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vrijdag 6 april 2012

Shows in development that I want to see Fall 2012

Shows in development that I want to see Fall 2012

Here is the list so far of the shows currently in development that I personally can't wait to see.

GOTHAM
A cop who, after pursuing a seemingly unsolvable case, discovers a magical world that exists within New York City.


REVOLUTION
about the simmering unrest among the colonists at a 22nd-century outpost Earth colony.


DEFIANCE
Set in the near future, Defiance introduces a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Forced to co-habitate, the disparate group struggles to build a new society among the devastation.


THE LAST RESORT
Follows a renegade nuclear submarine crew that refuses to deploy its weapons, and instead declare themselves a sovereign nation. With nukes.


THE SELECTION
Drama set 300 years in the future about America Singer, a poor woman who is chosen by lottery to compete to become the next queen of a war-torn nation.


HEMLOCK GROVE
A gripping tale of murder, mystery and monsters set in a ravaged Pennsylvania steel town


MIDNIGHT SUN
Drama about the FBI's investigation into the disappearance of a remote cult in Dugan, Alaska - led by Bennett Maxwell - which taps into a grander political conspiracy.


BANSHEE
An ex-convict and master thief who assumes the identity of a small town sheriff and continues to carry out his criminal activities even as shadowy gangsters hunt him.


HANNIBAL
About the early days of Thomas Harris's signature characters FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Hannibal Lecter.


INSIDE
A San Francisco homicide detective who discovers his real father is a convicted serial killer who claims to be innocent of murdering the cop's mother.


666 PARK AVENUE
A young couple who accept an offer to manage one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City where they begin to experience supernatural occurrences.


CULT
A production assistant on a wildly popular television show named "Cult," who teams with Jeff Sefton, a journalist blogger, to investigate the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program in real life.


O.C.T.
About the NYPD's Occult Crimes Taskforce, which was established after the Civil War to make the New York City streets safe from practitioners of black magic, demons from another dimension and all manner of supernatural malcontents.

Sky to invest in British TV films for Sky Movies, Sky Atlantic

Sky to invest in British TV films for Sky Movies, Sky Atlantic

Sky has confirmed plans to make a "multi-million pound" investment in commissioning more feature-length British films for television, as it seeks to prove its credentials as a backer of homegrown talent.

The satellite TV giant said that the funding will be primarily directed at two "distinct and complementary" strands - new movies for family audiences to be shown on Sky Movies, and new documentary films for Sky Atlantic.

Newly commissioned films are expected to air on Sky from 2013, and the investment forms part of Sky's commitment to backing UK-produced content, including a pledge to increase its annual spend to £600m by 2014.

Buoyed by recent ambitious projects such as Treasure Island and Neverland, Sky wants to invest in more feature-length films aimed at the whole family over the next five years.

Sky said that new productions are already in development, but Sky Movies is seeking submissions for further projects featuring "cinematographic quality content". Any green-lit projects would have budgets of around £5m and air on Sky Movies from 2013.

In a bid to transform Sky Atlantic into a channel to rival BBC Four and More 4, Sky wants to increase the factual content on the channel with a new primetime strand in early 2013.

The strand, presumably similar to More 4's acclaimed True Stories series of feature-length documentaries, will feature up to 12 peaktime films on Sky Atlantic and "form the backbone of the new documentary slate".

Sky wants Sky Atlantic to become the "home of gold standard documentary films", and so is calling for bold ideas from production companies.

Any commissioned projects will be exclusive to Sky platforms, premiering first on Sky Movies and Sky Atlantic, before launching on Sky Anytime video on-demand and the Sky Go multiplatform service.

Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch said that the satellite TV giant wants to further build its "capability and credibility" in creating British programming that "resonates" with pay-TV customers.

"I'm very encouraged by the progress we've achieved so far, particularly in original comedy and drama, but we're only at the start and we're determined to raise our ambitions again and keep improving," he said.

"We see a real opportunity in British films, where we've already invested millions in three feature-length productions with Sir David Attenborough.

"Now we intend to green light more family films for Sky customers and help more of the best documentary makers to bring the films they most want to make to the screen. This is an ambitious plan that will bring benefits to the wider creative industries as well as to Sky and our customers."

Yesterday, Sky announced plans to add more value to Sky Broadband subscriptions by offering free access to a UK network of WiFi hotspots via its The Cloud subsidiary.


Eva Longoria: 'Desperate Housewives trial is a stain on legacy'

Eva Longoria: 'Desperate Housewives trial is a stain on legacy'

Eva Longoria has said that she never expected Nicollette Sheridan's case against Marc Cherry and ABC to go to trial.

The Desperate Housewives star confessed that the trial, in which Sheridan sued Cherry and ABC for wrongful termination, has put a dampener on the series' final season.

"I was surprised that there was even a trial and it went that far," Longoria told Katie Couric on Good Morning America.

"I love Nicollette, and I love Marc Cherry, and I love our work environment. It's a stain on our legacy as a hit show. It was just unfortunate, the whole thing."

Sheridan's case against ABC was declared a mistrial in mid-March after the jury became deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict.

However, Cherry was cleared after a judge dropped the battery charges against the Desperate Housewives showrunner.

Sheridan had claimed that he hit her on the head, though he insisted that it was purely a tap for artistic direction.

Matt Lauer Signs Extension With NBC's 'Today'

Matt Lauer Signs Extension With NBC's 'Today'

Matt Lauer will announce on “The Today Show” Friday that he has signed a long-term contract to remain with the morning program, NBC News confirmed.

NBC has secured its marquee anchor as the morning shows are engaged in a closer fight for ratings. "Good Morning America" has been closing its ratings gap with the top-rated "Today." This week, "GMA" enlisted Lauer’s former “Today” co-host Katie Couric as a guest anchor, and "Today" brought in Sarah Palin on Tuesday.

On Wednesday’s show, Lauer interviewed Ryan Seacrest, who the Wall Street Journal has reported as a possible Lauer successor. Asked by Seacrest how long he wanted to remain on “Today,” Lauer did not answer.

Terms and the length of the contract were not disclosed.

'The Voice' UK Battle Rounds dates set

'The Voice' UK Battle Rounds dates set

The BBC will air a double bill of The Voice UK shows across the weekend of April 21 and 22.

will.i.am, Jessie J, Sir Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue will be forced to cut their teams of singers down to five final acts each when the show reaches its Battle Round stage.

The four coaches will be helped by Battle Advisors, who were revealed yesterday to be Paloma Faith, Cerys Matthews, Ana Matronic from Scissor Sisters and Dante Santiago.

During the Battle Rounds, the acts are forced to duet with their teammates on the same songs to prove to their mentors that they are worth keeping in the competition.

It is also suspected that The Voice UK's results shows at the live stages will end up going head-to-head with The Cube on ITV1, meaning This Morning co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will be having a ratings clash.

The Voice UK auditions continue on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.




Sky to broadcast Eurosport's 3D Olympics coverage

Sky to broadcast Eurosport's 3D Olympics coverage

Sky has confirmed plans to offer the 3D coverage of London 2012 to be produced by Eurosport to all Sky+ HD subscribers with a 3D TV set.

Eurosport, the pan-European broadcaster of the Olympics, plans to air more than 100 hours of 3D coverage over the course of the Games this summer.

As part of a deal with Sky, this coverage will be showcased on the Sky 3D channel, which launched in October 2010 and is now enjoyed by more than 250,000 Sky subscribers.

The channel has previously just been available to customers taking the top tier Sky World subscription package, but for the duration of the Games Sky is unlocking Sky 3D to more than 4m homes with a Sky+ HD subscription, enabling them to watch the Eurosport coverage.

To access the Olympic 3D action, customers will need to purchase a 3D TV and then connect it to their 3D-ready Sky+ HD box.

Sky 3D will air exclusive 3D action from Eurosport every day during the Games, including around eight hours of live coverage and four hours of highlights from each day.

Events to be covered in 3D include the opening and closing ceremonies, the men's 100m final and selected other sports such as gymnastics, swimming, basketball and canoeing.

Sky will also make a wide range of 3D Olympic highlights available on Sky Anytime, the satellite broadcaster's video on-demand service.

Eurosport will also run standard and high definition coverage of the Games on the Sky platform by using the special live stream channels to be launched to show every second of coverage by host broadcaster the BBC.

Sky 3D director John Cassy said: "We know from our own extensive experience that sport in 3D is captivating and we expect the Olympics to be no different.

"It's fitting that the London 2012 Games will be the first 3D Olympics and we're delighted to partner with Eurosport to ensure Sky customers are able to become immersed in the action like never before. Whether you're enjoying the Games in high definition or 3D, viewers will never have felt so close to the action."

Eurosport's managing director of rights acquisition, distribution and development Jean Thierry Augustin added: "Eurosport has been innovating to provide fans with the best live sports experience for many years.

"We pride ourselves on giving a truly global view of the Olympic Games, letting supreme sporting performances drive our coverage.

"This opportunity to present the London 2012 Olympics in 3D to Sky customers will give British fans an unforgettable experience of their 'home' Games and the international sporting heroes it will generate."

As official broadcaster for the 12th consecutive Olympics, Eurosport intends to devote its entire channel to daily coverage of London 2012, including 13 hours of live HD action alongside a breakfast news show, daily highlights and overnight replays of the best action.

The BBC also intends to offer live 3D coverage of selected events from the London 2012 Olympics using the BBC HD channel available on various digital TV platforms.








'The Apprentice' on the rise despite Chelsea football clash

'The Apprentice' on the rise despite Chelsea football clash

The Apprentice rose to over 6.5m last night, its highest audience since series eight premiered three weeks ago.

Lord Alan Sugar's finger of doom was seen by 6.54m (26.3%) on BBC One, then 2.55m (12.6%) stayed for The Apprentice: You're Fired with Dara O'Briain on BBC Two.

Chelsea's defeat of Benfica in the Champions League scored 4.82m (20.6%) for ITV1 between 7.30pm and 10pm.

Meanwhile, the rest of BBC Two's factual lineup performed steadily, with Our Food (1.94m/8.4%) and Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice (1.96m/7.9%) airing before You're Fired.

