Upfronts 2012: E! Pushes Into Scripted Space

Orders weekly talk show with Whitney Cummings, reality series with Nick Jonas, Nigel Lythgoe

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/30/2012 10:00:00 AM

E! Entertainment is expanding into scripted programming with a development slate of nine one-hour series from well-known producers like John Wells and Kevin Spacey, the network announced Monday ahead of its upfront presentation in New York.

The network's first scripted series will premiere in 2013. Wells' project, Anne of Hollywood, resets the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII in present-day Hollywood, while Spacey's Upstarts follows three dreamers seeking wealth and glory in Silicon Valley's gold rush of the late 1990s.

Other series in development are Amy Devlin Mysteries, based on the graphic novel of the same name, about a 20-something detective who brings her own style to police work; the Wizard of Oz inspired Dorothy, about a girl from Kansas City who falls for a man and moves with him to the Emerald City to work at his hotel; and Fascination Street, a then-and-now look at two brothers who were trying to make their band a success and are now trying to find out who is behind the disappearance of their lead singer.

The 400 follows the rise of the Vanderbilt dynasty in 1890s New York; Juror #9 is about a man who accidentally kills a woman who is blackmailing him, frames someone else for the murder, and winds on the jury for the case; a self-made billionaire with a penchant for hooking up with D.C. lobbyists is the focus of King David; and a group of executive assistants plot their way up the corporate ladder in Untitled Assistant Project.

On the unscripted front, E! has a new competition series from Nigel Lythgoe called Opening Act, which searches the Internet for amateur musicians, then gives them the chance to open for top stars like Nicki Minaj, Rod Stewart and LMFAO. The series premieres on July 9.

Married to Jonas follows Jonas brother Kevin and his wife Danielle as they balance marriage and fame. The 10-episode, half-hour series from Ryan Seacrest Productions premieres Aug. 19.

E! will also launch a new weekly talk show with Whitney Cummings to pair with Joel McHale's The Soup on Wednesday nights starting in late 2012. Love You, Mean It, from Chelsea Handler's Borderline Amazing Productions, will feature Cummings' take on pop culture and celebrity happenings, life, relationships, sex and more.

The network also unveiled a new look, logo, brand campaign and tagline that will debut on July 9. E! holds its upfront presentation for advertisers at Gotham Hall in New York on Monday evening.