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Given the successful track record for crime-themed programming, when the formula of a self-contained episode (i.e.; a beginning, a middle and an end) is synonymous with initial sampling and return viewership, crime actually pays — both scripted and non-scripted –in any broadcasting medium. It has since the early days of television and it is, at present, perhaps more popular than it has ever been before across all platforms.
Scripted crime solvers, of course, are of great value for syndication. Continued success on the broadcasters (think the “CSI” and “Law & Order” franchises, in particular) translates into more availability in the syndication marketplace. But crime on the small screen, no doubt, also comes in the format of real crime, where veteran newsmagazines like “20/20,” “Dateline” and “48 Hours;” cable networks like Investigation Discovery (ID) and Oxygen; and a distributor like PPI Releasing (“The Listener” and upcoming “Forensic Factor”) are benefiting by the art of crime, and the quest for justice.
“The crime genre, particularly shows of a true crime nature, have grown because of three key factors,” noted media analyst Bill Carroll. “One is that newsmagazines on the broadcast networks that have made them credible and mainstream. Second was the arrival of ‘CSI’ on CBS, which introduced the audience to the concept of scientific analysis. And then what made them intriguing, and even sexy, was a platform like Investigation Discovery. The combination of these factors has established this as an important genre, and now it has become a staple of broadcast, cable and syndication.”
“I think there is a built-in advantage for a show like “Forensic Factor,” he added.
Based on true crimes with elite teams of investigators, “Forensic Factor” (also known as “F2”) is shot in documentary form with richly produced reenactments designed to put the viewer in the center of the detective work. “Forensic Factor” shows intense forensic techniques and their application in crime solving, while detailing trade secrets used by the world’s best sleuths to nab the most elusive criminals. Described as a “visually stunning showcase of how human ingenuity and revolutionary forensic technology combine to solve crimes,” each episode of “Forensic Factor” features the world’s best CSI’s, armed with the top investigative tools in the hunt to catch elusive criminals. The essential core of “F2” is scripted drama based on real events – the same recipe that has powered the “Law & Order” franchise for decades.
Sample cases profiled on “Forensic Factor,” which also includes commentary from the actual investigators who brought these criminals to justice, include the Olympic Bomber, the Washington D.C. sniper and the “Smiley Face” serial killer. An episode on the infamous Fremont bomber follows a former police technician who is accused of planting a series of bombs that terrorized Fremont, California; and “Beauty Queen” is the real-life story of a Decatur, Illinois woman who goes missing and, shockingly, her ex-husband’s parents turn out to be the killers.
Available in both hour-long or half-hour format (both as a weekly, and in the half-hour as a strip), “Forensic Factor” is new to syndication. And the series, which was produced by Exploration Production, Inc. and formerly aired on Discovery and Science Channel, can be paired in PPI Releasing’s “crime-fighting duo” with returning off-net procedural, “The Listener,” in a crime-themed programming block.
“The Listener,” which is resonating in syndication in markets across the country (including New York/WWOR, Philadelphia/WPVI, Atlanta/WSB and Phoenix/KTVK), originally aired in prime on NBC. It features Craig Olejnik as Toby Logan, a paramedic who uses his telepathic powers to help officers of the Integrated Investigative Bureau (IIB) crack their most enigmatic cases.
“We have been in the crime drama business for more than 15-years, with the type of programming options for stations that capitalize on this successful formula,” noted PPI Releasing co-founder Ritch Colbert. “Our ‘Crime Fighting Duo’ also gives stations the scheduling flexibility they need.”
PPI’s success in the genre began in 2005 with the launch of drama “DaVinci’s Inquest” as a late night weekend companion to the original “CSI.”
“Since the original ‘CSI’ debuted in syndication in fall 2004, crime dramas have flourished on weekends in syndication,” said PPI’s Josh Raphaelson. “They attract women 25-54 and are effective counter-programming to weekend sports and comedy (‘Saturday Night Live’ or sitcoms, for example).”
With as many as six individual series of a crime-related nature not expected back in weekend syndication next season (including “Bones,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “Person of Interest” and “Elementary”), could there be a 911 call from stations needing more crime series in 2019? The arrival of “Forensic Factor” is perfectly timed. This is real crime and real drama in a category known for its success and durability. And, as an alternative programming option in a proven format, “Forensic Factor” looks like the ideal fit.
For more information, contact your PPI Sales representative:
Ritch Colbert [email protected] (323) 850-5858
Josh Raphaelson [email protected] (310) 963-4565
Dave Hutchinson [email protected] (213) 400-4729
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