Channel 4's One Born Every Minute continued strongly, pulling in 2.5m (10.1%) in the 9pm hour and 483k (2.7%) on +1, prior to which Four Rooms took 1.05m (4.5%) at 8pm (+1: 132k/0.5%).

Later on, the penultimate 10 O'Clock Live, featuring George Galloway, entertained 760k (4.3%) and 122k (1.3%) on timeshift - slightly more than its Thursday average.

US drama NCIS anchored Channel 5's schedule with 1.82m (7.3%) at 9pm (+1: 120k/0.7%), before Law & Order: Criminal Intent mustered 1.06m (5.9%). Cowboy Builders returned at 8pm with 1.35m (5.8%).

Overall, BBC One led primetime with 22,4% against ITV1's 19.2% (+1: 0.3%). BBC Two claimed third place with 8.2%, ahead of Channel 4's 5.8% (+1: 1.1%), and Channel 5's 5.5% (+1: 0.2%).

Shane Bourne turns down Logie Awards hosting role

Shane Bourne turns down Logie Awards hosting role

Shane Bourne has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to host this year's Logie Awards.

The Australian stand-up comedian and actor, who has been filming new show Tricky Business for the past nine months, said that he "enjoyed" presenting the annual awards ceremony in 2011 but is too busy to commit to it this year.

Bourne told Merrick Watts on his Triple M radio show: "I really enjoyed it last year, I had a ball. To me, it wasn't television, it was like doing a bit of a live variety show, it was great fun."

The star said that "you do have to prepare a bit" to be the main presenter of the Logies, adding that he didn't "want to get into that zone" because he has "just wrapped the show Tricky Business this week".

The Nine Network family drama, which will rival the Seven Network's Packed to the Rafters, stars Bourne as head of the family Jim Christie, while Debra Byrne has been cast as his wife Claire. Other cast members include Gigi Edgley, Sophie Hensser and former Home and Away actors Kip Gamblin and Lincoln Lewis.

Nine bosses have described Tricky Business as "warm, funny and moving", adding: "The show is an interesting combination of family relationships and a little bit of chase 'em down action."

Stars linked to the presenting job at this year's Logie Awards include Shaun Micallef and Adam Hills. Other past Logie hosts include Bert Newton, Rove McManus and Eddie McGuire.

'Downton Abbey', 'Game of Thrones' nominated for Monte Carlo TV awards

'Downton Abbey', 'Game of Thrones' nominated for Monte Carlo TV awards

Fresh Meat, Downton Abbey, Whitechapel and Game of Thrones are among the nominees for the 52nd Monte Carlo Television Festival.

The latter three will face off against Midsomer Murders, Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife and international contenders such as The Slap (Australia) and The Firm (Canada) in the 'Drama' category.

Fresh Meat, meanwhile, is against the likes of Irish representative Mrs Brown's Boys and stateside shows 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family for the 'Comedy' prize.

Another notable nominee is controversial HBO movie Game Change - a dramatisation of the 2008 Republican presidential campaign - in the 'Television Film' category. Its stars Julianne Moore and Ed Harris have picked up acting award nods for their portrayals of Sarah Palin and John McCain.

Various cast members of all the aforementioned shows are also nominated for their performances.

Leading the way with four nominations apiece are Downton Abbey (Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Dan Stevens and Brendan Coyle), Game of Thrones (Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage and Kit Harington), Boardwalk Empire (Steve Buscemi, Gretchen Mol, Michael Pitt and Kelly Macdonald) 30 Rock (Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan), The Slap (Blake Davis, Anthony Hayes, Melissa George and Sophie Okonedo) and The Firm (Josh Lucas, Juliette Lewis, Callum Keith Rennie and Molly Parker).

The 52nd Monte Carlo Television Festival will be take place on June 10-14.


Justine Clarke: 'Tangle' gets better with every series'

Justine Clarke: 'Tangle' gets better with every series'

Tangle actress Justine Clarke has revealed that she believes the show gets better with each series.

The Logie-nominated Australian star plays Allie Kovac in the Showcase drama.

Allie is a woman has endured the loss of her husband, has had a fling with a friend and is trying to cope with two teenage children and a wild sister called Nat (Kat Stewart).

As Tangle approaches its third season, Clarke revealed that fans can expect "more tension and discord", telling TV Tonight: "The way the writing seems to evolve across each series is that things just seem to ramp up even more.

"The end of the [last series] felt like people were coasting for a little minute, but you never feel like you're ever going to start an episode where everything is okay. It's only going to build on the hideous things that have happened in each episode!"

"The standard of writing gets better with each series," she continued. "The more [the writers] get to know the characters the more they've been able to play with them. So there's a whole new world of danger and drama that's open to us."

Clarke said that she pities her character because she is trying "so hard to live in a normal, ordered world" but is surrounded by "chaos".

She also said that this series will concentrate on Allie "working out what she's going to do with her life", something that the actress said she hopes any single mother facing a "scary" future might be able to relate to.

Clarke added that the relationship between Allie and Nat is a complex one because they "love each other and get along", but are "poles apart in their morals and lifestyles".

Tangle airs on Sundays at 8.30pm on Showcase.




TV Tonight 6th of April 2012

TV Tonight 6th of April 2012

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing.

    7 Days (NZ) S04E08: "Season 4, Episode 8"
    Ancient Aliens S04E08: "The Da Vinci Conspiracy"
    Animal 24:7 S08E05: "Series 8, Episode 5"
    Bellator Fighting Championships S06E05: "Bellator 64"
    Benidorm S05E07: "Series 5, Episode 7"
    Big Brother Sverige S08E42: "Del 42"
    Blue Bloods S02E19: "Some Kind of Hero"
    Cleverdicks S01E30: "Episode 30"
    Come Dine With Me S18E72: "Series 18, Come Dine With Me"
    Come Dine With Me S18E71: "Series 18, Episode 60"
    Coronation Street S53E70: "Fri Apr 6, 2012 [Episode 2]"
    Coronation Street S53E69: "Fri Apr 6, 2012 [Episode 1]"
    CSI: NY S08E15: "Kill Screen"
    Dateline NBC S21E36: "Fr2129"
    Days of our Lives S47E105: "Ep. #11815"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E204: "Episode 1884"
    Degrassi S11E39: "Need You Now (2)"
    EastEnders S28E57: "April 6, 2012"
    Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers S03E06: "Series 3, Episode 6"
    Emmerdale S41E83: "April 6, 2012"
    Fairly Legal S02E04: "Shine A Light"
    Flikken Maastricht S06E10: "Patsy"
    Four In A Bed S03E20: "Payment Day"
    Fred: The Show S01E13: "Class Election, Part I"
    Fringe S04E17: "Everything In Its Right Place"
    Funny As Hell S02E07: "Season 2, Episode 7"
    Gardeners' World S45E05: "April 6, 2012"
    General Hospital (US) S50E05: "#12533"
    Ghost Adventures S06E05: "Return to Linda Vista Hospital"
    Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden S22E155: "Season 22, Episode 155"
    Grimm S01E16: "The Thing with Feathers"
    Hollyoaks S18E70: "April 6, 2012"
    Home and Away (AU) S25E55: "Episode 5490"
    House Hunters International S25E68: "Season 25, Episode 68"
    In Plain Sight S05E04: "The Merry Wives of WITSEC"
    Jeopardy! S28E145: "Show #6350"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E233
    Just A Minute (1212) S01E10: "Episode 10"
    Killer Trials: Judgment Day S01E18: "The Kennedy Connection"
    Killer Trials: Judgment Day S01E17: "Mystery on the Mountain"
    Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness S01E27
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E248
    Mastermind (UK) S40E28: "Series 40, Show 28"
    Match of The Day S47E46: "Barnsley v West Ham United Live"
    Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries S01E07: "Murder in Montparnasse"
    My Worst Deal S01E05: "Episode 5"
    Natsu-iro Kiseki S01E01: "Episode 1"
    Neighbours S28E65: "Episode 6375"
    North Woods Law S01E05: "Warden Warriors"
    Phineas and Ferb S03E3010: "Meapless in Seattle"
    Poms in Paradise S02E02: "Series 2, Episode 2"
    Primetime S23E11: "What Would You Do? (11)"
    Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is S06E10: "Series 6, Episode 10"
    Romanii au Talent S02E08: "Semifinala #1"
    Sankarea S01E01: "Episode 1"
    Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta S03E18: "Meant To Be"
    Sengoku Collection S01E01: "Episode 1"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S26E11: "Ep. #6295"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E133
    The Finder S01E08: "Life After Death"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S08E56: "Laura Linney"
    The Mad Bad Ad Show S01E05: "Episode 5"
    The Million Pound Drop Live S09E05: "Series 9, Episode 5"
    The Revolution (2012) S01E60: "Season 1, Episode 60"
    The Talk S02E140: "Season 2, Episode 140"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E274
    The Ultimate Fighter S15E05: "Season 15, Episode 5"
    The View S15E133:
    The Young and the Restless S40E10: "Ep. #9879"
    Thuis S17E160: "Season 17, Episode 160"
    Titanic With Len Goodman S01E02: "Episode 2"
    True Justice S01E02: "Deadly Crossing: Part 2"
    Twenty Twelve S02E02: "Boycott (Part 2)"
    Undercover Boss S03E09: "Taylormade Golf Company"
    Who Do You Think You Are? (US) S03E08: "Edie Falco"
    WWE Friday Night SmackDown! S12E80: "Season 12, Episode 80"





Jenna-Louise Coleman: 'Doctor Who debut is unique, surprising'

Jenna-Louise Coleman: 'Doctor Who debut is unique, surprising'

New Doctor Who companion Jenna-Louise Coleman has said that her character will "surprise" fans with a never-before-seen introduction.

The Waterloo Road actress was last month confirmed to be starring alongside Matt Smith in series seven of the BBC sci-fi, replacing Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill.

Speaking about the upcoming debut, Coleman told viewers to expect "lots of secrets and intrigue" from her alter ego.

"I know what my introduction is," she told Doctor Who Magazine. "And I have a general idea of where we're going to go. There's definitely a story arc.

