Dear friends, TNT has sent out a press release regarding new and returning TV shows to the net for the summer.
First up, returning shows include Rizzoli and Isles, Major Crimes, Perception, Dallas, Cold Justice, Franklin and Bash, and Falling Skies.
They also have some new shows on the slate for viewers, including Murder in the First and The Last Ship and Legends.
Below, is the press release, including new and old series descriptions and premiere dates:
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TNT, home to more hit dramas than any other cable network, is preparing to roll out a stellar summer lineup of 10 original series, including five returning hits – Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, Perception, Dallas and Franklin & Bash – and the launch of Murder in the First, a powerful new crime drama from 10-time Emmy®-winning executive producer Steven Bochco. These six shows join the previously announced season premiere of Falling Skies and the debuts of the exciting new series The Last Ship and Legends in giving TNT a total of nine scripted dramas this summer, the most ever for a basic cable network. In addition, TNT's unscripted crime-investigation series Cold Justice, which is currently in its second season, will join the lineup with a run of new episodes.
TNT's summer slate includes some of the most popular dramas on cable, including four of basic cable's 15 most-watched dramas of 2013: Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, Falling Skies and Perception. In addition, Rizzoli & Isles and Falling Skies ranked among basic cable's Top 10 series of the year with adults 25-54 and among the Top 20 with adults 18-49.
"This summer TNT is continuing to expand and energize its line-up with both returning audience favorites and new series that speak to the future direction of our brand promise: If you love drama that thrills, turn to TNT," said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "We're excited to offer our audience a variety of programming – action-adventure, crime-drama, mystery and suspense – all delivering on our promise to take viewers on a thrilling ride and leave them satisfied at the end."
TNT will launch its summer lineup with the season 3 premiere of Major Crimes on Monday, June 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Mary McDonnell stars in the series, leading one of the best ensemble casts on television. Major Crimes will be followed by the launch of Murder in the First, starring Taye Diggs (Private Practice) and Kathleen Robertson (Boss) as a pair of homicide detectives investigating a murder related to a Silicon Valley wunderkind.
"Murder in the First is unique among TNT's crime-dramas by focusing on one intense, complicated case across an entire season, with several surprises and twists along the way," said Wright. "Created by Steven Bochco, one of the most successful and acclaimed television producers of all time, Murder in the First is the kind of drama that viewers will want to follow from the beginning. So after each episode premieres on TNT, we're going to extend its availability via TNT's mobile apps and website through the end of the season, giving viewers plenty of opportunities to jump in at any time and catch up on past episodes."
TNT's summer lineup will continue on Tuesday, June 17, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) with the launch of the fifth season of TNT's blockbuster hit Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander. Then at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), TNT will kick off the third season of its mind-bending drama Perception, starring Eric McCormack. TNT's real-life investigation series Cold Justice, which has grown its audience in season 2, will continue to have a real-world impact with a new set of cases starting Friday, June 20, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
As announced earlier this week at SXSW, TNT's summer action series The Last Ship, from executive producer Michael Bay (Transformers) and starring Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy), will launch Sunday, June 22, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). And Falling Skies, TNT's epic drama starring Noah Wyle and produced by Amblin Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, will return for its fourth season Sunday, June 22, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT).
TNT's second wave of dramas will arrive later in the summer, when Dallas returns for the second half of its third season. Currently airing Mondays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) through mid-April, the Ewing family saga will be back for its summer run starting Monday, Aug. 18, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
Closing out the summer lineup and leading into fall, TNT will premiere the new drama Legends, from Homeland executive producers Howard Gordon and Alexander Cary and Fringe co-executive producer David Wilcox. As announced this week at SXSW, Legends will premiere Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). It will be followed at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) by the season four premiere of Franklin & Bash, starring Mark Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer as two of L.A.'s most unpredictable lawyers.
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Below is a complete rundown of TNT's dramas slated for summer 2014.
