After a successful test run last summer, Pictionary, a syndicated series based on Mattel’s party game, will get a full season on Fox Television Stations starting in fall 2022.
Jerry O’Connell is the host of the 30-minute show, which largely follows the rules of the game, which first went on sale in 1985. Two teams of three players apiece will each include one celebrity captain. One player will draw images that depict a word or phrase found on a card chosen at random, in an effort to have their fellow teammates guess the correct word or phrase on the card.
The show is produced by Fox First Run along with Bill’s Market and Television Production and distributed by CBS Media Ventures. It will run on all Fox stations, including flagships WNYW in New York and KTTV in LA.
“Our partnership with CBS Media Ventures produced an entertaining program worthy of a national launch, but more importantly, we needed to bring Jerry O’Connell back to teach me the game because I still stink at it,” said Frank Cicha, EVP of Programming for FOX Television Stations.
“After a successful summer run on FOX stations, we’re excited to continue our relationship with FOX and roll out ‘Pictionary’ to the rest of the country,” said Jonathan Bingaman, EVP sales, CMV. “Game shows have been delivering impressive ratings and growth regardless of daypart, so this is a great opportunity for stations to add another well-known franchise to their lineups.”
O’Connell said he grew up playing Pictionary, “and now my kids are growing up playing Pictionary. All these tension-filled years of yelling, ‘What is that supposed to be’ and ‘Draw faster, Grandma,’ have culminated in this moment. Sharpen those pencils. Daytime just got a little more exciting.”
After getting his start at age 11 in Rob Reiner’s film Stand By Me, O’Connell went on to appear in films like Jerry Maguire and TV series Carter. on WGN America (since rebranded as NewsNation). The actor also hosted Jerry O, a daytime talk show that aired on the Fox Television Stations in 2019. He is repped by ICM Partners, 3 Arts and Ziffren Brittenham.
Pictionary will be executive produced by David Hurwitz and Noah Bonnett. Fred Soulie, SVP & GM of Mattel Television and Phil Breman, VP Live-Action, are co-exec producers for Mattel.