"It sounds really interesting, really exciting. I don't think anything's been done like it before, but there are lots of secrets and intrigue, and I think it's going to throw and confuse a lot of people, and surprise a lot of people."

Coleman previously admitted that she doesn't know the name of her character, as she asked Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat not to tell her "anything until [she needs] to know it".

The actress also said that she expects "to have the best time ever" with Smith.

'The Fades' axed by BBC Three after one series

'The Fades' axed by BBC Three after one series

BBC Three has cancelled The Fades after one series.

Johnny Harris confirmed to SFX that the corporation decided against ordering more episodes of the supernatural drama.

Fellow cast member Iain de Caestecker had previously set out his hopes for a second series to be commissioned.

Penned by Skins writer Jack Thorne, the show also starred Daniel Kaluuya, Lily Loveless, Tom Ellis, Johnny Harris, Daniela Nardini, Claire Rushbrook and Natalie Dormer.

As well as positive reviews, The Fades pulled in strong audience figures for the channel last September, and performed well on iPlayer.

Centring around teenager Paul, the show culminated with him saving the world from an apocalypse.


'Downton Abbey': Major character to die in series three

'Downton Abbey': Major character to die in series three

A leading Downton Abbey character will die in the next series, it has been confirmed.

Executive producer Rebecca Eaton let slip that the departing star is "pretty key in the cast".

She also revealed that one couple will start a family, telling the Orlando Sentinel: "Somebody will be born, and somebody will die."

"Somebody pretty key in the cast [is] unfortunately not going to make it," she teased.

Meanwhile, Eaton admitted that Dowager Countess actress Dame Maggie Smith is a "handful" on the set of the ITV period drama.

"Maggie Smith is a handful, it's true. She's very difficult. She knows her worth, and she's tricky on the set, but she delivers when the time comes," she explained.

Speaking about the arrival of Shirley MacLaine as Lady Grantham's mother Martha Levinson, Eaton added: "There are some wonderful scenes between Maggie and Shirley MacLaine - Shirley MacLaine being ditsy as ever.

"And Maggie barely restraining her sneer in having to deal with this American."

So far, the show's creator Julian Fellowes has killed off Matthew Crawley's fiancée Lavinia Swire (Zoe Boyle) through a flu epidemic in the last series finale.

Downton Abbey is expected to air its third run in September on ITV1.

Dick Wolf and Mark Burnett Doing Military-Style Reality Show for NBC

Dick Wolf and Mark Burnett Doing Military-Style Reality Show for NBC

Dick Wolf and Mark Burnett are sending Hollywood to boot camp.

"Law and Order" executive producer Wolf and reality TV guru Burnett are teaming up for a new NBC reality show that will put celebrities through their paces -- all for a good cause.

"Stars Earn Stripes" will bring nine celebrities from the film, music and sports world to "a top-notch, secret military training facility," where they'll be paired with trainers to prepare for a weekly challenge. The challenges, culled from actual exercises from the armed services, will range from hostage rescues to properly placing a laser target on a mountaintop.

Prize money will be donated to a military charity.

"I think this is a unique opportunity to pay a tribute to our troops and first responders who put their lives on the line every day," Wolf said of the new venture. "Mark and I are looking forward to working together as we bring this exciting, dramatic and entertaining competition to viewers."

"When I see someone in a military uniform I make it a point to approach them, shake their hand and say five words ... 'thank you for your service,'" Burnett, whose reality TV bona fides include "Survivor," "The Voice" and many others, added. "Stars Earn Stripes" is a high energy, fun, action show, but at its heart it is all about those five words: 'Thank you for your service'. Our celebrities are going to experience the high adrenaline that special forces and law enforcement encounter and will realize how very hard and scary it is to do those jobs."

"Stars Earn Stripes" is just one of several new projects that Burnett has signed on for recently. As reported by TheWrap on Thursday, he's teaming with "Avatar" director James Cameron on "Robogeddon," which will feature fighting robots, and "Mark Burnett's Alaska," which will chronicle "the colorful people, amazing history and unforgettable places that make Alaska a world apart." Both of those projects are being produced for Discovery.


Apprentice: Fired candidate Michael Copp says Ricky Martin is "acting"

Apprentice: Fired candidate Michael Copp says Ricky Martin is "acting"

Axed Apprentice candidate Michael Copp has questioned the authenticity of Ricky Martin.

Copp, fired by Lord Alan Sugar in last night's condiments task, told Digital Spy that the pro-wrestler is "a very good actor".

Copp told Digital Spy: "If you think about it he's a wrestler by night. In the wrestling industry you're acting, aren't you?

"So he's a very good actor, Ricky, and he knows how to sugarcoat up situations and put a spin on things. Whereas, to be honest with you, in real life, I'm not used to that.

"I don't have to sugarcoat things in real life when I'm doing business because, at the end of the day, I tell people what to do, my staff, and they do it and they do it well."

The 31-year-old added: "I'm not used to that side of it where people try to put a spin on things that happened."


CBS Sports Announces 2012 NFL Preseason Games

CBS Sports Announces 2012 NFL Preseason Games

Look for Bears/Giants on Friday, August 24 followed by Texas/Saints on Saturday, August 25.

THE NFL ON CBS Preseason Schedule Kicks Off with Super Bowl Champion New York Giants Hosting Chicago Bears Live in Prime Time on Friday, August 24

Houston Texans Take On New Orleans Saints for THE NFL ON CBS's Second Preseason Game Following Night on August 25 on CBS Television Network

The CBS Television Network, home of Super Bowl XLVII, is scheduled to begin its 53rd year broadcasting the NFL with two preseason games during the 2012 season.

The preseason schedule for THE NFL ON CBS begins on Friday, Aug. 24 (8:00 PM, ET) when the Super Bowl champion New York Giants hosts the Chicago Bears live in prime time on the CBS Television Network.

THE NFL ON CBS will conclude its two-game preseason schedule the following night as the AFC South champion Houston Texans take on the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints live in prime time on Saturday, Aug. 25 (8:00 PM, ET).

Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports, and serves as Executive Producer of CBS Sports' coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.


Ratings: 'One Tree Hill' Finale Boosts CW; 'American Idol' Gives Fox a Win

Ratings: 'One Tree Hill' Finale Boosts CW; 'American Idol' Gives Fox a Win

The two-hour series finale of "One Tree Hill" gave the CW its best Wednesday night ratings since November, while "American Idol" gave Fox a predictable overall win for the night, according to preliminary numbers.

Fox, with a primetime roster consisting entirely of "Idol," took first place in the advertiser-prized 18-49 demographic and total viewers with an average 4.7 rating/14 share and 16.7 million total viewers.

CBS took second place in the demo and total viewers with an average 2.8/8 and 11 million. "Survivor" at 8 p.m. posted a 2.7/8 in the demo and 10.1 million total viewers, while "Criminal Minds" the following hour drew a 3.0/8 in the demo and 11.2 million total viewers. At 10, "Crime Scene Investigation" posted a 2.9/8 in the demo and 11.9 million total viewers.

ABC came in third in ratings and total viewers with an average 1.3/4 in the demo and 3.8 million. The network ran repeats with the exception of "Happy Endings" at 9:30, which drew a 1.6/4 in the demo and 3.7 million total viewers.

NBC drew fourth place in the demo and total viewers with an average 1.0/3 and 3.6 million. The premiere of prank show "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" at 8 posted a soft 1.8/6 in the demo and 7.2 million total viewers. But it still scored a 12-week high in the timeslot for the network, and earned NBC's best ratings of the night. "Best Friends Forever" premiered at 8:30, not faring as well with a 1.2/3 in the demo and 3.9 million total viewers. "Bent" at 9 was flat compared to last week with a 0.9/2 in the demo and 2.4 million total viewers, while a second airing of the freshman comedy at 9:30 slipped to a 0.7/2 in the demo and 2 million total viewers. "Rock Center With Brian Williams" at 10 closed the night with a 0.8/2 in the demo and 1.4 million total viewers.

At the CW, the two-hour finale of "One Tree Hill" from 8 to 10 gave the network its best Wednesday-night ratings in the demo since Nov. 30, a 0.8/2. The "One Tree Hill" finale drew 1.4 million total viewers.

OWN Says Oprah Will Continue to Teach 'Master Class,' Unveils New Shows

OWN Says Oprah Will Continue to Teach 'Master Class,' Unveils New Shows

Oprah Winfrey will continue joining with her famous pals to school America on important life lessons, as OWN announced a third season of "Oprah's Master Class" is planned for the network.

OWN also announced 10 new episodes of the reality series "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's," as well as four new reality series: "Six Little McGhees," about an Ohio couple with sextuplets; "Married to the Army: Alaska," about real-life "Army Wives"; "Elura and Michele Take Staten Island," about a pair of Staten Island housewives who work as mediators; and "Iyanla Fix My Life," a life-coach series with motivational speaker Iyanla Vanzant.

"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" follows a St. Louis family that operates the titular soul food eatery.

The network also confirmed a summer premiere for the previously announced "Are You Normal, America?" Hosted by comedienne Kim Coles and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" producer Barry Poznick, "Are You Normal, America?" is based on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" segment in which people ask if their behaviors are normal. On the game show, which will premiere this summer, contestants answer sometimes embarrassing questions in hopes of winning cash.

A rundown of OWN's new series, as described by the network:

From Harpo Studios comes the new game show "Are You Normal, America?," hosted by veteran TV producer Barry Poznick ("Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader") and comedienne/actress Kim Coles ("Living Single").

Have you ever peeked at your boyfriend's emails? Or done your household chores naked? Do you and your spouse sleep in separate bedrooms? This lively game show will answer burning questions by using a highly scientific and deeply revealing poll, in addition to a "jury" of real Americans, man-on-the-street polling, real life situations shot in the field, and in-studio demonstrations.

Each episode will feature contestants who will win big money in their quest to learn if they're normal or not. Along the way, audiences will be entertained, enlightened and ultimately comforted by the fact that we're all pretty abnormal … but that's what makes life fun.

Produced by Harpo Studios with Zoo Productions. Executive producers are Jill Van Lokeren and Jon Sinclair from Harpo Studios, as well as Barry Poznick and John Stevens from Zoo Productions (producers of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?").

