GSN Sets 2015 Development Slate

GSN will develop a horror-themed game show and a matchmaking series as part of its 2015 development slate, the network announced Tuesday.

GSN’s development slate includes Hellevator, in which contestants compete in a series of scary, suspenseful challenges; Steampunk’d, in which contestants marry objects from the past and present to create futuristic designs and inventions; How-To-Games, which utilizes internet how-to-videos to spur contestants to complete a range of tasks; and Bingo Bash, based on the popular digital app.

Also on the docket is Winsanity, in which one contestant attempts to organize seven compelling and surprising facts in numerical order; and Face 2 Face, a matchmaking game show which uses an app to tailor each contestant’s ideal type before meeting their potential suitor.

The development slate announcement follows the network’s recent renewal of first year series Idiotest, the network's third freshman series renewal behind It Takes A Church and Skin Wars, said network officials. The network also said it has tapped actress Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) to appear in its App Wars pilot.

“GSN has taken some big swings in development over the past year, pushing our brand into exciting new areas while still maintaining our leadership position in the traditional game show genre,” said David Schiff, senior vice president of programming and development for GSN in a statement. “That push is paying off, both in the diversity of projects that we’re working on, and in the increased amount of break-out original programming like Skin Wars and Idiotest.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.