Starring Tom Hollander (Rev), A Poet in New York follows the last days in the life of renowned poet Dylan Thomas, whose death in 1953 was ruled a result of pneumonia. Though Thomas was in New York to fulfill a commitment to the Manhattan Poetry Centre, the trip was merely was a way to fund his ultimate goal of going to Hollywood and writing an opera with Igor Stravinsky. It should have been the zenith of his career, a time when he could reflect on the progress he made while looking forward to a promising future, but his hard-partying lifestyle caused his life to spin out of control and ended up being one of the primary cause of his death. A Poet in New York will explore how his experiences made his life untenable and how his self-destructive personality played a part in ending a career that looked to only be beginning.

In addition to Hollander, A Poet in New York stars Essie Davis (The Slap), Ewen Bremner (Page Eight), and Phoebe Fox (New Tricks).

Will you be watching A Poet in New York? Would you like to see BBC America do more television films on figures like Dylan Thomas? What other figures in British history do you think would make interesting subjects for a film like this?

The post A Poet in New York Premieres Wednesday, October 29th on BBC America appeared first on TVHackr.

Richard De Croce, SVP Programming, BBC America, said: “Tatau is backed by a hugely talented group of partners and brings something totally new, vibrant and provocative to the channel’s upcoming programming slate. Tatau is definitely going to spice things up on BBC America.”

Created by Richard Zajdilic (EastEnders), Tatau follows twenty-something Londoners Kyle (Layton) and Budgie (Barklem-Biggs) as they travel to the Cook Islands. While snorkeling, they discover a corpse that ends up going missing, which begins their descent into a world of Maori myths, symbols, and hallucinatory visions. The series also stars Barry Atsma (Stricken), Shushila Takao (Evil Dead), Cian Elyse White (Far Cry 3), Temuera Morrison (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones), and Rangimoana Taylor (Hook, Line and Sinker).

Tatau joins a growing lineup of original scripted series for BBC America that includes acclaimed thriller Orphan Black, paranormal noir Intruders, and docu-comedy Almost Royal. The network is also responsible for bringing the likes of Atlantis, In the Flesh, and The Musketeers to American shores.

Beginning production this month, Tatau is slated for a 2015 premiere.

Will you be watching Tatau? How do you think the show will fit in with the rest of BBC America’s scripted series? Are you excited to be exploring a culture that doesn’t get as much media exposure?

The post Tatau: Joe Layton and Theo Barklem-Biggs Join New BBC America Drama appeared first on TVHackr.

From Toby Whithouse (Being Human), the series tells of Operation Glass, a 1972 Soviet plot that was designed to bring Britain to its knees. Once MI5 leader Daddy (Brian Cox) learns about the threat, he assembles a secret committee to assess the threat and help him decide what the best course of action would be.

In addition to Cox, The Game stars Tom Hughes (Dancing on the Edge) as handsome MI5 agent Joe Lambe, who is haunted by a past love and his own betrayal of his country; Shaun Dooley (Misfits) as Jim Fenchurch, a police liaison who gets called in to help with an investigation; Marcel Lures (Foyles War) as KGB officer Arkady Malinov; Victoria Hamilton (What Remains) as Sarah Montag, whose rise in the ranks of a male-dominated field has made her quite formidable; Chloe Pirrie (Black Mirror) as mousy secretary Wendy Shaw, who decides to go after the career advancement she desires by whatever means necessary; and Paul Ritter (Quantum of Solace) as Bobby Waterhouse, who connections to British high society might be needed if his scandalous private life ever becomes public knowledge.

The Game joins a scripted slate that includes the likes of Orphan Black, Almost Royal, and Intruders, with BBC America having acquired the likes of In the Flesh, The Musketeers, and Atlantis from their BBC counterparts.

You can check out a trailer for The Game below.

Will you be watching The Game? Do you think this sounds like an interesting follow-up to Whithouse’s work on Being Human? Is The Game going to fit in with the rest of BBC America’s scripted slate?

The post The Game to Premiere November 5th on BBC America appeared first on TVHackr.