Meet Elura and Michele, two-fast talking best friends from Staten Island. They might look like your ordinary housewives, but they happen to be former prosecutors who know how to tell it like it is.  Everyone has a problem, and it turns out, Elura and Michele are pros at telling people what to do.

Whether it's their crazy Staten Island families, or clients who pay for their mediation services, Elura and Michele are not afraid to get in the middle of things.

Produced by Picture Shack Entertainment, and executive produced by George Plamondon and Betsy Schechter.

Iyanla Vanzant is an accomplished author, inspirational speaker, talk show host, and living testament to the value in life's valleys and the power of acting on faith. Iyanla has had a unique life filled with many personal struggles that she has overcome and used to become stronger.

Now Iyanla is back, fixing lives and using her past to help others' futures. Secrets will be revealed, truths will be uncovered and emotions will come out as Iyanla teaches us how to pull back the curtain on what is broken in our lives.

Produced by Harpo Studios. Executive producers are Jon Sinclair and Jill Van Lokeren.

Alaska is home to more than 10,000 active-duty soldiers, about 7,500 of whom are currently deployed in Afghanistan. The war in Iraq may be over, but for those families whose loved ones are still gone, life is challenging, especially in "the last frontier," an assignment the military considers as demanding as an "overseas" post.

For the women whose husbands serve in the U.S. Army, "deployment" is not just an abstract word heard on the evening news. It's real, it's tough, and it turns their world upside down.

Military wives find themselves in a unique sisterhood that only they can understand. The tightest of bonds are formed over fears of deployment, realities of Army life, and the emotional roller coaster of homecomings -- all set against the backdrop of the rugged, demanding and extreme conditions of the last frontier.

Produced by 44 Blue Productions. The executive producer is Stephanie Drachkovitch.

"Six Little McGhees" follows the inspirational lives of Mia and Rozonno McGhee as they juggle marriage, a family business, and six adorable toddlers!

High school sweethearts who banded together to rise above their impoverished roots, Mia and Ro never imagined that they would be blessed with Columbus, Ohio's first sextuplets.  Together, with an unconventional army of volunteers, they prove that with a lot of love and a little support, anyone can beat the odds.

From sun up to sun down, cameras document each busy day as the McGhees navigate life with six babies and a small entourage of helpers.  And with the terrible twos fast approaching, the trouble has just begun.

"Six Little McGhees" is produced by Candor Entertainment, in conjunction with Discovery Fit & Health and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

ABC Announces 'Duets' and 'Final Witness' Premieres, 'Wipeout' Return

ABC Announces 'Duets' and 'Final Witness' Premieres, 'Wipeout' Return

ABC released its summer 2012 schedule Thursday, including the series premieres for series "Duets" and "Final Witness," as well as the season premiere dates for returning series "Wipeout," "Rookie Blue," "The Bachelorette" and "Extreme Makeover."

The summer schedule begins with the series premiere of "Duets" on May 24 at 8 p.m. The series will follow Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, Lionel Richie and Robin Thicke as they mentor amateur musical talent, with the ultimate goal being a recording contract with Hollywood Records. The season premiere of "Rookie Blue" will follow at 9 p.m.

Also among the new series: "Trust Us With Your Life," which will premiere July 20 at 9 p.m. Hosted by Fred Willard and featuring celebrities such as David Hasselhoff and Ricky Gervais, the show is billed as 'a brand new studio-based improvisation series that redefines both the talk show and television improv formats."

The "Trust Us With Your Life" premiere will be followed at 10 by the series premiere of "Final Witness," a true-crime series that will offer "a unique look at some of the nation's most shocking murders."

ABC announces the following summer premieres for new series and returning favorites (all times ET):

Thursday, May 24:
8:00-10:00 p.m.  “Duets” (series premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Rookie Blue”

Sunday, June 3:
8:00-9:00 p.m. “Secret Millionaire”
9:00-11:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition”

Thursday, June 28:
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Wipeout”

Tuesday, July 10:
9:00-10:00 p.m. “Trust Us With Your Life” (series premiere, back-to-back episodes)

10:00-11:00 p.m. “Final Witness” (series premiere)

Tuesday, July 17:
9:00-9:30 p.m. “Trust Us With Your Life” (regular time period premiere)

Monday, July 23:
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Bachelor Pad”

Following is a list of the upcoming summer programming in chronological order (all times ET):

THE BACHELORETTE – PREMIERES MONDAY, MAY 14 (9:30-11:00 p.m.) Emily Maynard, the beautiful, sweet, young mom who captured America’s and Brad Womack’s heart on the 15th season of “The Bachelor,” finally thought she had her happy ending. She accepted Brad’s proposal but unfortunately their relationship ended, along with her dream of moving to Austin with her daughter, Ricki, and starting a family. But Emily, 26, is ready for her luck to change and to bring her the love she so richly deserves. It’s hard to meet men as a single mom, but Emily will have her pick of 25 bachelors when she gets a second opportunity to find love starring in the eighth edition of “The Bachelorette.” Instantly popular with “Bachelor” fans, Emily’s strength, passion and southern charm – as a mother and as a woman – would make anyone happy to make her his wife. She feels incredibly grateful to have found her first love when she was very young, although her fiancé, famed NASCAR driver and team owner Ricky Hendrick, tragically died in a plane crash.She then discovered she was pregnant with their child, the apple of her eye – Ricki. Despite not having dated a lot, Emily knows what it’s like to be truly in love. In the past seven years, she has been looking for someone with the same spark she has for life, and she believes that she will find her soul mate on “The Bachelorette.” Chris Harrison is the host. “The Bachelorette” is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers.

DUETS – PREMIERES THURSDAY, MAY 24 (8:00-10:00 p.m.) “Duets” is a one-of-a-kind singing competition that takes the Superstars out from behind the judges’ panel and onto the stage. Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, Lionel Richie and Robin Thicke set out on individual journeys across America looking for undiscovered talent worthy of being their protégés. Ultimately, each Superstar will choose two singers for their duet partners, and together the Superstars and their protégés will take the stage each week and perform in front of a live studio audience. In the end, only one duet will be at the top of the charts, and the winning amateur will receive a recording contract with Hollywood Records. “Duets” is a production of Keep Calm and Carry On Productions. Emmy winner Robert Deaton (“The CMA Awards”) is executive producer. Emmy winner Charles Wachter (“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”) is co-executive producer.

ROOKIE BLUE – PREMIERES THURSDAY, MAY 24 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)A group of young and ambitious rookie cops continue to navigate the emotional trials and tribulations of their professional and personal lives. After two years on the job, these rookies are well on their way to becoming experienced cops, but at what cost? What price will they have to pay, both professionally and personally, to succeed at their job? And how can they stay true to themselves – maintaining their individuality and compassion -- along the way? While a new rookie -- ex- soldier Nick Collins, who is trying to adapt to policing after serving in Afghanistan -- has joined 15 Division, the rest of the rookies are now entering their third year on the job. They have overcome the sophomore curse -- that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. However this year the rookies of 15 Division are going to learn to be careful what they wish for – and they’re going to learn it the hard way. Emmy Award winner William Shatner (“Boston Legal”) guest stars on the premiere as Henry McLeod, a belligerent drunk driver with a haunting secret. “Rookie Blue” stars Missy Peregrym as Andy McNally, Gregory Smith as Dov Epstein, Charlotte Sullivan as Gail Peck, Enuka Okuma as Traci Nash, Travis Milne as Chris Diaz, Peter Mooney as Nick Collins and Ben Bass as Sam Swarek. Also starring in the series is Melanie Nicholls-King as Noelle Williams, Matt Gordon as Oliver Shaw, Noam Jenkins as Detective Jerry Barber and Lyric Bent as Frank Best. Tassie Cameron, Ilana Frank, David Wellington, Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss are executive producers. “Rookie Blue” is produced by ICF Films Inc. and Entertainment One.

SECRET MILLIONAIRE – PREMIERES SUNDAY, JUNE 3 (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
“Secret Millionaire” follows 13 of America’s most successful business people as they spend a week in the country’s poorest areas and ultimately gift deserving members of the community with hundreds of thousands of dollars of their own money. Originally based on the hit UK series of the same name, each episode follows one of America’s most successful business people for one week as they leave behind their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and luxury jets, conceal their true identities, and go to live and volunteer in some of the most impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods in the country. Surviving on welfare wages, their mission is to discover the most deserving individuals who continually sacrifice everything to help those in need, and ultimately encourage others to do the same. Throughout this incredible, life-changing experience, the Secret Millionaires will attempt to remain undiscovered, coming face to face with extraordinary people battling the odds every day of their lives. On the final day, in an emotional and dramatic climax, they reveal their true identities. Ultimately, the millionaires will each give away a great deal of their own money, changing lives forever and encouraging others to keep giving back. “Secret Millionaire” is executive-produced by Claire O’Donohoe, Grant Mansfield, Natalka Znak and Leslie Garvin. Paul Osborne is co-executive producer. The series is a Zodiak USA Production.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: WEIGHT LOSS EDITION – PREMIERES SUNDAY, JUNE 3 (9:00-11:00 p.m.)
 The hit series returns for Season 2 as transformational specialist and bestselling author Chris Powell documents the amazing makeover of eight courageous, “super obese” people who, in an unprecedented 365 days, set out to safely lose half of their body weight, ultimately revealing an amazing metamorphosis. In each of the eight stand-alone, two-hour episodes, the participants, whose ages range from 19 to 50 years, undergo a transformation not only of their bodies, but of who they are as individuals. By assuring that the participants have the proper nourishment and exercise movement, Powell provides a fresh perspective to individuals whose lives have become unmanageable because of their weight. He guides each of the eight participants through their transformation process by moving into their homes with their families or loved ones. The upcoming season is filled with remarkable and eye-opening changes, including one participant who loses 50% of his body weight, despite being homeless for most of the year. Another loses a staggering 142 pounds in the first 90 days, while still another will lose a grand total of 281 pounds over the year. In a show of support, one participant’s family challenge themselves to lose 500 pounds together. In 2012 Chris Powell became a bestselling author when his Hyperion book, Choose to Lose, hit No. 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List. From the producers of “The Biggest Loser” and “MasterChef,” “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition” is executive-produced by JD Roth, Todd A. Nelson and Matt Assmus. The series is produced by 3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA.

