May 11, 2017
by Carla Hay
Oxygen, the female-oriented TV network owned by NBCUniversal, has announced the new shows that will be part of the network’s re-invention as a destination for true-crime programming, beginning in the summer of 2017. The move is a concerted effort to make Oxygen a rival to Investigation Discovery, the true-crime network that Discovery Networks launched in 2008. “Law & Order: SVU” star Ice-T and former HLN host Nancy Grace are among those who will be hosting the new Oxygen shows. (See the complete list at the end of the article.)
“Snapped,” Oxygen’s flagship true-crime program about female murderers, will remain on the air. “Snapped” has also two spinoff series: “Snapped: Killer Couples” (still on the air) and “Snapped: She Made Me Do It” (cancelled). Other existing true-crime shows on Oxygen include “Three Days to Live” and “It Takes a Killer.” Before focusing on true crime, Oxygen had primarily female-oriented reality shows that centered on relationships and conflicts, such as “Bad Girls Club,” “Fix My Mom,” “Last Squad Standing” and “Sisterhood of Hip-Hop.”
Here is the list of new shows. The descriptions are from an Oxygen press release:
New Series:
“What Happened to…Jessica Chambers?” (working title)
Produced by Wilshire Studios and BuzzFeed Motion Pictures with Joe Berlinger and Matthew Henick serving as Executive Producer.
This active crime investigation docu-series takes a deep dive into the mysterious death of Jessica Chambers, the Mississippi teen who was doused with gasoline and set on fire in December of 2014. The series is inspired by the investigative journalism of BuzzFeed News’ Senior National Reporter Katie J.M. Baker, who reported Chambers’ story, uncovering developments and helping raise awareness about the case. Executive Produced by Academy Award® nominated, two-time Emmy® and Peabody Award winner Joe Berlinger (“Brother’s Keeper,” the “Paradise Lost Trilogy” and “Intent to Destroy”), the series looks at the mystery and unanswered questions surrounding Chambers’ death, which has made it one of the most-talked about cases on the internet. In 2016, a grand jury indicted Quinton Tellis, 27, charging him with capital murder. Tellis has pled not guilty to the charge. A trial date has been set for October of 2017, which Wilshire Studios plans to cover as part of production.
“Mysteries and Scandals”
Produced by Wilshire Studios with Jason Sklaver and Soledad O’Brien serving as Executive Producer.
Hosted and executive produced by multiple Emmy® and Peabody Award winner Soledad O’Brien, this new true crime series investigates Hollywood’s most intriguing criminals, murders and cases of corruption, exploring infamous headlines that captured the nation’s attention using archival footage, new interviews and stylized depictions of past events.
“Final Appeal”
Produced by Peacock Productions with Sharon Scott, Elizabeth Waller, Melody Shafir and Siobhan Walshe serving as Executive Producers.
Brian Banks was a star football player with NFL aspirations before he was wrongfully convicted. He spent five years behind bars until he was fully exonerated a decade later. The series will follow Brian along with former prosecutor, Loni Coombs, as they attempt to unravel details of criminal cases where the defendants claim to have been wrongfully convicted. The series will expose viewers to a thrilling whodunit mystery as the puzzling cases unfold and potentially reveal new information that could change the fates of the suspected criminals.
“Ice Cold Murder” (working title)
Produced by Asylum Entertainment with Steven Michaels and Jonathan Koch serving as Executive Producers along with Final Level Entertainment with Ice-T and Jorge Hinojosa serving as Executive Producers.
Hosted by Ice-T, this series exposes outrageous tales and shocking true stories involving sex, money, murder and sometimes a fatal cocktail of all three. Captivating reenactments will spotlight the very dark side of playing with fire and the tangled webs of lust, greed and death.
“Criminal Confessions”
Produced by Wolf Reality and Shed Media with Dick Wolf, Tom Thayer, Pam Healey, John Hesling and Adam Kassen serving as Executive Producers.
This series delves into the psychological showdown that takes place inside actual police interrogation rooms and dissects what happens to yield a confession. Each hour-long episode takes viewers through the twists and turns of a real homicide case from the crime scene to the suspects’ questioning to the ultimate confession. The police officers and detectives assigned to each case will reveal their methodology while interviews with the suspects’ and victims’ friends and family will shed light on the crime. In every case, the interrogating officer will “break” the suspect and get a shocking reveal of what really happened.
