TVSquad

TNT is furthering its investment in original drama by adding two new shows to its programming, increasing the number of original hour-long dramas they offer to seven. The first new show is The Line, a cop drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Dylan McDermott. The second is a medical drama called Time Heals starring Jada Pinkett Smith.

This seems to me an example of a trickle-down effect. Due to the Internet and video-on-demand, reruns simply don't work anymore in keeping a network in business. Original drama worked so well for premium networks such as HBO and Showtime that standard cable stations such as AMC, TNT and several others took it upon themselves to do the same.

I guess Leverage is such a winner for the network that it can afford to add to its line-up. At this rate, there is going to be too much original television offered weekly for a human being to possibly keep up (if there isn't already), which is why video-on-demand was invented in the first place.

TNT knows drama. That's their logo, their mantra, their promise to viewers, and with The Closer, for instance, they've delivered. Now they're prepping another new drama, this one with some major experience in front of the camera and behind it.

It sort of reads like a dream team. Dylan McDermott starring in a Jerry Bruckheimer drama called The Line for TNT. Only it's not a dream. It's a pilot for 2009.

Instead of sharing this one with CBS where his shows dominate the line up -- CSI, CSI: New York, CSI: Miami, Eleventh Hour, Cold Case, Without A Trace, The Amazing Race -- Jerry Bruckheimer has decided to share the wealth a bit. He's moved this one over to TNT. However, he's bringing in CSI vets Jonathan Littman (six-time Emmy winner) and Danny Cannon to produce and direct, respectively.