PARKS & REC Among Esquire Network's New Programming Slate

By: Apr. 16, 2013
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Esquire Network, a rebrand of the current G4 network, announces its slate of new programming. Featuring a blend of unscripted and scripted series, movies and specials, the network is partnering with the industry's top producers and talent to roll out an all-new primetime schedule upon launch this summer. In total, Esquire Network expects to launch 10-12 new originals this year.

A strategic partnership between NBCUniversal and Hearst Magazines, publishers of Esquire, the original men's magazine, Esquire Network explores the wide range of interests, passions and aspirations of men today. The network's programming will cover topics from sports and recreation to food and drink, travel and adventure, fashion and style, technology and gadgets, women and relationships, and politics and talk.

No matter the subject or genre, the network's programs capture the classic voice, impeccable Style and unmistakable wit that have Made Esquire the premier authority on contemporary man for 80 years.

Original Esquire Network series include:

KNIFE FIGHT (18x30) - It's cook or be cooked as chefs Face Off in underground, after-hours cooking bouts in a gritty new cooking competition show hosted by Top Chef Season 2 winner Ilan Hall. For each half-hour episode, two chefs go head-to-head, making at least two dishes in one hour from a combination of two to three secret ingredients. Each match-up takes place at The Gorbals, Hall's downtown L.A. restaurant, where chefs feel the heat as they're cheered and heckled by a rowdy crowd - including an eclectic group of celebrities, food professionals and die-hard foodies who serve as judges and timekeepers, including Drew Barrymore, Elijah Wood, Jason Lee, Bijou Phillips, Erika Christensen and more. Executive produced by Drew Barrymore, Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment.

THE GETAWAY (10x60) - Explore the world's greatest cities with the celebrities who know them inside and out. Each one-hour episode follows a celeb to their favorite place on earth, where they provide the inside track on the best things to do, food to eat, and places to hang out. Those featured in the first season include Joel McHale (The Soup, Community) in Belfast, Northern Ireland; AZIZ ANSARI (Parks and Recreation) in Hong Kong; Aisha Tyler (Archer) in Paris; Grammy Award-winning performer-songwriter Eve in Kingston, Jamaica; acclaimed chef José Andrés in San Juan, Puerto Rico and more to be announced. THE GETAWAY is produced by Zero Point Zero Productions with Anthony Bourdain and Lydia Tenaglia serving as executive producers.

AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR (24x60, returning series) - Can any American conquer the toughest obstacle course in the world? The modern classic competition series returns as a new class of American athletes, including former Olympians and professional athletes, steps forward to face the world's most brutal and punishing gauntlet, devised with all-new obstacles created just for this season. Who will pass the ultimate test and earn the right to be called an American Ninja Warrior?

HOW I ROCK IT (6x30) - Host and NBA superstar Baron Davis profiles the athletes, musicians, celebrities, designers, influencers and street-style icons whose careers, lives and lifestyles are setting a stylish new standard for today's modern man. Each episode features the tastemakers at the forefront of a men's Style revolution, from the sartorial to the culinary, from home decor to personal technology and more, who all share one thing in common: a passion for expressing themselves through personal style. HOW I ROCK IT is executive produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions and Citizen Jones.

RISKY LISTING (Working Title) (6x60) - Go behind the velvet rope and enter the exclusive, intensely competitive world of New York nightlife real estate with the high-end listings agents determined to find and sell the Big Apple's next "It" spot. Follow along with the agents as they cut deals for the hottest bar, restaurant and nightclub spaces -- and try to stay on top in the city that never sleeps. The playground of New York's coolest crowds may be their office, but in a cutthroat business, with millions on the line, can they close the deal before last call?

AMERICAN FIELD TRIP (6x30, Working Title) - The great American road trip meets the modern era as photojournalist and blogger Matt Hranek ("The William Brown Project") hits the road to uncover off-the-beaten-path people and experiences and discover new adventures coast to coast. As Matt Crosses the country, his Curiosity and passion propel him to places and expose him to people and things that most would never encounter. Each week, he travels to a new location to seek out one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, artisans and remarkable experiences in towns from sea to shining sea.

An additional TBA original series.

In addition to original series, the network also features a selection of contemporary series making their Esquire Network premiere, including:

LATE NIGHT WITH Jimmy Fallon - Comedian Jimmy Fallon brings energy to the award-winning late-night talk show, with his personalized interview style, audience participation, spot-on impersonations and innovative sketches.

PARKS AND RECREATION - The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated ensemble comedy series follows proud Pawnee, Indiana bureaucrat Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her tireless efforts to make her town more fun. The acclaimed series also stars Rashida Jones, AZIZ ANSARI, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe.

PARTY DOWN - The witty comedy series - named by AFI and Time as one of the top 10 shows on TV in 2009 and 2010 respectively - follows a sextet of Hollywood wannabes making ends meet working for a Los Angeles catering company as they chase their dreams of stardom. The series stars Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation), Ken Marino (Veronica Mars) and Jane Lynch (Glee), among others. Emmy-winning actress Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), joined the ensemble in season two.

BURN NOTICE - A sexy, action-packed series that combines intense action/thriller elements with surprising humor to create an iconic new breed of spy. The series stars Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, a formerly blacklisted spy who uses his skills and training to help people in desperate situations, and Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona, a beautiful ex-IRA operative who happens to be Westen's girlfriend. The series also stars Bruce Campbell, Coby Bell and Emmy Award-winner Sharon Gless.

PSYCH - A quick-witted comedy/drama starring James Roday as young police consultant Shawn Spencer, who solves crimes with powers of observation so acute that Santa Barbara PD detectives think he's psychic. The series also stars Dule Hill as Shawn's best friend and reluctant sidekick Gus and Corbin Bernsen as his disapproving father, Henry, who ironically was the one who honed his son's observation skills as a kid. Also featured are Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson and Kirsten Nelson.

Movies, including Ocean's 13, Déjà Vu (Denzel Washington), Bond movies, etc. From box office blockbusters to smaller films that became fan favorites, Esquire Network taps into Esquire's literary tradition of the most compelling storytelling, presenting movies for the modern man.

Additional information:

Online at EsquireTV.com, viewers will find companion web series and content for Esquire Network originals, original content, and the tools to live a well-played life.

Facebook: facebook.com/EsquireNetwork

Twitter: @ESQTV

About Esquire Network

Esquire Network brings the iconic men's brand to television with programming that explores and celebrates the interests, passions and aspirations of men today. Championing intelligence, wit and style, the network reflects a wide range of pursuits with male appeal, including: gaming, gear, entertainment, food, fashion, women, humor, travel, competition, danger and more. Formerly known as G4, Esquire Network will launch this summer in 62 million households nationwide, as well as online, mobile, On Demand and other platforms. Esquire Network is a strategic partnership between NBCUniversal and Hearst Magazines, and is a unit of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal.



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