TVSquad

Among many announcements from TNT at upfront week was the stated goal to dramatically increase original content. The network aims to eventually reach 80% original content, with plans for three original nights a week by 2010. How are they going to reach those goals? With cops. Lots and lots of cops.

We've already heard about the new Donnie Wahlberg DEA series, Morse Code. Three other cop shows are in development at the network, including Delta Blues, from executive producer George Clooney, which follows the story of a Memphis cop who does a little Elvis impersonating on the side. 24 co-creator Joel Surnow is also joining the TNT family with an as yet untitled series built around an ATF agent. Finishing off the law enforcement party is Angel City. Written by L.A. cop Will Beall and Barry Schindel, Angel City is being compared to Adam-12. Read on past the jump for the less cuff-heavy goings on over at TNT.

Fortunately, not everyone at TNT HQ is working on a cop show. Two other drama projects look relatively cop free. Lionsgate Television has Tough Trade, focusing on the Nashville music scene, and Rob Ulin will executive produce a show described as being like Little Miss Sunshine. Easier said than done, but you never know.

Over at TBS, there are a number of comedy projects in development. William H. Macy is set to executive produce and star in one of the possible shows. And after his run on MTV, Joey "Run" Simmons will star in a comedy pilot produced by Russell Simmons. The traditional comedies are joined by a pair of sketch shows. Jerry Zucker offers National Banana Already In Progress. The other is an untitled sketch-show executive produced by Jamie Foxx.

Of course, it is 2008, and it's hard to be a network without a little reality in the offing. At TBS, Jonathan Murray and Gil Goldschein have a comedy/reality show that returns middle-aged men to their fraternities. Also joining the fray is the comedian competition show Top Ten. TNT is working on its first reality/drama with Wedding Day, from Mark Burnett Productions and Dreamworks Television, a show about making wedding dreams come true.

Also announced at the event, TBS will renew 10 Items Or Less, as well as placing an order for 26 more episodes of Tyler Perry's House Of Payne. And one fun bit from the press conference. Entertainment head Steve Koonin held up pictures of one of the American Gladiators and KITT from Knight Rider and compared them to the stars of The Closer and Saving Grace. He followed that up by inquiring, "You tell me which show is broadcast and which is cable."