Subscribe
Follow Us
CNN Studios' upcoming docuseries about Martha Stewart didn't have her input per se, but she still remains the show's central subject, Variety reported.
The Many Lives of Martha Stewart
The four-part series The Many Lives of Martha Stewart is produced by CNN's longer-form and enterprise programming division. The division was formed after the station made the strategic decision to scale back in order to make a name for itself if the documentary space.
It was during former CNN president Jeff Zucker that the network extended its reach to the film festivals and documentaries such as shows from Anthony Bourdain, Lisa Ling and W. Kamau Bell.
When Warner Bros. Discovery took over CNN, it brought its cost-conscious reality programming over, and got Chris Licht to lead the push to trim down operations. A few months later, CNN went on to win an Academy Award focused on Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
The premiere of the new Martha Stewart docuseries, set to air from Jan. 29 and Feb. 4 at 9 p.m., continues that vein.
Other stations have similarly treaded on the same waters. Both MSNBC and NBC News have continuously built up their slate of documentary movies and show in the past years. The broadcaster recently released John Leguizamo's travelogue and Obama White House photographer Pete Souza's movie.
Fox News has joined the documentary space with a Kevin Costner. Dan Aykroyd and Dennis Quaid also have their own series for the Fox Nation streaming platform.
However, current CNN CEO Mark Thompson hasn't announced publicly if the station is going full force with original series or documentary films.
Martha Stewart 101
CNN Worldwide executive VP of talent and content development Amy Entelis said, “At a time when women were finding the courage to leave their domestic roles to seek careers in male dominated fields, Martha built her empire in the home, redefining what it meant to be a feminist in the modern era.”
She continued, “Whether you love her or hate her, we are betting audiences will continue to be fascinated by The Many Lives of Martha Stewart.”
Even though Stewart, who recently became the oldest cover model for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, didn't personally participate in the docuseries, CNN used archival footage, former Stewart associates and colleagues' and closest confidantes' interviews as well as her Larry King Live appearances were used to tell her story.
The show follows Stewart from her early days as a young model to one of the first female stockbrokers on Wall Street. Then on to her long-time stint as a Connecticut caterer who built her own home media empire to serving time in prison after being accused of insider trading.
CNN said that the docuseries will include interviews with her fellow inmates at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia. Celebrity restaurateurs and chefs such as Michelin starred Daniel Boulud, Momofuku's David Chang, former Bon Appétit contributing editor Claire Saffitz and two-time Top Chef Carla Hall also make an appearance.
