25th annual tv preview - THE 2020-21 SEASON - Harmelin Media
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25 th annual tv preview 08.18.2020 THE 2020-21 SEASON
CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
2
A YE A R LIKE NO OT H E R : T H E 2 0 2 0 - 2 1 T V S EAS ON | CHE RY L KLE AR , SE NIO R VICE P R E SIDE NT
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Welcome to the 25th edition of Harmelin Media’s
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
annual TV preview. This year we are experiencing a
year like no other and it carries over into all aspects
of our lives. Since many of us are working from home
and not in our offices, Harmelin will not be mailing a
hard copy of this edition.
Please note the schedule for the 2020-21 TV season is ever-changing due to the pandemic. The informa
A YE A R LIKE NO OT H E R : T H E 2 0 2 0 - 2 1 T V S EAS ON
HA RMELI N MEDI A
In mid-March, when the NBA shut down due to COVID-19
and all other sports followed, it changed our TV viewing
experiences by elimina\ng live sports. Shortly a^er,
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
television produc\on was halted. Many of the season
finales that were scheduled for May were never filmed,
which caused shows’ seasons to end in April. Several series
had an\cipated finales that were filmed earlier in the year PHOTO: CBS
and were able to air, including CBS’s Hawaii Five-0, ABC’s
CBS’s legal drama All Rise became the first scripted
Modern Family and NBC’s Will & Grace.
series to air a virtual episode which included an
online trial – using reality as a muse, where the city of
Los Angeles was under a mandatory shelter-in-place
order. For NBC’s The Blacklist, their season finale
Networks quickly needed to used a combina\on of previously shot footage
interspersed with animated characters and scenes to
embrace creativity to deliver create an episode that shi^ed back and forth from
their finales and live shows. live ac\on to a graphic novel. Reality shows such as
NBC’s The Voice and ABC’s American Idol went virtual
for their finales. Late night talk shows, morning news
programming and day\me talk shows shi^ed from
tradi\onal in-studio broadcasts to virtual and at-
home versions.
4
A YE A R LIKE NO OT H E R : T H E 2 0 2 0 - 2 1 T V S EAS ON
HA RMELI N MEDI A
There were a poten\al 44 pilots for the upcoming season on
the broadcast networks. That amount would not come to In addi\on to the network offerings, you will find
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
frui\on as only nine new shows will air in the fall. Two of our write-ups on cable television programs, CBS All
those were delayed 2020 midseason replacements and one is Access, Hulu and Peacock, as well as non-ad
a Law & Order spin-off. The highly an\cipated Thirtysomething supported streaming services including Amazon
(Else) reboot starring much of the original cast, including Ken Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and Neklix.
Olin, Mel Harris, Timothy Busfield and Patricia Wedg, has
been put on hold for now. Many of the pilots will air later in
the season including shows starring Ted Danson (The Good
Place), Dwayne Johnson (Ballers) and Mayim Bialik (The Big
We hope you enjoy this
Bang Theory). This will ul\mately depend on produc\on, issue with our previews
which par\ally resumed in Hollywood in mid-June and in
New York at the end of July. Many of the cast and crew of of the upcoming
these shows will need to isolate prior to filming and adhere
to health officials’ safety guidelines if they are to con\nue
television season.
without interrup\on.
5
CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
6
CO N N EC T I N G DU R I N G COV I D - 1 9 : U P F RO N TS | CAIT Y LAM B, M E DIA DIR ECTO R
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Upfront week – usually a time for glamour,
gluttony, schmoozing and a lot of TV talk –
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
came and went this past May without the
traditional presentations and parties. Since
stay-at-home orders kept many of the
industry’s professionals sheltering in place,
party dresses were traded in for quarantine
comfies and traditional presentations were
swapped for Zoom meetings.
7
CO N N EC T I N G DU R I N G COV I D - 1 9 : U P F RO N TS
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Networks did their best to address these ques\ons
over the summer months with virtual upfronts, but
informa\on and conversa\on were lacking.
Networks tried to be crea\ve and cap\va\ng by
peppering in videos of talent to help move the
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Many of the questions that presenta\ons along. But, with produc\on s\ll
largely halted at the \me of the presenta\ons and
hung over the advertising major ques\ons remaining surrounding several
industry in May remain. sports seasons, the content pieces of the upfront
presenta\ons were no\ceably missing.
What will happen with live
The produc\on hurdles currently facing the
sports? Will there be any new television industry are unprecedented. Networks
programs? What happens if are in an alarming posi\on when it comes to
content for the upcoming broadcast season. They
COVID-19 resurges in the fall? are doing away with tradi\onal premiere week and
will be using fully shot seasons of game and reality
shows to fill out their schedules this fall. In what
would be an industry first, networks may also look
to pull exclusive content from owned streaming
services to help amplify linear viewership.
8
CO N N EC T I N G DU R I N G COV I D - 1 9 : U P F RO N TS
??????????
HA RMELI N MEDI A
The other major factor when ??????????
Football remains a ques\on mark. At the college level,
Big Ten, Pac-12 and Ivy League teams have canceled
looking around the corner to
??????????
their full seasons. Other conferences have canceled
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
any non-conference games and non-conference
4Q 2020 is live sports. teams, like Notre Dame, are seeking one-year
adop\on into a conference for a chance to play. But
??????????
the reality for most college athletes is that they will
Those sports that can easily implement physical distancing
not have access to the same resources in terms of
saw the earliest return. Golf, horse racing, auto racing, and
COVID-19 preven\on and protec\on as do
soccer were among the first wave of sports to return to air
professional athletes.
in the US, appeasing networks, consumers, and adver\sers
alike. NHL, NBA and MLB were part of the second wave of
sports returning mid-summer with adjustments including
modified schedules, no fans in
??????????
At the professional level, however, it’s an\cipated that
the football season will occur in full, given financial
implica\ons to the NFL. There is A LOT of money on
??????????
the stadiums, and several leagues the line, with $4.48 billion spent on television ads in
agreeing to hub ci\es to create the 2019 NFL regular season alone! At this \me,
a bubble-like quaran\ne zone. details of what the season will look like are s\ll being
worked out.