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Major Crimes – Season 3 Premiere: Monday, June 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Television's favorite squad of detectives is on the case in Major Crimes, TNT's powerful crime-drama that ranks as one of basic cable's Top 10 original series. The elite team is back, headed by two-time Oscar® nominee Mary McDonnell as Los Angeles Police Captain Sharon Raydor, GW Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza, Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn, Michael Paul Chan as Lieutenant Mike Tao, Raymond Cruz as Detective Julio Sanchez, Kearran Giovanni as Detective Amy Sykes, Phillip P. Keene as tech expert Buzz Watson, Robert Gossett as Assistant Chief Russell Taylor and Jonathan Del Arco as Dr. Morales. Graham Patrick Martin returns as Rusty Beck, the homeless teen and material witness taken in by Captain Raydor. Major Crimes focuses on how the American justice system approaches the art of the deal as law enforcement officers and prosecutors work together to score a conviction. The series is produced by The Shephard/Robin Company and Walking Entropy, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television. James Duff, Greer Shephard & Michael M. Robin, Rick Wallace, Adam Belanoff and Leo Geter serve as executive producers.
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Murder in the First – New Series Premiere: Monday, June 9, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT will take viewers deep inside a complex homicide investigation in Murder in the First, a powerful new crime drama co-created by Emmy®-winner Steven Bochco and newcomer Eric Lodal. Taye Diggs (Private Practice) and Kathleen Robertson (Boss) star in the series, which will follow a single murder investigation across an entire season. Also starring are Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Mimi Kirkland (Safe Haven), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon A Time), Lombardo Boyar (The Bernie Mac Show), Ian Anthony Dale (Hawaii Five-0), Bess Rous (What Just Happened), Nicole Ari Parker (Revolution), Currie Graham (Raising the Bar), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), James Cromwell (Babe, L.A. Confidential) and Steven Weber (Dallas, Wings). The series follows homicide detectives Terry English (Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Robertson) as they investigate two seemingly unrelated murders. The mystery deepens, however, when they find both murders have a common denominator in a Silicon Valley wunderkind (Felton). Murder in the First is being produced by TNT Originals, with Bochco and Lodal serving as executive producers.
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Rizzoli & Isles – Season 5 Premiere: Tuesday, June 17, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT's blockbuster hit Rizzoli & Isles, which stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander as Boston’s top crime-solving duo, has ranked as one of basic cable's Top 3 original dramas for each of the past four years. Harmon plays Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Alexander is Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry, an authentic and deep friendship and a unique working relationship that together, helps them to solve the most complex murder mysteries in the city of Boston. Rizzoli & Isles also stars Jordan Bridges, with Bruce McGill and Lorraine Bracco. Developed by Janet Tamaro and based on a series of novels by best-selling crime writer Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli & Isles is produced for TNT by Warner Horizon Television and Bill Haber’s Ostar Productions. Haber, Michael Katleman and showrunner Jan Nash serve as executive producers.
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Perception – Season 3 Premiere: Tuesday, June 17, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT's fascinating drama Perception features one of the most unique crime solvers on television, an eccentric neuroscience professor who is recruited by the FBI to help solve complex cases. Emmy® and Screen Actors Guild Award® winner Eric McCormack stars as Dr. Daniel Pierce, who possesses an intimate knowledge of human behavior and a masterful understanding of the way the mind works. Although Pierce's mind may be brilliant, it's also damaged as he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Rachael Leigh Cook stars as FBI agent Kate Moretti, Pierce’s former student who has recruited Pierce to consult on cases. Also starring are Arjay Smith, Kelly Rowan and LeVar Burton. In addition, Scott Wolf (Party of Five, V, Everwood) is joining the cast as a regular this season, playing Donnie, Kate's ex-husband. Perception, which ranked as one of basic cable's Top 15 series of 2013, was created by Ken Biller and Michael Sussman, who serve as executive producers with Amanda Green. The series is produced by ABC Studios, with McCormack also serving as producer.