Created by Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham (Life on Mars) and set in 1888, The Living and the Dead tells the story of farmer Nathan Appleby, who is obsessed with proving the existence of the afterlife. While he continues investigating hauntings, paranormal happenings, and ghostly visitations in hopes of proving himself right, he begins seeing things he cannot explain and finds that his life’s mission has started to threaten the safety of his family.

The Living and the Dead continues BBC America’s expansion into original scripted programming. In addition to acclaimed drama Orphan Black, upcoming thriller Intruders, and comedy Almost Royal, the network recently ordered two new dramas in The Last Kingdom, which centers on the son of a Saxon nobleman being kidnapped and raised as a Viking, and Tatau, an adventure series about two twenty-something Londoners traveling to the Cook Islands and getting trapped in a major conspiracy. BBC America has also been responsible for importing several British series, including zombie drama In the Flesh and mythological drama Atlantis.

No premiere date for The Living and the Dead has been revealed as of yet. Casting should be announced in the coming months.

Will you be watching The Living and the Dead? Who do you think would make a good Nathan Appleby? Are you excited to see BBC America continuing to expand their scripted presence?

The post BBC America Greenlights The Living and the Dead appeared first on TVHackr.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with BBC Two and Carnival Films – a hugely successful British production company that really knows how to create a hit for the US. The Last Kingdom is an engrossing story of epic scale that will feed our audience’s appetite for excitement, smart storytelling and compelling characters,” said Richard De Croce, SVP Programming, BBC America.

Based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories and adapted for television by Stephen Butchard (House of Saddam), The Last Kingdom is set in the year 872 and finds England having fallen to a Viking invasion, with Wessex defiant under the rule of Alfred the Great. The story follows Uhtred, the son of a Saxon nobleman who was kidnapped by the Vikings and raised as one of their own. As he grows older, he’s forced to figure out whether he identifies more as Saxon or Viking and tread the line between the two for no other reason than his own safety.

The Last Kingdom joins an ever-growing scripted slate for BBC America, which currently includes the likes of Orphan Black, Almost Royal, and Intruders. Additionally, BBC America has imported such projects as The Musketeers, Atlantis, and In the Flesh to go along with their original programming.

Will you be watching The Last Kingdom? Do you think the show will find an audience on BBC America? How can The Last Kingdom differentiate itself from History’s Vikings?

The post BBC America Greenlights New Drama The Last Kingdom appeared first on TVHackr.

In the Flesh tells the story of PDS (Partially Dead Syndrome) sufferer Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry), who dreams of leaving his suffocating hometown of Roarton and living the life that he dreams of in Paris. However, conditions in town are preventing him from leaving, as the ULA (Undead Liberation Army) have begun attacking the living again, thereby putting a target on their backs and giving pro-living radicals Victus the excuse to retaliate with brutal force. Tensions between the two sects force MP Maxine Martin (Wunmi Mosaku) to enact measures to oppress the PDS sufferers, all the while Victus continues spreading anti-zombie rhetoric and the ULA continues carrying out terroristic acts. Could a war be brewing in the tiny town of Roarton and could Kieren find himself in the middle of such a huge turning point in world history?

In addition to Newberry and Mosaku, In the Flesh stars Emily Bevan (The Thick of It), Harriet Cains (Doctors), Kevin Sutton (Shameless), Steve Cooper (Emmerdale), and Emmett Scanlan (HollyOaks).

You can check out a preview of season two of In the Flesh below.

Will you be watching In the Flesh this season? Do you think Kieren could ever find safety and happiness in Roarton? What do you think the show would look like if Kieren ever made it to Paris and started his life anew?

The post In the Flesh Season 2 to Premiere Saturday, May 10th on BBC America appeared first on TVHackr.

While BBC America has imported several British comedies in the past, including the likes of The Thick of It and Absolutely Fabulous, it remains to be seen whether an original comedy of their own can break out and find a foothold in a drama-heavy lineup. Particularly interesting is that Almost Royal will have that sort of docu-comedy feel that might help it better fit on the network, despite the fact that the format is on its last legs on American television with the conclusion of The Office and The Michael J. Fox Show and Modern Family and Parks and Recreation aging. In addition to critically acclaimed Orphan Black, the network is currently home to Doctor Who, In the Flesh, and Ripper Street, though the latter was cancelled following its second season and will return for a third through Amazon Prime.