?????????? 9
CO N N EC T I N G DU R I N G COV I D - 1 9 : U P F RO N TS
HA RMELI N MEDI A
We are a unique community – an aggregate of a
mul\tude of professions. From automo\ve to
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
tourism to healthcare and beyond, the pulse of our
na\on is palpable through our clients’ business. At
While the advertising Harmelin, we feel the pressure and the loss, as well
industry has felt the as the drive and op\mism propelling us onward. We
are an industry of creators, thought leaders,
impact of the pandemic, developers, and nego\ators – and there is no doubt
that a new way forward will be established. While
we have adapted. Upfront week may never again be the same, we can
be certain that Harmelin’s support of its clients and
our dedica\on to helping move our piece of the
recovery effort forward will remain unwavering.
COVID-19 may have changed nearly everything, but
it won’t change that.
10CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
11BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: ABC | W ENDY RUMER , SENIO R MEDIA DIR ECTO R
HA RMELI N MEDI A
The ABC fall lineup only has one major change – since
we missed our summer fix of The BacheloreRe, we will
have it this fall. But BacheloreRe cannot just bump out
Dancing with the Stars to air in its usual \meslot on
Mondays. Instead, ABC is rearranging, and in some
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
cases pausing, its sitcoms. BacheloreRe will air 8-10 pm
on Tuesdays. The Connors and black-ish will move from
Tuesday to Wednesday to air with The Goldbergs and
American Housewife, the laper having moved from
Friday. Four other ABC comedies were cancelled and,
of course, Modern Family ended its reign, making it
possible to condense all the sitcoms into one night.
ABC has big hopes for Big Sky, the David E. Kelley
thriller which will air a^er BacheloreRe on Tuesdays.
ABC’s other new venture is Supermarket Sweep starring
Leslie Jones. This will fit in nicely a^er AFV on Sundays.
For midseason, in addi\on to the new Call Your Mother,
we can expect to see some of the old summer favorites
return: $100,000 Pyramid and Card Sharks. Also, we will
see the return of For Life and mixed-ish and, of course,
The Bachelor and American Idol.
12BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: ABC
HA RMELI N MEDI A
big sky supermarket sweep
FALL PREMIERES
TUESDAY 10P-11P | DRAMA | WATCH TRAILER SUNDAY 8P-9P | GAME SHOW
Set in Montana, Big Sky is a procedural drama starring Kylie This is the fourth incarna\on of the 1960s game show.
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Bunbury (Pitch) and Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) as a private Hos\ng this revival will be the hysterical Leslie Jones best
inves\gator and an ex-cop who team up to solve a known for Saturday Night Live. Jones says she always loved
kidnapping. Ryan Phillippe, the soon-to-be ex-husband of the show and in fact tried out for it. She was not chosen, so
Winnick’s character, also joins the inves\ga\on. Their she reportedly considers this her perfect revenge.
search leads to deeper mysteries.
COMMENTS: Leslie Jones is very funny and I have no doubt
COMMENTS: ABC is so excited by David E. Kelley’s latest she’ll be worth watching. But, just like a drama or comedy,
project that they ordered it straight to series, instead of just success is going to depend on how it is done – the flow of
the first 10 or 13 episodes. Karey Burke, ABC Entertainment the show and the entertainment value of the games.
President, says Kelley himself will be the showrunner.
call your mother
MIDSEASON Comedy starring Kyra Sedgwick, Joey Bragg (Liv and Maddie), comedian Rachel Sennop, along
REPLACEMENT with a young ensemble cast. Sedgwick plays Jean Raines who decides to move from Iowa to Los
Angeles so that she can be where her two adult children reside. Jean plans to be part of their LA
lifestyle and is hoping they will realize they s\ll need their mom.
13BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: CBS | JOYCLY N FAUST, ASSO CIAT E VICE P R E SIDE NT
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Finishing first in total viewers for the 2019-2020
season, CBS holds onto the \tle of “America’s Most
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Watched Network” for the 12th year in a row. CBS had
the top dramas: NCIS, FBI and Blue Bloods (2nd, 4th, and
6th respec\vely), bepered only by NFL football. The
network also had the top comedy with Young Sheldon
(finishing 9th). CBS Entertainment execu\ve Kelly Kahl
declares that “CBS is simply loaded with a lineup that
will clearly appeal to both our adver\sing partners and
our loyal viewers.” With five returning freshman shows,
the strength of long-running programs like NCIS and 60
Minutes, and the broadcast rights to Super Bowl LV in
2021, CBS has poised itself for another successful year.
The network will add three new programs, two dramas
and one comedy, to their 2020-2021 schedule.
14BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: CBS
HA RMELI N MEDI A
FALL PREMIERES
b positive
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
THURSDAY 8:30P-9P | COMEDY | WATCH TRAILER
A^er learning he needs a new kidney, Drew (Thomas the equalizer
Middleditch, Silicon Valley) reconnects with a former high school SUNDAY 8P-9P | DRAMA
friend (Annaleigh Ashford, American Crime Story) who offers him
one of her kidneys. Queen La\fah (Girls Trip) stars in this reboot from the ‘80s. She
uses her specific skill set to help desperate people with dire
COMMENTS: Chuck Lorre (Big Bang Theory) is no stranger to problems. Chris Noth (Sex and The City) also stars.
successful sitcoms! It may face some compe\\on against the
NFL and NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine but airing a^er Young Sheldon COMMENTS: The network has mastered the art of
should provide a nice-sized audience for this new show. “reimagining” former TV series.
clarice
MIDSEASON This drama picks up six months from where Silence of The Lambs le^ off. We follow Clarice
REPLACEMENT Starling (Rebecca Breeds, PreRy LiRle Liars) as she must cope with the a^ermath of Hannibal
Lector as well as come to terms with events from her past.
PHOTOS: CBS 15BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: NBC | JAM IE RUDE NST E IN, ASSO CIAT E VICE P R E SIDE NT
HA RMELI N MEDI A
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
The postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to
COVID-19 dealt a harsh blow to NBC, who spends
billions of dollars to be one of the brands most
associated with the Games. Lost was thousands of
hours of programming and the biggest live TV event of
the year. Inventory within the Games was at 90% sell-
out and had generated a record-breaking $1.25 billion
of income. NBC was also looking to the Games as an
ideal plakorm to promote Peacock, its new streaming
service, to millions of cap\vated viewers.
16BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: NBC
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Some Olympic advertisers NBC premieres one show this fall, a Law & Order
may require make goods on extension, featuring a character with whom fans are
already in\mately familiar. There is poten\al for an
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
their commitments via onslaught of sports content with leagues that have
never played simultaneously as professional teams
inventory in other prime resume regular play. Looking hopefully to midseason
offerings, NBC has ordered two programs direct to
programming. This adds series, featuring Ted Danson and Dwayne Johnson.
more complexity to the fall Challenging \mes o^en inspire crea\vity – NBCU
season, as most productions unveiled 11 new ad formats in their network
Upfront event this year, which are grouped into
have been shut down; thus, three different categories: talent, content, and
sensory experiences. All three of these categories
programmers are will be available in the network scaper market and
involve integra\ng adver\sers with NBCU talent
contending with a dearth of and programming.
new scripted programming.
17BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: NBC
HA RMELI N MEDI A
MIDSEASON REPLACEMENTS
the kenan show
Originally ordered as a 2019-20 midseason replacement,
this comedy stars Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) as
FALL PREMIERE
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
law & order: organized crime a recently widowed host of Atlanta’s No. 2 morning show
who struggles to balance his job, his young daughters and a
THURSDAY 10P-11P | DRAMA
father-in-law who “helps” in the most inappropriate ways.
The Law & Order: SVU spin-off features Christopher
Meloni reprising his role as Elliot Stabler, who returns to mr. mayor
the NYPD to baple organized crime a^er a devasta\ng
Ted Danson stars in this comedy as a wealthy businessman
personal loss. The city and police department have
who runs for mayor of Los Angeles for all the wrong
changed drama\cally in the decade he has been away,
and he must adapt to a criminal jus\ce system in the reasons. Once he wins, he must figure out what he stands
midst of its own moment of reckoning. The series follows for, gain the respect of his staff and connect with his
Stabler’s journey to rebuild his life, while leading a new teenage daughter — all while controlling the coyote
elite task force that is taking apart the city’s most popula\on. Bobby Moynihan also stars in the single-
powerful criminal syndicates. Dick Wolf execu\ve camera series from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.
produces the series.
COMMENTS: Fans of Law & Order: SVU (there are legions)
were upset when Meloni’s Detec\ve Stabler abruptly
young rock
re\red from the force in 2011. This show feels like a safe Inspired by and starring Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock, this
bet to be a success given the popularity of the franchise comedy series will chronicle his forma\ve years.
and character.
PHOTO: NBC 18BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: FOX | PAM G ULOT TA, M E DIA DIR ECTO R
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment at Fox
Entertainment, touted the network’s first produc\on
year. “Entering Fox Entertainment’s first development
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
season as a new company, our methodology was to
carefully curate our content more like a start-up;
looking for new opportuni\es, new stories and new
voices in ways perhaps others might not be able.”
Despite produc\on delays due to the COVID-19
pandemic the network will premiere four new shows
this September along with new seasons of current
shows, anima\on, and sports.
Returning shows include The Masked Singer as well as a
new season of MasterChef Junior that features a new
judge alongside Gordon Ramsay. The rest of the fall
lineup includes anima\on on Sunday nights and the
long-awaited return of sports: Thursday Night Football;
WWE Smackdown and weekends full of MLB and NFL.
19BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: FOX
HA RMELI N MEDI A
l.a.’s finest filthy rich
MONDAY 8P-9P | DRAMA | WATCH TRAILER MONDAY 9P-10P | DRAMA | WATCH TRAILER
FALL PREMIERES
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Originally airing on Spectrum, this offshoot of the Bad Boys This series was originally ordered as a 2019-20 midseason
film franchise stars two actresses who exemplify the bad replacement. When the patriarch (Gerald McRaney, This is
boy (or girl!) mentality. Gabrielle Union plays Special Agent/ Us) of a mega rich Southern family, famed for crea\ng a
Detec\ve Lieutenant Sydney (“Syd”) Burnep, an ex-DEA wildly successful Chris\an TV network, dies in a plane
agent transferred to the LAPD. She is the sister of Marcus crash, his wife (Kim Caprall, Sex in the City) and family are
Burnep of the Bad Boys movies, played by Mar\n stunned to learn that he fathered three illegi\mate
Lawrence. Jessica Alba plays Nancy McKenna, a working children, all of whom are wripen into his will, threatening
stepmother and secret formal career criminal who is Syd’s their family fortune.
new partner and friend.
COMMENTS: A soap-like drama will suit Kim Caprall all
COMMENTS: The two actresses look to be the right fit to too well and can fill a needed guilty pleasure hole in the
counter the connec\on portrayed by Lawrence and Will network’s lineup.
Smith on the big screen. I am an\cipa\ng the same an\cs,
ac\on, and laughs.
PHOTOS: FOX 20BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: FOX
HA RMELI N MEDI A
cosmos: possible worlds next
FALL PREMIERES
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
TUESDAY 8P-9P | SCIENCE DOCUMENTARY | WATCH TRAILER TUESDAY 9P-10P | DRAMA | WATCH TRAILER
Originally airing on Na\onal Geographic, the science Silicon Valley pioneer (John Slapery, Mad Men) teams up
documentary is a follow-up to the 2014 series Cosmos: with a cybercrime agent (Fernanda Andrade, The First) a^er
A SpaceBROADCAST NE T WO R KS: CW | DO NNA D’ACHILLO, SE NIO R M E DIA DIR ECTO R
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the CW decided to
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
postpone much of its upcoming season un\l January
2021; however, this summer the network premiered
Coroner as well as Tell Me a Story, the laper of which
originally aired on CBS All Access. Both shows are
slated to run through 4Q. Premiering in the fall are
financial thriller Devils and the superhero horror series
Swamp Thing will make its broadcast debut. The highly
an\cipated seven final episodes of Supernatural, cut
short due to the pandemic, will finally air on Thursdays
and a new comedy clip show World’s Funniest Animals
will air on Fridays. In January, new shows Superman &
Lois and Walker will premiere, along with renewed
second seasons of Batwoman and Nancy Drew.
22BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: CW
HA RMELI N MEDI A
MIDSEASON REPLACEMENT
devils world’s funniest animals
FALL PREMIERES
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
WEDNESDAY 8P-9P | DRAMA | WATCH TRAILER FRIDAY 9P-10P | COMEDY CLIP SHOW
Devils is based on the best-selling Italian This new series, hosted by Elizabeth Stanton
novel by Guido Maria Brera, partly inspired (Great Big World), will feature a celebrity guest
by the global financial crisis in 2008. Patrick panel watching clips of animals caught on video
Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy) stars alongside doing funny things. The videos will come from a
Italian actor Alessandro Borghi. Set in the variety of sources, including viral internet clips as
London office of a major U.S. bank, Massimo well as footage from major mo\on pictures and
Ruggero (Borghi) is hired by Dominic TV series.
Morgan (Dempsey), the bank’s CEO.
COMMENTS: Everyone loves candid clips of
Ruggero becomes entwined in a financial
funny moments caught on video. Similar to
war and must choose whether to fight
America’s Funniest Videos on ABC, this series
against Morgan, his ruthless mentor.
should provide a great deal of entertainment and
COMMENTS: This is a well-made thriller laughs for all viewers!
that pulls you in from the first scene. Patrick
Dempsey’s Grey’s Anatomy following will
likely flock to this series which may help
CW garner a new (older) audience.
PHOTO: CW 23BROADCAST NE T WO R KS: CW
HA RMELI N MEDI A
JANUARY PREMIERES
superman & lois walker
TUESDAY 9P-10P | DRAMA THURSDAY 8P-9P | DRAMA
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Tyler Hoechlin (Supergirl) and Bitsie Tulloch (Grimm) star in Jared Padalecki (Supernatural) returns to the CW as Cordell
this new series which centers around two of the most well- Walker, a widower and father of two who relocates to
known DC characters as they navigate parenthood and their Aus\n. He is haunted by the suspicious death of his wife.
intense careers. This series is a reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger starring
Chuck Norris which aired from 1993-2001.
COMMENTS: The series is sure to please superhero fans as
the CW gives us Lois and Superman – a couple with children COMMENTS: Walker, Texas Ranger was an iconic series.
who must balance their personal and professional lives in Hopefully, CW can breathe life into this reboot for the
our present-day world. next genera\on of viewers to enjoy!
kung fu the republic of sarah
A mar\al arts ac\on adventure series set in Sarah Cooper (Stella Baker) is a high school
MIDSEASON present day. Nicky Chen (Olivia Liang) is a teacher who confronts a greedy mining
REPLACEMENTS Chinese-American woman who uses her company set to destroy her hometown. Sarah
newly acquired mar\al arts skills to combat finds a legal loophole and fights to declare the
a crime-laden San Francisco. town’s independence.
PHOTOS: CW 24CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
25PRIM E TIM E GRID FO R BROADCAST NET WO R KS
HA RMELI N MEDI A
THURSDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABC Sta\on 19 Grey’s Anatomy A Million Liple Things
fall 2020 tv season CBS Young Sheldon B Posi\ve Mom The Unicorn Evil
Brooklyn
NBC Superstore Law & Order: Special Vic\ms Unit Law & Order: Organized Crime
Nine-Nine
New Series New Time Period Broadcast Premiere
FOX Thursday Night Football
CW Supernatural Outpost Local Programming
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
MONDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 FRIDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABC Dancing with the Stars The Good Doctor ABC Shark Tank 20/20
CBS Neighborhood Bob Abishola All Rise Bull CBS Macgyver Magnum P.I. Blue Bloods
NBC The Voice Manifest NBC The Blacklist Dateline NBC
FOX L.A.’s Finest Filthy Rich Local Programming FOX WWE Smackdown Local Programming
CW Whose Line is it Anyway? Penn & Teller: Fool Us Local Programming CW Masters of Illusion World’s Funniest Animals Local Programming
TUESDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 SATURDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
ABC The Bachelorepe Big Sky ABC Saturday Night College Football
CBS NCIS FBI FBI: Most Wanted CBS Various Programming Various Programming 48 Hours
NBC The Voice This is Us New Amsterdam NBC Dateline NBC Saturday Night Live Repeats
FOX Cosmos: Possible Worlds Next Local Programming FOX Fox Sports Saturday Local Programming
CW Swamp Thing Tell Me a Story (Premiered 7/28) Local Programming CW Various Programming Various Programming Various Programming
WEDNESDAY 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 SUNDAY 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30
American America’s Funniest Who Wants to
ABC Goldbergs black-ish The Conners Stumptown ABC Supermarket Sweep The Rookie
Housewife Videos Be a Millionaire
CBS The Amazing Race Seal Team S.W.A.T. CBS 60 Minutes The Equalizer NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS: New Orleans
NBC Chicago Med Chicago Fire Chicago Med NBC Football Night in America Sunday Night Football
NFL / The OT / Bless the Bob’s
FOX The Masked Singer Masterchef Junior Local Programming FOX Simpsons Family Guy Local Programming
Fox Encores Harts Burgers
CW Devils Coroner (Premiered 8/5) Local Programming CW Local Programming Two Sentence Horror Pandora Local Programming
26CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
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01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
27CABLE NE T WO R KS | ST E VE KNE BE LS, M E DIA DIR ECTO R & E M ILY McG OVE R N, M E DIA ANALYST
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While many programs were able to complete post-produc\on for their spring 2020 season
prior to COVID-19, AMC’s The Walking Dead was not one of the lucky ones. They were able to
air seven of their eight episodes in the spring, except for the finale. How ironic – a show
about a pandemic gedng shut down due to... a pandemic! However, at Comic-Con@Home in
July, TWD producers officially announced that the Season 10 finale will finally air on October
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4th. In addi\on, with Season 11 being pushed to some\me in 2021, there will be an addi\onal
In August, A&E launched a new six episodes added to the back end of Season 10 as a reward to viewers who have been
series \tled What’s it Worth? wai\ng pa\ently. On top of that, another spin-off series, Walking Dead: World Beyond, will
hosted by comedian and collector debut this fall. This story will focus on a group of
Jeff Foxworthy. Jeff scours the teenagers sheltered from the dangers of the post-
country to find people with apocalyp\c world who set off on a cross-country
unique personal possessions that voyage to find help to save the world.
could be worth a prepy penny, all
from the comfort of his own
home. The series debuted ahead
of the previously announced two-
hour live series What’s It Worth? Two of the most successful Tyler Perry shows that
Live, which will air this fall. The launched on BET in early 2020, The Oval and Sistas,
live version of the show will give have both been renewed for Season 2 and have started
viewers the opportunity to bid on produc\on at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. The two Wednesday night comedy staples are
and purchase an array of execu\ve-produced, directed and wripen by Perry and are expected to return to air in late
extremely rare and valuable items fourth quarter or early first quarter 2021. The network is also s\ll planning to have the Soul
featured on the show. Train Awards in fourth quarter, but how it looks will depend on the ongoing health crisis.