WIPEOUT – PREMIERES THURSDAY, JUNE 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Nothing says summer like completely new “Wipeout” courses, this year featuring the Panic
Hammocks, Snakes on the Plain and Batter Up. Other featured obstacles making their debut are The Hangover, Spin Psycho, The Comma-Kaze and Spinergy. There’ll also be many specials this summer, including a salute to our Armed Forces, Bring your Teacher to Wipeout Day, and an All-Star episode of winners and losers. Returning are some of some favorite specials too, including Families, Hotties VS Nerds and Blind Date. “Wipeout” executive producers are Matt Kunitz (“101 Ways to Leave a Game Show,” “Fear Factor”) and Scott Larsen. Shye Sutherland, Kevin Wehrenberg, Trice Barto and J. Rupert Thompson are co-executive producers. The series is produced by Endemol USA. David Goldberg is chairman of Endemol North America.

TRUST US WITH YOUR LIFE – PREMIERES TUESDAY, JULY 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
From the creators of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “Mock the Week,” “Trust Us With Your Life” is a brand new studio-based improvisation series that redefines both the chat show and television improv formats. Hosted by Fred Willard (“Best in Show,” “Modern Family”), featured celebrities include David Hasselhoff, Ricky Gervais, Jerry Springer, Florence Henderson, Jack & Kelly Osbourne, Jane Seymour, Serena Williams and Mark Cuban. The exciting new format finds each celebrity reminiscing about key episodes that have happened in their lives, then brilliant improvisers acting out those moments which the celebrity has just described. These key moments in the life of the guest celebrity will be improvised as straight comedy or in game formats such as forward/ rewind and sideways scenes. The tone of the show is friendly, funny and cheeky. Comedians on the show include Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”), along with Jonathan Mangum (“Fast and Loose”) as the main improvisers. They will be joined by guest starring performers such as Greg Proops and Nicole Parker. Eight episodes were shot in London for ABC. “Trust Us With Your Life” is produced by Angst Productions. Dan Patterson (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”) is executive producer.

FINAL WITNESS – PREMIERES TUESDAY, JULY 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
What if a murder victim could tell you about their final moments? The voices of the dead come to life in this true-crime series which offers a unique look at some of the nation’s most shocking murders. Each of the seven episodes will examine one case from start to finish, taking viewers inside the murder from the victim’s point of view. “Final Witness” is a compelling hybrid of documentary and drama, featuring interviews with real-life witnesses, prosecutors, law enforcement, family and friends, along with riveting scripted scenes with actors, thrusting viewers into the heart of each crime. Shot around the world at the actual locations, infused with an indie-band soundtrack and told like a feature film, “Final Witness” creates an unforgettable look at the human psyche at its darkest.The series is produced for ABC by Lincoln Square Productions. Executive producers are Rudy Bednar and Christine Connor.

BACHELOR PAD -- PREMIERES MONDAY, JULY 23 (8:00-10:00 p.m.)
Fan-favorites, arch rivals and villains from the hugely successful “Bachelor” franchise reunite under one roof for a second chance at love as ABC’s “Bachelor Pad” returns for a third season. For the first time, the show is upping the ante by opening up casting to the general public, and participants who have never appeared in a “Bachelor” franchise will be included. Will these fresh new faces be able to find romance? And which bachelors and bachelorettes from seasons past will rekindle old flames or ignite new ones? “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor Pad” are all produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Chris Harrison (“The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette”) hosts. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers.

Science Channel New Shows 2012 - 2013

Science Channel New Shows 2012 - 2013

Ricky Gervais and his "Idiot Abroad" cohorts are developing a new show for Discovery Science -- but aren't saying what it is yet. James Woods, meanwhile, will appear in a new Science show about scientific breakthroughs.

The network's new slate, unveiled Thursday, also includes the "Whale Wars"-inspired "Rhino Wars," about battling rhino poachers, a show about military dogs, and a show about people planning for the coming zombie apocalypse.

Yes, really.

In other Discovery announcements, the company's upscale men's network, Velocity, plans "Road to LeMans," which follows "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey as he leads an auto racing team cometing in the world’s oldest automotive endurance race.

Science showed a promo for the Gervais show at its upfront presentation to advertisers Thursday, but it didn't provide any hints about the nature of the show. It consisted of Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington sitting in chairs, revealing nothing. "An Idiot Abroad," which finds Pilkington getting into misadventures around the world, has aired for two seasons on Science.

James Woods appeared live at the upfront and asked the question he knew many in the audience were asking -- "What am I doing here?"

Noting that he had worked with such greats as Martin Scorsese, he explained that he had also attended MIT, and still nurtured an interest in science. His new show for the network is called "This Changes Everything." It will examine fields including synthetic biology, predictive analytics, habitable planets, and nanotechnology. It will air in the first quarter of 2013.

The zombie show, "Surviving Zombies," is about three Missoula, Mont., men who operate a blade-making business, Zombie Tools, where they craft weapons that might one day save you from biters, walkers, or whatever the kids are calling them these days.

Here are descriptions of Science's upcoming shows, from the network:

ODD FOLKS HOME
Ever wonder about what the homes of clientele seen on ODDITIES must look like?  Follow everyone’s favorite Obscura regular, Edgar, as he explores the humble abodes of some of the store’s most bizarre customers.

PUNKIN CHUNKIN 2012
Each year, 120 teams of backyard engineers converge in Bridgeville, Del., for the annual Punkin Chunkin World Championships.  These competitors unleash their homebuilt air cannons, trebuchets, catapults, human-powered, centrifugal and torsion machines and take aim at the coveted title of world’s farthest chunk.

HOW DO THEY DO IT? SEASON 6
Do you ever wonder how they brew beer, recycle airplanes or rescue submarines?  Or how about how people work in 600-degree heat, find and defuse bombs, or make Swiss cheese? This series shows you how all of that is done and more.

HOW ITS MADE: SEASON 11
Have you ever wondered how things are made?  From adhesive bandages to contact lenses, find out how many of the things we use every day become what they are.

SURVIVING ZOMBIES
From the wild mountain town of Missoula, Mont., deep in an industrial complex of warehouses and garages, three buddies and sword-fighting aficionados are on a quest.  They’re dedicated to surviving a future world dominated by the living dead… zombies.  “Zorro,” Joey and Chris own and operate a blade-making business, Zombie Tools, crafting hard-core swords, machetes and throwing knives for ultimate flesh-slashing, living dead destruction.  If you’re prepared for the zombie apocalypse, you’re prepared for anything.

HOUSE OF TORMENT
HOUSE OF TORMENTis a frighteningly fun ride through the country’s biggest, scariest and most innovative haunted house, located in the cool mecca of Austin, Texas.  In this one-hour Halloween special, viewers will get an inside look at the ingenuity and creativity that drives the colorful cast of ghouls, not to mention carpenters, electricians, painters and artists who, every year, build a new and horrifying experience guaranteed to terrify thousands of visitors.

HORIZON: TRANSIT OF VENUS
At 23:50 Greenwich Mean Time on June 5, 2012, a rare astronomical event called the Transit of Venus will take place in our solar system.  It will not occur again in our lifetimes, or in the lifetimes of our children or even our grandchildren.  It won’t occur again for another 150 years.  But this event is far more than just a historical curiosity.  It has enabled us to answer some of the most profound questions we can ask about life on our planet and about the far reaches of outer space.  Three expert female presenters bring a unique and fresh perspective to this incredible story.

HORIZON: NASA’S MISSION TO MARS
NASA’s Curiosity Rover is the biggest and most powerful ever launched.  It is a mobile lab, packed with diverse scientific equipment, intended to answer the big question: Is Mars a suitable environment for life? HORIZON tells the story of this unique journey of scientific discovery, which could change the way we think about the iconic red planet.  NASA’s previous research has already revealed that this frozen desert world of towering volcanoes and polar ice caps bears more resemblance to Earth than we’d ever thought possible.

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Every episode of THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING will look at one idea or discovery that will critically alter life as we know it: Synthetic Biology, Predictive Analytics, Habitable Planets, Nano Technology.  What’s happening in these game-changing fields?  What does it mean for us?  SCIENCE and critically acclaimed actor James Woods take viewers on a journey to reveal these world-changing breakthroughs and their implications for the future.  Woods will ask the big questions, ignite debate and reveal a stunning image of the future.

Are We Alone? Monthlong stunt
SCIENCE, in partnership with SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), asks the question, are we alone in the universe?  Through a collection of themed specials, we explore this question with some of the brightest minds in this field today.How likely is it that there is other life out there, and what are the implications if there is?

HOW THE EARTH WORKS
Hosts Liz Bonin and Martin Pepper set out on explorations of some of the most provocative questions facing earth science today.  They’ll get down and dirty to find out how geologic events in Hawaii could wipe out LA.  Could another volcanic eruption in Iceland shut down our airways?  Could the continued growth of Mt. Everest start World War III?  In their search for answers, they’ll reveal how the Earth works.

INSECT AUTOPSY
This dissection spectacular takes anatomy to the micro-level.  Our team strips back the exoskeleton to reveal how insects work—and discover the hidden blueprint behind their global domination.  With more than a million named species surviving the rigors of over 400 million years of evolution, insects are the supreme innovators of the animal world.  We reveal what makes bugs tick, and demonstrate how science is now using the extraordinary findings from the insect testing ground to inspire technology that is transforming our world.

ODDITIES: SEASON 4
For more than a decade, the East Village’s iconic Obscura Antiques & Oddities shop has been New York City’s foremost destination for one-of-a-kind, bizarre—and often shocking—artifacts.  Now the subject of SCIENCE’s hit series ODDITIES, the Big Apple’s epicenter of the eccentric brings even weirder, more bizarre sales to screen from the East Coast’s Mecca of the Macabre.

