Bounce TV today announced its original programming plans for the 2015-16 upfront season, which includes:
– Renewal its new hit comedy series "Mann & Wife" for a second season. Season one of Mann & Wife is airing now and has become the most watched original series in Bounce TV history to date.
– The network’s first-ever drama series, called "Saints & Sinners" (working title), whichScandal," and will be set against the backdrop of a large southern church.
– A third season of the popular sitcom "Family Time."
– Renewal of its stand-up comedy series "Off The Chain" for season four.
– And the addition of live boxing events via the new Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series starting in July with "PBC The Next Round."
"Bounce TV has two hit sitcoms and we believe the time has come to enter the drama arena. We’re very excited about ‘Saints & Sinners’," said Bounce TV Executive Vice President of Advertising Sales, Elverage Allen. "We continue to expand our original programming line-up to offer marketing partners fresh and engaging new programming that our loyal and dedicated viewers will love. Our originals have been helping to fuel Bounce TV’s record-setting ratings and viewership growth which combines with our exclusive and unduplicated reach to make the network a must-buy for brands seeking to reach the African American consumer."
A breakdown of each series – renewals and brand new – follow, via press release, below:
"Mann & Wife" is a Smash Hit:
Mann & Wife premiered on April 7 and has quickly become the network’s most-watched original series ever. Real-life husband and wife team David Mann and Tamela Mann star and serve as executive producers of "Mann & Wife." The half-hour situation comedy follows the newlywed, second-chance sweethearts as they laugh and love their way through the ups and downs of life as a blended family, each with two children from previous marriages. In addition to the show’s popular stars, "Mann & Wife" features a vibrant supporting cast: Vivica A. Fox, portraying Daniel’s ex-wife;Tony Rock, playing Daniel’s new partner on the police force and JoMarie Payton as Lorraine, Daniel’s overbearing mother. Series co-creator Roger Bobb serves as executive producer and director. New season one episodes of "Mann & Wife" are currently premiering Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT. Season two will debut in the spring of 2016.
Expansion into Drama:
Following up on the success of scripted comedy, Bounce TV is expanding into hour-long drama with "Saints & Sinners," which will explore the complexities of a small Baptist church as the pastor and his family are faced with saving their own souls when ambition, greed, and pride threaten the business of saving others. The series is a partnership with Swirl Film’s Eric Tomosunas and is currently in development. Premieres 2016.
Time for more "Family Time":
The second season of "Family Time" was a ratings hit last fall and Bounce TV will reunite viewers with the Stallworth family for a third season. The series comedically chronicles the lives of the Stallworths who relocated to the suburbs, headed by the dad Tony Stallworth (Omar Gooding), a struggling general contractor, and his wife Lisa (Angell Conwell), an unfulfilled stay-at-home mom. The half-hour situation comedy was created by Bentley Kyle Evans and is produced by Evans and partner Trenton Gumbs. The ten-episode third season goes into production this month and will premiere in the fourth quarter of 2015.
More "Off The Chain" on the air:
Bounce TV will bring back "Off The Chain," its family-friendly stand-up comedy show featuring some of the most hilarious African-American comedians on the stand-up scene, back for a fourth season which will premiere in 2016.
Bouncing into The Boxing Ring:
Bounce TV’s multi-year deal to televise live boxing events of the new Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series hits in July when the network debuts "PBC The Next Round," a monthly series live boxing events featuring the most exciting prospects in the sport and boxing’s future stars. The schedule of fights and on-air talent will be announced shortly. Bounce TV joins NBC Sports Group, CBS Sports, ESPN and SPIKE TV as television partners for The Premier Boxing Champions series.
Bounce TV is now available in more than 85 million homes across 90 markets, 90% of African American television homes — including all of the top AA television markets — and three quarters of the total television homes in the United States.
Among the founders of Bounce TV are Martin Luther King, III and Ambassador Andrew Young.