28CABLE NE T WO R KS
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E!’s favorite family is back in While we all keep our fingers crossed that live sports remain on the grid, ESPN is
September to finish airing season hard at work on producing the compelling content we relied on before the
18 of Keeping up with the pandemic first broke. 30 for 30 has been a hit documentary series for the network
Kardashians. The show le^ off since 2009, and it has never been more relied upon than it is now. ESPN Films
halfway through the season in helped fill the void with no live sports in second quarter with the massively
March and is expected to return successful The Last Dance eight-part miniseries, followed by new documentaries on
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Lance Armstrong, Bruce Lee, and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. It behooves the
to Thursday nights in September.
network to expedite produc\on on future episodes and topics, in case live sports
This season will include self-
are forced to shut down again, in order to capitalize on the nostalgia and
recorded iPhone footage of the excitement that these series bring. The network announced that the legendary
family members adjus\ng to 1986 NY Mets World Series Championship team (google Bill Buckner) will be next
quaran\ne life. The network is to get the 30 for 30 treatment, with lifelong Mets fan Jimmy Kimmel serving as one
also planning to air the annual E’s of the execu\ve producers. Known for their
People’s Choice Awards on Sunday, exploits both on and off the field, the ’86 Mets
November 15th. introduced characters who would generate
headlines for years to come a^erward.
The Food Network has struck a mul\-year deal with chef, cookbook author and philanthropist Robert
Irvine. This two-year deal includes new episodes of the extremely successful Restaurant Impossible, as
well as a new spin-off series, Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business. This new series showcases
previously featured restaurants that are struggling during this pandemic, while Irvine tries to help them
get back on their feet. The deal also includes new mid- and short-form projects to be developed by Irvine
for both linear and digital plakorms on the network. The network has also given the green light to a
second season of Amy Schumer Learns to Cook. The show, which began during the quaran\ne and is self-
shot at home, features Amy’s husband and famous chef Chris Fischer as he teaches the comedian with
no kitchen skills how to prepare delicious meals, all from their home kitchen.
29CABLE NE T WO R KS
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FX Produc\ons is at it again. The company has \relessly churned out hit series over
the last 25+ years, and this season is no excep\on. There is a total of nine new series
set to debut in Fall 2020 or early 2021 across their array of networks, with sixteen
renewals also on the slate. In an age where everyone is struggling to produce content
across mediums, FX con\nues to step up. FX Networks’ next entry in their growing
catalog of docuseries and documentary features is A Wilderness of Error. Set to
premiere in late September 2020, AWOE is a five-part series based on the best-
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selling 2012 book of the same name by Errol Morris. The series reexamines the case
The widely popular young adult
of Jeffrey MacDonald, the Army surgeon who has been in federal prison since 1982,
programs Everything’s Gonna Be
accused of killing his family. Another new series, Hop Untold, is set to premiere before
Okay and Motherland: Ft. Salem
the close of 2020. It’s a six-part docuseries about the dying breed of power brokers
have been picked up for second who operate from the shadows of hip hop. Others on the docu-front include Pride,
seasons on Freeform. The new which focuses on the LGBTQ fight for civil rights, and Hysterical, which examines the
series, Love in the Time of Corona, world of women in stand-up comedy. Along with the cri\cally acclaimed series Devs
is also set to start produc\on this and Mrs. America, FX on Hulu is introducing two new exclusive series to the
summer and be available to streaming plakorm. A Teacher is a miniseries based on the 2013 film of the same
viewers in 2021. Freeform also name and is about a female high school teacher’s illicit rela\onship with a student
con\nues to outperform other and the complexi\es that follow. The Old Man is a star-studded thriller, based on the
networks when it comes to 2017 novel of the same name. Starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow, The Old Man
holiday content. The network is centers on an off-the-grid CIA agent who comes out of hiding and encounters an
looking forward to showcasing unexpected mission. Ryan Murphy is at it again, this \me with another spin-off to
AHS: American Horror Stories. Rather than have an inconsistent storyline arc that
new lineups in their 31 Nights of
spans an en\re season, Stories will be a weekly analog series that features a different
Halloween, Kickoff to Christmas
story each week and will each stand on their own merit.
and 25 Days of Christmas
programming slots.
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HGTV has ordered new episodes of two first-year
series — Unsellable Houses and 100 Day Dream Home.
The series, Unsellable Houses, is planning to release
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13 new episodes in early 2021, while 100 Day Dream
Home is expected to air eight new episodes at the
Hallmark never seems to run out of end of 2020. The network began airing the
any holiday content, as the network remaining season two episodes of ChrisCABLE NE T WO R KS
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In Genius: Aretha, Nat Geo is producing the first-ever defini\ve scripted miniseries
about the life of the “Queen of Soul,” the legendary Aretha Franklin. The series will
encompass Franklin’s life, musical genius, rise to stardom and the enormous impact
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
and influence she had around the world. New to the reality genre, Race to the Center
of The Earth will focus on four teams of adventurers, all hustling from different
loca\ons on Earth to a central loca\on, in a race for a million-dollar prize. According
to Geoff Daniels, execu\ve VP of unscripted entertainment for Nat Geo Networks,
“RTTCOTE will combine the gridness of a survival show with the cinema\c style of a
feature film ac\on-thriller dropping viewers into the middle of a heart-pounding
journey unlike anything ever made for television.” Wow!