STRIP THE CITY
STRIP THE CITYuses stunning CGI animation and expedition-driven actuality to strip major cities naked of their steel, concrete, air, ocean and bedrock—layer by layer, act by act—to explore their hidden infrastructure and solve key mysteries surrounding their origins, geology, archaeology, industry, weather and engineering.  Each episode will home in on six iconic features of each city.  Each icon, ranging from man-made skyscrapers and metro systems to natural dunes and lakes, will take us a layer deeper into the city.

THE EXPERIMENTERS
No longer limited to conventional laboratories, science is taking to the streets, backyards and parks as amateur and professional scientists around the world are conducting extraordinary experiments and posting their exploits on YouTube.  Scientists are now trying to improve on experiments they see posted online, and competing with other backyard scientists to go bigger, bolder and better.  THE EXPERIMENTERS will delve into this fascinating world, finding and celebrating amazing online clips and explaining the wonderful science behind them.

WORLD’S WEIRDEST
Dig below the surface of the world we know and love and you’ll find it is often a weird place, with gruesome discoveries, freaky experiments and shocking stories.  In this series, viewers are not only shown the weirdest stuff but will be given the lowdown on exactly why it’s weird.  Using a combination of real footage, reconstruction and eyewitness reports, this series will examine some of the world’s strangest things and uncover the real stories behind them.

STORY OF THE CONTINENTS
Across the Earth, there are traces of a mysterious, long-lost world.  In this four-part series featuring some of the world’s foremost experts in palaeogeography, botany and zoology, viewers follow a trail of clues through a land that no longer exists—the long-lost supercontinent of Pangaea.  Our trail follows the clues from north to south across Pangaea, but also across all seven of today’s continents, piecing together 250 million years of planetary history.

WHAT IS THAT?
The addictive show that leaves viewers guessing just what they’re watching.  Each half-hour episode includes five stand-alone segments that use specialty cameras and innovative filming techniques to capture incredible and curiosity-piquing images.

CONQUERERS
Sometimes they come at night, sometimes by day.  They eat, they kill and they lay waste to the land.  They are not from here.  They’re not even human.  Sounds like the plot of an old horror film?  In many ways, it is.  In a science and wildlife collection, we will look at these fascinating animals in order to understand the causes behind the transformation of these creatures, how they modify their behavior and social organization, leading to their domination of newly colonized territories and endangering native species.

LARGE DANGEROUS ROCKET SHIPS 2012
Argonia, Kan., hosts the 2012 Large Dangerous Rocket Competition, drawing competitors and fans from around the country.  Mythbuster Kari Byron (TBD) takes viewers up close as competitors compete in the Odd Rocket and Fastest to 10,000 Feet competitions.  What began in 1981 as a small gathering among like-minded friends has grown into a major event for rocket enthusiasts of all ages.  This fast-paced, explosive, one-hour special will show you rockets like you’ve never seen them before.


Discovery Channel New Shows 2012 - 2013

Discovery Channel New Shows 2012 - 2013

James Cameron and Mark Burnett are joining forces for a new series called "Robogeddon," Discovery announced at its up-front presentation Thursday. The series from Oscar-winning director Cameron and reality TV mastermind Burnett will feature mechanical robots fighting, as on the Comedy Central show "BattleBots."

Engineer Donald Hutson, the two-time Super Heavyweight Champion of "BattleBots" who is also competing on "Robogeddon," was on hand to show off his handiwork (pictured).

That isn't the only upcoming Discovery series that Burnett will be taking part in. The "Survivor" producer, who produced "Sarah Palin's Alaska," will once again explore the state for a new series on Discovery.

Also read: Discovery's Planet Green Re-Branded as Destination America

Announced at Discovery Communications' upfront presentation this week, "Mark Burnett's Alaska" will follow Burnett's quest to chronicle "the colorful people, amazing history and unforgettable places that make Alaska a world apart."

A trio of other new Discovery series were also announced including "Fast and Loud," featuring self-professed "petrol-sexual" Richard Rawlings and Aaron Kaufmann of the Gas Monkey Garage as they search for old rust-buckets to buy on the cheap and refurbish for sale.

Read descriptions of the new series from Discovery below.

TOP ENGINEER
Who has the right stuff? Discovery takes audiences into the fun and far reaches of science and technology with this world premiere competition series. TOP ENGINEER searches for America’s brightest, boldest, out-of-the-box thinkers and pits them against one another. With innovative solution to the challenges they are tasked with, competing teams are sure to blow minds as well as a few other things along the way.

ONE CAR TOO FAR
It’s all about the drive to survive. What happens when you ‘MacGyver-ize’ a car? In ONE CAR TOO FAR former British Special Forces operative and an American car junkie are dropped into incredible landscapes and forced to work together to survive and ultimately escape to safety. The twist – they will have to take a small red car with them. It’s the perfect combination as one knows how to drive and the other knows how to survive. With no proper roads and no real supplies, the two must rely on instinct and expertise alone to make it out. From the treacherous slopes and near-freezing temperatures of a mountain top, to the wet, dense vegetation of the rainforest, they use whatever supplies they can find to turn a regular car into an all-purpose vehicle to get them over, under and through just about any obstacle in their way.

MARK BURNETT'S ALASKA
From television maestro of reality storytelling, the colorful people, amazing history and unforgettable places that make Alaska a world apart.

FAST AND LOUD
These guys cruise for the classics. Meet self-described “petrol-sexual" motorhead Richard Rawlings and mechanical prodigy Aaron Kaufmann as they search far-flung corners of the country for forgotten and derelict classic cars to restore at their Gas Monkey Garage. Heaps of rust are transformed into gleaming road warriors and sold to the top bidder.

A slew of new series for Discovery's sister station TLC were also announced, including the Tori Spelling-hosted competition "Craft Wars"; "Bates Family Series,'' which follows a family as they pursue a back-to-basics lifestyle in Tennessee after they welcome their 19th child; and "Breaking Amish," which follows a group of young people as they decide whether they'll join the Amish faith or pursue a more modern lifestyle in the big city.

Read the full descriptions of the new TLC series -- again provided by Discovery -- below.

AMERICAN WIFESTYLES (wt)
There is no typical way to be a wife. From arranged marriages, to women obsessed with being the perfect 1950’s style of homemaker, to the trophy wives who are proud to be kept women, wives in America come in every shape, size, and ideology. This revealing anthology series will go deep inside the lives of the diverse, complicated, hilarious and often shocking REAL lives of wives across America. (Q3, 2012)

BATES FAMILY SERIES (wt)
The Bates family just welcomed baby 19, which means Gil and Kelly Jo now have 10 girls and 9 boys. See how they manage life with such a large family that includes up to 20 loads of laundry, 7 gallons of milk and 9 loaves of bread every week. Their back to basics life in the hills of Tennessee is free of distractions like television and video games, but full of activities like chores, singing and spending time with each other. We'll follow the family as they share their love of music and family values, and see for ourselves how they pull it all off. (Q2, 2012)

BIG BROOKLYN STYLE
BIG BROOKLYN STYLE is a half-hour workplace docu-soap following larger than life plus-size designer Lisa Dolan and her husband/partner Jim Dolan, as they set out to conquer the plus-size fashion world, one beautifully designed dress at a time. The series will follow the family run business on their mission to combine style with plus size clothing, to make women of any size feel confident and fashionable. Each week, we follow the comedy and drama as Lisa and Jim navigate the complex world of plus-size fashion on their mission to help transform their customers' lives. (Q2, 2012)

BIG TINY: LIFE WITH THE JORDANS
TLC introduces BIG TINY: LIFE WITH THE JORDANS, a new series about the extraordinary life of the world’s smallest siblings. In September 2011, 22-year-old Bridgette Jordan was crowned the “World’s Shortest Living Woman.” Weighing only 18 pounds, she stands a diminutive, beyond-belief size of 28,” about the size of a six month old baby, while her younger brother Brad, weighs only 35 pounds and stands just 38” tall – making them the world’s shortest living brother and sister. (Q2, 2012)

BREAKING AMISH (wt)
BREAKING AMISH (wt) offers an unprecedented look into a rarely seen world, following five Amish men and women and one Mennonite woman as they make the most important decision of their lives – to join the church and fully embrace the Amish and Mennonite lifestyle, or leave for good and follow their dreams outside of their communities. The stakes are incredibly high as each of them face complete and total rejection, criticism and even exile from their family’s homes and their community. However, all of them feel they will never be at peace in their community unless they know what lies beyond. They are inviting viewers to come along on their bold and courageous decision to put their lives on hold and leave religious dress, head coverings, horse & buggies and the simple life behind as they trade it in for a journey of firsts. The innocence and joy of watching these men and women experience things we take for granted for the first time will be unforgettable. (Q3, 2012)

CRAFT WARS
CRAFT WARS, hosted by Tori Spelling, pits creative and genius crafters against one another in inspiring and tough challenges. Our crafters create cool, eye-popping pieces that will leave the viewer amazed and asking themselves, "how'd they do that!?" Each episode invites three craft experts to our arena to compete in two rounds of intense, timed competition. The first round, called the “Pop Craft,” challenges our competitors to create a more traditional and functional craft – but with some rather unusual materials – that the crafters must create in only one hour. After the end of Round 1, our panel of judges, each an esteemed craft expert, will eliminate one crafter and the remaining two will face off in the final “Master Craft” round, a five-hour no holds barred contest to create the most imaginative large scale craft they can dream of. In the end, the craftiest crafter will walk away with $10,000. (Q3, 2012)

EXTREME CHEAPSKATES
TLC is giving viewers an insider's look at the most extreme money saving people around. Prepare to be amazed at their inventive and outrageous ways to save a buck as we reveal the saving (and spending) habits of – America’s most “Extreme Cheapskates.” (Q3, 2012)

IRISH DANCING SERIES (wt) – Q1, 2013
This one-hour special and eight-part series gives viewers a rare look behind the scenes of the world of competitive Irish dance. We follow the lives of American girls and boys, their families and their teachers as they all prepare for the biggest event of the year: The World Championship competition. In the weeks leading up to the “Worlds,” they endure the physical and emotional stress of a rigorous practice schedule. In a world where every detail of the performance is planned as much as the steps, from the intricate costumes to hair design and makeup, these contestants have one goal in mind – returning home a world champion. It’s a compelling story of heart, discipline and fierce competition. (Q1, 2013)

