Posted by | Ray Cornelius
BET is putting a major spotlight on a few of our favorite 90s R&B and hip hop girl groups in a new unscripted series titled Ladies Night. According to THR, the show is part of the network’s new lineup of programming that was announced during its recent upfront presentation.
Ladies Night is a 10-episode docuseries that follows the personal and professional drama of iconic girl groups—En Vogue, Salt-n-Pepa, Spinderella and SWV—as they embark on a national tour. With a run of shows across the U.S., these artists must create, choreograph and execute a night featuring all of their famous hits. With major money on the line, the OGs will need to put their pride to the side in order to launch something truly memorable.
In addition to Ladies Night, BET has also ordered a scripted series based on the 90s hit film Boomerang as well as a series from Will Packer titled Peachtree Place and a drama inspired by Soul Train creator Don Cornelius titled American Soul. It has also ordered a new reality series from T.I. titled The Grand Hustle and a true crime docuseries hosted by the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson titled True Justice.
Check out all of the shows below:
Scripted series
Boomerang
The 10-episode project comes from Paramount Television and will revolve around a successful executive who finds that his lifestyle choices have turned back on him when his new boss turns out to be a bigger deviant than he is. The series is being described as an updated version that explores contemporary workplace dynamics, including the changing role of gender, office politics, relationships and the conflicts between Generation X and millennials.
American Soul
The 10-episode drama is inspired by the personal and professional success of Soul Train creator Don Cornelius. The series will follow Cornelius along with his Soul Train dancers, crew and musicians in a cutthroat Hollywood in the 1970s and how they work, play, rise and fall against the backdrop of the show most responsible for the way African-American culture was perceived by the world. Jesse Collins, Jonathan Prince and Devon Greggory executive produce. Don’s son, Tony Cornelius, will co-exec produce alongside Andy Horne. Greggory will pen the pilot and Jesse Collins Entertainment will produce.
Peachtree Place
The 10-episode comedy follows five 30-somethings living in Atlanta as they try to build professional and personal lives they can be proud of, but the one thing they don’t have keeps impeding their progress: love. Unresolved feelings from college are uncovered and secrets revealed, forcing these friends to finally deal with uncomfortable truths about each other. Packer exec produces; Felischa Marye will pen the series and co-exec produce; Will Packer Media’s Sheila Ducksworth will also serve as a co-EP.”
The Archer Connection
The 10-episode half-hour series follows the life of tech genius Archer Grant, a young, black, iconoclastic mastermind who has developed Archer App, a software that measures the sexual chemistry between its user and anyone in the room. In launching the app and managing its rapid growth, Archer clumsily navigates between worlds — hipster Brooklyn, bloodthirsty Wall Street, underground hip-hop, innovative Silicon Valley — while trying to avoid the treacherous grip of capitalism and his own precarious sex addiction. Co-executive produced and written by Chad Sanders.
Games Divas Play
Based on the book by Angela Burt-Murray, the 10-episode hourlong drama takes viewers inside the high-stakes world of professional sports where everyone plays to win. With an ensemble cast of dynamic characters including an ambitious reporter, a millionaire basketball player, a desperate housewife, a scandalous groupie and a murderous stalker, the series follows three women — Nia, Vanessa and Laila — and the men in their lives. In a ruthless battle for success, these women’s passions and motivations are seldom altruistic, but their life choices and drive will determine what it really takes to stay on top. Executive produced by Tracey Edmonds of Edmonds Entertainment, Burt-Murray and Vanessa Middleton, who also serves as showrunner for the series.
Unscripted series
Finding Justice
From executive producers Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and David Leepson, the six-episode crime docuseries tells the powerful stories of heroes, leaders, advocates and change agents in African-American communities across America as they uncover injustices and fight to bring healing and change. With the grit and edge of investigative journalism and the profound heart of a powerful documentary, each episode delivers a riveting look at the faces of change in black America. Produced by Seven Bucks Productions and Leepson Bounds Entertainment.
Dream Team
In the summer of 1992, a basketball team comprised of 11 future Hall of Famers showed up at the Olympics in Spain and changed the face of sports and global culture forever. Dream Team is an intimate journey from the spark of an idea to the podium in Barcelona, examining an incomparable legacy that still resonates 25 years later. Based on acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum’s New York Times best-selling book that follows the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball team, the five-episode docuseries from BET and Paramount Television will explore how a group of extraordinary and complex individuals became a team — and how that team transcended sports. The five-episode limited series is directed and executive produced by Emmett and Brendan Malloy of Malloy Brothers Productions. Underground’s Trevor Engelson and Five All in The Fifth’s Douglas Banker also executive produce. McCallum will serve as a consultant for the project. The docuseries is created with the cooperation and support of USA Basketball and the NBA.
The Next Big Thing
The 10-episode music competition series highlights super-producer Swizz Beats and industry veteran Tina Davis (Def Jam, Empire, former manager of Chris Brown) as the powerhouse music icons put up-and-coming artists through the ultimate development boot camp. After being coached and challenged on performance preparation, these artists must give the best performance of their career to land a deal with one of six major record labels. Produced by Releve Entertainment, the project is executive produced by Swizz Beats, Davis and Holly Carter.
The Grand Hustle
From the streets to the boardroom, T.I. wrote the book on hustling and now he’s looking for the nation’s next big hustler to see who will come out on top. The 12-episode reality competition series is set in the streets of Atlanta, where contestants use the city to prove they have what it takes to out-hustle the rest! In the end, T.I. will choose one person to be named King or Queen of the Hustle, landing a six-figure job working at one of T.I.’s companies. Produced by 51 Minds Entertainment, The Grand Hustle is executive produced by Christian Sarabia, Clifford “T.I.” Harris, Brian Sher, Vinnie Kaufman and Johnny Petillo. Petillo also serves as showrunner for the series.
The Hustle: Brooklyn
The 10-episode coming-of-age docuseries, which is set in Brooklyn, follows a cast of young and sexy millennials with a balance of economic backgrounds, focusing on transitional moments of their lives. Produced by Entertainment One and Creature Films; Tara Long of eOne and Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez serve as executive producers.
RC will keep you posted as these projects continue to develop.
Photo Credit: RayCornelius.com
