AMC Networks Sets Premiere Dates For ‘Hip Hop’ Documentary Series, FearFest & More – TCA

Erik Pedersen

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AMC Networks has rounded out its premiere dates for late-summer and fall including AMC’s documentary series Hip Hop: The Songs That Show America, which drops on October 13; its 23rd annual horror marathon FearFest (October 13); and new five-part true-crime series The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park (November 13).

AMC’s previously announced summer and fall premiere dates include the fourth and final season of Preacher (August 4), the sophomore seasons of The Terror: Infamy and Lodge 49 (both August 12) and Season 10 of The Walking Dead (October 6).

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Here is a list by network of upcoming premieres on AMC outlets, with synopses provided by AMC Networks; several already had been announced:

AMC

Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America
Sunday, October 13 at 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT

From Executive Producers Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Alex Gibney and directors Erik Parker and One9, each episode of this new documentary series focuses on a groundbreaking song pivotal to the evolution of American music and culture. Artists, their collaborators and other influential musical and cultural figures deconstruct compositions, revisit the impact the song had on them personally, and dissect the socio-economic and cultural conditions that inspired the landmark work and gave voice to a generation. Some of the songs featured in the series include Kanye West’s Jesus Walks, Kendrick Lamar’s Alright, Run-D.M.C.’s Rock Box, Queen Latifah’s Ladies First, and more. In addition to Thompson, Trotter and Gibney, Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America is also executive produced by Shawn Gee, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, and Shea Serrano. Angie Day, Erik Parker and One9 also serve as co-executive producers.

Preacher
Sunday, August 4 at 9 p.m. ET (with a two-hour premiere); beginning Sunday, August 11, the series will air at 10 p.m. ET

As the series inches closer to the finale, God’s endgame for the universe begins to click into place. Trapped between heavenly prophecies, hellish prisons, and all-out nuclear war, Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy make their bloody way to the Most High. Whether they can reach God in time — or whether all this carnage is part of His divine plan — will soon be revealed as Preacher barrels towards the end of the world. Preacher stars Dominic Cooper, Academy Award® nominee Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun, along with series regulars Ian Colletti, Graham McTavish, Pip Torrens, Julie Ann Emery, Noah Taylor, Mark Harelik and Tyson Ritter.

The Terror: Infamy
Monday, August 12 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

The second installment in the Ridley Scott-produced anthology series, The Terror: Infamy centers on Chester Nakayama (Derek Mio) and his family as they deal with the effects of WWII on Japanese-Americans while an unsettled spirit – a yurei – terrorizes their internment camp. George Takei (Star Trek), imprisoned in two internment camps as a child, co-stars and serves as a consultant for this season. Featuring a number of cast and crew with deep-rooted connections to the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry and the aftermath of Hiroshima, The Terror: Infamy also marks the first time the story of internments during WWII have been depicted on such a massive scale for television – from casting to set creation. The Terror: Infamy was co-created and executive produced by Alexander Woo and Max Borenstein.

Lodge 49
Monday, August 12 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT

This modern fable set in Long Beach, CA centers on likable “Squire” and ex-surfer Sean “Dud” Dudley (Wyatt Russell), whose beloved fraternal order — the Ancient and Benevolent Order of the Lynx — is suffering under new rule by an ill-suited leader. Despite his “Knight” and mentor Ernie’s (Brent Jennings) lost faith, and his twin sister Liz’s (Sonya Cassidy) struggle with their past, Dud believes he is the key to restoring the Lodge to its former grandeur and putting the rightful king on the throne. In addition to Russell, Jennings and Cassidy, this season’s cast includes Linda Emond (Connie), Eric Allan Kramer (Scott) and David Pasquesi (Blaise).

The Walking Dead Season 10
Sunday, October 6 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

The Walking Dead is a story that started 10 years ago with one man trying to find his family. That family grew and gradually communities took shape. They fought and survived, thrived and gave birth to a new generation. It is a tale of humankind and there are more stories to tell.

It is now Spring, a few months after the end of Season 9, when our group of survivors dared to cross into Whisperer territory during the harsh winter. The collected communities are still dealing with the after effects of Alpha’s horrific display of power, reluctantly respecting the new borderlines being imposed on them, all while organizing themselves into a militia-style fighting force, preparing for a battle that may be unavoidable.

But the Whisperers are a threat unlike any they have ever faced. Backed by a massive horde of the dead it is seemingly a fight they cannot win. The question of what to do and the fear it breeds will infect the communities and give rise to paranoia, propaganda, secret agendas, and infighting that will test them as individuals and as a society. The very idea of whether civilization can survive in a world filled with the dead hangs in the balance.

FearFest
Sunday, October 13 at 10 a.m. ET

Now in its 23rd consecutive year, AMC’s annual horror marathon, FearFest is bringing the frights in the lead up to Halloween with 19 days of genre programming featuring 80 films and 400 hours of programming, including iconic film franchises Halloween, Friday the 13th, Leprechaun, Alien, and Stephen King classics. FearFest programming will also be available to On-Demand platforms.

The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park
Wednesday, November 13 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

A five-part series to be simulcast on AMC and SundanceTV over three consecutive nights, The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park reexamines one of the most infamous crimes in recent American history – the 1986 killing of Jennifer Levin at the hands of Robert Chambers. Produced by Emmy® Award-winner Robert Friedman’s Bungalow Media + Entertainment (Give, The Panama Papers) and directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg (directors of Reversing Roe, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work), The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park will expose evidence that was inadmissible in the trial and also examine the circumstances that made the story unfold the way it did: America’s untamed ambition in the mid-1980s, the rarified lifestyle of New York’s privileged prep school kids, sexism, elitism, an all-out tabloid media war that blamed the victim and an imperfect justice system.