UNTITLED JO FROST PROJECT (wt)
TLC has signed a development deal with the original Supernanny, Jo Frost, to put her back to work fixing troubled families. She’s already tamed screaming toddlers, and now she’s tackling some of America’s toughest families and modern parenting challenges. From out-of-control teenagers, to interfering in-laws and battling school bullies – America’s families need help – and fast. (Q1, 2013)

MAMA’S BOYS OF THE BRONX
Forget about fresh baked bread, pasta and cannoli – Arthur Avenue is the place where growing up means never having to leave your mama. TLC shares a slice of the real Little Italy with MAMA’S BOYS OF THE BRONX, an eight-part series that follows five proud Italian-American men who grew up together and have plenty in common – they’re attractive, employed, in their 30’s...and unapologetically still live with their mothers. (Q2, 2012)

MAY THE BEST HOUSE WIN
A home is a direct reflection of its owner...right? Well, when four very different homeowners take turns to host a tour of their homes, we'll find out just how accurate saying 'you are where you live' actually is. Going through the keyhole of homes as weird and wonderful as their occupants, the other contestants will get a chance to snoop around before giving their frank opinions and rating the home, each hoping that at the end it's their house which will come out on top to win the $10,000 prize. (Q3, 2012)

ON THE FLY
ON THE FLY follows the folks whose daily challenge is getting thousands of passengers to their destinations on time and in a happy mood. In each episode, we introduce the engaging airline employees of Southwest Airlines, who must think on their feet as they cope with the chaos of weather delays, irate passengers and more surprising and unusual situations that only occur while flying. Focusing on airports in Chicago, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, we get an inside look at the dramatic, funny and uplifting moments flying the largest domestic airline in the U.S. (Q2, 2012)

PREACHER LADIES (wt)
PREACHER LADIES (wt) is a candid look into the lives of the dynamic southern belles who walk a path only a chosen few can follow. We’ll watch each week as these ladies shatter stereotypes of what an old-fashioned preacher's wife is expected to be with the 21st Century reality of these high-powered women who hold court in Atlanta's world of mega-churches, multi-million dollar empires and high priced perfection. We’ll see our “First Ladies” as they navigate between the family home and the high and mighty pulpit, from the front cover of the papers to television screens across the nation, and from intimate prayer meetings to stadiums filled to capacity. (Q4, 2012)

RANDY TO THE RESCUE
SAY YES TO DRESS breakout star, Randy Fenoli, is throwing the ultimate bridal truck show! On every episode of this splashy new series, Randy will roll into a different city in a tractor-trailer packed to the gills with wedding dresses.Eager brides line up around city blocks for their chance to get advice from the most trusted name in wedding dress retail. Inside the ballroom, Randy will have a team of consultants, working various fitting stations, to help each bride find the perfect dress. The hour-long television show will focus on Randy's work with three particularly interesting brides. Doing much more than helping women find the right dress, he'll design their entire look from "head to hem" (dress, hair, makeup, bouquet). (Q2, 2012)

SOUTHIE PRIDE (wt)
As one of the nation's most historic neighborhoods, South Boston is known for hard-working residents who display an outrageous passion for life, family and town. Now, TLC takes viewers into this tight-knit community in the new TLC series SOUTHIE PRIDE (wt), going inside the homes of five South Boston women as they struggle to make a life for their families and protect the people they love the most. (Q3, 2012)

TATTOO SCHOOL
In each episode of TATTOO SCHOOL, three new students go to The World’s Only Tattoo School in colorful Shreveport, Louisiana to experience an intensive two-week “sink or swim” program. Every time these tattoo-artists-in-training put needle to skin, there’s the potential for a work of art…or an unnatural disaster, all under the watchful eye of Dr. Bill Pogue, the founder and lead instructor of TATTOO SCHOOL. Using his 40 years of experience in the business, he takes only two weeks to teach what most tattoo artists spend years learning. And for the student who does the best tattoo on the final exam, there’s the Golden Gun, a high-end tattoo machine that will get them started on their tattooing career. (Q2, 2012)

Discovery's Animal Planet will have a beastly slate of its own new series. "Glory Hounds" will follow the heroic path of military dogs, while "Rhino Wars" will chronicle the efforts of a group of game reserves to stem the carnage caused by rhino poachers in South Africa, with the help of former U.S. Special Forces operatives. There's also "Top Hooker" which -- perhaps to the disappointment of some -- will splits "10 expert fishers into two teams and pits them head to head in a series of insane, never-before-seen fishing challenges."

FISH AMERICA (wt)
Avid outdoorsman and professional wrestler Showtime Eric Young hits the road and crisscrossing the country to celebrate and fish hand to hand with America’s most extreme anglers. FISH AMERICA (wt) follows Young as he tracks down some of the most creative, unusual and dangerous fishing rituals around the country. FISH AMERICA takes you on a hunt for massive bass from a speeding kayak in whitewater rapids in Texas and transports viewers to Florida, where anglers capture 300-pound sharks MacGyver style using only a pair of women’s pantyhose. Young is on a mission to learn the methods of America’s fishing masterminds while embracing the madness of these local traditions, which have been practiced for years.And no matter how long it takes and how many bumps and bruises he gets along the way, Young keeps the adventure going until he catches the ultimate fish.

FRONTIER EARTH WITH DAVE SALMONI (wt)
Animal Planet continues its long-standing commitment to natural history programming in FRONTIER EARTH WITH DAVE SALMONI (wt). Throughout the past 15 years, Animal Planet has worked with world’s most preeminent producers in this category to bring viewers the latest views of our ever-changing planet. Hosted by Animal Planet’s renowned large predator expert Dave Salmoni, this six-part series follows Salmoni on a guided journey to the frontlines of major ecosystems, unfolding the plights of the world’s most enigmatic animals. Focusing on the most unique aspects of our natural world and bringing to light independent voices from around the globe, FRONTIER EARTH WITH DAVE SALMONI examines the orca, slow loris, tiger, leopard, Komodo dragon and a tribe of ants like never before.

GLORY HOUNDS
On the battlefields, a remarkable group serves the United States with limitless courage and unparalleled loyalty. Devoted to protecting their comrades, military working dogs serve beside their human partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, only asking for affection in return. The show explores the friendships between man and dog, which are magnified and transformed into deep, emotional bonds that can last the rest of their lives. From tracking insurgents to sniffing out explosive devices, military working dogs are an integral component of the armed forces. GLORY HOUNDS (wt) drops audiences into the heat of battle and reveals extraordinary stories of heroism and friendship that have shaped the lives of the men and women who serve our country.

MONSTER WEEK
MONSTER WEEK is a jam-packed, monster-fest week, showcasing the legendary creatures from wildly popular shows like RIVER MONSTERS, FINDING BIGFOOT, and CALL OF THE WILDMAN. Boasting all-new episodes of these fan-favorite titles, MONSTER WEEK digs deeper into our fascination with these creatures, giving behind-the-scene access into the monster hunters and their hunts. MONSTER WEEK delves into two new mysteries: one involves the hunt and capture of a 20-foot MAN-EATING SUPER CROC, and the other focuses on the possible existence of mermaids. MERMAIDS: THE BODY FOUND is the crescendo of the epic week with a two-hour CGI investigation into the probability of mermaids swimming throughout our waters. It explores a scientific theory that supports the existence of mermaids, and the film imagines how they really appear, how they evolved and the role they play beneath the water’s surface. With action and intrigue, MONSTER WEEK takes viewers on an adventure that promises to astound and delight the imagination.

POLAR BEAR FAMILY AND ME (wt)
In POLAR BEAR FAMILY AND ME (wt), legendary wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan travels deep into the Arctic for his greatest challenge yet – infiltrating a family of polar bears and documenting the cubs’ epic struggle for survival. The Arctic’s Svalbard Islands inhabits the highest density of polar bears in the world, and following these dangerous carnivores proves to be the ultimate challenge. Watch as Buchanan attempts to gain the trust of baby polar bear Nikita as it takes its first strides in the frozen splendor of the Arctic. Buchanan documents the baby’s first year of joyous triumphs and threatening obstacles. Experience firsthand the frigid and barren landscape in this stunning, groundbreaking miniseries.

RHINO WARS (wt)
In spite of heroic efforts by South African anti-poaching units, rhino poachers still run rampant, and the carnage escalates. In 2011, nearly 400 rhinos were killed. Sickened by the slaughter and frustrated by the inability to stop it, a group of private game reserves plans direct action. In RHINO WARS (wt), they band together to try to take down the ruthless poachers by bringing in former U.S. Special Forces operatives. This specialized team hunts the poaching gangs and syndicates of the illegal rhino-horn trade who are slaughtering South Africa’s rhinos in record numbers for vast profits.

THE AFTERLIFE: ELEPHANT
HIPPO follow the journeys of a fallen elephant and a dying hippopotamus, beginning with their last days and continuing through the new life born out of death. These specials capture the magnificence of the eternal circle of life, focusing on every predator, scavenger, parasite and bacterium that feasts on carrion for survival. Using state-of-the-art technology and integrating testimonies with real-time expert analyses, THE AFTERLIFE: ELEPHANT and THE AFTERLIFE: HIPPO take you on two mystical voyages into the heart of Africa to look at the food chain under a brand-new light.

THE HUNGER (wt)
Since the dawn of time, mankind has gone to great lengths, extremes and unbelievable obstacles in order to feed. Driven by hunger even today, people must follow the food trail and do anything to survive, even if that means crawling along the ocean floor during massive waves to scavenge for seafood; climbing the same trees as predatory tigers to share food; or outrunning exotic antelope in their native African fields. Beyond the primal need to eat, what propels different cultures and people to take such risks? In THE HUNGER (wt), host Guy Grieve is the guide to unlock the mysteries behind the ingenious and resourceful ways in which different cultures find, capture, cultivate and eat food around the world. Taking advantage of nature’s spectacular abundance and harnessing the skills of the best hunters on the planet, Grieve explores the nexus among people, the natural world and the food they eat.