“The Disappearance of”
“The Disappearance of…” is a series of multi-part documentaries that dive headfirst into a rabbit hole of unexplored leads, missing evidence and unnerving suspicion surrounding the most puzzling cases of young women who have gone missing.
The first two cases in the franchise are:
“The Disappearance of: Natalee Holloway”
Produced by Brian Graden Media with Brian Graden, Dave Mace, LB Horschler and Alex Weresow serving as Executive Producers.
Since her mysterious disappearance, Natalee’s family has been plagued by false leads and confessions of what happened that night. Then, two years ago, Natalee’s father Dave Holloway, was presented with the most promising lead to date. A first-hand account from someone who claims to actually know the specifics of what happened to her and the remains of her body. This could be Dave Holloway’s final chance at getting justice for his daughter and finally having peace for his family after so many years. This six-part series will follow Dave Holloway and a private investigator as they delve into this new lead. This riveting and shocking series will be an active journey with new evidence, never-before-seen footage, and real potential for resolution.
“The Disappearance of: Maura Murray”
Produced by Texas Crew Productions with David Karabinas, Eric Begley and Sonia Slutsky serving as Executive Producers.
When a young nursing student, Maura Murray, vanished in 2004 under strange circumstances, she became the first prominent disappearance of the social media age. Since then, the investigation into Murray’s case has fueled a legion of online armchair detectives, causing an endless procession of blogs, books, websites and podcasts, becoming a rabbit hole of unexplored leads, eyewitness discrepancies, missing evidence, questionable actions and strange characters. Now, in this six part docu-series, an investigative journalist, attempts to unravel one of the most complicated and mysterious cold cases of the last quarter century. With access to Murray’s family and friends, unique connections to local law enforcement, and the cooperation of the most prominent investigators on social media, she’ll attempt to find resolution once and for all.
“Patricia Cornwell’s True Conviction” (Working title)
Produced by All3 Media with Greg Goldman and Patricia Cornwell serving as Executive Producers.
Patricia Cornwell, a world-renowned author who has sold more than 100 million books worldwide and has built an entire career on extensive scientific research and unprecedented forensic detail, has assembled an all-star team of world-class experts in the fields of psychology, forensics, and clinical pathology. Together, they will apply their collective knowledge toward a real life case where the stakes are life and death.
The Price of Duty (Working title)
Produced By Intellectual Property Corporation and Turn Left Productions with Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Todd Crites and Jackson Nguyen serving as Executive Producers.
From Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman, the producers of “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath,” “The Price of Duty” delves into the most haunting cases of homicide detectives’ careers. Each episode takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride to the front lines of the investigation, retracing their first steps on the crime scene to the final bust and the emotional aftermath that they still carry today.
Acquisition:
“Dateline: Secrets Uncovered” (Working title)
Produced by Peacock Productions with Sharon Scott and Andy Cashman serving as Executive Producers
Real-life mysteries. Investigative reporting. Justice. Dateline is the long-running, award winning newsmagazine bringing viewers stories ranging from compelling mysteries to powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Hosted by NBC News’ Craig Melvin, each episode of “Dateline: Secrets Uncovered” incorporates the classic elements of drama and great storytelling: good guys, bad guys, conflict with the highest stakes, suspense and resolution. Hear the chilling tales directly from those most affected and involved, including investigators tasked with cracking the case and the families confronting tragedy. In every story we tell, we help the real people who lived the events share their journeys with you.
In Development:
“Retried”
Produced by Leepson Bounds Entertainment with David Leepson, Stephanie Lydecker, Nancy Grace and John Terenzio serving as Executive Producers.
This true-crime series follows a group of legal experts lead by Nancy Grace as they reassess an adjudicated murder case to see if they can uncover new information that could potentially lead to a retrial. Each week, the team will tackle one new case, studying key moments from the trial, inadmissible evidence, and crucial facts that were never made public. Could the reexamination ultimately produce a different theory, or did our justice system get it right the first time?
“Kept Alive”
Produced by All3 Media and Maverick with Adam Greener, Simon Knight, Greg Lipstone, and Emily Mayer serving as Executive Producers.
This investigatory series explores the true stories of missing person cases where the attacker convinced the world their victim was still alive by impersonating them. Through text messages, social media posts, and more, the murderer or murderers were able to divert suspicion of foul play. On each case, family, friends, key witnesses and the detectives assigned will unravel the tangled mystery and expose the mistakes that finally brought a killer to justice.
