A&E Orders American Adaptation of The Returned to Series

A&E has announced that the Carlton Cuse-produced adaptation of acclaimed French drama The Returned has been picked up to series with a 10-episode order. Cuse penned the first episode and will executive produce the series with True Blood’s Raelle Tucker.

“The Returned has the potential to be one of the most compelling drama series on cable, thanks to phenomenal scripts written by Carlton and Raelle,” said General Manager and Executive Vice President of A&E Network David McKillop.  “We look forward to seeing their vision brought to life on screen.”

The Returned tells the story of a small town turned upside down when several locals, who have long been presumed dead, suddenly reappear. The families of those who returned are left with questions about what happened, what their loved ones saw when they “died,” and how all this is possible; what makes this potentially dangerous is the reaction of the town and how quickly paranoia can spread within the confines of a small town. Until the families can find something resembling an answer, they’re going to have to keep the reappearance of their loved ones a secret, but in some instances, they might not have a choice.

The original series, based on the 2004 film of the same name, finished airing its first season on SundanceTV last fall and ended up on many year-end Top 10 lists. While the second season of The Returned will arrive later this year, ABC has Resurrection, a drama based on a book titled The Returned that has no relation to the French series, and NBC has Babylon Fields, another drama with a similar premise, in development.

The Returned begins casting immediately for what’s likely to be a late 2014 or early 2015 premiere. You can check out a look at the original series below.

Will you be watching the American adaptation of The Returned? How much mileage does this concept have with the original series, Resurrection, A&E’s version of The Returned, and Babylon Fields? Do you think a show like this can find a mass audience without sacrificing what made the original so stunning?