TNT Picks Up Donnie Wahlberg's Police Docu-drama BOSTON BLUE

TNT is expanding its slate of unscripted dramas with the addition of two exciting new series: the police procedural docu-drama BOSTON BLUE (Working Title), from executive producer Donnie Wahlberg (Blue Bloods, Boomtown), and the high-octane competition series 72 HOURS, (Working Title) from the executive producer of Extreme Makeover and The Moment of Truth. TNT has ordered eight episodes of each series, with plans to launch them in 2013.

Boston Blue follows the men and women of the Boston Police Department's exclusive and highly decorated Gang Unit. Their unit's name doesn't begin to describe the breadth of crimes these detectives, investigators, patrol officers and special victims officers deal with on a daily basis. They are the go-to unit for many large-scale crimes in Boston. Boston Blue comes to TNT from Jarrett Creative Group (Celebrity Ghost Stories), with Julie Insogna-Jarrett and Seth Jarrett serving as executive producers along with Donnie Wahlberg and his Donnie D. Productions.

72 Hours is an action-packed, white-knuckle competition series that drops competing teams from a helicopter into the wilderness. The competitors are then given only three days and a GPS tracking device to find a hidden suitcase full of cash. Along the way, they must hike across treacherous terrain and battle the elements to locate the cash before their rival teams. 72 Hours comes to TNT from Lighthearted Entertainment (Extreme Makeover), with Howard Schultz (The Moment of Truth) and Rob LaPlante (The Apprentice) serving as executive producers. Jeff Spangler serves as co-executive producer.

"Boston Blue and 72 Hours are excellent fits for two of TNT's most important audience segments," said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "With Boston Blue, we're looking to grab viewers who come to TNT for such blockbuster originals as The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles. And with 72 Hours, we're going after fans of TNT's action-packed dramas, like Falling Skies and Leverage. We're very excited about moving further into the realm of unscripted dramas with these outstanding additions to the TNT lineup."

TNT, which is in the midst of expanding its original series lineup to a year-round model, will showcase nine original series this summer, more than any time in the network's history. The lineup includes TNT's first-ever reality-competition series, The Great Escape, from the producers of The Amazing Race. For next year, TNT recently greenlit the powerful medical drama Monday Mornings, from award-winning executive producer David E. Kelley and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, on whose book the series is based.

About TNT

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households, TNT is home to such original drama series as The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Franklin & Bash, Leverage, Southland and the upcoming Major Crimes, Dallas, Perception and Monday Mornings. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like this summer's The Great Escape and the upcoming Boston Blue (w.t.) and 72 Hours (w.t.). In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order and Castle, which starts this year; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

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