News

The first English-language adaptation of the long-running hit international series Rex, a Cop’s Best Friend, about a police detective and his hardworking dog, is in the works at Canada’s Citytv. Production has begun on Rex (working title), a procedural drama series with a twist.

The eight-episode hour-long series, starring John Reardon, Mayko Nguyen, and Enrico Colantoni, hails from Shaftesbury, Pope Productions and Citytv. Shooting is underway in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Set in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Rex is focused on the partnership between a dedicated detective and his extraordinary former K9 dog. Rex and Charlie are a detective team that combine their individual skills to solve the most puzzling crimes. The highly successful European format aired in 125 countries around the world for 18 seasons.

Reardon stars as Detective Charlie Hudson, Rex’s partner; Nguyen as chief of forensics Sarah Truong...

Lionsgate has sold Canadian crime drama Endgame to Hulu, which will begin streaming the show’s first season in the U.S. on Hulu and Hulu Plus today. The deal comes on the heels of two other Canadian series getting acquired by traditional U.S. TV networks, Saving Hope by NBC and The L.A. Complex by the CW. It also follows Lionsgate’ recently recent pact with Hulu for Hell’s Kitchen. Endgame, which premiered on Canada’s Showcase in March 2011, earned five Gemini nominations in its first season, including for best drama series. Created by Avrum Jacobson and produced by Thunderbird Films in association with Front Street Pictures, Endgame centers on a brilliant chess master (Shawn Doyle) who, traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, becomes a prisoner in his luxury Vancouver hotel and, to pay the bills, works as a detective, solving mysteries with the help of a...

Production is currently underway for the upcoming Canadian psychological/crime drama Endgame, which was created and showrunned by Avrum Jacobson (Republic of Doyle), in Vancouver. The TV series will premiere in Canada in spring 2011 on Showcase, a cable network, and will be distributed outside of North America by Endemol Group.

The story is centred on a Russian chess champion, Arkady Balagan (Shawn Doyle). Because he's traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, Balagan no longer wants to step outside his hotel room in Vancouver. In order to pay his bill, Balagan decides to solve difficult crime cases or other problems that baffle the Vancouver police without leaving his hotel.

Besides Doyle, the show also stars Torrance Coombs (The Tudors), Patrick Gallagher (True Blood), Kate Isabelle (The Good Wife), Carmen Aguerre (Da Vinci’s Inquest) and Melanie Papilia (Intelligence).

Showcase, a Canadian cable network, announced that it picked up Endgame, a new original series created by Avrum Jacobson (ReGenesis, Republic of Doyle). The one-hour show made of 13 episodes will premiere in spring 2011.

The story is centred on a former chess master. Using the skills that made him chess champion of the world, Arkady Balagan solves the crimes that mystify others. Traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, Balagan has become a prisoner in his luxury Vancouver hotel, and is terrified to step outside. To pay his bill, Balagan starts solving mysteries by using an unlikely band of hotel employees and chess fanatics to do his legwork. Arrogant, brilliant and charismatic, the Russian-born Balagan is able to envision his unknown opponent’s motives and moves. He imagines events, interviews the living and the dead, and runs conflicting scenarios – all in his head. And we get to watch right along with...