While TNT continues to expand its original offerings to a year-round model, summer has long been the cable network's bread and butter. And 2013 looks to be no different, with three new reality series, a debut drama and the return of five of its scripted offerings all joining the schedule between June and August.
It marks the network's biggest move yet into unscripted territory, starting with a double header on June 6. That Thursday will see the launch of adventure competition The Hero at 8 p.m. and survival series 72 Hours opening at 9 p.m. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson headlines The Hero, which will employ digital crowd-sourcing to determine the winner of the battle of brain and brawn. 72 Hours drops, hosted by Brandon Johnson, drops teams in the middle of nowhere with only a bottle of water and a GPS tracking device. They have three days to race to find a briefcase filled with cash.
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At the end of the summer, Cold Justice (working title) debuts Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 10 p.m. It combines the Turner-owned network's push into unscripted with its strong procedural track record by following real-life two investigators as they dig into unsolved small town murder cases.
As for new scripted offerings, King & Maxwell is the summer's sole debut. It's based on characters in David Baldacci's series of books and stars Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn as former Secret Service agents turned private investigators. It joins the schedule Monday, June 10, at 10 p.m.
Returning series Falling Skies, Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, Perception and Franklin & Bash will get a tiered roll-out, with Falling Skies first on Sunday, June 9, at 9 p.m. The alien invasion drama will see star Noah Wyle reunited with his former E.R. co-star Gloria Reuben when she joins the series for a multi-episode guest arc.
The Closer spinoff Major Crimes follows the next night, Monday, June 10, as a lead-in for King & Maxwell at 9 p.m. Rizzoli & Isles and Perception premiere the following Tuesday, June 18, at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. respectively. And Franklin & Bash returns a month later, on Wednesday, July 24, at 9 p.m.
