programming.”
Bravo remains a bright spot for NBCU as the company looks to combat the effects of ratings erosion facing all TV programmers. The network’s 16% lead as the No. 1 network among female viewers in F18-49 and F25-54 is its widest margin ever. Bravo also said it finished the first quarter of 2018 as the No. 5 ad-supported cable network among all viewers 18-49, the highest quarterly ranking it has ever achieved in primetime.
As it looks to continue growing beyond live, linear viewing, Bravo also said it is the No. 1 cable network for video on demand among all cable networks with 20.6 million streams via set-top-boxes. On digital platforms, Bravo has generated 18.4 million live streams and 27 million on-demand views, up +156% and +108%, respectively, compared with the previous year.
The roster of returning shows includes Vanderpump Rules, Million Dollar Listing New York and The Real Housewives iterations in Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Orange County, New Jersey and Dallas. They join the original scripted series Imposters, which just premiered, as well as late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and the Emmy-winning Top Chef.
Here are the network’s descriptions of the 10 new series:
Thom and Carson Project (Working Title)
Produced by Critical Content and Free Range Media with David Metzler, Tom Forman, Jon Beyer, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley, Jason Hollis and Grace Lee-Toumanidis serving as executive producers.
Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia are here to help fight the uniformity and ubiquity of American home design. In this new series, Thom takes Carson under his wing to teach him interior design by channeling Carson’s impeccable sense for fashion. The formidable duo will create breathtaking and affordable home re-designs for their lucky clients using expert skills mixed with their signature endearing charm fans fell in love with during Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
Mexican Dynasties (Working Title)
Produced by Shed Media and Campanario Entertainment with Pam Healey and Lisa Shannon serving as executive producers from Shed Media and Jaime Davila serving as executive producer from Campanario Entertainment.
Mexico City is the modern cultural mecca of Latin America, and is home to some of the planet’s richest elite. This series will put a spotlight on the notoriously private, high society world in Mexico City by focusing on three family dynasties that made their fortunes in the entertainment, beverage, and luxury car company industries. This docuseries will explore these successful multigenerational families through both comedy and heart in ways that only close-knit relatives can, particularly those that have known one another for decades. They will challenge stereotypes and showcase the revealing, luxurious and over the top lifestyles in this cosmopolitan destination.
Untitled San Antonio Project (Working Title)
Produced by Adjacent Productions and PSG Motion Pictures with Bill Fritz serving as executive producer for Adjacent Productions and Anna Rodzinkski serving as executive producer for PSG Motion Pictures.
This docuseries follows a tight knit group of women and their families living in San Antonio, Texas, who are affluent, sophisticated U.S. citizens or recently naturalized citizens of Mexican decent. In their upscale and beautiful gated communities, these women will face a new set of challenges in adapting to US culture while working to keep their roots alive and well.
Married to Medicine: Los Angeles
Produced by Freemantle North America and developed by Purveyors of Pop with Matt Anderson and Nate Green serving as executive producers.
This new series expands the fan-favorite “Married to Medicine” to the West Coast. In the city of glitz and glam, these doctors save lives by day and walk red carpets at night. The docuseries features a group of friends living, working and playing in this exclusive medical community, and with Hollywood at their fingertips, these ladies never truly know who’s real and what’s fake.
Welcome to Waverly
Produced by Our House Media with Matt Hanna, Simon Lloyd, Joe Houlihan, Jen Morton and Paul Storck serving as executive producers.
In a real litmus test for our divided country, a diverse group of people from America’s biggest cities have agreed to pick up and move to the heartland of Waverly, Kansas, where they’ll live and work alongside some very traditional locals. During this clash of American cultures, will preconceived notions be turned upside down? Are we too divided or are we all more like-minded than we think? The town’s response to these fish-out-of-water city slickers is often hilarious and quite surprising.
Unanchored (Working Title)
Produced by Evolution Media with Douglas Ross, Alex Baskin & Bill Langworthy
Catch a rare glimpse into the secret second life of young, elite professionals in “Unanchored,” a brand-new docuseries that follows a group of best friends as they embark on their next travel adventure – an exclusive floating festival in the Bahamas where they’ll join 30 yachts. The group leaves behind their high-level careers to travel the breathtaking Bahamas and embrace a subculture of elaborate costumes, eccentric rules, and hallowed traditions. “Unanchored” is a story about finding your tribe—and all the laughter, heartbreak, and adventure that comes with it.
Backyard Envy (Working Title)
Produced by World of Wonder and Renowned Films with Fenton Baily, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Todd Radnitz and Brian Robel serving as executive producers for World of Wonder and Max Welch, Tim Withers and Duane Jones serving as executive producers for Renowned Films.
Manscapers is New York City’s most exclusive exterior design and landscaping firm, specializing in full outdoor renovation design for the area’s most demanding clients. From rooftops in Manhattan to backyards in the burbs, this series follows James DeSantis, Garrett Magee, and Melissa Brasier as they transform barren outdoor spaces into lush, jaw-dropping oases. These “Two Wills and a Grace” are put to the test as they juggle tight deadlines, multiple clients and each other.
Buying it Blind
Produced by Kinetic Content with Chris Coelen, Katie Griffin, Eric Detwiler, Robert Zimmerman and Jennifer Faison Herron serving as executive producers.
This series will follow different couples that can’t decide, or can’t agree, on what kind of home to buy. At a breaking point, they decide to take a radical step and blindly hand the decision – and their entire budget – over to a team of three industry experts who will be charged with making the choice for these couples. The expert team will choose the property for the buyer, who will not get to view the property prior to purchase, and then be challenged to take the house through a stunning renovation. Will the experts create the buyer’s dream home? Or will the client end up with buyer’s remorse?
Flipping Exes
Produced by Rock Shrimp Productions with Bobby Flay, Kim Martin, Danielle Medina and René Rainey serving as executive producers.
After their break up, real life ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend Nina Klemm and Michael LeSure launched a house flipping business in Carmel, Indiana (nicknamed “the Beverly Hills of the Midwest”) called “Flipping Exes.” The show will follow their flipping business, Nina’s work as a local realtor of high-end properties, and of course, the unique relationship between Michael, Nina and their staff in a show that seamlessly mixes real estate and comedy.
Sweet Home
Produced by Evolution Media with Douglas Ross, Alex Baskin, Brian McCarthy and Jen Morton serving as executive producers.
“Sweet Home” follows Jennifer Welch and her design business as she and her team, Alex, Sarah and Sabah, take on residential and commercial clients all over Oklahoma City. In each hour-long episode, viewers will see a project come together as Jennifer delivers sophisticated designs with the vision, passion, and sharp wit that she is known for, all while living/dealing with her ex-husband Josh as they raise their growing boys. As always, hijinks are in style as gal-pal Angie “Pumps” Sullivan is back for more hilarious fun.
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