New drama from Lionsgate “Manhattan” debuted this past Sunday on WGN America to rave reviews from critics.
Set in the New Mexican desert in the early 1940’s, the show follows dramatized accounts of the lives of the people living and working at a top-secret military installation on the titular Project that led to the creation of the Atom Bomb. Life there is rife with secrets and duplicity; everyone seems to be hiding something, even from their own families.
The New York Times called it “cleverly imagined,” while The St. Louis Post Dispatch deemed it “so good it lifts a network into a whole new tier.”
But the good news does not end there. Lionsgate has partnered with Hulu, giving the content-streaming service exclusive video-on-demand rights to the show.
As part of the deal, new episodes of “Manhattan” will air the Monday following the WGN Sunday night airings on Hulu’s subscription site Hulu Plus. All 13 episodes will be archived there at the end of the season, and the five most recent episodes will stream free on Hulu’s main site, as well.
Lionsgate already collaborates with Hulu on their original program Deadbeat, but their deal over Manhattan is a first. Hulu signed on before the show ever even aired.
“After seeing the episodes, and enjoying every minute, I knew this series represented the kind of high-quality, addictive programming that we strive to bring to Hulu,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President, Head of Content at Hulu.
Kevin Beggs, Chairman of Lionsgate Television Group, praised the partnership, as well as the dynamics of the show — the cast, creator Sam Shaw, and the “enormous critical acclaim.”
“Manhattan is shaping up to become another proud entry in our tradition of ground-breaking television series with enduring value,” he said.
Lionsgate may not have been around as long as some other companies or studios, but boasts a myriad of successes in a variety of platforms. A leading presence in motion pictures, television, syndication, home entertainment, distribution and sales, they already have Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, Anger Management with Charlie Sheen, and Orange is the New Black to their credit; also multiple film franchises, including The Expendables, Hunger Games, Divergent and the Saw series.
Lionsgate made its name years ago with thrillers such as American Psycho, and hit TV shows like The Dead Zone. Hopes and expectations for Manhattan are high, in light of such a string successes.
Manhattan stars John Benjamin Hickey, Olivia Williams, and Daniel Stern. It airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on WGN America.
