Disney and ABC lay on a smorgasbord of viewing
THE DISNEY Africa showcase is always an exciting affair for the media. And the event proved to be so popular, it trended on Twitter on Thursday.
Of course, the line-up deserved every bit of fanfare.
Before delving into the kiddie content on Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, I just have to rave about ABC’s ingenious new offerings.
American Housewife, think along the lines of Bad Moms (but a more hysterically funny version), is a new comedy that is sure to be a hit. It stars Katy Mixon ( Mike & Molly fame). She is unapologetic, irreverent and flawlessly imperfect. And she owns it. A mother of three in Westport, Connecticut, she is up against the “perfect mommies and offspring” brigade. Not sure who is having a harder time fitting in – the kids or her.
What I love about the line-up, is that it cuts across genres. Time After Time, which is based on the novel and movie, follows famous sci-fi writer, HG Wells, in his pursuit of Jack the Ripper. Along the way, he gets distracted by an attractive woman. It offers a fantastical catand-mouse chase.
Shonda Rhimes has another series on the cards – this time she extends her Midas touch to the period drama, Still Star-Crossed. It is based on the book by Melinda Taub and picks up from where Romeo and Juliet ends.
Meanwhile, Disney Channel, which has a core audience of girls aged 4 to 14, has some magnificent animation series on the bill: Elena Avalor, Tangled: Before Ever After and Frozen Northern Lights. Yes, they have also gone the mainstream movie to TV series spinoff route.
And Disney XD, which has been performing exceptionally well with its inspiring, fun-filled action-packed adventures, has Marvel’s Avengers Ultron Revolution coming to the small screen, along with Guardians of the Galaxy and Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything.
The Lion Guard, which is born from The Lion King, is performing well. And My Friends Tiger and Pooh, Sofia the First and Mickey and the Roadster Racers are all coming soon.
From the promos we saw, the quality of the animations is on a similar scale to what we see on the big screen. Visually, it is a magnificent and as magical as the storytelling.
Once again, Disney is determined to retain its popularity among viewers, young and the young at heart. And there’s something for the adults, too!