Best Christmas Ever
Monday, November 25 at 7 p.m. ET

AMC’s Best Christmas Ever event returns this year with our largest slate of holiday programs to-date and expands to all five networks. Running through Christmas Day, the 31-day event will feature over 60 titles and offers more than 700 hours of holiday-themed movies, specials and family favorite films. AMC Networks will be the exclusive home to many holiday favorites including Elf, The Polar Express, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Miracle on 34th Street (’94), Four Christmases, Fred Claus, and Rankin-Bass Christmas classics including The Year Without a Santa Claus, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jack Frost, and Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, among many others.

BBC AMERICA

Monty Python’s Flying Circus 50th Anniversary Celebration
September 2019

This fall, BBC AMERICA celebrates the 50th anniversary of the legendary comedy group with a marathon of Monty Python’s Flying Circus episodes, Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Blue Planet Now
Fall 2019

In this four-episode follow-up to the award-winning Blue Planet II, viewers will have a chance to dive into an exciting global investigation of the health of our oceans to find out how marine life is coping in the face of increasing pressure. The series is presented by Chris Packham, Steve Backshall and Liz Bonnin, and is executive produced by Roger Webb, with Vanessa Coates serving as series producer.

Doctor Who: The Macra Terror
Fall 2019

In this animated special, The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions arrive on a human colony in the far-flung future. The colony outwardly appears to be a giant recreational complex – a holiday camp for rest and relaxation. All appear to be happy and carefree…but it’s all a lie.

IFC

Sherman’s Showcase
Wednesday, July 31, at 10 p.m./9 p.m. CT

Sherman’s Showcase is a new musical sketch comedy created, written and executive produced by Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin. Each episode of Sherman’s Showcase is hosted by Sherman McDaniels as he takes viewers through time, via music and comedy drawn from the 40-year library of a legendary (but fictional) musical variety show. Whether it’s a questionably attired funk super group in the 1970s, an up-and-coming MC in the 1980s or an R&B diva from the 1990s, Sherman’s Showcase has it all: music, comedy, famous guest stars and dancing with an exuberant host who’s been with the show throughout its run. Executive producers include John Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius through their Get Lifted Film Co. and Frank Scherma and Jim Bouvet of RadicalMedia. A full episode of Sherman’s Showcase, “The Showcase Dancers,” is now available to watch for free across IFC’s website, app and YouTube in advance of its Wednesday linear premiere.

Baroness von Sketch Show
Wednesday October 30 at 12 a.m./11 p.m. CT

Ahead of the season four premiere, IFC’s all-female sketch series Baroness von Sketch Show, which provides an insightful, satirical look at our everyday modern lives, has been picked up for a season five. The award-winning series is performed and written by Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen. Fast-paced and irreverent, the series celebrates the absurd and mines the embarrassing, offering a fresh, witty take on relatable moments such as crying at work, waiting in airport security lines, dealing with gossip-obsessed co-workers, co-parenting and more. Baroness von Sketch Show is executive produced by Jamie Brown, Taylor, MacNeill, Browne and Whalen, who also serves as showrunner.

Toast of London
Wednesday, December 4 at midnight ET/ 11 p.m. CT

Created by Arthur Mathews (Father Ted) and Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), the BAFTA Award-winning comedy stars Berry as Steven Toast, an eccentric, middle-aged actor with a sketchy past who spends more time dealing with his problems off stage than performing on it. The half-hour comedy consists of three, six-episode seasons all written by Mathews and Berry with guest stars including Jon Hamm, Morgana Robinson, Vic Reeves and Josh Homme.

SUNDANCETV

This Close
Thursday, September 12 at 12 a.m. ET/ 9 p.m. PT

This Close, created, written by and starring Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman, is a groundbreaking original dramedy, exploring universal and relatable themes of love and friendship between two best friends living in Los Angeles — in its many permutations. In season two, Kate (Stern) and Michael (Feldman) are determined to reboot their friendship. But what’s that they say about best laid plans? Kate’s past returns to haunt her in surprising ways as she finds her voice at work. Michael tries to walk the straight and narrow path, but everyone sees the truth except for him. With the return of old flames and distant parents, Kate and Michael are going to have to lean on each other or fall apart. Season two features all new guest stars including Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives), Camryn Manheim (Waco), Steven Weber (Channel Zero), Austin Nichols (The Walking Dead), Lisa Rinna (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Margaret Cho (Bright) and Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place). They join guest stars Zach Gilford, Colt Prattes, Marlee Matlin, Cheryl Hines, Nyle DiMarco, and Moshe Kasher who will reprise their roles from season one.

The Cry
Wednesday, October 23 at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT

Based on Helen FitzGerald’s best-selling book of the same name, The Cry is a powerful psychological thriller starring Victoria and former Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman and Ewen Leslie from Top of the Lake: China Girl. Filmed in Scotland and Australia, it tells the story of Joanna (Coleman) and Alistair (Leslie), parents to a newborn son, who find themselves at the center of an unthinkable tragedy. As they face the glare of public scrutiny, alongside this deeply personal trauma, the consequences of the tragedy succeed in changing their lives and their relationship forever.

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