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TruTV Orders Six Series Amid Brand Overhaul With Youthful Focus

TruTV has ordered six new series and 13 more episodes for its comedy-magic series “The Carbonaro Effect.”

The new series come amid a brand overhaul for the Turner cabler, which is aiming for a younger audience of what it described as “funseekers” in the adults 18-34 demo. The cabler had been known under the previous exec regime for out-there comedic reality-skeins that leaned toward male viewers.

With the next batch of shows, TruTV is aiming younger and for a more gender-balanced aud. “Carbonaro Effect” order came after a strong response to the April 1 sneak peek airing of the show, which formally bows May 15.

“We’re extremely excited to be rolling out a robust slate of programming, including big swings in new areas including reality/scripted hybrid shows, sketch comedy, docusoaps and competition elimination as we continue to shape and evolve the truTV brand,” said Chris Linn, president and head of programming for truTV.

“We are moving forward to give our targeted audience of ‘funseekers’ the type of programming they crave: a dynamic mix of action, comedy and competition series featuring engaging characters and compelling new worlds.”

Linn said the cabler has at least 30 more shows in development and is in the midst of a refresh of its on-air look and feel. “Carbonara Effect” leads the wave of new series rollouts that also includes “Motor City Masters,” a car-design competition series, premiering in June.

TruTV’s new series orders are:

“Fake-Off” – Shine America
An original entertainment format featuring teams of performers who recreate and reimagine iconic moments in pop culture. A captivating mix of Kabuki theater, acrobatics, dance, costume and illusion, “Fake-Off” is a highly visual talent competition series like nothing you’ve ever seen. For the first time ever, these colorful and creative teams will compete in an elimination battle to see who’s got the skills to be named America’s “Fake-Off” champions. TruTV has ordered eight episodes of “Fake-Off,” with plans to air the series in the early fall.

“Hair Jacked” – Mission Control Media, Hazy Mills Productions and CORE Media Group
Produced by the team behind “Hollywood Game Night,” “Hair Jacked” is a hilarious, high-energy game show in which unsuspecting contestants have the chance to win cash prizes, all while getting a haircut. But they have to play smart because one wrong answer could send them packing with the worst hairstyle of their lives. TruTV has ordered 16 half-hour episodes of “Hair Jacked,” with plans to launch the series in the fall.

“How to Be a Grown Up” – Mission Control Media
On “How to Be a Grown Up,” comics will offer humorous advice and common-sense solutions to universal issues facing all adults who feel like they’re a kid stuck in a grown-up body through interviews, sketches and animation. TruTV has ordered 16 half-hour episodes for this series, which is slated to launch in the summer.

“Friends of the People” – 3 Arts Entertainment & Marobru Productions (previously announced)
TruTV’s first-ever sketch-comedy series stars comedians Kevin Barnett, Jennifer Bartels, Jermaine Fowler, Lil Rel Howery, the Lucas Bros. and Josh Rabinowitz. The network has ordered 10 episodes, including the pilot, with plans to launch the series in the fall.

“Local News” (working title) – Electus
When a spunky young reporter from Connecticut lands her first big job in a small-town news market, an unexpected shake-up occurs. “Local News” follows a group of local anchors as they compete for the top spot in the game. The character-driven docu-soap will spotlight the playful – and at times cut-throat – rivalry between two local news stations and the dynamic newscasters who are determined to take their jobs seriously, even when some of the news they cover is less than serious. TruTV has ordered eight episodes slated to premiere this fall.

“Way Out West” – Rogue Atlas Productions in association with Lionsgate Television
“Way Out West” takes viewers inside the Idaho backcountry, where three charismatic families are engaged in a rivalry in the outfitting business that has gone on for 150 years. TruTV has ordered 12 episodes, plus the one-hour pilot, with plans to launch the series in July.

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