CBS today picked up the bulk of its remaining drama series, including two that had been on the bubble, Madam Secretary and MacGyver. That leaves four hourlong series in limbo, sophomore Instinct, freshmen The Code and The Red Line and third-year Canadian import Ransom. Neither of the four have finished their newest…

Season 31 of The Amazing Race will leave the starting line more than a month earlier than scheduled. CBS said today that the new iteration will premiere at 9 PM Wednesday, April 17; it had been set for May 22. With that move, the network has banished LeBron James’ Million Dollar Mile from its Wednesday timeslot to…

CBS has set spring premiere dates for new drama series The Code, The Red Line, which will air as an eight-episode event series, and returning Ransom. The Red Line, from Greg Berlanti and Ava DuVernay and starring Noah Wyle, will air in two-hour installments over four consecutive Sundays beginning April 28 following 60…

Global has picked up a third season of suspense drama series Ransom for premiere next year on Global in Canada and CBS in the U.S. Created by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle) and David Vainola (Diamonds, Combat Hospital), the series hails from Entertainment One, Big Light Productions, Sienna…

CBS has demanded more Ransom. The network today handed a 13-episode Season 2 renewal to the drama series created David Vainola and Frank Spotnitz. While CBS paid up for Ransom‘s return, it wasn’t an exorbitant sum: The Canada-Hungary production was a low-cost acquisition. No word yet on a premiere date, but the series…

Frank Spotnitz’s UK-based Big Light Productions is launching an immersive Writers Room Project which will provide unique access to the X Files alum, and involve shadow work on upcoming series. The first show to fall under the scheme is CBS’ just-debuted suspense drama Ransom, for which scripts will be developed in…

UPDATED with more info: Fox previewed its new comedy series The Mick behind an NFL doubleheader on the first night of 2017. For maximum impact, the comedy aired Sunday directly after postgame coverage on both coasts. In time-zone adjusted ratings released by Fox, The Mick starring Kaitlin Olson posted a solid 2.8 in…

CBS has dropped the first preview clip of Frank Spotnitz’s midseason suspense drama Ransom. Created by David Vainola (Combat Hospital) and Spotnitz, Ransom is inspired by the professional experiences of crisis negotiator Laurent Combalbert who, along with his partner Marwan Mery, are considered to be among the top…

Original entertainment programming is returning to Saturday night. In unveiling the bulk of its midseason schedule today, CBS announced that Frank Spotnitz’s suspense drama Ransom will air Saturdays at 8 PM. The network also slotted new dramas Training Day, which will succeed Pure Genius in the Thursday 10 PM hour…

Frank Spotnitz’ London- and Paris-based Big Light Productions has appointed TV exec Jamie Hall as Chief Operations Officer. The former Head of Production and Business Affairs at Eleven, Hall will be based at Big Light’s UK headquarters and will oversee the growing company's strategic partnerships and financing for…

Production has begun in Toronto on Ransom, the 13-episode drama created by David Vainola (Combat Hospital) and Frank Spotnitz. From eOne, Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions, Sienna Films and Wildcats Productions, the series has added principal cast to join Luke Roberts as hostage negotiator Eric Beaumont. Sarah Greene (P…

CBS has come on board as the U.S. broadcaster of Ransom, a 13-episode drama series starring Luke Roberts (Black Sails, Game Of Thrones), from Entertainment One and The X-Files alum Frank Spotnitz. CBS joins TF1 (France) and Corus' Global (Canada) which also will be carrying the suspense series, originally announced at…