AMC Networks had added Dan McDermott and David Beck to lead the company’s programming division, with McDermott heading up original programming and Beck leading programming strategy and business operations.
McDermott comes from Lionsgate TV, where he led the studio’s scripted partnership with BBC Studios. He will serve as president of original programming and co-president of AMC Studios. He effectively replaces David Madden, who led programming for AMC’s Entertainment Networks and AMC Studios and departed last year after AMC Studios was moved under Entertainment Networks Group president Sarah Barnett.
Beck, who comes from WarnerMedia, joins as executive vice president and head of programming strategy and business operations. Both Beck and McDermott will report to Barnett.
“These two outstanding leaders arrive as we reshape our company to put our passionate audiences and premium content at the heart of our operations. Nobody can thrive today in our fast-moving industry without a nimble structure and exceptional teams led by outstanding people, that’s what we’re building at AMC Networks,” Barnett said.
McDermott will be based in Los Angeles and will be responsible for content creation across the Entertainment Group’s network brands including AMC, BBC America, IFC and SundanceTV, as well as AMC Studios, where he will be co-president along with Stefan Reinhardt, who oversees business operations and studio production.
Beck will lead the Entertainment Group’s linear and digital programming strategy, scheduling and acquisitions group, digital content and operations including AVOD, TVE, and AMC Premiere, as well as oversee certain brand and functional areas across AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV.
20 Movies With Extremely Happy Endings to Make You Forget All About the Pandemic (Photos)
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
"Back to the Future" (1985): Marty fixes his life and his parents' lives with time travel. Then we get a SUPER DOPE sequel hook. And then comes Huey Lewis and the News at their artistic and commercial peak to make you feel so good you won't care about a statewide lockdown.
"Chef" (2014): This is a great movie if you want to remember the Before Times, when we could still leave our houses and eat street food. You also get a dance party in the closing credits. Take that, end times anxiety.
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" (2009): Tim FINALLY shows real affection for his son and then Flint and Sam kiss. No, I'm not coughing I'm crying.
"Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" (1993): Wait, the two dogs and their kitty friend make it home alive and Chance learns to love his family? Shut up! I'm not crying; you're crying. I SAID SHUT UP! I AM NOT CRYING!
"Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!" (2018): It's already one of the greatest movie musicals of all time before the ending turns into a totally insane sing along to Abba's "Super Trouper" featuring the older characters dancing with their younger selves, the ghost of Meryl Streep, and CHER!!!!
"Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" (2016): The criminally underappreciated masterpiece from The Lonely Island is nonstop hilarious, and then Michael Bolton shows up at the end to sing "Incredible Thoughts." Also, the picture here is the world's cutest kitten just hugging a dog, which you'd know if your brain was a genius.
"Shazam!" (2019): By far the best movie not called "Superman: The Movie" to be based on a DC Comic. If you didn't yell "Hell Yes" and embarrass yourself in the theater when the thing depicted in the image above happened, you need a hug.
"Sing Street" (2016): Awesome songs, a great coming-of-age story, then we end with a truly cathartic bittersweet moment of hope for the future and the successful pursuit of one's dreams. For instance, I dream of being able to leave the house again.
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" (2018): This is a pretty good kiss, too.
"Trolls" (2016): When Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick sing "Can't Stop the Feeling" to turn the Bergens into happy dancing party people your mood will be dramatically improved, and I know because in November 2016 I saw this three times in the theater because, for some reason, I needed cheering up.
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971): "Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted." "What's that?" "He lived happily ever after." Just like we will once this whole thing is over.
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Self-quarantine more like self-quarantastic
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
