20th Television has made two new executive appointments in Jillian Longnecker and Brendan Countee.
Longnecker, who previously served as Netflix’s senior director of original series production, has been named EVP of production. Reporting to Disney Entertainment TV’s head of production Carol Turner, Longnecker will oversee production on more than two dozen current series and pilots that make up the studio’s slate of drama, comedy and limited series.
“Jillian is a talented and innovative executive with deep experience in managing complex productions, known for her strategic and collaborative spirit, supporting showrunners and production teams to bring storytelling to life on the screen,” Turner said in a Wednesday statement. “We are thrilled to welcome her to the studio team, where our shows will undoubtedly benefit from her leadership and expertise.”
Meanwhile, Countee has been appointed as head of comedy development, reporting to Carolyn Cassidy, EVP of development for 20th Television. He will oversee the studio’s comedy development strategy, including working closely on overall deals, identifying writers and shepherding projects from pitch to series order.
“Brendan has an expansive track record in bringing smart, funny and unexpected programming from top talent to fruition, and possesses a unique eye for comedy,” Cassidy said. “His extensive relationships in television coupled with his passion for hilarious storytelling make him a perfect fit to lead the comedy team at our studio.”
Prior to joining 20th Television, Countee served as SVP of programming at Showtime, where he developed and produced comedy and drama series like “The Chi,” “The Curse,” “I Love That For You,” “Who Is America,” “Kidding” and “Our Cartoon President.” He also started Hulu’s comedy department in 2011 and oversaw development and production for “Casual,” “Difficult People,” “The Mindy Project” and “The Awesomes.”
“This feels like an incredible homecoming of sorts, having sold my first script to 20th at the start of my career, and it’s thrilling to come to a place that values artists and their visions,” Countee said. “The opportunity to work alongside Carolyn and the exceptional team at the studio, while developing the next wave of acclaimed comedies, is the epitome of a dream job.”
At Netflix, Longnecker oversaw production management, post and VFX on shows including “The Diplomat,” “Ginny & Georgia,” “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “Virgin River.”
“I’ve admired the undeniable slate of television and the deep bench of talent at 20th Television for a long time, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to join Carol and her top-notch team,” Longnecker said. “I’m incredibly proud of my former team and all that we accomplished together, and look forward to my next chapter in television with the excellent group of executives at the studio.”