The Travel Channel is launching a new series set to air Labor Day weekend and
run throughout the fall \tled Shock Docs. These two-hour weekly specials, also
being coined as “shockumentaries,” will inves\gate America’s true horror stories
and terrifying tales of infamous paranormal encounters. Each episode will focus
on a different ghostly loca\on where the show explores why these places and
cases remain the most famous — and the most haunted — in the country.
32CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
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01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
33AD- SUP P O RT E D ST R E AM ING IS ALIVE & W E LL | DAN COX , VICE PR ES IDENT & CAIT Y LAMB , ME DIA DIRECTOR
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Consumers today have become accustomed to
an on-demand lifestyle influencing many
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aspects of their lives, ranging from health and
fitness to grocery delivery, eCommerce and of
course, television. Try telling a four-year-old in
today’s world that they can’t watch Paw Patrol
because it’s “not on” and watch them
subsequently talk into a remote only to prove
moments later that, sure enough, it’s available.
Having access to content on-demand is an
H
opportunity for both consumers and advertisers
– it is truly a win-win.
34AD- SUP P O RT E D ST R E AM ING IS ALIVE & W E LL
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The remaining quarter is a mixed bag made up largely
According to Nielsen, of media conglomerate direct-to-consumer
subscrip\on products (i.e. CBS All Access) and free
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
streaming accounted for AVOD (ad-based video on demand) providers like
nearly 25% of total TV usage Roku, Pluto, Tubi and others. And while roughly
45-50% of this collec\ve streaming does not include
in Q2 2020. Of that time in-program ads (Neklix, Amazon and Hulu’s ‘no ads’
product), half of streaming inventory is ad-supported.
spent streaming, 73% of
viewing was made up of the Despite ad-supported streaming accoun\ng for over
10% of all TV viewing, adver\sing spend hovers
“Big 4”: Netflix, YouTube, around 3%. This dispropor\onate budget alloca\on is
further compounded by the fact that, according to
Hulu and Amazon, with MRI, streamers generally tend to be more affluent
Disney+ adding another 4%. and exhibit higher propensi\es for early adop\on and
digital shopping than their non-streaming
counterparts.
35AD- SUP P O RT E D ST R E AM ING IS ALIVE & W E LL
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The ra\o of viewership to ad spend is expected to course-
correct in 2021 as both linear ra\ngs and spend projec\ons
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con\nue to decline. We believe the accelerated adop\on of This is especially important for adver\sers looking to
streaming during the pandemic is likely a permanent shi^, bring down the age of their TV audience. According
and the 25% viewing figure will con\nue to increase. to SpotX, the majority of ad-based (AVOD) viewers
are between the ages of 18-34. While this audience
is less affluent than its subscrip\on-based (SVOD)
audience counterparts, their future poten\al makes
As the viewing audience grows them extremely important for adver\sers looking to
and marketers seek out new, build brand loyalty. When coupled with that slightly
older, more affluent Hulu audience and expanding
more targeted, and younger TV “TV-like” programming offered on YouTube,
audiences, ad spending against adver\sers have a diversity of ad-supported op\ons
through which to reach streaming TV viewers.
streaming TV is expected to surge.
36AD- SUP P O RT E D ST R E AM ING IS ALIVE & W E LL
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The streaming ecosystem con\nues to expand as media
conglomerates launch direct-to-consumer products. Within How much should I allocate to streaming TV? Which
the past year alone, Disney+, HBO Max (Warner Media), and providers do I use? How can I manage my frequency?
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Peacock (NBC) were all rolled out to market. Both HBO Max How can I add reach without duplica\ng audiences?
and Peacock will be fully ad supported in 2021, meaning Like many emerging plakorms, there is not one
that adver\sers will have two more large ad-supported streamlined solu\on. Instead, adver\sers must lean
plakorms to add to the mix for reaching consumers. on agency partners to inform the best approach to
maximize impackul reach with their target audiences.
As with most media decisions, the right approach will
More services, however, means vary by audience, adver\ser, and business goal, and
be driven by the strategic role TV is meant to play in
more fragmentation and this is the media plan. But knowing what op\ons are out
perhaps the biggest obstacle there, who is watching them, and perhaps most
importantly, which ones will actually take your ad
advertisers face when opting dollars, is half the baple. A^er that comes the fun
part… taking the campaign to market.
to go the streaming route.
37CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
38ST R E AM ING : CBS ALL ACCE SS | BR E NDAN M URT HA, SE NIO R M E DIA ST R AT EG IST
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star trek: lower decks
This is an animated adult comedy Star Trek spin-off which
CBS All Access released on August 6th. The series,
developed by Emmy Award-winner Mike McMahan (Rick
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
and Morty), follows the crew who serves on one of
Starfleet’s least important ships. The characters are voiced
by Jack Quaid (The Boys) and Tawny Newsome (Space
Force), along with others. WATCH TRAILER
the stand
Stephen King’s The Stand is being recreated again, this \me
as a 10-episode series for this streaming plakorm. Based
off the 1978 novel, this post-apocalyp\c story centers on a
group of survivors during the a^ermath of a deadly
pandemic. The series will star James Marsden (Westworld),
Alexander Skarsgard (Big LiRle Lies), Amber Heard
(Aquaman) and Whoopi Goldberg (The View). CBS All Access
stated that King "will write the last chapter of the series,
providing a new coda that won't be found in the book." The
series is expected to release before the end of 2020.
39ST R E AM ING : HULU | M ALLO RY T ER R ENCE , ASSO CIAT E MEDIA DIR ECTO R
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eater’s guide to the world
An unscripted docuseries will travel the globe to explore
restaurants and the food industry, set to deliver adventurous and
delicious meals. Hulu has called the series ‘a love song to food.’
love, beth
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Amy Schumer is bringing Hulu their newest comedy about an
unsa\sfied woman living in NYC who vows to change her life
and its path a^er coming across her teenage diary. Schumer will
write, execu\ve-produce and direct the series, however it is
unclear if she will star in the project as well.
monsterland
While Comcast/NBCUniversal, Fox, Time Warner and Disney This program is based on short stories from Nathan Ballingrud’s
were early Hulu investors, as of May 2019, Hulu is now North American Lake Monsters. This anthology series dives into
completely controlled by Disney. Disney included Hulu as part of realms outside the norm, focusing on mys\cal creatures like
their upfront presenta\on this year. mermaids, fallen angels and vampires.