Gamble has appeared on an episode of Man Down and written for Never Mind the Buzzcocks; Hoggart’s television credits include Crackanory and Laughter Shock.

The series premiere of Almost Royal is set to air Saturday, June 21st at 10:00, where it will follow the second season finale of Orphan Black.

Will you be watching Almost Royal? What are you expecting from the first season? Do you think comedy can work on BBC America?

The post BBC America Orders Almost Royal, Its First Original Comedy appeared first on TVHackr.

“I am thrilled to be working with John Simm, one of the UK’s most exciting talents, on the realization of Michael Marshall Smith’s novel. The BBC has always broken new ground in this genre and I look forward to playing a part in that tradition. Together with directors, Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Stamm, we plan to put a whole new spin on creepy,” said series creator Glen Morgan (The X-Files).

Based on the Michael Marshall Smith novel of the same name and set in the Pacific Northwest, paranormal drama Intruders tells the story of a conspiracy that will change the way we think about humanity, a conspiracy that will lead Jack and several other people dealing with similar issues (an assassin covering his crimes, a child on the run) into the shadows. Can Jack manage to figure out what’s going on and find his wife before any harm comes to her? Or will digging into the conspiracy only drive him closer to madness?

In addition to his role as The Master on Doctor Who, Simm has appeared on the likes of State of Play, Life on Mars, and Mad Dogs. He’s the first person to be cast in Intruders, which was ordered to series this past October.

Will you be watching Intruders? Which actors or actresses would shine in a series like this? Would the show make a good companion for Orphan Black?

The post Intruders: Doctor Who Alum John Simm Cast on New BBC America Drama appeared first on TVHackr.

Perry Simon, General Manager, BBC America said: “Intruders features an imaginative premise that fits perfectly with BBC America’s signature block of complex and otherworldly dramas led by Doctor Who and Orphan Black. Glen Morgan has delivered a brilliant script, and we’re thrilled to be working with Glen, Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner and our colleagues at BBC Worldwide Productions on this provocative new series.”

While the concept is certainly intriguing, a sort of Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Orphan Black, the success of Intruders most likely hinges on how well the show is cast. Something like Orphan Black might not have garnered the immense word-of-mouth that it did had it not been for the lead performance of Tatiana Maslany that made each of the clones stand out as their own distinct entities. It’ll take some special actors in order to believably vacillate between different personas and Intruders has the difficult task in finding not one Tatiana Maslany but likely several; should they find a cast that is up to that challenge, Intruders could fit right in on the Supernatural Saturday bloc that the network has established. However, if casting is weak, the concept could fall through or fail to have the type of impact that it could and, frankly, should.

Production on the eight-episode first season of the series is set to begin early next spring. Casting information should be revealed in the coming months.

Does Intruders sound like something you would watch? Do you think the series fits in well with the likes of Doctor Who and Orphan Black? Who would be good casting choices for Intruders?

The post BBC America Orders Intruders Adaptation to Series from X-Files Writer appeared first on TVHackr.

November 23rd will see the series premiere of Howard Overman’s fantasy actioner Atlantis, as well as the 50th anniversary special for Doctor Who; original movie An Adventure in Space and Time is also scheduled to premiere that month. The eight-episode second season of period drama Ripper Street, meanwhile, is set for Sunday, December 1st. That series stars Matthew Macfayden as DI Edmund Reid, one of the men in charge of going after infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.

2014 brings the premiere of four-part series Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond in January and the second season of cult favorite Orphan Black in April. Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan will return sometime this spring, while the second season of zombie drama In the Flesh should see the light of day in the same time frame, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet. The three-part first season of In the Flesh aired earlier this summer on BBC America after a winter premiere in the UK.

Will you be watching the next season of Law & Order: UK? What would you like to see happen on season two of Orphan Black? Did you get a chance to check out the short run of In the Flesh earlier this summer?

The post BBC America Announces Premiere Dates for Ripper Street, Law & Order: UK, and More appeared first on TVHackr.