Channel 4 Acquires for Rebranded Streaming Service

A host of newly acquired series are set to land on Channel 4’s rebranded streaming service over the coming months, including the drama Dr. Death.

Acquired from NBCUniversal, Dr. Death is based on the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson), a rising star in the Dallas medical community whose complex but routine spinal surgeries left patients permanently maimed or dead.

Also acquired from NBCUniversal for Channel 4’s linear and streaming, Queer As Folk is Stephen Dunn’s reimagining of the British drama series created by Russell T. Davies and explores a diverse group of friends in New Orleans whose lives are transformed in the wake of unimaginable tragedy that rocks their community.

The Girl From Plainville, also an NBCU pickup, is inspired by the true story of Michelle Carter’s controversial “texting-suicide” case.

Created and written by Anya Reiss, Becoming Elizabeth is the untold story of England’s most iconic Queen before she ascended the throne. It was acquired from Lionsgate.

From eOne, Channel 4 picked up Cruel Summer, a psychological thriller that takes place over three summers—1993, 1994 and 1995—when a beautiful, popular teen, Kate (Olivia Holt), is abducted and, seemingly unrelated, a girl, Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia), goes from being a sweet, awkward loner to the most popular girl in town and, by ’95, the most despised person in America.

Also on the roster are The Change, produced by Expectation; Screw season two, produced by STV Studios; and season two of Before We Die, produced by Eagle Eye Drama.

Zaid Al-Qassab, chief marketing officer at Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 is passionate about bringing British viewers programs they love and new ones they’re yet to discover. By bringing all our shows together under our iconic ‘Channel 4’ brand, we’re making it even easier for audiences, particularly younger viewers, to find and stream the very best telly available in the U.K.”