The Handmaid’s Tale will not be returning for a fourth season woke
un\l 2021. Addi\onally, the premieres of Nine Perfect Strangers
Lamorne Morris (New Girl) stars as Keef, a cartoonist living in San
and The Dropout (two new shows that we wrote about in the
Francisco. Once an unexpected run-in with police changes
2019-20 Hulu Preview) are being held for an early 2021 release.
everything, including his mindset, he’s now in a constant state of
‘woke’. Wripen and produced by Keith Knight, the series is based
on his personal experiences with racial profiling and how his
culture influenced his art. WATCH TRAILER
40ST R E AM ING : P E ACO CK | JAM IE RUDE NST E IN, ASSO CIAT E VICE P R E SIDE NT
Peacock’s library of content includes hit NBC TV shows like
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Parks and RecreaCUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
HA RMELI N MEDI A
01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
42ST R E AM ING : DISNE Y + | M ALLO RY T ER R ENCE, ASSO CIAT E MEDIA DIR ECTO R
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the falcon and the winter soldier
The Marvel Universe is planning its TV series debut on with this
much-awaited storyline which is set to pick up where Avengers:
Endgame ended. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a bit longer
for this series that was originally planned for this summer.
WandaVision and Loki were two other projects set to run in 2020;
all three will likely make their debut in early 2021. WATCH TRAILER
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the magic of disney’s animal kingdom
This reality series provides a behind-the-scenes look at the
animals living at Walt Disney World in Florida. Cameras follow
animal care experts, veterinarians, and biologists as they care for
and oversee the well-being of the creatures in Animal Kingdom
and Epcot’s SeaBase aquarium.
In addi\on to control over Hulu, Disney launched their own
streaming service, Disney+, in November 2019. As of May 2020, obi-wan kenobi
Disney+ had 54.5 million subscribers, just six months a^er its A^er Disney+ saw strong success with The Mandalorian, it was
launch. On July 3rd, Disney released the Hamilton movie (which it no surprise that addi\onal spin-off series would be developed.
paid $75 million to acquire and moved it up from a 2021 theatrical Ewan McGregor will reprise his role as the infamous Obi-Wan.
release) and subsequently had a 74% jump in subscrip\ons. Originally set to be a feature film with Disney, it was transi\oned
into a TV series for the streaming service.
To the right are some of Disney’s upcoming program releases. In
addi\on, if you’re a fan of The Mandalorian, you’ll be excited to the right stuff
know that there will be a new season coming soon. This show is set in 1958, the height of the Cold War and the
early days of NASA. This historical drama will focus on the seven
men who were selected to become the Original Seven/Mercury
Seven - America’s first astronauts. WATCH TRAILER
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lovecraft country
Lovecrah Country premiered in mid-August and is based on the
novel by Map Ruff. The series follows the story of Adcus Black
(played by Jonathan Majors) as he searches for his father with
the help of his friend and his uncle. The story takes place during
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
the 1950s during the era of Jim Crow laws. The trio must face
the dangers of both racism and the supernatural as they conduct
their search during a road trip. WATCH TRAILER
the third day
The Third Day is a six-part limited series starring Jude Law (The
New Pope) and Naomie Harris (Moonlight). The show, which will
be divided into two parts, will tell the stories of a man and a
woman who both visit a mysterious island off the Bri\sh coast.
The series will be released in the fall of 2020. WATCH TRAILER
the undoing
The Undoing is a six-part limited series starring Nicole Kidman
(Big LiRle Lies), Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal), and Donald
Sutherland (Crossing Lines), based on the novel You Should Have
Known. The series focuses on a therapist (Kidman) and her family
as her seemingly perfect life begins to spiral out of control. The
series will be released in the fall of 2020. WATCH TRAILER
44ST R E AM ING : P R IM E VIDEO | BR AD YO UT Z, M E DIA DIR ECTO R
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cortés
Cortés is a four-hour miniseries that follows the legendary
conquistador Hernán Cortés to King Montezuma’s Aztec Empire.
Stephen Speilberg’s Amblin Television is producing this Spanish
language epic for Amazon. Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) will
direct the series and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) will
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
play the protagonist. Cortés’s exploits brought about the fall of
the Spanish coloniza\on of the Americas.
small axe
Small Axe is a five-part anthology series depic\ng racial injus\ce
in 1960s London. An ensemble cast of Le\\a Wright (Black
Mirror), John Boyega (Star Wars), Malachi Kirby (Roots) and Shaun
Parkes (Lost in Space) deal with an o^en-hos\le environment.
Oscar winner for 12 Years a Slave, Sir Steven McQueen will direct
this series that will start its season with a two-hour premiere
later this year. WATCH TRAILER
truth seekers
Truth Seekers is a series about part-\me paranormal inves\gators
that use household items to track the supernatural. This
comedy-horror’s cast includes cheeky humorists Nick Frost
(Shaun of the Dead) and Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) along with Emma
D’Arcy (Hanna). Frost & Pegg also created Truth Seekers. The first
season will have eight episodes. WATCH TRAILER
45ST R E AM ING : NE T F LIX | BR AD YO UT Z, M E DIA DIR ECTO R
la révolution
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Premiering in October, this series is a French period drama set in
the late 18th century. Joseph Guillo\n – the doctor for whom the
inven\on of the guillo\ne was named – uncovers an unknown
virus that ravages the French aristocracy, driving them to do
unspeakable things. The produc\on comes from Neklix’s French
bureau. Neklix has provided no informa\on on the cast or the
produc\on team; they only provided a small synopsis in French
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
that translates to “During the 18th century, a new disease makes
the aristocracy’s blood turn blue.” WATCH TRAILER
emily in paris ratched
The show follows a twenty-something American woman to Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) stars as as the wicked Nurse
employment at a French marke\ng firm. This comedy-drama Ratched from the book-converted-to-film One Flew Over the
shows the challenges of juggling work and personal life in a Cuckoo’s Nest, originally authored by Ken Kesey. The story follows
foreign city. Emily is played by Lily Collins (Tolkein). Other stars how Nurse Ratched evolves from a young nurse in a mental health
include Ashley Pary (Tales of the City), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu hospital to a murderous tyrant. Suppor\ng Paulson in the
(Call My Agent!) and Camille Razat (The Disappearance). This series produc\on are veteran actors Jon Jon Briones (Proud American) and
Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City). Ryan Murphy (Glee) and Michael
will premiere later this year.
