CMT is about to unleash the biggest programming slate in its history, with “Nashville” leading the way.
The country music drama — formerly on ABC — will make its Season 5 premiere at 9 p.m. Jan. 5, the network revealed Wednesday. Hulu will continue providing “Nashville” episodes for streaming the day after they air.
In March, CMT will premiere “Million Dollar Quartet” (working title), an eight-episode limited series based on early rock ‘n’ roll producer Sam Phillips and some of the pioneering artists he recorded, including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. The exact date and time will be announced later.
Also in the spring, there will be Season 2 of “Still the King,” the series about the trials and tribulations of an Elvis impersonator, starring Billy Ray Cyrus and Joey Lauren Adams.
“Still the King” started CMT’s aggressive push into scripted programming, which has helped boost ratings. Now the network hopes to find further gains with “Nashville” and other shows.
“After a promising start with ‘Still The King,’ we now have a clear path in attracting new audiences with our scripted programming,” Jayson Dinsmore, CMT‘s head of development, said in a statement. “Beginning with ‘Nashville’ in January, each series will help launch the next, creating an overlay to cycle viewers through our originals year round.”
CMT has also ordered a pilot called “His Wives & Daughters,” described as a soapy comedy about the life and loves of a country-music legend.