Imagine Television Studios

Sub-brand

The television production division of Imagine Entertainment, founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and associated with scripted, unscripted, documentary, and family-oriented television programming.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Imagine Television Studios is the television division of Imagine Entertainment. Imagine Entertainment was founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and tells stories through film, television, and documentary.

History

2022
Imagine and The Washington Post agree to develop content
[6]Washington Post inks major video deal with Imagine Entertainmentaxios.com
The companies establish a multi-year arrangement covering scripted and unscripted film and television projects based on The Washington Post’s archives and reporting.
2020
68 Whiskey and Filthy Rich premiere
[19]68 Whiskey and Filthy Rich premiereen.wikipedia.org
Imagine participates in new scripted series for Paramount Network and FOX, maintaining a presence across cable and broadcast platforms.
2020
The Astronauts premieres
[20]The Astronauts premieresen.wikipedia.org
The Nickelodeon family series is produced through Imagine’s kids-and-family activities.
2019
Why Women Kill premieres
[17]Why Women Kill premieresen.wikipedia.org
The CBS All Access anthology series expands Imagine’s premium and streaming scripted portfolio.
2019
Wu-Tang: An American Saga premieres
[18]Wu-Tang: An American Saga premieresen.wikipedia.org
The Hulu drama becomes an important collaboration between Imagine, RZA Productions, and other production partners.
2017
Imagine and TVB establish a television co-financing venture
[4]Imagine Announces $100 Million Television Production Agreement With TVBprnewswire.com
Imagine and TVB Venture announce a partnership intended to finance and distribute television projects internationally, with TVB receiving rights in Greater China and Taiwan.
2017
Genius launches
[16]Genius launchesen.wikipedia.org
The National Geographic anthology series becomes one of Imagine’s major factual-scripted television franchises.
2016
Mars combines scripted drama and documentary elements in a production involving Imagine and RadicalMedia.
[15]Mars combines scripted drama and documentary elements in a production involving Imagine and RadicalMedia.en.wikipedia.org
Mars combines scripted drama and documentary elements in a production involving Imagine and RadicalMedia.
2015
Empire becomes a major Imagine television project
[13]Empire becomes a major Imagine television projecten.wikipedia.org
Imagine participates in Empire, the FOX musical drama produced with Lee Daniels Entertainment, Danny Strong Productions, and 20th Century Fox Television.
2015
Breakthrough premieres
[14]Breakthrough premieresen.wikipedia.org
The National Geographic factual series expands Imagine’s activity in science and documentary-style television.
2010
Parenthood television series launches
[12]Parenthood television series launchesen.wikipedia.org
A new NBC version of Parenthood becomes a major Imagine television production and runs for multiple seasons.
2006
Friday Night Lights begins
[11]Friday Night Lights beginsen.wikipedia.org
Imagine participates in the NBC drama with Film 44 and Universal Television, contributing to one of the division’s most durable scripted series.
2003
Arrested Development premieres
[10]Arrested Development premieresen.wikipedia.org
The critically acclaimed FOX comedy enters Imagine’s production portfolio and later receives a continuation through Netflix.
1998
From the Earth to the Moon premieres
[8]From the Earth to the Moon premieresen.wikipedia.org
The HBO miniseries becomes one of Imagine’s signature television projects and reinforces the company’s profile in ambitious event programming.
1998
Sports Night begins
[9]Sports Night beginsen.wikipedia.org
The ABC comedy-drama becomes an early example of Imagine’s post-relaunch work in distinctive scripted television.
1997
Television division reopens
[2]Imagine Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
Imagine revives its television operation and signs a development and production arrangement with Disney.
1991
Original Imagine Television unit closes
[2]Imagine Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
Imagine shuts down its initial television division, ends its exclusive MCA production relationship, and reduces staff after a difficult run of television projects.
1988
MCA Television distribution relationship begins
[2]Imagine Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
Imagine enters a television distribution and joint-venture arrangement with MCA Television, with Imagine emphasizing half-hour comedy and MCA focusing on one-hour network programs.
1986
Imagine becomes a publicly traded entertainment company
[2]Imagine Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
The parent company goes public and pursues film and television development through arrangements with outside distributors and studios.
1985
Imagine Entertainment and its television operation are founded
[2]Imagine Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
Brian Grazer and Ron Howard establish Imagine Entertainment, with television production included among the company’s activities. The television division later becomes known as Imagine Television and Imagine Television Studios.

Products and positioning

A premium independent television production and development division that works with networks, streamers, studios, creators, and international financing and distribution partners across scripted, unscripted, documentary, and family programming.

