MTV's 'Wonderland': Inside the Network's Plan to Make Itself Cool Again

For the first time in the better part of a decade, MTV wants to play music again.

When the network outlined its programming plans for the 2016-17 season back in April, it surprised some of its viewers with a huge slate of music-based content, led by “Wonderland,” its first live performance show in 20 years.

“The idea is to go back to having music at least somehow connected to everything we do,” recently appointed head of music and events Erik Flannigan told TheWrap.

In recent years, the network has become better known for reality shows like “Jersey Shore” or scripted fare like “Teen Wolf” than for actually playing music. But this season, it’s is looking to reverse course, with Flannigan at the helm.

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In addition to “Wonderland,” which premiered last month, the network also plans to roll out a revamped version of its classic “Unplugged” series, a reality competition show from super-producer Mark Burnett, a music documentary series and an unscripted songwriting show from Scooter Braun Films.

But MTV’s renewed focus on music doesn’t mark a complete return to its early days as a 24-hour music channel. Flannigan described his programming strategy as one-third music, one-third scripted and one-third “totally unexpected.”

This new direction comes at an important time for the company. Just a few months after the network announced its new slate to the world, “Teen Wolf” creator Jeff Davis told the crowd at San Diego Comic-Con that the supernatural drama — which marked one of the network’s first and biggest successes in the scripted arena in 2011 — will come to an end next year.

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The network has undergone a string of major changes behind the scenes as well. Veteran digital media executive Sean Atkins replaced Stephen Friedman as network president in September, signifying the company’s intent to reclaim its pioneer status by expanding beyond traditional TV.

Strictly in terms of linear viewing, “Wonderland” has struggled to find its footing (due at least in part to the fact that the show airs at 11 p.m. on the east coast). The Sept. 15 premiere was watched by just 135,000 people, according to Nielsen’s live plus same day numbers. By comparison, the most recent season of “Teen Wolf,” which airs in primetime, premiered to over 1.5 million viewers.

“Are the ratings where we’d like them to be? Not really,” Flannigan admitted. But he added that focusing on ratings misses the point of a show like “Wonderland.”

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In addition to airing as an hour of linear television, the show is also live-streamed on Facebook and the network’s web site and mobile app. Featuring three simultaneous performance stages as well as hosted segments and live interviews, the bulk of “Wonderland” isn’t even aired on TV.

Flannigan describes the show, filmed at the Imperial Arts Studio in Downtown Los Angeles, as a “music festival that happens every week.” Indeed, when experienced in person (tickets are free), “Wonderland” plays more like a block party than a TV show. Its closest spiritual predecessor is probably the “Spring Break” specials of years past.

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The question then becomes how best to translate that experience on-screen in a way that connects with viewers outside L.A. Flannigan is optimistic, noting that he expects the show to gain traction as the network rebuilds its brand as a destination for music fans.

There’s obviously an audience for music programming on TV — “The Voice” is regularly one of the highest-rated shows on TV, and NBC’s pre-taped Adele concert special was watched by more than 11 million people — and that’s an audience MTV is betting on big time.

“The Mark Burnett show starts production on Monday,” Flannigan said. “And we’re currently in the process of booking for ‘Unplugged.'”

Also Read: MTV Video Music Awards: The Complete List of Winners

When asked if the network’s plans could change if viewers don’t find “Wonderland,” Flannigan dismissed the idea outright. “This is just the first step,” he promised.

Evolution of MTV: From Buggles to 'Teen Wolf' (Photos)

August 1, 1981 – MTV takes off

MTV officially premiered in 1981 with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" played over footage of the launch of the Columbia space shuttle, followed by the debut of the network's now-iconic logo.
MTV
1981 – "Video Killed the Radio Star"

MTV's kicked off it's 24-hour rotation of music videos with The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," sending the format mainstream for the first time.
MTV
1982 – "I want my MTV!"

MTV enlisted famous musicians -- including Pat Benatar, David Bowie, The Police, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Lionel Richie and Mick Jagger -- in 1982 for a legendary marketing campaign calling on viewers to ask their cable companies to carry the network.
MTV
1983 – Michael Jackson breaks the color barrier

In its earliest days, MTV focused mainly on rock music by white artists, leading to cries of racial discrimination. The network finally reversed course in 1983 when it was pressured into airing Michael Jackson's video for "Billie Jean," followed closely by "Beat It" and the hugely popular "Thriller."
MTV
September 14, 1984 – The first VMAs

MTV debuted the original Video Music Awards in 1984, with Madonna doing a live performance of her single "Like a Virgin," and The Cars' "You Might Think" walking away with the moonman for Video of the Year.
MTV
May 1992 – "The Real World"

MTV stopped being polite and started getting real in 1992 with the premiere of "The Real World," basically inventing the modern reality TV genre in the process and setting the stage for hundreds of imitators in years to come.
MTV
September 1998 – "Total Request Live"

As MTV continued to shift away to other kinds of programming in the late '90s, the Carson Daly-hosted "TRL" became the network's main outlet for music videos, featuring a countdown of the most-requested videos of the day.
Getty Images
October 2000 – "Jackass"

One of several prank series throughout the network's history, "Jackass" ran for just two years, but launched the careers of stars Steve-O, Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera, and paved the way for Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd."
MTV
March 2002 – "The Osbournes"

The most-watched MTV series when it premiered, "The Osbournes" documented the domestic life of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, making it one of the first entrants in the now-common "celebreality" genre.
MTV
September 2004 – "Laguna Beach"

A year after the premiere of Fox's "The OC," MTV debuted the reality series "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," the world's first introduction to the life of Lauren "L.C." Conrad. The even more popular spinoff "The Hills" followed in 2006, blurring the line between scripted and unscripted television.
MTV
November 2008 – "TRL" comes to an end

The series finale of "TRL" marked the end of an era for MTV, with the music-centric program taking its final bow at a time when "The Hills" was hitting its peak, and "Jersey Shore" and "16 and Pregnant" -- a show which would eventually birth three editions of spin-off "Teen Mom" -- were less than a year away.
Getty Images
December 2009 – "Jersey Shore"

Snooki, JWoww and The Situation became household names when the "Real World"-inspired series "Jersey Shore" hit the network and became one of the most popular shows on cable TV at the time.
MTV
2010 – A push for scripted series

MTV began its push into scripted programming in 2010 with disappointments like "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and a U.S. adaptation of "Skins" balanced out by major hits like the comedy "Awkward" and the highly successful "Teen Wolf."
MTV
January 2016 – "The Shannara Chronicles"

For years the network struggled to find a show that could match the success of "Teen Wolf," so in 2016 MTV bet big on "The Shannara Chronicles," an expensive adaptation of the series of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.
MTV
July 2016 – The end in sight for "Teen Wolf"

Series creator Jeff Davis announced at San Diego Comic-Con that "Teen Wolf" would come to an end in 2017, leaving viewers to wonder what the network's programming slate will look like once its tentpole program goes off the air.
MTV
September 15, 2016 – "Wonderland"

At the network's upfronts presentation in April, MTV announced it would be bringing music back to MTV with a few new music-themed programs, including new multi-platform live performance show "Wonderland" and the return of the long-running "MTV Unplugged."
MTV

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Viacom’s music-centric network has taken many forms since ”I want my MTV!“

August 1, 1981 – MTV takes off

MTV officially premiered in 1981 with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" played over footage of the launch of the Columbia space shuttle, followed by the debut of the network's now-iconic logo.

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Evolution of MTV: From Buggles to 'Teen Wolf' (Photos)

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