Onyx Collective Reveals Tracy McMillan Dramedy 'UnPrisoned' Premiere Date, Announces Pickup Orders For '1266', 'Black Twitter'

Onyx Collective introduced several new scripted and unscripted TV series as part of its expanding lineup, highlighting creators of color at the Television Critics Association Winter 2023 Press Tour.

The premiere date for the original comedy-drama "UnPrisoned" has been set for March 10 on Hulu, with all episodes streaming at once.

Executive produced by and starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, the half-hour series tells the story of “a messy but perfectionist relationship therapist and single mother whose life changes when her father is released from prison and moves in with her and her teenage son,” by Onyx Collective.

Created by Tracy McMillan and inspired by her life, the author also serves as executive producer alongside Washington and Pilar Savone through their production company Simpson Street, Lindo, Joy Gorman Wettels, Jen Braeden and Yvette Lee Bowser, who also serves as showrunner. ABC Signature is behind the production.

The company also announced the addition of two mics including "1266" (working title) with Gabourey Sidibe and three-part documentary series "Black Twitter" (working title).

From 20th Television, "1266" is a scripted comedy inspired by the life of Sidibe. It follows the story of Gabby Brixton (Sidibe), whose life seems aimless as she still lives with her mother and makes half-hearted attempts to become a singer, model and millionaire overnight. After being fired from her job, she finds herself in the telephone sex industry as an operator. The financial scheme eventually turns into a life-changing experience for her as she grows closer to her other colleagues and "learns how powerful, profitable and prolific her voice can be". Onyx Collective has commissioned a pilot episode.

Thembi Banks ("Young.Wild.Free", "Only Murders in the Building") serves as executive producer with Steven Canals ("Pose"), Sidibe and Julie Bean ("grown-ish"). Jill Kaplan is a non-writer executive producer. Banks and Bean will serve as co-showrunners. Sidibe and Banks are credited for the story, with Banks writing the teleplay and directing the pilot.

The collective has placed a direct order for the three-part documentary series "Black Twitter" (working title ) from A Penny for Your Thoughts, Wired Studios and Culture House. Prentice Penny directs the series, marking the "Insecure" alum's first project with Onyx Collective via his overall deal under his company's banner.

Based on Jason Parham's Wired article "A People's History of Black Twitter", the series details the rise, movements, voices and memes that have established Black Twitter as an influential and dominant force in multiple facets of American political and cultural life.

Penny will also executive produce through her company, A Penny For Your Thoughts, starring Chris Pollack, Alex Soler . Sarah Amos, Helen Estabrook, Agnes Chu and Andrew Whitney are attached to executive produce on behalf of Wired Studios. Raeshem Nijhon, Carri Twigg, Nicole Galovski, are the executive producers of Culture House with Joie Jacoby, who will also serve as showrunner. Wired Studios' Jason Parham will produce.

Also included in Saturday's panel was Nikole Hannah-Jones' six-part limited docuseries "The 1619 Project". Created by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and The New York Times, the show seeks to reframe the country's history by placing the contributions of black Americans at the center. The episodes (entitled "Democracy", "Race", "Music", "Capitalism", "Fear", and "Justice") are adapted from essays in the New York Times #1 bestseller "The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story". and examine how the legacy of slavery shapes different aspects of contemporary American life.

Hannah-Jones hosts...