Freeform today unveiled its full presentation line up for the remainder of the 2018. The presentation showcased the new and turning projects for The Walt Disney Company’s young adult cable network at the combined Disney|ABC Television’s presentation for the national advertising community at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall.
The recently re-branded network has been met with widespread success in the young adult demographic. This success can be seen in their recents hits grown-ish, the recently-released Siren, and the critically-acclaimed The Bold Type. The commitment to authenticity and showcasing a wide range of diversity on the small screen has led the network to new heights. This makes thk unveiling of new shows and new changes on the network a much-anticipated experience for avid viewers of the network.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR FREEFORM?
Besties, a half-hour multi camera comedy from co-creators Kenya Barris and Ranada Shepard, has been ordered to series by Freeform following the enormous success of Barris’s breakout coming-of-age show, grown-ish. This multi-cam sitcom explores friendship, identity, race, and class as two lifelong best friends use each other to get through some of the toughest challenges that they will ever face – figuring out who they are and who they want to be. Kenya Barris and Ranada Shepard will also serve as executive producers on the series. Besties is produced by ABC Signature Studios.
Freeform is expanding the Pretty Little Liars universe with a 10-episode order for Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. The series features the return of fan favorites Sasha Pieterse as Alison and Janel Parrish as Mona. Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists stars Sofia Carson (Disney’s Descendants) as Ava, Sydney Park (The Walking Dead) as Caitlin, newcomer Eli Brown as Dylan, Graeme Thomas King (The Widow) as Jeremy, Kelly Rutherford (Gossip Girl) as Claire, and Hayley Erin (General Hospital) in an undisclosed role. In Beacon Heights, a seemingly perfect town, a group of three college friends struggle with the stress of being overachievers. In the aftermath of the town’s first murder, each Perfectionist hides behind a secret, a lie and an alibi. The Perfectionists is also based on a popular book series by Sara Shepard. Marlene King (Pretty Little Liars, Famous in Love) wrote the pilot and serves as an executive producer on the series with Charlie Craig (Pretty Little Liars, The 100), Lisa Cochran-Neilan (Pretty Little Liars, Famous in Love), Leslie Morgenstein (Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries) and Gina Girolamo (The 100, The Originals). The pilot was directed and executive produced by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum (Relationship Status). Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists is produced by Alloy Entertainment and Long Lake Media, in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.
WHAT IS RETURNING TO FREEFORM?
After the success of Siren‘s premiere on Freeform, the network announced the series was getting a second season. Freeform also bumped up the episode order an additional six episodes, which ups it from ten during its first season. Siren is an epic tale about the coastal town of Bristol Cove, known for its legend of once being home to mermaids. The arrival of a mysterious girl, Ryn (Eline Powell), wreaks havoc on the small fishing town as she proves the folklore true. Using their resources, marine biologists Ben (Alex Roe) and Maddie (Fola Evans-Akingbola) must work together to find out who and what drove this primal hunter of the deep sea to land and if there are more like her. Xander (Ian Verdun) is a deep-sea fisherman looking to uncover the truth and Helen (Rena Owen), the town eccentric, knows more than she lets on. Eric Wald and Dean White co-created the story and serve as executive producers along with showrunner and executive producer Emily Whitesell. Brad Luff, Nate Hopper and RD Robb are also attached as executive producers. The season one finale of Siren will air Thursday, May 24th.
FREEFORM TACKLES THE HOLIDAYS
Do you like the holidays? Good because Freeform has a lot more in store this holiday season. The network will expand its holiday dominance with over 1000 hours of themed programming kicking off with 31 Nights of Halloween on October 1st, an increase of the annual 13 Nights of Halloween. Freeform also introduced Freeform Santa (Isaiah Mustafa) and November’s Kick Off to Christmas. Then the iconic 25 Days of Christmas returns to the entire Disney|ABC Television on December 1st, the only major media network to offer a unified holiday programming initiative.
PILOT ORDERS
Last week, Freeform announced a pilot order for Everything’s Gonna Be Okay from critically-acclaimed writer and comedian Josh Thomas. The pilot introduces Nicholas, a typical 25-year-old still living at home with his single dad and two teenage half-sisters, who is not particularly helpful in raising his siblings, one of which has autism. However, when their dad becomes terminally ill, the girls have to cope not only with a devastating loss but with the realization that Nicholas is the one who will have to hold it all together. Thomas created the concept and wrote and stars in the pilot with David Martin, Jon Thoday, and Richard Allen-Turner serving as executive producers for Avalon Television. Stephanie Swedlove and Kevin Whyte also serve as executive producers. The pilot will be produced by Avalon Television and Freeform Studios. It will be distributed internationally by Avalon Distribution.
