Apple hires veteran producer Michelle Lee to help oversee original TV shows

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
A years-long veteran of the TV industry, Michelle Lee, has reportedly joined Apple has a creative executive with its Worldwide Video division, which is spearheading a push into high-budget TV shows.




Lee will serve under Matt Cherniss, the development head Apple hired in August, Variety said on Wednesday. For five years Lee has been a partner with True Jack Productions showrunner Jason Katims, giving her executive producer credits on shows like "About a Boy" on NBC and "The Path" on Hulu.

Her new position could give her signifcant influence over Apple programming. Even Cherniss, though, ranks below former Sony Pictures Television presidents Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who have ultimate control of Worldwide Video short of top-level executives like CEO Tim Cook.

Apple is expected to premiere a small collection of shows in 2019 that will break out of the low-budget reality TV mold established by "Carpool Karaoke" and "Planet of the Apps." The new programming should also be available to most people with an Apple device, possibly through the iOS/tvOS TV app, rather than limited to Apple Music subscribers.

The company is said to be rejecting any risque content, even from well-known creators, meaning that viewers won't see an equivalent of "Dexter" or "Game of Thrones." Two shows that are in the company's stable include a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" and a morning show drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    Wonderful news. Apple might actually have a shot at it.
  • Reply 2 of 27
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
    The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
    Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.
    If Apple us going to do the normal PG stuff as in broadcast TV, why would anyone pay to watch it?  The crap Apple has put out so far didn't do a thing to get me in Apple Music.  The amount if great Original coming out of Netflix, nor even Anazon or Hulu us remotely close.  Apple us a joke right now.   For all the billions Apple has and growing.  What they have been doing and still continue to do is a joke.

    edited December 2017 allmypeopleboltsfan17[Deleted User]
  • Reply 3 of 27
    Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!
  • Reply 4 of 27
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!
    If Apple is only making family friendly shows, Amazon Studios has nothing to worry about. 
    mac_dogjbdragon[Deleted User]
  • Reply 5 of 27
    jSnivelyjSnively Posts: 429administrator
    In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
    The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
    Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.
    Apple will do what's good for the Apple brand. If that results in "boring" shows then so be it -- some of the most popular shows on TV are the most rote, unoriginal content you could imagine. There's a very clear place for those things in the market. That said, I wouldn't be surprised (if the initiative proves successful) to see a sub-label for more mature content, sort of how Disney used to own Miramax/Dimension.

    Personally, I just want to see them do better. Just even thinking about Planet of the Apps makes me cry a little inside.

    Also maybe dial it back a notch with your "PC" rhetoric, thanks.
    1STnTENDERBITSmontrosemacs
  • Reply 6 of 27
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
    The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
    Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.
    Some people prefer not to watch violence passing as entertainment, calling upbeat cheerful stuff "PC" is ridiculous. Not everyone wants what you want, nothing new about that. 
    montrosemacsrandominternetperson
  • Reply 7 of 27
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    We have networks that create crap already. Hallmark comes to mind and all of network television. 
    allmypeople
  • Reply 8 of 27
    yawn. like ABC Family. cant offend anyone. The competition has nothing to worry about. 
    jbdragonallmypeople
  • Reply 9 of 27
    In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
    The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
    Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.
    As long as Tim Cook is at the helm, that's what you're gonna get.
    mike54
  • Reply 10 of 27
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    jbdragon said:
    In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
    The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
    Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.
    If Apple us going to do the normal PG stuff as in broadcast TV, why would anyone pay to watch it?  The crao Apple has put out so far didn't do a thing to get me in Apple Music.  The amount if great Original coming out on Netflix, nor even Anazon or Hulu us remotely close.  Apple us a joke right now.   For all the billions Apple has and growing.  What they fave been doing and still continue to do is a joke.

    I've thought for a long time that Apple should have bought Netflix or a large stake in it and allowed it to run separately. Apple will only constrain art. Prediction: It'll be PC boredom. 


    Netflix wouldn't be as great as it is now. Remove all the Original Content Netflix has been putting out, which is a TON. In all areas, including Kids programming. Throw Apple into owning half or more and all that content would never have happened. It would turn into a Family Wonderland that only a tiny market would care about. I'd have dropped them and gone with just about anyone else at that point.

