ABC on Board for Global, E1 Drama

LOS ANGELES/TORONTO: E1 Entertainment’s original drama series Copper for Canwest, set to air on Global Television in Canada, has been picked up by ABC for a U.S. run.

The 13-part series is billed as a "character-driven workplace drama" about five rookie cops. Production begins in Toronto in June on the show, a Thump Inc/E1 Entertainment Production co-created by Morwyn Berbner, Ellen Vanstone and Tassie Cameron. It came out of E1’s overall deal with executive producer Ilana Frank and her venture, Thump Inc. E1 Entertainment is the worldwide distributor for the series. This is the fourth E1 production to score U.S. placement, following pickups for Hung (HBO), The Bridge (CBS) and Testees (FX).

"When we initially commissioned the pilot and then the series, we knew it was a high-calibre production and worthy of international audiences," said Barbara Williams, the executive VP of content at Canwest Broadcasting. "We could not be happier with the partnership and are confident that E1 will deliver a great show for Global and ABC to simulcast."

John Moryaniss, E1 Television’s CEO, added: "Securing a 13-episode series order, from two premier networks, is a testament to E1’s position as a leading creative supplier of programming. Our ability to combine our creative auspices, business acumen and alternative sources of financing makes our shows very appealing to U.S. buyers."