Apple hires veteran producer Michelle Lee to help oversee original TV shows

A years-long veteran of the TV industry, Michelle Lee, has reportedly joined Apple has a creative executive with its Worldwide Video division, which is spearheading a push into high-budget TV shows.

Lee will serve under Matt Cherniss, the development head Apple hired in August, Variety said on Wednesday. For five years Lee has been a partner with True Jack Productions showrunner Jason Katims, giving her executive producer credits on shows like "About a Boy" on NBC and "The Path" on Hulu.

Her new position could give her signifcant influence over Apple programming. Even Cherniss, though, ranks below former Sony Pictures Television presidents Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who have ultimate control of Worldwide Video short of top-level executives like CEO Tim Cook.

Apple is expected to premiere a small collection of shows in 2019 that will break out of the low-budget reality TV mold established by "Carpool Karaoke" and "Planet of the Apps." The new programming should also be available to most people with an Apple device, possibly through the iOS/tvOS TV app, rather than limited to Apple Music subscribers.

The company is said to be rejecting any risque content, even from well-known creators, meaning that viewers won't see an equivalent of "Dexter" or "Game of Thrones." Two shows that are in the company's stable include a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" and a morning show drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

27 Comments

SoundJudgment 187 comments · 7 Years

About 6 years ago

Wonderful news. Apple might actually have a shot at it.

jbdragon 2312 comments · 10 Years

allmypeople said:

In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.

If Apple us going to do the normal PG stuff as in broadcast TV, why would anyone pay to watch it? The crap Apple has put out so far didn't do a thing to get me in Apple Music. The amount if great Original coming out of Netflix, nor even Anazon or Hulu us remotely close. Apple us a joke right now. For all the billions Apple has and growing. What they have been doing and still continue to do is a joke.

suddenly newton 13819 comments · 14 Years

Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!

boltsfan17 2294 comments · 12 Years

suddenly newton said:

Take that, Amazon Studios. Hopefully they can greenlight and develop some successful programs!

If Apple is only making family friendly shows, Amazon Studios has nothing to worry about.

jSnively 396 comments · 13 Years

allmypeople said:

In an industry that's stifled by political correctness, I just can't see Apple doing anything other than kids shows.
The most successful shows are the ones still pushing boundaries because people are so sick of PC culture being crammed down our throats.
Carpool Karaoke was awful. But I'm guess there's people with beigemobiles who will get something out of it.

Apple will do what's good for the Apple brand. If that results in "boring" shows then so be it -- some of the most popular shows on TV are the most rote, unoriginal content you could imagine. There's a very clear place for those things in the market. That said, I wouldn't be surprised (if the initiative proves successful) to see a sub-label for more mature content, sort of how Disney used to own Miramax/Dimension.

Personally, I just want to see them do better. Just even thinking about Planet of the Apps makes me cry a little inside.

Also maybe dial it back a notch with your "PC" rhetoric, thanks.