Investigation Discovery is going to camp this summer. Campy TV, that is.
Departing from its usual true-crime reality fare, the network is unrolling Heartbreakers, which brings back stars from the past in scripted melodramas that happen to be based on true life.
The trio of one-hour episodes is meant to be reminiscent of the prime-time soaps of the 1980s and ‘90s. The real-life stories resonate with passion, greed and betrayal, the network said on Wednesday in announcing the series at the summer TV critics’ tour.
The premiere episode, titled Shot Through the Heart and airing on Aug. 13, stars Jack Wagner (Melrose Place) as a priest on the prowl, Jamie Luner (All My Children) as a troubled housewife and Rob Estes (Melrose Place) as her jealous husband.
As in the subsequent Heartbreakers episodes, the star-studded action is framed with documentary-like interviews with the actual people being depicted.
Other stars include Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), Nicole Eggert (Baywatch), Christopher Knight (The Brady Bunch) and Tracey Gold (Growing Pains).
Asked how it feels to be forever known for his role as Peter Brady in the classic 1970s sitcom, Knight said, “I’m fine with it. I’ve made peace with it. Peter’s in the room before I get there, and he’ll be there long after I’m gone. It’s a privilege.”
Echoed Tracey Gold, who played daughter Carol on the long-running sitcom Growing Pains: “It’s an honour being identified with a character.”
