USA NETWORK GREENLIGHTS NEW ORIGINAL SERIES
“FACING KATE”
Series stars Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Virginia Williams and Baron Vaughn
A First-Ever Universal Cable Productions and Universal Networks International Co-Production
LOS ANGELES, CA – March 15, 2010 – USA Network has announced today the pickup of its newest original series FACING KATE starring Sarah Shahi (“Life,” “The L Word”), Michael Trucco (“Battlestar Gallactica,” “One Tree Hill”), Virginia Williams (“The O.C.,” “American Beauty”) and Baron Vaughn (“Invasion”) in a first-ever co-production between Universal Cable Productions and Universal Networks International. Shooting on location in Vancouver, FACING KATE will debut with a 90-minute premiere followed by 11 one-hour episodes. The announcement was made today by Jeff Wachtel, president, original programming, USA Network, and co-head, original content, Universal Cable Productions.
"The combination of Michael's and Sarah's unique talents gives this funny, energetic and iconoclastic law show a completely fresh voice,” said Wachtel. “We see 'Facing Kate' as the perfect complement to our character-based series line-up."
FACING KATE centers on Kate Reed (Sarah Shahi), a top litigator who became frustrated with the endless bureaucracy and injustice she witnessed on a daily basis and decided to become the ultimate anti-lawyer: a mediator. Using her knowledge of the law, along with intuition and a whatever-it-takes approach to resolving conflict, Kate finds the middle ground for a wide variety of adversaries -- from Fortune 500 corporations to bitter divorcees. After the death of her father, she finds herself at odds with her new boss, her stepmother (Virginia Williams) ... and in bed with her ex-husband (Michael Trucco), himself a lawyer in the DA's office. Helping her keep all of this chaos at bay is her trusted, geek chic assistant Leonardo (Baron Vaughn).
From Universal Cable Productions and Universal Networks International, FACING KATE is executive produced by creator Michael Sardo (“Caroline in the City,” “Wings). Steve Stark (“Medium,” “The Game“) also serves as executive producer along with Russ Buchholz as co-executive producer. Bronwen Hughes (USA’s Burn Notice, WHITE COLLAR, Covert Affairs, “Criminal Minds”) directed the pilot.
USA is the home to six hit original scripted series: Burn Notice, Royal Pains, WHITE COLLAR, PSYCH, IN PLAIN SIGHT and LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT. Recently picked up series Covert Affairs joins FACING KATE as the newest original series to come to USA Network.
Universal Networks International brings quality entertainment channels to the international market. From general entertainment top cable performer Universal Channel, to the home of imagination: Syfy Universal, Universal Networks International delivers premium entertainment to local audiences on a global scale.
About USA Network
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 98.5 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
About Universal Cable Productions
Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms for USA, Syfy and other networks. A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA's Royal Pains, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, PSYCH, IN PLAIN SIGHT and Covert Affairs along with Syfy's Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Caprica. The studio also produced both long-running series MONK and BATTLESTAR GALATICA. UCP is a division of NBC Universal.
About Universal Networks International
Universal Networks International, the global channels division of NBC Universal, is one of the world’s premier entertainment networks, delivering quality content and compelling brands to over 150 million viewers in 130 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia. The portfolio is spearheaded by five core channels - Syfy Universal, Diva Universal, Studio Universal, Universal Channel and 13th Street Universal - which deliver a full range of entertainment experiences to local audiences across the globe. Universal Networks International also operates Movies 24, the (non-US) Hallmark Channel and an interest in the KidsCo joint venture.
Universal Networks International is part of NBC Universal; one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.
Having been a big Life fan, I really enjoyed Shahi's work on that program. This show really doesn't sound like something that's going to have a huge mass appeal. I guess I'll have to see what I think after a few episodes of Facing Kate.
/RandyJackson
Dawg, I would watch Sarah Shahi sing…errr, read the phonebook dawg.
Seriously though, the premise sounds fairly standard but we'll see if USA can give it some personality.
Can't wait. Love Michael Trucco.
Interesting that the two series they picked up this year both have female leads. I wonder if that is just coincidence or by design – after all, the only show they have (or ever had, I think) with a female lead is In Plain Sight, so they've been kinda lacking in that department.
I hope they find a way to make this interesting, because mediation, by nature, is tedious and boring.
I love Michael Trucco but this sounds incredibly boring
I mean, Burn Notice is all about action, White Collar about wit, Psych about humor – just their description tells you that something will be going on on the show. Facing Kate… not so much, really. I hope that it'll be a pleasant surprise.
A White Collar spin-off so soon?
I don't care what the premise of the show is, I'll be watching every episode, just as I watched every episode of Life (but that was a good show regardless). I'd watch a CBS sitcom if Shahi was on it. Yes, you read that correctly. A CBS sitcom.
I'm kind of meh on the concept, but USA has a really good track record, so I'm willing to bet it will be better than it sounds.
Sarah Shahi back on my TV? Yes! I can't blame NBC for canceling Life but I've really missed Shahi. I just hope Damian Lewis comes back to the States once his West End run of The Misanthrope with Keira Knightley ends.
I will watch anything with Virginia Williams in it. I wish she had been made a regular character on “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.”
I am looking forward to this new show. I'm glad Sarah Shahi has a new show since my favorite Life was cancelled.
Man, I hate USA… they’re the CBS of cable. I know Burn Notice and White Collar are good shows, but I just have zero interest in these procedurals. It wouldn’t be so bad if they hadn’t cancelled their only serialized show, The 4400! They don’t even try to make unique programming, it’s digusting… “trusty geek chic lab assistant”. I know I’m passing on this one …
Man, I hate USA… they’re the CBS of cable. I know Burn Notice and White Collar are good shows, but I just have zero interest in these procedurals. It wouldn’t be so bad if they hadn’t cancelled their only serialized show, The 4400! They don’t even try to make unique programming, it’s digusting… “trusty geek chic lab assistant”. I know I’m passing on this one …
When USA has a new series, it is season pass time for me. They have my loyality and I trust this will be another good niche character-based stories and having liked the lead actress in Life I am sure they will let her fun side come out in a way to entertain and give us another must see series. As disappointed as I have been with Syfy's shows lately, USA seems to always get it right so I have entered FACING KATE as a key word in one of my dvrs to remind me to look for the premier date and set up a season pass. I will also be looking forward to COVERT AFFAIRS whenever it premiers.
The stories behind the various series on USA are not so much what attracts me to them but the “not quiet real to life characters” that are able to explore being a little off the edge of normal. The folks that only see just another procedural show in USA's characters is missing where the real fun in these shows is found. Maybe it is just me, but I really enjoy all of these off beat characters and USA does very well in the ratings so I am not alone?
I love (LOVE) Sarah Shahi. She proved to me she's a fantastic actress in Life and I would watch her in anything. Love would be too mild a word to describe my feelings for Michael Trucco. I watched some crappy Syfy movie of the week about Meteors just so I could watch him again. Nuff said.
Having said that, this show really does not seem like it has mass appeal. It sounds most like IPS (strong female lead, crazy family/love life, job filled with conflict) which concerns me. IPS gets very solid ratings, but doesn't get the huge numbers or have the wide appeal BN, Psych and White Collar has. Mediation is atleast 2000% less interesting than a real trial– and lawyer shows haven't been doing so well lately. I'll definitely give it a try, but I'm hoping they're going to make this interesting somehow.
I liked Shahi in Life but I'm gonna pass.
I'm not a Lawyer show fan.
It wont last, Sarah can not act worth her life!! Sorry!
It wont last, Sarah can not act worth her life!! Sorry!