Acorn TV Goes Straight to Series with British Procedural

Acorn TV and Acorn Media Enterprises have made their second series commission and first straight-to-series order with the British drama London Kills.

London Kills will follow the experiences of a team of top murder detectives and will be shot like a documentary. Each episode will focus on a different murder, following the detectives as they uncover the truth behind the killing, but will also have a serialized story involving the lead detective’s missing wife.

Acorn Media Enterprises partnered with PGMTV to co-produce the new series along with Acorn Media International distributing in all English-speaking territories and ZDF Enterprises distributing in the rest of the world.

Created for TV and co-written by Paul Marquess (Suspects, Footballers’ Wives), London Kills will go into production in May with a winter 2018 North American premiere. The companies will produce two seasons back-to-back comprised of five one-hour episodes.

Shane Murphy, managing director of Acorn Media Enterprises, said, “After announcing our first commission with Agatha Raisin season two, Acorn Media Enterprises and Acorn TV are thrilled to not only commission another high-quality production but make London Kills our first straight-to-series commission and produce two seasons back-to-back. With its compelling, fast-paced scripts and the creativity of Paul Marquess, London Kills will make an excellent addition to Acorn TV’s rapidly growing originals slate.”

Paul Marquess, managing director of PGMTV, said, “I’m delighted to be making London Kills for Acorn. I’m convinced that London is the perfect backdrop for a contemporary police series. Shane Murphy loved the idea from the first pitch—and he and his team have been brilliantly supportive throughout the process. With acutely drawn regular characters and a variety of compelling murder investigations—as well as an intriguing serial narrative running right through it—London Kills is shaping up to be a sharp, smart, timely procedural drama. We can’t wait to start shooting.”