upfronts 2016

NBC Orders New Series From True Blood Author, Plus Comedies From Tina Fey and Marlon Wayans

How glamorous.

Sink your fangs into this news: NBC has ordered a new supernatural series from the author of True Blood. Charlaine Harris’s Midnight, Texas series is being adapted into a show to be co-helmed by Mr. Robot director Niels Arden Oplev. The show once again brings us to small-town America, where yet another group of seemingly normal humans are terrorized (and seduced, because c’mon) by vampires, witches, psychics, and hit men. “Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different. As the town members fight off outside pressures from rowdy biker gangs, ever-suspicious cops and their own dangerous pasts, they band together and form a strong and unlikely family,” according to a press release. Blindspot’s François Arnaud will star, alongside Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel, Sarah Ramos, Peter Mensah, Yul Vazquez and Sean Bridgers.

Over on its still-rebuilding comedy front, NBC has ordered to series new shows from Tina Fey and Marlon Wayans. Fey and her 30 Rock team will executive produce Great News, yet another comedy about the ultra-glamorous world of TV. This one follows an up-and-coming news producer named Katie, whose mother decides to intern at her news station and do all those annoyingly cute things moms do. Undateable’s Briga Heelan, My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Andrea Martin, Adam Campbell, Kimrie Lewis-Davis, John Michael Higgins, and Horatio Sanz will star.

Marlon Wayans will headline a new comedy based on his life, aptly titled Marlon, about “a loving (but immature) father committed to co-parenting his two kids with his very-together ex-wife … despite being ‘the biggest kid of all.’” So in other words, the role Marlon Wayans has been playing his whole life. Essence Atkins will play his superhero wife, while Notlim Taylor, Amir O’Neil, Bresha Webb, and Diallo Riddle also join the cast.

NBC has also ordered Timeless, from the producers of The Blacklist, about — you guessed it — time travel. A scientist, soldier, and history professor team up to travel back in time to save history after a “mysterious criminal” steals a time machine and attempts to destroy America one altered piece of history at a time, as you do. Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Goran Visnjic, Paterson Joseph, Sakina Jaffrey, and Claudia Doumit will star.

NBC Orders New Series From True Blood Author