    Thank goodness Apple doesn't have a thing to do with Netflix. It would be like Apple buying HBO. Would they have anything left Apple would allow to be played on that service? It would be a shell of it's self. Apple is really doing a whole lot of nothing that has any appeal to a large market when it comes to viewing content. Apple is locked into their own little G/PG world. Does anyone here care about AMAZING STORIES? I remember some of it as a kid. I don't give a crap about it now. It will NEVER be on a TV in my house. It's almost like Apple really doesn't care. It's really all about selling hardware.
    [Deleted User]
  • Reply 11 of 27
    Some good points on here.
    Maybe wait, and see what Apple does?

    Lots of assumptions and ridicule for a product that doesn’t exist yet.  Obviously this will not be another Car Karaoke.  I trust that Apple has a direction, might take the scenic route though.

    Perhaps, traditional entertainment will not be the end goal.  AR entertainment will be a whole new form of content very soon, so don’t underestimate Apple’s true goal post.

  • Reply 12 of 27
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    You act like there is zero content available on all cable networks, Hulu. HBO, Showtime, Netflix, etc.... Someday Apple might develop something you will enjoy but until then pick something from the lot. 
  • Reply 13 of 27
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Content producers are mercenaries with a big ego, give them money and freedom and they'll flock to you.
    Apple just have to set boundaries suitable to their content and they'll come.
    Shows like Person of Interest actually played on network TV on CBS of all thing, so its not like it is impossible to do good content without going full R.

  • Reply 14 of 27
    Meanwhile, Disney is about to buy 21st Century Fox... you know, the people who consist of:
    • Cable Network Programming
    • Television
    • Filmed Entertainment
    • Direct-Broadcast Satellite Television

    Incidentally, I understand Apple has a lot of money and could be making equally enormous and impactful moves. Tim should've bought Disney AND Bob Iger while they had a chance. That can't possibly happen now.
    edited December 2017
  • Reply 15 of 27
    Meanwhile, Disney is about to buy 21st Century Fox... you know, the people who consist of:
    • Cable Network Programming
    • Television
    • Filmed Entertainment
    • Direct-Broadcast Satellite Television
    So we go from having 6 companies owned by the same people controlling all TV, radio, and print media to 5. Big deal.

    I just had a thought (and this one’s directly related to the thread topic–Apple entering the media production/distribution realm). That whole thing about “not asking what would steve do?” That should have applied to everything except negotiations. Steve grabbed the music industry by the balls and dragged them to iTunes. When he died, the TV moguls pried his hands off theirs and took off for the hills. Now we have an “a la carte” system, all right. “A la carte” being a phrase that just means “you have to buy all content separately from everyone’s own dedicated services at separate prices and formats, because they’re slowly ending licensing and pulling their shit off of aggregate services.”
    randominternetperson
  • Reply 16 of 27
    Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!
    If Apple is only making family friendly shows, Amazon Studios has nothing to worry about. 
    Disney doesn’t have to make R-rated features to give other studios competition at the box office.
    randominternetpersonallmypeoplejSnively
  • Reply 17 of 27
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!
    More like "Take that, Hallmark Channel."
    [Deleted User]
  • Reply 18 of 27
    I was trying to think of some shows I like that would come under this family-friendly "PC" criteria... "Frasier"? "Monk" maybe. Beyond that, I got nothing. Does Fast & Loud offend other than the swearing?
  • Reply 19 of 27
    adm1 said:
    "PC" criteria... "Frasier"? "Monk" maybe.
    Even those are rather sketchy.
    family-friendly “PC”
    You know, I’ve found political correctness to be the opposite of that.
    allmypeople
  • Reply 20 of 27
    Why are we (y'all) obsessing over the alleged fact that Apple would never produce anything that isn't G rated?  What history do we have to back this up?  Apple has never been a media company, so it becomes one, all bets are off about how it evolves.  I would be less surprised if Apple buys HBO than I was Apple buying Beats, for example.
Sign In or Register to comment.