TREEHOUSE MEN (wt)
In the forests outside of Seattle reside a specialized group of men earning their living in the treetops; swinging from tether riggings hundreds of feet off the ground; operating highly dangerous construction equipment; and battling every weather element Mother Nature throws their way. But these guys aren’t your everyday ax men; in fact, they’re nothing like them. Their singular objective is to fulfill the wishes and desires of their clients, ranging from billionaire CEOs to 10-year-old kids who just want to daydream amongst the clouds.These men are the TREEHOUSE MEN (wt). Led by pioneering tree-house virtuoso Pete Nelson, the TREEHOUSE MEN are an elite team of talented designers, carpenters and builders bonded together to create the most magnificent, whimsical and jaw-dropping tree houses in forests and backyards all across America and around the world. But building these sanctuaries in the sky comes with a host of challenges including crazy deadlines, treacherous terrain, dizzying heights and demanding clients. Pete and his crew work through every obstacle to reach the ultimate goal – to help their clients reconnect with nature by turning their dreams of sky-high havens into breathtaking realities. TREEHOUSE MEN brings us closer to nature one tree house at a time.

TOP HOOKER (wt)
Is an in-your-face, full-throttle competition series that splits 10 expert fishers into two teams and pits them head to head in a series of insane, never-before-seen fishing challenges. Traveling across the country to some of the most remote, popular, yet jarringly different fishing holes, competitors struggle through eight hard weeks on the road and 24 off-the-hook challenges – all culminating in just one chance to be crowned the TOP HOOKER. Animal Planet throws down the gauntlet with exhilarating dares, enticing fishers to free dive for the perfect pearl and net Asian carp that fly through air. In a nautical game of catch and release, who catches the chance to proceed to the next round and who’s off the hook?

WILD ARABIA (wt)
Deep in the Gulf region is one of the world’s last great wildernesses – a mysterious and magical landscape hidden to the world for decades. Observe the dramatic and varied geology and extraordinary wildlife in the world premiere of WILD ARABIA (wt). With unparalleled access, Animal Planet takes viewers to the crossroads of three continents to a clandestine kingdom of rich culture and breathtaking beauty. Once the trade hub of the ancient world, Arabia has transitioned into a secluded splendor where the modern world brushes up against a vast and ageless sweeping terrain. Feast your eyes on the scenic and sculptural sand dunes of Saudi Arabia and Oman, which are populated by camel trains and elegant white gazelles. Discover the scores of undersea volcanoes in the deep trenches off the coast of Yemen, and uncover the secrets of the Tigris-Euphrates River Delta.

WILD HAWAII (wt)
In the vast Pacific Ocean is one of America’s most splendid and cherished treasures – Hawaii. The isolated islands and its pristine beaches serve as tropical oases for tourists from around the globe, yet few who step foot on the sacred land realize the true beauty and complexity that Hawaii has to offer. In WILD HAWAII, Animal Planet spotlights paradise with a fresh lens and uncovers the natural secrets of the islands, where life thrives in extraordinarily diverse extremes. Travel from the endless, coral gardens of the Pacific, to the snowy and ice-capped peak of Mauna Loa, one of the five volcanoes that helped form Hawaii.In between, watch as green turtles navigate tiger shark-infested waters on their quest to sunbathe on the beaches of Hawaii alongside monk seals. Traverse the rain-drenched forests of the islands, and observe the hunting prowess of inchworm moth caterpillars and the three-horned Jackson’s chameleon, two of Hawaii’s most active predators. And, marvel at the lava cricket, an opportunistic insect that lives and hunts in The Big Island’s lava fields, broiling at 2000-degree F.

Investigation Discovery, meanwhile, will offer its own slate of new programming, much of it of the sordid variety. Upcoming programs include "Evil Twins," which will examine true-crime mysteries involving siblings who co-inhabited the same womb. Fans of the lurid will also want to catch "Deadly Affairs." The series, hosted by former "All My Children" star Susan Lucci, will chronicle real-life "stories of passionate love affairs turned crimes of passion."

And if your curiosity isn't piqued by the title "Wives With Knives," you should probably check to see if you have a pulse.

Discover your upcoming guilty pleasures, courtesy of Investigation Discovery, with the show descriptions below.

EVIL TWINS
There’s something oddly fascinating about twins. Maybe it’s the secret languages they create, their identical façade, or the claim that one can feel when the other is hurt. But when one twin turns bad, does the other stay pure of heart? Channeling sibling rivalries and deadly childhood pacts, EVIL TWINS follows true-crime mysteries surrounding real-life cases of these evil archetypes. Each episode reveals shocking stories of twins on the edge, from sleeping with their sibling’s husband then setting them up for murder to stealing their identity and even coming back from the dead.

REDRUM
When it comes to murder, no detective starts their search at the beginning of the crime. Rather, a murder investigation always begins with the body, after the deed is done. It is up to the police to piece together the story, moving backwards in time until they arrive at the root of the crime. In ID’s new series REDRUM, viewers follow the backwards tale of murder from false motives and mistaken witnesses to conversations taken completely out of context, until the truth finally comes out at the very end.

DEADLY AFFAIRS
From love triangles that implode to office romances exposed; from sleeping with the enemy to bedding your best friend’s husband; and from grooms ditching the ceremony with a bridesmaid in tow to swingers deciding the grass actually is greener; stories of passionate love affairs turned crimes of passion aren’t just happening on daytime television. Hosted by soap opera legend Susan Lucci, DEADLY AFFAIRS proves that they happen in real life and, sometimes, are even stranger than fiction.

FRENEMIES: BFFs GONE BAD
Exploring riveting stories of loyalty betrayed, FRENEMIES: BFFs GONE BAD is a perfect example of what happens when friendships fall apart at the seams. In this new series, Investigation Discovery looks at friends who are devoted to one another, only to have things go horribly, and often fatally, wrong. Each episode traces friendships through good times to their gradual demise, as things turn sour and end in shocking, violent confrontation. What happened that turned these former friends into deadly frenemies?

‘TIL DEATH DO US PART
When marriages fail, divorce can turn ugly and even deadly. What was once a passionate union becomes spite, greed, backstabbing, and betrayal. ‘TIL DEATH DO US PART explores tumultuous, shocking, and high-stake divorces and the deadly murders linked to them. Guiding viewers through these passionate accounts of love gone wrong are Dr. Stacy Kaiser, a psychotherapist and relationship expert, and Dr. Brian Russell, a forensic psychologist and attorney. From husbands, wives, children, grandparents, mistresses and friends, divorce can lead even the most unthinkable people to commit murder.

WIVES WITH KNIVES
WIVES WITH KNIVES features gripping stories of women who fight at close range. Some women endured years of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse before fighting back. Others were motivated by greed and jealousy. Some of the victims died and others lived to testify against their attackers. Through personal accounts from the actual women who committed the crimes, as well as the victims themselves, each episode reveals the traumatic events that led to the pair’s disturbing demise.

PRETTY BAD GIRLS
A true-crime series channeling the glamour of “Sex and the City,” PRETTY BAD GIRLS bares what happens when beautiful, fabulous women have more than killer clothes in their closets. They have skeletons, too. These sexy criminals know exactly what they want, and are willing to do anything to get it, no matter the cost. They will lie, cheat, steal, and even kill. After all, living a life of crime is easy when you’re looks could kill and sex is your weapon of choice.

COLD CASE (wt)
There are twists and turns around every corner in ID’s new series COLD CASE. Each episode invites viewers on an emotional journey between past and present as unsolved homicides are reopened. The series shows how time, technology, and burdens of the past combine to rehash old cases and open old wounds in an effort to solve haunting whodunit mysteries, finally put the culprit behind bars, and give loved ones long-awaited peace of mind.

DANGEROUS PERSUASIONS (wt)
DANGEROUS PERSUASIONS tells extraordinary and terrifyingly true tales of everyday people who were manipulated into committing horrific crimes. These average men and women fell under the influence of dark forces and were brainwashed into shocking behaviors they never would have exhibited otherwise. Through intimate, first-person accounts, each episode details the captivating stories of people who lost themselves as a result of dangerous persuasions.

THE EX-FILES (wt)
Paying homage to the guilty pleasures of salacious TV talk shows, THE EX-FILES delves into extreme romantic relationships turned sour, uncovering the truth from both sides. Men and women reveal all the sordid secrets, from passionate and sexy stories to the crazy and strange, that eventually led to their relationship’s downfall.

WHO THE BLEEP…
Building off the success of ID’s hit series WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY?, this new spinoff goes one step further to explore relationships between friends, co-workers, significant others, family members, and more. Each real-life story is a first-person account that uncovers the truth behind people’s double lives and the fallout that ensues. WHO THE BLEEP… begs the question: how well can you really know someone?

MURDER IN PARADISE (wt)
It’s a vacation in paradise, or is it? ID’s new series recounts stories of happy couples who go on dream vacations that end in violence. Only one of them comes back alive, and it’s never an accident. Could these unwitting victims have been murdered by the last person in the world they’d expect to do them harm? MURDER IN PARADISE is a mystery series that aims to uncover whether these victims were the random targets of a brutal stranger or the focused objects of premeditated evil.

Meanwhile, Discovery Fit & Health also has a couple of new offerings. "High School Moms" will explore a Colorado high school "devoted exclusively to pregnant girls and teen moms," while "If They Were My Kids" will find sibings with radically different parenting styles swapping kids in order to determine whose method of child-rearing is superior.

HIGH SCHOOL MOMS
Follow the real-life drama at a Colorado high school devoted exclusively to pregnant girls and teen moms. With nursing facilities and a day care center in the building, these girls are given every opportunity to continue their education while tackling the tasks of caring for a baby. Every day brings new challenges to the school’s dedicated teachers and students, as the girls try to balance schoolwork, sonograms, diapers and dreams of a bright future. (Q3, 2012)

IF THEY WERE MY KIDS
Think you’re a better parent than your sibling? PROVE IT! In each episode of IF THEY WERE MY KIDS siblings with very different parenting styles will get a chance to test their conflicting philosophies by switching places to take care of each other’s kids as they think best. It’s the experience of a lifetime and the only way to truly unravel the knots of their own sibling relationships. (Q1, 2013)