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Cold Justice – Season 2.1 Premiere: Friday, June 20, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT's real-life crime series Cold Justice will return for the second half of its powerful and emotional second season as the show continues to have a real-world impact on cases that have lingered for years in small towns across America. Cold Justice follows former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and former crime-scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they dig into murder cases that have long gone unsolved. Working with local law enforcement, Siegler and McClary are helping bring about real results in real time for the police, investigators, district attorneys and families who have worked tirelessly on these cold cases for years. The impact of Cold Justice can be seen clearly in the results of the investigations featured on the show, which have so far helped local law enforcement secure four confessions, eight indictments, 12 arrests, two guilty pleas and a 22-year prison sentence for murder. Currently in its second season, Cold Justice is averaging 1.9 million viewers in Live + 7 delivery and is posting impressive gains over its first season among adults 25-54 (+5%) and adults 18-49 (+17%). Cold Justice is produced for TNT by Wolf Films and Magical Elves. EMMY® winners Dick Wolf (Law & Order: SVU, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD), Dan Cutforth & Jane Lipsitz (Top Chef, Time of Death) and Tom Thayer (Hitchcock, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) serve as executive producers.
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The Last Ship – New Series Premiere: Sunday, June 22, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
This summer, TNT is going to take take viewers on an action-packed ride with the exciting new drama series The Last Ship, starring Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy) and executive-produced by blockbuster filmmaker Michael Bay (Transformers). The Last Ship opens with a global catastrophe that nearly decimates the world's population. Because of its positioning, the Navy destroyer U.S.S. Nathan James avoids falling victim to the devastating tragedy. But now, Captain Tom Chandler (Dane) and his crew must confront the reality of their new existence in a world where they may be among the few remaining survivors. Rhona Mitra (Strike Back) plays Rachel Scott, a strong-willed, intelligent and fearless paleomicrobiologist assigned to the ship. Adam Baldwin (Firefly, Chuck) is XO Mike Slattery, a former homicide detective and Chandler's second-in-command. Also starring in The Last Ship are Travis Van Winkle (Heart of Dixie), Charles Parnell (Pariah), Christina Elmore (Fruitvale Station), Sam Spruell (Snow White and The Huntsman) and Marissa Neitling (Leverage). Based on William Brinkley's popular novel, The Last Ship comes to TNT from Bay's Platinum Dunes and its partners, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, whose credits include the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Bay, Fuller and Form serve as executive producers, along with showrunner Hank Steinberg (Without a Trace, The Nine), Steven Kane (The Closer) and director Jack Bender (Lost). Steinberg and Kane wrote the series pilot, which was directed by Jonathan Mostow (U-571).
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Falling Skies – Season 4 Premiere: Sunday, June 22, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT's epic drama Falling Skies – from Amblin Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg – tells the extraordinary story about life and survival in the wake of a catastrophic alien invasion. Noah Wyle stars as Tom Mason, a college professor who became an unlikely resistance leader. Moon Bloodgood is Dr. Ann Glass, a pediatrician who became the survivors’ primary physician and eventually fell in love with Tom. Will Patton is Colonel Weaver, the gruff and emotionally scarred commander leading the battle against the invaders. Also starring in Falling Skies are Drew Roy, Connor Jessup, Maxim Knight, Colin Cunningham, Seychelle Gabriel, Mpho Koaho, Sarah Carter, Doug Jones and Scarlett Byrne. Since premiering as basic cable's #1 new series of 2011, Falling Skies has ranked as one of the Top 20 original series on basic cable with total viewers and key adult demos. In addition to Spielberg, Falling Skies is executive-produced by Amblin Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, along with David Eick and Greg Beeman.
