Upfronts 2012: Discovery en Español to Premiere Original Game Show

Discovery U.S. Hispanic seeks to satisfy curiosity with two epic nature series, original U.S. Hispanic productions

By Lindsay Rubino -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/15/2012 4:50:17 PM

Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2012

Discovery U.S. Hispanic, which comprises both Discovery en Español and Discovery Familia, announced its upcoming programming slate that includes its first-ever original game show on Tuesday at its upfront event in New York.

John Hendricks, founder and chairman of Discovery Communications, Inc., spoke to Discovery U.S. Hispanic's success, with Discovery en Español posting its best quarter on record in Q1, and Discovery Familia coming off a year of double-digit growth.

Ivan Bargueiras, general manager, Discovery U.S. Hispanic said that this year's programming lineup seeks to satisfy Discovery viewers' "curiosity," with nature series such as Norteamerica (North America) and Volando por el Mundo (Earth Flight), a production filmed in partnership with Google Earth, slated to join Discovery en Español.

New original series for the network include the game show Batalla de Ingenios. The series puts 12 contestants in an urban setting and challenges them to use their engineering skills to win not a monetary prize, but a full year off of work. The 8-stage elimination challenges are designed to echo Discovery's programming genres including science, nature and survival.

Hard Kicks, also an original series, is an hour-long look into professional soccer clubs competing to win championships. Vivir Para Contarlo, another original series, gives survivors of accidents, disasters and other dangerous situations the chance to retell their story of survival.

Discovery series joining the U.S. Hispanic lineup include Rinocerontes: Caceria Ilegal (Rhino Wars), Pescadores Extremos (Extreme Fisherman), Amor Asesino (Scorned: Love Kills), Hasta Que La Mafia Nos Separe (I Married a Mobster) and. Fiebre del Oro (Gold Rush). Returning is 2111, a U.S. Hispanic production focusing on the distant future of Latin America, for its second season.

Monstruos de Rio (River Monsters) will return for its fourth and fifth season on Discovery en Espanol.

Discovery Familia, which is divided into its primetime block for mothers, will premiere its original production 10 Anos Menos (10 Years Younger) a makeover-style series that seeks to transform women and take ten years off their physical appearance. Existing Discovery series Enigmas Medicos (Mystery Diagnosis) and El Localizador (The Locator) are also on the slate for next season. Sexy y Saludable (Eat Yourself Sexy) will also return for another season.

The children's block of programming will see two of its animated series, Peztronauta (Fishtronaut) and Mi Amigazazo (My Big Big Friend), return for their second seasons.