Mike Darnell

Michael Darnell is an American entertainment executive. As president of Alternative Entertainment at the Fox network and subsequently president of Unscripted Television at Warner Bros., Darnell was in charge of some of the most successful and longest-running franchises in television history, including American Idol, The Bachelor franchise, The Voice, Family Guy, Futurama, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, Little Big Shots, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, So You Think You Can Dance, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, The Simple Life, Temptation Island, and many more. When he was 12, his family moved to California, where he eventually appeared in, or voiced-over, some sixty commercials. He also appeared in TV episodes such as Sanford and Son, Welcome Back, Kotter and Kojak. Later he worked as a bank teller to help pay his way through Cal State-Northridge. He also played piano at a night spot. Soon after graduating, he had an internship at Entertainment Tonight, which he says he "hated", before he started working at Fox's West Coast flagship station KTTV, within their news department.

Works

Knots Landing

The domestic adventures, misdeeds and everyday interactions of five families living on a cul-de-sac in a small California community.

Release Date1979-12-27

Charactersd Fred

Episode Count1

Vote Count40

Kojak

A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.

Release Date1973-10-24

Charactersd Nick

Episode Count1

Vote Count126

The Violation of Sarah McDavid

Sarah McDavid, an idealistic young teacher, takes a job in a rough high school where she is eventually attacked and raped in her classroom after school hours and decides to buck the school system in an attempt to make schools safer for students and teachers alike, against the advice of the school's principal, Dr. Keys, who tries to gloss over the hazardous conditions and the incident itself to avoid bad publicity and decreased enrollment.

Release Date1981-05-19

Charactersd Andy

Vote Count2

Big John, Little John

A middle-aged schoolteacher transforms into a 12-year-old boy at inopportune moments.

Release Date1976-09-11

Charactersd Ricky Martin

Episode Count13

Vote Count4

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts

An enchanting making-of story told through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations, inviting fans on a magical first-person journey through one of the most beloved film franchises of all time.

Release Date2022-01-01

DepartmentProduction

JobProducer

Vote Count3445

100 Years of Warner Bros.

Tracing a century of movie and TV history, these four documentary specials explore the unparalleled global impact of Warner Bros. on art, commerce, and culture.

Release Date2023-05-25

DepartmentProduction

JobExecutive Producer

Episode Count4

Vote Count30

Superpowered: The DC Story

This docuseries takes an unprecedented look at the enduring and influential legacy of DC, allowing fans to rediscover the universe of characters, as well as the iconic comic book company’s origins, its evolution and its nearly nine-decade cultural impact across every artistic medium.

Release Date2023-07-20

DepartmentProduction

JobProducer

Episode Count3

Vote Count25

Helter Skelter: An American Myth

The untold story behind cult leader Charles Manson and his followers' heinous crimes as told through interviews with former members, archival footage, and newly-unearthed images.

Release Date2020-07-26

DepartmentProduction

JobExecutive Producer

Episode Count6

Vote Count10

Friends: The Reunion

The cast of Friends reunites for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the hit series, an unforgettable evening filled with iconic memories, uncontrollable laughter, happy tears, and special guests.

Release Date2021-05-27

DepartmentProduction

JobProducer

Vote Count1265

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses

Wizarding World fans put their Harry Potter knowledge to the test for the ultimate honor to be named House Cup champion.

Release Date2021-11-28

DepartmentProduction

JobProducer

Episode Count4

Vote Count295

500 Questions

Prepare for an all-new game show event where the smartest people in the country try to achieve the seemingly impossible task of answering 500 of the most difficult general knowledge questions ever devised. There’s only one simple rule: never get three wrong in a row—or you’re gone. No saves, no helps, no multiple choice, 500 Questions will keep you on the edge of your seat to see if any of these geniuses can do it.

Release Date2015-05-20

DepartmentProduction

JobExecutive Producer

Episode Count12

Vote Count2

The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga

An Elvis impersonator's conspiracy theory sets off a feud that spirals into an attempted presidential assassination.

Release Date2024-12-11

DepartmentProduction

JobExecutive Producer

Episode Count3

Vote Count10

The World's Best

A first-of-its-kind global talent competition featuring acts from every genre imaginable, from every corner of the planet. They not only have to impress American judges, but will also need to break through the "wall of the world," featuring 50 of the world's most accomplished experts from every field of entertainment.

Release Date2019-02-03

DepartmentCrew

JobCreator

Episode Count7

Vote Count2

Lotería Loca

In each high-octane episode, two players go head-to-head and take turns picking cards to get three-in-a-row, which is Lotería. Each time a card appears on their unique bingo-style card, they bank big money. Landing on one of the "Loca Cards" creates a twist in the game and gives players the opportunity to bank even more cash by competing in wild, interactive challenges.

Release Date2023-10-02

DepartmentProduction

JobExecutive Producer

Episode Count6

Teachers Only

Teachers Only is an NBC television sitcom centered around the faculty of a high school; in the first season the school was Millard Fillmore High in Los Angeles, but in the second it is Woodrow Wilson High in New York with a changed cast. In both seasons Norman Fell played Principal Ben Cooper, but Lynn Redgrave's character, Diana Swanson, who had been an English teacher in the first season, became a guidance counselor in the second season. Redgrave and Fell were already established names when this show aired, but two of the supporting stars in the second season, Jean Smart would go on, three years later, to play her best known role, that of interior design studio receptionist Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the long running show, Designing Women. Also, Jean's co-star Teresa Ganzel became well known for her many game show appearances in the 1980s as well as her appearance in the comedic miniseries, Fresno. This show ran for only two seasons, in 1982 and 1983.

Release Date1982-04-14

Episode Count1

Vote Count1