Scripted television series · 1986
Gung Ho
An early Imagine television project adapted from the company’s film-related development activity and produced for American broadcast television. It represents the division’s initial emphasis on half-hour comedy and network programming during the late 1980s.
Miniseries · 1998
From the Earth to the Moon
An HBO historical miniseries about the American space program and the Apollo missions. The project helped establish Imagine’s reputation for ambitious, research-driven event television and remains one of the company’s most prominent early prestige productions.
Scripted comedy-drama · 1998
Sports Night
An ABC series set behind the scenes of a fictional sports-news program. Produced with Touchstone Television, it demonstrated Imagine’s interest in ensemble comedy, workplace storytelling, and creator-driven scripted programming.
Scripted comedy series · 2003
Arrested Development
A serialized ensemble comedy about a dysfunctional wealthy family. Imagine participated in the original FOX run and later in the Netflix continuation, making the series an example of the company’s ability to carry a franchise across broadcast and streaming environments.
Children’s animated series · 2006
Curious George
An animated children’s franchise based on the classic picture-book character. Imagine was credited across multiple seasons and related production arrangements, including work with WGBH, Universal Animation Studios, and other partners.
Scripted drama series · 2006
Friday Night Lights
A character-driven drama about a Texas high-school football community and the social pressures surrounding it. Produced with Film 44 and Universal Television, the series became one of Imagine’s best-known long-running scripted television credits.
Scripted family drama · 2010
Parenthood
The 2010 NBC drama follows an extended family across domestic, professional, and generational conflicts. It revisited a property associated with the Imagine brand while developing it as a serialized ensemble television series.
Scripted musical drama · 2015
Empire
A FOX drama centered on a music-industry family and its business conflicts. Imagine produced the series with Lee Daniels Entertainment, Danny Strong Productions, Little Chicken Inc., and 20th Century Fox Television.
Factual science series · 2015
Breakthrough
A National Geographic factual series examining scientific and technological advances. It reflects Imagine’s expansion into documentary-style and science-oriented television alongside its scripted projects.
Hybrid scripted-documentary series · 2016
Mars
A science-fiction and factual hybrid that combines a dramatized future mission to Mars with documentary interviews and scientific context. The series was produced with RadicalMedia and positioned Imagine in ambitious factual entertainment.
Anthology miniseries · 2017
Genius
A National Geographic anthology examining the lives and work of historically important figures. The series became one of Imagine’s signature television properties and demonstrated the company’s strength in premium factual-scripted storytelling.
Scripted anthology series · 2019
Why Women Kill
A darkly comic anthology series exploring marital conflict, betrayal, and violence across different periods. Produced with CBS Studios and other partners, it extended Imagine’s work into premium streaming-era serialized drama.
Scripted music drama · 2019
Wu-Tang: An American Saga
A Hulu drama inspired by the formation of the Wu-Tang Clan and the personal and economic circumstances surrounding its members. Imagine worked with RZA Productions and additional production partners across multiple seasons.
Scripted comedy-drama · 2020
68 Whiskey
A Paramount Network series about a group of military medics stationed in Afghanistan. The production added a cable comedy-drama to Imagine’s contemporary television slate.
Children’s scripted science-fiction series · 2020
The Astronauts
A Nickelodeon family adventure series in which children become involved in a space mission. It was produced under Imagine’s broader kids-and-family activities and illustrates the company’s effort to develop programming for younger audiences.

Brand decisions

2022
Content development arrangement with The Washington PostStrategy
Background
Imagine continued pursuing source-material partnerships that could generate both scripted and unscripted television projects for contemporary distribution platforms.
Action taken
Imagine and The Washington Post entered a multi-year arrangement covering film and television projects based on the newspaper’s archives, reporting, and investigations.
Aftermath
The arrangement broadened Imagine’s access to nonfiction source material and journalism-based intellectual property, although detailed project economics were not publicly disclosed.
Source
2017
TVB television co-financing ventureStrategy
Background
Imagine wanted to expand its ability to finance and distribute television projects internationally while retaining participation in original intellectual property.
Action taken
Imagine and TVB Venture announced a joint venture to develop and produce television programming. TVB Venture committed $100 million and received broadcast and distribution rights in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Aftermath
The arrangement gave Imagine access to international financing and TVB’s regional distribution network, reinforcing the company’s global television strategy.
TVB Venture investment. 100000000 USD (2017 announcement)
Source
1997
Reopening of Imagine Television with Disney development relationshipStrategy
Background
After the 1991 closure, Imagine sought to re-establish a sustainable television operation and regain access to network development and production opportunities.
Action taken
Imagine reopened its television division and entered a development and production arrangement with Disney for television series and related projects.
Aftermath
The relaunch preceded a longer period of activity involving ABC, HBO, FOX, NBC, 20th Century Fox Television, Universal Television, and later streaming platforms.
Source
1991
Closure and restructuring of the original television divisionStrategy
Background
The initial Imagine Television operation faced disappointing performance from projects including My Talk Show and Parenthood, alongside broader organizational difficulties.
Action taken
Imagine shut down the original television division, terminated its exclusive MCA production partnership, and reduced staff.
Aftermath
The company later rebuilt television activities with a new structure and new development relationships in the late 1990s.
Source
1988
Television distribution relationship with MCA TelevisionStrategy
Background
Imagine sought to expand the distribution and commercial reach of its television programming through a relationship with MCA Television. The arrangement divided emphasis between Imagine’s half-hour comedy projects and MCA’s one-hour network programming.
Action taken
The companies formed a joint television venture and assigned MCA significant network and home-video distribution responsibilities while Imagine continued developing projects.
Aftermath
The arrangement became an important early example of Imagine using an established studio partner to support television distribution, but the exclusive production relationship ended when Imagine closed its original television unit in 1991.
Source

Sources20 sources

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Overview

History

Products and positioning

Brand decisions

Related entries

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