TV Drama In-Demand: Crime

In need of a whodunit or twist-laden thriller? Check out these four compelling new crime-drama series: ZDF Enterprises’ Huss, Federation Entertainment’s A French Case, All3Media International’s Annika and START Drama’s Mediator.

Huss

Commissioners: Viaplay, ZDF
Producers: Yellow Bird in co-production with Viaplay, Discovery, ZDF German Television Network and ZDF Enterprises.
Cast: Karin Franz Körlof, Kajsa Ernst, Anders Berg, Kardo Razzazi, Filip Berg
Writers: Peter Lindblom, Jörgen Bergmark
Distributor: ZDF Enterprises is offering the ready-made and remake rights to the show.
Description: (Drama, 5×90 min./10×45 min.) Huss follows the ambitious new graduate of Sweden’s police academy, Katarina Huss, as she is drawn into a tangled web of corruption and betrayal.
Pitch Perfect: In a time where trust in institutions is being questioned, Huss brings a young perspective on how to reclaim the bond with community and transform the old ways of policing.
Slot Winner: The five-episode series premiered on ZDF with strong viewership and ended even stronger: 2.7 million viewers (13 percent market share) tuned in to see Katarina Huss and 2.83 million (14.5 percent market share) were glued to the last episode of the season. On NPO in the Netherlands, the show held an exceptional 10.3 percent market share with its premiere.
Sales Contact: zdfe.drama@zdf-enterprises.de

A French Case

Commissioner: TF1
Producers: Cheyenne Federation (Aimée Buidine, Julien Madon) in co-production with TF1, in association with STARZPLAY, in co-production with Be-FILMS and RTBF.
Cast: Guillaume de Tonquédec, Laurence Arné, Guillaume Gouix, Blandine Bellavoir, Michaël Youn
Distributor: Federation Entertainment
Description: (Drama, 6×52 min. & format) For the past 35 years, this momentous unresolved investigation has marked a turning point in the media and judicial system in France. October 16, 1984: Gregory, a 4-year-old boy, goes missing. Hours later, he’s found dead in the Vologne River, wrists and ankles bound. For years, the Villemin family was persecuted with phone calls and letters from a mysterious person(s) named “The Crow.” Following each character individually, this series will reveal human tragedy in a small village of eastern France where the destinies of victims, suspects, journalists, investigators and judges all become entangled.
Pitch Perfect: Based on a true story: the murder of little Gregory, an unresolved investigation after more than 30 years of mystery. The infamous French case is finally brought to screen on TF1 as the first opus of an anthology series of the greatest crimes that have traumatized the French people.
Slot Winner: STARZPLAY launches the series in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands on October 24, with second-window streaming in France, Belgium and Luxembourg beginning October 31.
Sales Contact: vendeurs@fedent.com

Annika

Commissioners: UKTV (U.K.), WGBH (U.S.)
Producer: Black Camel Pictures
Cast: Nicola Walker, Katie Leung, Jamie Sives, Ukweli Roach
Distributor: All3Media International holds worldwide rights, excluding the U.K. and Ireland.
Description: (Drama, 6×60 min.) Starring Nicola Walker as the sharp and enigmatic DI Annika Strandhed, the series follows Annika and her new team, as they solve murders around the atmospheric Scottish coast.
Pitch Perfect: This unique and atmospheric detective drama is led by the inimitable Nicola Walker, who stars as the enigmatic DCI Annika Strandhed. As she leads her new Marine Homicide Unit to solve murders around the stunning Scottish coast, Annika playfully breaks the fourth wall to invite audiences to unravel crimes with her and her team.
Slot Winner: Alibi’s top program since 2002, and the first to pass the 1 million viewer bar. Presales to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey and Cyprus, among others.
Sales Contacts: Sally Habbershaw, Stephen Driscoll, Sabrina Duguet.

Mediator

Commissioner: START Drama
Producer: START
Cast: Andrey Burkovsky, Yulia Peresild, Daria Moroz, Irina Starshenbaum, Viktoriya Tolstoganova
Writer: Anna Kozlova
Distributor: START Drama is offering the ready-made rights to the show.
Description: (Drama, 16×52 min.) Mediator introduces Andrey Pavlov, a professional negotiator trained by the Russian government to bring high pressure, threatening situations to a successful conclusion through the power of persuasion.
Pitch Perfect: This twisted psychological thriller tests the limits of how far people can go to get what they want. Mediator explores the power of persuasion and addresses such issues as the heartbreaking modern phenomenon of teenage suicide and social media, scientific breakthroughs, corporate takeovers, family relationships and, of course, money.
Slot Winner: START Drama is responsible for the worldwide scripted series sales for START, a leading streaming service of premium drama in Russia. START series regularly top Russian audience charts and entertain global viewers through partnerships with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Walter Presents, Beta Film, Oble, NHK Enterprises, CJ ENM, ZDF Enterprises and others.
Sales Contacts: Daria Bondarenko, EVP, Sales & Acquisitions; Ilona Romanova, Head, Sales, Scripted Series.