Created by Byron Balasco (Detroit 1-8-7), the series is set against the world of Mixed Martial Arts and follows several individuals in Venice, California whose lives are centered around the sport, which has been growing in popularity for the past several years. Gym owner and former fighter Alvey “King” Kulina (Frank Grillo) is looking to get back into the ring, while world-class athlete Ryan Revis (Matt Lauria) attempts to put his addiction-fueled past behind him in order to realize the potential he showed all those years ago. Not as lucky is Alvey’s son Jay (Jonathan Tucker), a formerly promising fighter whose career has been besot by addiction issues, though Alvey does have another son in Nate (Nick Jonas), the prized fighter in the gym and the horse that the entire Kulina family is hitching their wagon to. Will Alvey’s gym get a boost from Nate’s promising career and give its owner the type of high that he hasn’t felt since the days of his own fighting career? Or will the pressure from his father and jealousy from his brother eventually get to Nate, causing him to underachieve and spiral into a life he never thought would be his?

Kingdom also stars Kiele Sanchez (Lost) as Alvey’s long-time girlfriend Lisa and Joanna Going (Mad Men) as Christina, Alvey’s estranged wife and mother of Jay and Nate.

The series premiere of Kingdom airs Wednesday, October 8th at 9:00 on DirecTV’s Audience Network. Kingdom joins crime drama Rogue, which stars Thandie Newton as a cop-turned-handler for an FBI task force, as the only original scripted dramas on the network.

Will you be watching Kingdom? Could this be the original scripted series to breakout for Audience Network? Are you surprised that it’s taken this long for a scripted series to be centered around MMA?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGIjEKrMeQM

The post Kingdom Trailer: Fighting to the Top appeared first on TVHackr.

Viewership for the second edition of VICE, which debuted Friday, April 12, improved 78% over its premiere, attracting 931,000 viewers at 11:00 p.m. Based on preliminary data, the series has already achieved an average per episode gross audience of two million viewers.

-After recently premiering its first original scripted drama in Rogue, starring Thandie Newton, DirecTV has set its sights on adding another drama in Full Circle. From screenwriter Neil LaBute, the series examines the human condition and relationships through a series of conversations between 11 people whose lives, unbeknownst to them, are intertwined. Described as “a modern day La Ronde meets My Dinner with Andre“, production on Full Circle begins in early summer for a fall premiere.

-According to a blog post on The Animation Guild, FOX’s The Cleveland Show has been canceled after four seasons. However, there’s been no official confirmation, nor will there likely be one until FOX reveals its fall schedule next month.

-Comedian Tracy Morgan is set to host the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, airing May 19th on ABC, while Road Rules alum Theo Von has been named host of upcoming TBS hidden-camera comedy Deal with It, premiering July 16th at 10:00.

-VH1 has shifted two of its Monday night shows, as T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle moves up an hour to 9:00 and The Gossip Game is bumped at 9:30.

-Recently announced premiere dates include Bravo’s Princesses: Long Island (June 2nd), Comedy Central’s The Half Hour (May 3rd), National Geographic’s Ultimate Survival Alaska (May 12th), WeTV’s Bridezillas and Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas (May 31st), TLC’s The Little Couple (April 30th), E!’s The Wanted Life (June 2nd), Discovery’s Karma’s a B*tch! (May 2nd), and History’s Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy (May 8th).

-Fresh off the record-setting performance of Defiance, Syfy has unveiled the first teaser trailer for Helix, executive produced by Battlestar Galactica‘s Ron D. Moore. The show, yet to be cast, centers on a team of scientists investigating a possible disease outbreak in an Arctic research facility who find themselves trying to protect the world from annihilation.

The post News Roundup: VICE Expanded, Helix Teaser, DirecTV Originals, and More appeared first on TVHackr.