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Dallas – Season 3.1 Premiere: Monday, Aug. 18, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
The backstabbing, two-timing, double-crossing drama of TNT's Dallas will be back this summer for the second half of its third season. Dallas stars Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing, now the senior member of the Ewing family following the death of his older brother, J.R. Ewing. Linda Gray stars as Sue Ellen Ewing, J.R.'s former wife and the mother of his son, John Ross, played by Josh Henderson. Following the death of his revered father, John Ross is out to prove he can be just as powerful an ally or enemy as his Infamous father. Jesse Metcalfe is Christopher, Bobby's adopted son who is newly single and determined to make a name for himself and his family in the world of natural gas. Jordana Brewster is Elena Ramos, the former girlfriend of both John Ross and Christopher who is now blinded by thoughts of justice for previous wrongs. Julie Gonzalo is Pamela Rebecca Barnes, John Ross' wife and the daughter of Cliff Barnes (guests star Ken Kercheval), a longtime rival of the Ewings. She is determined to have a happy ending with her husband and make a home on Southfork Ranch. Brenda Strong stars as Bobby’s wife, Ann, while Mitch Pileggi is Harris Ryland, her scheming ex-husband. And Emma Bell is Emma Ryland, Ann and Harris' daughter, who has been taught by her father and grandmother (guest star Judith Light) to distrust the world around her. The new season also includes the addition of Juan Pablo Di Pace as a regular cast member and the return of guest stars Kuno Becker, Marlene Forte and AnnaLynne McCord. In its second season, Dallas drew more than 3.8 million viewers, with 1.7 million adults 25-54. Shot on location in the title city, Dallas was developed by executive producer Cynthia Cidre from the series created by David Jacobs. Serving as executive producers with Cidre are Michael M. Robin, Robert Rovner and Bruce Rasmussen.
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Legends – New Series Premiere: Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Screen Actors Guild Award® winner Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings) stars in Legends, TNT's new, suspense-filled drama based on the award-winning book by master spy novelist Robert Littell. Bean plays Martin Odum, an undercover agent working for the FBI's Deep Cover Operations (DCO) division. Martin has the uncanny ability to transform himself into a completely different person for each job. But he begins to question his own identity when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t the man he believes himself to be. Legends also stars Ali Larter (Heroes) as Crystal Quest, a fellow operative who has a history with Martin; Morris Chestnut (American Horror Story, Nurse Jackie) as Tony Cimarro, a smart, quick-witted and charming DCO agent; Tina Majorino (Grey's Anatomy, True Blood) as Maggie Harris, the newest member of the DCO team; Steve Harris (The Practice, Awake) as Nelson Gates, the director of the DCO Task Force; and Amber Valletta (Revenge) as Sonya Odum, Martin's ex-wife; and Mason Cook (The Lone Ranger) as Martin's pre-teen son, Aiden. Legends is being produced by Fox 21, with Howard Gordon (Homeland, 24), Alexander Cary (Homeland, Lie To Me) and Jonathan Levin (Charmed) and Brad Turner (24) serving as executive producers, along with showrunner David Wilcox (Fringe). The Legends pilot was written by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor), who developed the story with Mark Gordon (Criminal Minds) and Mark Bomback (The Wolverine). The pilot was directed by David Semel (American Horror Story).
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Franklin & Bash – Season 4 Premiere: Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT's rapid-fire, buddy-lawyer series Franklin & Bash is back for its fourth season. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer star as Peter Bash and Jared Franklin, two fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants street attorneys working at a legendary, button-down law firm. Malcolm McDowell plays Renaissance man Stanton Infeld, the law firm's brilliant and eccentrically spontaneous patriarch who recruited the pair in the hopes of shaking things up in The Office and the courtroom. Reed Diamond plays one of The Firm's top lawyers, Damien Karp, who also happens to be Infeld's nephew and doesn't particularly care for Peter and Jared's antics. Joining the cast this season are Toni Trucks (Hostages, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day) as Anita Herrera, a smart, professional, funny and tough law school grad who can hold her own with the big boys, and Anthony Ordonez (The Good Wife, 7E) as Dan Mundy, The Firm's new investigator. Franklin & Bash, which scored 3.8 million viewers in its third season, is produced by Four Sycamore Productions, Left Coast Productions and FanFare Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television. Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, Jack Clements and Bill Chais serve as executive producers.
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