As Emmy nominations voting comes to a close this Monday, UCP and Starz have found one more way to expose their limited series “Gaslit” to potential voters: Free, over-the-air broadcast TV.
The first episode of “Gaslit,” starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, will air on NBC-owned TV stations in key markets including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, this weekend in a final push to expose the series to as many people as possible. (The episode, originally rated TV-MA, will be edited for broadcast standards, and will run commercial-free.)
Universal Studio Group’s UCP produces “Gaslit” for Starz. And in a case of Comcast/NBCUniversal synergy, USG and UCP have turned to their sister NBC broadcast station unit for help. As a result, the first episode of “Gaslit” will air on KNBC/Channel 4 in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 25, at 8 p.m. — in primetime. (KNBC is able to easily do that because it will air NBC’s primetime lineup that night — a USFL Football playoff game — live at 5 p.m. PT, which means local programming was scheduled at 8 p.m., including episodes of “Open House” and “1st Look,” which will instead be replaced with “Gaslit.”)
In New York (WNBC), Philadelphia (WCAU), Washington D.C. (WRC), Boston (WBTS) and Philadelphia (WCAU), the NBC stations will air “Gaslit” at 7 p.m. ET, before that USFL game. In Central Time markets of Chicago (WMAQ) and Dallas (KXAS), “Gaslit” will run at 6 p.m. CT, also before the game. In San Francisco, KNTV will run the show on Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. PT.
A look at the underreported players of the Watergate scandal, including both Richard Nixon’s opportunistic subordinates and zealots aiding and abetting those crimes, as well as the whistleblowers who brought those infractions to light, “Gaslit” is based on the first season of the “Slow Burn” podcast, and was created, written and executive produced by Robbie Pickering (“Mr. Robot”).
Roberts (“Martha Mitchell”) and Penn (“John Mitchell”) star alongside Shea Whigham (“G. Gordon Liddy”), Dan Stevens (“John Dean”), Betty Gilpin (“Mo Dean”) and Darby Camp (“Marty Mitchell”).
Matt Ross directed and executive produced; Sam Esmail, via his overall deal with UCP and under his production banner Esmail Corp, also is an exec producer, along with Chad Hamilton. Roberts executive produced under her banner Red Om Films, along with co-executive producers Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill. Anonymous Content and Slate’s Gabriel Roth and Josh Levin also executive produced.
“Gaslit” first premiered on April 24. All episodes, in their original TV-MA format, are available to stream on Starz.
