DreamWorks Television

For the television series, see DreamWorksTV. For the television animation division formerly owned by DreamWorks Television, see DreamWorks Animation Television.
DreamWorks Television
Company typeDivision
IndustryTelevision production
Television syndication
PredecessorAmblin Television
Geffen Television
FoundedDecember 1994; 29 years ago (1994-12)
FoundersSteven Spielberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg
David Geffen
DefunctSeptember 6, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-09-06)
FateFolded into Amblin Television
SuccessorsStudio:
Amblin Television
DreamWorks Animation Television
Library:
Paramount Pictures Distribution
(pre–2008 library only)
Headquarters
Universal City, California
,
United States
ParentDreamWorks Pictures
DivisionsDreamWorks International Television
DreamWorks Television Animation (1996–1999)

DreamWorks Television was an American television distribution and production company based in Universal City, California, that was a division of DreamWorks. It folded into Amblin Television in 2013.[1]

History

DreamWorks Television was formed in December 1994 as DreamWorks Pictures agreed to a $200 million seven-year television production joint venture with the Capital Cities/ABC.[2] The company was set up to produce series for broadcast networks, cable channels and first run syndication with no first look for the ABC Network, but financial incentives favored ABC.[3] The first show, Champs, was scheduled as a mid-season replacement for the ABC network. Dan McDermott was named division chief executive in June 1995.[4] DreamWorks Television's first success was Spin City on ABC.[3] The Walt Disney Company bought Capital Cities/ABC in February 1996.[5]

In 1997, DreamWorks Television had a falling-out with NBC over the development of various TV shows.[6] The dispute was eventually settled, and went to being a development slater for NBC in 1998.[7] In 1998, DreamWorks has struck a deal with Paramount Domestic Television to syndicate Spin City for off-net syndication.[8]

In 2002, the company's joint venture agreement with ABC ended. This agreement was replaced by a development agreement with NBC with a first look clause, financing for series pickups by the network while taking a financial stake in the show. DreamWorks Television could finance shows sold to other outlets, and NBC paid an annual fee to it.[3]

TV shows

Much of the pre-2008 DreamWorks Television catalogue is currently owned and distributed worldwide by Paramount Global Content Distribution with the exception of the programs Line of Fire, Carpoolers and Oliver Beene (distributed by Disney–ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution), Las Vegas (distributed in North America by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and internationally by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution), Father of the Pride (distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios), Off Centre (distributed by Warner Bros. Television), Band of Brothers (distributed by HBO Enterprises), Miracle Workers (distributed by Entertainment One), and Rescue Me (distributed by Sony Pictures Television); Paramount also co-distributes the following DWTV programs including The Job (with Disney–ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution), Boomtown (with NBCUniversal Syndication Studios in North America and MGM Worldwide Television Distribution outside North America) and Alienators: Evolution Continues (North American joint distribution with WildBrain; international joint distribution to the series has been held by Sony Pictures Television and WildBrain).

TV series produced by DreamWorks Television

1990s

Title Years Network Notes
Champs 1996 ABC Co-production with Ubu Productions
High Incident 1996–1997 Co-production with Johnson/Pavone Productions (season 1), Nothing But Net, Inc. (season 1) and Downwell Productions (season 2)
Majority Rules[9] KPNX
Spin City 1996–2002 ABC Co-production with Ubu Productions and Lottery Hill Entertainment
Ink 1996–1997 CBS Co-production with Shukovsky English Entertainment and Addis/Weischer Television
Arsenio 1997 ABC Co-production with David Rosenthal Productions and Arsenio Hall Communications
Toonsylvania 1998–1999 Fox Kids Produced by DreamWorks Television Animation
Invasion America 1998 The WB
Anna Says 1999 Co-production with Lottery Hill Productions
It's Like, You Know... 1999–2000 ABC Co-production with 42 Pound Productions and EWH3 Productions
Freaks and Geeks NBC Co-production with Apatow Productions