Douglas (yes, that one!) will be execu\ve producers of this series.
The show will premiere in late 2020. WATCH TRAILER
jupiter’s legacy
Premiering in 2021, Jupiter’s Legacy follows the story of the tiny pretty things
world’s first superheroes. Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas) stars as Set in the world of an elite ballet academy, and based on the book
Sheldon Sampson who received his superpowers in the 1930s. In of the same name by Michael MacLennan, the story follows the
the present day, his superpowered children struggle to live up to lives of young women trying to fulfill their dreams. Anna Maiche
the feats of their parents. Leslie Bibb (American Housewife) stars (The French Teacher) is the narrator and the star student at the
as Sheldon’s wife. The two children are played by Elena Archer School of Dance. The cast includes Lauren Holly (NCIS),
Kampouris (Sacred Lies) as Chloe Sampson and Ben Daniels (The Casimere Jollepe (This is Us) and professional dancers. The show
Crown) as Walter Sampson. will premiere in late 2020.
46CUR R E NT SECT IO N | CLICK A T IT LE BE LOW TO SKIP TO A SECT IO N
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01 A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: THE 2020-21 TV SEASON
02 CONNECTING DURING COVID-19: UPFRONTS
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
03 BROADCAST NETWORKS
04 PRIMETIME GRID FOR BROADCAST NETWORKS
05 CABLE NETWORKS
06 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING IS ALIVE & WELL
07 AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
08 NON-AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING SERVICES
09 NEW WAYS TO ACCESS TV CONTENT
47NE W WAYS TO ACCE SS T V CO NT E NT | EVE VITALE, PRO G R AMMAT IC MEDIA DIR ECTO R & JANINE CROSS, VICE PRE SIDE NT
HA RMELI N MEDI A
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
Just like consumers want more control of when and
where they watch content, advertisers, too, want
control when it comes to buying content. Though
calling up contacts at ABC, CBS, or Hulu is still how
most inventory is secured, we continue to see new
ways for advertisers and agencies to access
premium content.
48NE W WAYS TO ACCE SS T V CO NT E NT
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Many of these new access There is more premium inventory available
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
programma\cally than ever before. DSPs are building
points are offered via demand- rela\onships with publishers and networks directly at
side platforms (DSPs) where a rapid pace in hopes of crea\ng expansive premium
TV marketplaces for adver\sers to access all in one
options are limitless. place. Each week we are seeing new integra\ons
introduced to our plakorms like first-look access to
NBCUniversal and Sling, first-to-market integra\ons
A DSP is a system that allows buyers to purchase and manage with Tubi and FreeWheel, access to 100% of Fox
ad inventory across sources through one interface. The use of inventory on Hulu, as well as exclusive access to
private marketplace deals within DSPs not only provides Amazon Publisher Services. At this point, all major
flexibility and control in streaming TV schedules, but also allows networks and ad-funded streaming services are
for frequency management across inventory sources, devices, allowing the same premium inventory to be
and media types. These increases in buying flexibility is a purchased directly through the DSPs.
growing trend that is not expected to slow down.
49NE W WAYS TO ACCE SS T V CO NT E NT
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One of the newest frontiers
is dynamic ad insertion Increased opportuni\es are evident through newly-
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
launched integra\ons with Amazon’s Thursday Night
within live streaming Football, programma\c access to Disney’s full sports
environments. With the inventory (including ESPN College Football), and more.
As sports have gradually been introduced back into
uncertainty of COVID-19 our lives, so have opportuni\es to buy them. Our
plakorms provide a constant refresh of live inventory
and potential fourth quarter like the PGA pro tour, MLS matches, horse racing,
political implications and the NHL and NBA playoffs. Let’s just hope the
virus doesn’t bring a halt to the fall sports plans.
ahead, accessing live sports There are other addressable streaming solu\ons
becoming available through YouTube TV as well,
without a minimum where providers own up to two minutes of ad breaks
commitment has become an and can dynamically insert ads accordingly.
attractive solution.
50NE W WAYS TO ACCE SS T V CO NT E NT
HA RMELI N MEDI A
Another way to take advantage
of TV content’s new access
2 5 TH A NNUA L TV PREV I EW
points is via automated content As consumer behavior shi^s, so do the adver\sing
opportuni\es. Though agencies can access content
recognition (ACR) technology. across all screens, the most desired screen is s\ll the
largest one – the TV screen. We are seeing an up\ck
ACR is a chip in smart TVs that collects insights on viewing not only in new TV buying paths, but also in available
habits, including commercials watched. ACR has been targe\ng opportuni\es for the living room. It is
around for some \me; however, its strategic applica\ons in important to keep in mind that there is merit in
bridging the gaps between linear TV & and Connected TV u\lizing a blend of new and mature buying paths, as
(CTV) have expanded. The most common applica\ons on they each provide different values in accessing the
this front include op\mizing CTV schedules towards coveted TV content consumers all want.
incremental reach (targe\ng those unexposed to your linear
commercials) and compe\\ve conques\ng, serving ads
a^er a user has been exposed to a compe\tor’s commercial.
51Harmelin Media specializes in strategic media solutions, and has more than 37 years
of experience helping clients navigate a rapidly changing media landscape across
digital, traditional and lifestyle forms. The firm has grown with a diverse client roster
including many Fortune 500 companies across a diverse array of industries, and is
about us
now one of the largest independent media service firms in the United States.
Harmelin’s expertise is in managing the massive data sets that our clients and
campaigns generate to develop strategic, channel-agnostic recommendations that
generate business results and positive return on investment. We accomplish this
while maintaining a long-term business focus, providing superior customer service
and operating with 100% transparency in our operations. Our approach has resulted
in unprecedented retention rates with both employees and clients.
Harmelin’s current media billings exceed $800 million across all digital and traditional
channels on a local, national and international basis. We are a Google Premier
Partner, Facebook Marketing Preferred Partner and proud member of the ANA.
For more information, please contact info@harmelin.com or visit www.harmelin.com.You can also read
