TV Land Announces Original-Programming Slate

It’s more back to the future for TV Land as the classic television network plans to roll out several new original baby-boomer-targeted series and specials in 2007.

The network, which recently launched Mr. T-helmed reality series I Pity the Fool,announced several new pilots for next year including Family Foreman, a reality series featuring former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman and his 10 children; The Big 4-0, which looks at how several Boomers celebrate the milestone birthday; Meet Your Match, a dating show for boomers; and The Story of …,which looks at the fads and trends of the TV generation.

New shows set to premiere on the network include TV Land Myths & Legends, an investigative series that looks at Hollywood’s most famous fables; High School Reunion, whichreunites former classmates after a 20-year separation; In Celebrity Love Cruise (working title), a reality series that mixes The Dating Game with The Love Boat; and Back to the Grind,in which celebrities partake in the jobs their TV characters worked.

Talk-show skein Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg will return for its sophomore season featuring such guests as Robin Williams, Jon Stewart and Ray Romano. Also returning for a second season is TV Land Confidential and a new installment of its 100 Most franchise.

"With amazing original content and talent driving TV Land, we are truly poised to make all TV Land platforms the ultimate entertainment destination for Baby Boomers," TV Land president Larry Jones said in a prepared statement. "Boomers want to see themselves and more people their own age accurately depicted in entertainment, and we look forward to connecting them with even more great Boomer-centric originals."

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.