2000s

Title Years Network Notes
The Others 2000 NBC Co-production with Delusional Films and NBC Studios
Battery Park 2000 Co-production with Ubu Productions
The Job 2001–2002 ABC Co-production with The Cloudland Company, Apostle and Touchstone Television
Band of Brothers 2001 HBO Miniseries; co-production with Playtone, HBO Entertainment and British Broadcasting Corporation
Alienators: Evolution Continues 2001–2002 Fox Kids US co-production with The Montecito Picture Company, DIC Entertainment and Dentsu
Produced outside the US by Columbia TriStar Television
Based on the 2001 film Evolution by DreamWorks Pictures and Columbia Pictures
Undeclared Fox Co-production with Apatow Productions
Off Centre The WB Co-production with Weitz, Weitz & Zuker and Warner Bros. Television
Boomtown 2002–2003 NBC Co-production with Nemo Films and NBC Studios
Taken 2002 Sci-Fi Channel Miniseries
Oliver Beene 2003–2004 Fox Co-production with Steven Levitan Productions, ge.wirtz Films and 20th Century Fox Television
Las Vegas 2003–2008 NBC Co-production with Gary Scott Thompson Productions, NBC Studios (season 1), NBC Universal Television Studio (seasons 2–5) and Universal Media Studios (season 5)
Line of Fire 2003–2004 ABC Co-production with Battle Plan Productions and Touchstone Television
Rescue Me 2004–2011 FX Co-production with The Cloudland Company, Apostle and Sony Pictures Television
Father of the Pride 2004–2005 NBC Produced by DreamWorks Animation
The Contender 2005–2008 NBC (season 1) / ESPN (seasons 2–3) / Versus (season 4) Co-production with Mark Burnett Productions and ESPN Original Entertainment (seasons 2–3)
Into the West 2005 TNT Miniseries; co-production with Voice Pictures
Miracle Workers 2006 ABC Co-production with Renegade 83
Dog Bites Man Comedy Central
On the Lot 2007 Fox Co-production with Mark Burnett Productions and Amblin Television
Carpoolers 2007–2008 ABC Co-production with T.R.O.N.T., 3 Arts Entertainment and ABC Studios
United States of Tara 2009–2011 Showtime Co-production with Showtime Networks
Wedding Day[10] 2009 TNT Co-production with Mark Burnett Productions

2010s

Title Years Network Notes
The Pacific 2010 HBO Miniseries; co-production with Playtone and HBO Entertainment
Falling Skies 2011–2013 TNT Seasons 1–3 only; seasons 4–5 produced by Amblin Television
Smash 2012–2013 NBC co-production with Madwoman in the Attic, Inc. (season 1) and Universal Television
The Americans[11] 2013 FX Pilot; co-production with Fox Television Studios and FX Productions

TV specials produced by DreamWorks Television

  • The Secret World of "Antz" (1998)
  • When You Believe: Music From "The Prince of Egypt" (1998)
  • Galaxy Quest: 20th Anniversary: The Journey Continues (1999)
  • The Hatching of "Chicken Run" (2000)
  • Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport (2000)
  • We Stand Alone Together (2001)
  • What Lies Beneath: Constructing the Perfect Thriller (2001)
  • Woody Allen: A Life in Film (2002)

TV series produced by DreamWorks Animation

These are TV series produced by DreamWorks Animation (DWA) that were distributed by DWTV around the world. In 2004, the animation division of DreamWorks was spun off as a separate company (and now bought by NBCUniversal in 2016) and thus animated shows after 2004 do not apply here.

References

  1. ^ Fabrikant, Geraldine (1997-01-20). "Despite a Sluggish Beginning, Dreamworks Is Viewed as a Potential Hollywood Power". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
  2. ^ McClellan, Steve. (December 5, 1994). "ABC makes high-profile production leap." Broadcasting & Cable. 1994. HighBeam Research. Accessed on December 27, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Kunz, William M. (2007). "2". Culture Conglomerates: Consolidation in the Motion Picture and Television Industries. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 49, 50. ISBN 9780742540668. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  4. ^ Hofmeister, Sallie (June 20, 1995). "Company Town : Fox Executive Dan McDermott Named to Head DreamWorks SKG Television". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  5. ^ Fabrikant, Geraldine. THE MEDIA BUSINESS;Disney and ABC Shareholders Solidly Approve Merger Deal January 05, 1996. The New York Times. Accessed July 8, 2013.
  6. ^ Variety Staff; Staff, Variety (1997-03-31). "NBC PILOTS PULLED". Variety. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  7. ^ Hontz, Jenny (1998-10-07). "Is Peacock target of studio boycott?". Variety. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  8. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (1998-05-05). "DreamWorks' 'Spin' goes off-net for Par". Variety. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  9. ^ McBride, Joseph (January 4, 2011). Steven Spielberg, A Biography (2nd ed.). Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 605. ISBN 9781604738377. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  10. ^ Lowry, Brian (June 15, 2009). "Wedding Day". Variety. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  11. ^ Molloy, Tim (December 16, 2011). "FX Orders Cold War Pilot 'The Americans'". The Wrap. Retrieved May 26, 2014. DreamWorks Television is also credited as an executive producer on the pilot, which is being produced by Fox Television Studios and FX Productions.