“We are thrilled that a filmmaker of Eddie’s caliber is joining our studio family after seeing his impressive work firsthand on History’s ‘In Search Of,’” said Meredith Ahr, president of Universal Television Alternative Studio. “With his directorial eye and documentary storytelling instincts, he brings a fresh perspective and breadth to our studio’s development slate, and we can’t wait to collaborate with him on his next big ideas.”

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Previously, Schmidt was executive producer, showrunner, and director of “The Case of: Jonbenet Ramsey” for CBS, executive producer and showrunner of Bravo’s “Newlyweds: The First Year,” and co-executive producer of MTV’s “Catfish: The TV Show.” He also directed segments for Netflix’s “Chelsea,” the GE/Focus Forward short “Good Bread” and NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”

“Since I was an 11-year-old-boy going door to door with a petition to save ‘Harper Valley PTA’ from cancellation (note: 78 signatures), I’ve always felt a connection to NBCUniversal,” Schmidt said. “As a grown-up content maker, I couldn’t be more excited to partner with Meredith and her incredible team to explore a full range of innovative storytelling opportunities in unscripted and beyond. I’m never more delighted than when new ideas are cooking, and it’s wonderful to have a home for them.”