TV NEWS: TAHAR RAHIM, LAURIE DAVIDSON IN SKY'S PRISONER THRILLER SERIES, KEKE PALMER, JACK WHITEHALL TO LEAD THE BURBS AT PEACOCK

  NEW TV SHOWS BULLETIN  

TAHAR RAHIM, LAURIE DAVIDSON IN PRISONER

Sky has announced Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle as leads in their new thriller TV series PRISONER which will also star our dearest Laurie Davidson, Eddie Marsan, Catherine McCormack, Finn Bennett, in a story that will  follow a principled young prison officer escorting a dangerous, high-value prisoner to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate. Throughout the journey, their relationship twists and turns, with the stakes escalating as the crime syndicate stops at nothing to track them down. Otto Bathurst is directing. 

THE BURBS SERIES AT PEACOCK

Meanwhile, Peacock has unveiled full cast for their dark comedy series THE BURBS which, set in present-day suburbia,  follows a young couple (Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall) who have reluctantly relocated to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when a new neighbor moves in across the street bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood. Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch and our sweet Kapil Talwalkar will also star.

NETFLIX ORDERS THE DECAMERON 14TH CENTURY SERIES BASED ON BOCCACCIO'S WORK! BERNARD CORNWELL'S THE WINTER KING WARLORD CHRONICLES TV SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

 THE DECAMERON SERIES 

ORDERED AT NETFLIX

Netflix has ordered an eight episode series from Jenji Kohan and Kathleen Jordan loosely based on Boccaccio's THE DECAMERON! Set in 1348 when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history which killed as many as 200 million people, strikes hard in the city of Florence. A handful of nobles are invited to retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the Italian countryside and wait out the pestilence with a lavish holiday. But as social rules wear thin, what starts as a wine-soaked sex romp in the hills of Tuscany descends into an all out scramble for survival. The series examines the timely themes of class systems, power struggles and survival in a time of pandemic with a touch of levity, brought together by a charming and riotous ensemble of characters.

 WARLORD CHRONICLES 

SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX

Back in April I told you that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles will be turned into a series and now we know it will be over at ITV's streamer ITVX. First book THE WINTER KING will be turned into a ten episode saga loosely based on the legend of King Arthur. Set in 5th century Britain, then still a landscape of warring nations, the story takes place in an era when life was brutal and fleeting. In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. With Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore adapting the books and Otto Bathurst directing, the shooting will start later this year. Epix is apparently no longer involved in the project, but the series will also air later on at regular ITV.

LEONARDO PRODUCERS WORKING ON TWO NEW EPIC SERIES ON CARAVAGGIO AND MICHELANGELO BESIDE SANDOKAN! OTTO BATHURST PREPARING EPIC NEW FRANKENSTEIN TV SERIES

 CARAVAGGIO & MICHELANGELO

GETTING THEIR OWN SERIES

While we are waiting for Lux Vide to bring us new Sandokan series with Can Yaman, the news comes that after Leonardo series in which Aidan Turner played famous Da Vinci, they are planning to also make two epic series about his fellow painters CARAVAGGIO and MICHELANGELO! Minamata and The White Crow director Andrew Levitas is already

These two new series will continue trilogy started with Leonardo

developing these new projects. Michelangelo and Caravaggio represent the completion of a trilogy on the great Renaissance artists that began with Leonardo. The stories of larger-than-life artists and characters will be told with a modern cut and language! Michelangelo actually appeared in Leonardo series as they were rivals, while Caravaggio worked in the 16th century Rome.

FRANKENSTEIN EPIC TV SERIES

UNDER OTTO BATHURST'S HELM

Otto Bathurst is producing and helming

Speaking of epic series, Otto Bathurst from Peaky Blinders, Robin Hood and Halo will direct FRANKENSTEIN TV series adaptation for Black Box and Stone Village. Penned by Bradley McManus, it will have the story set in pre Victorian Europe, and focusing on the behaviors and obsessions of a scientist exploring the fine thread between life and death, all set against the context of a year in which dependence on scientific breakthroughs has been paramount. The series is envisioned as a returning one, not an event mini series.