TORONTO – For the first time in Canadian broadcasting, a made-in-Canada pay-TV program will get a second window on a conventional broadcaster.
Season one of ReGenesis will premiere Monday, August 29 on the Global Television Network following the two-hour premiere of Prison Break (except in Alberta and the Maritimes where ReGenesis will air beforehand).
Global, which has also committed to air season two (which will debut on Canadian pay-TV this fall), will air it in high definition, as well.
The popular one-hour dramatic series follows a team of scientists at the NORBAC (North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission) lab responsible for investigating the often shocking advances in biotechnology occurring on the international scene.
"We are very enthusiastic about the launch of ReGenesis on Global," said Barbara Williams, senior vice-president of programming and production, in a release. "The series signals our continued commitment to having exciting, entertaining Canadian drama on our primetime schedule."
Original Canadian drama ReGenesis debuted to strong viewership and reviews last fall on The Movie Network and Movie Central, and should do well on Global.
"We are thrilled with the significant commitment Global has made to the first and second season of ReGenesis. The Global sale and its audience reach builds upon the domestic and international success we are experiencing with this series,” said Christina Jennings, series creator and chairman of Shaftesbury Films.
Leading the investigations is David Sandström (Peter Outerbridge, Chasing Cain, Detective Murdoch Mysteries) the world’s leading molecular biologist, who, along with executive director Caroline Morrison (Maxim Roy, Les Boys, Snakes and Ladders), oversees a team of scientists at NORBAC. Throughout the series, the team is charged with investigating the most dangerous cases involving Avian Flu, Ebola, Camel Pox, cloning, stem cell research, and doping, that left unsolved could turn deadly. While David and his team constantly struggle to "get it right", they are often faced with frustrating setbacks that even the NORBAC organization may not be able to control.
The series co-stars: Conrad Pla from Montreal, Halifax native Ellen Page, Greg Bryk originally from Winnipeg, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Sarah Strange and Mayko Nguyen from Vancouver, and Mishu Vellani and Mark Rendall from Toronto.
Directing duties for ReGenesis are shared by three film and television directors: award-winning John L’Ecuyer (Queer as Folk, Curtis’s Charm), Gemini Award-winner Don McBrearty (The Interrogation of Michael Crowe, the upcoming movie TERRY), and Gemini Award-winner Jerry Ciccoritti (Lives of the Saints, Trudeau). Dr. Aled Edwards, Professor and Banbury Chair of Medical Research and Chief Executive, Structure Genomics Consortium, serves as the science consultant.
ReGenesis is produced by Shaftesbury Films for Astral Media’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central, with the participation of Corus Entertainment Inc., The Movie Network, the Canadian Television Fund – License Fee Program, Rogers Cable Network Fund, the Independent Production Fund, and the Government of Ontario – The Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit.
Initial worldwide sales of ReGenesis went to the Sci-Fi Channel (Vivendi Universal) in the UK. Subsequent broadcasters to acquire the series are AXN (Sony) in Central Europe, Crown International (Hallmark) satellite in Asia, Double V in France, YLE in Finland, and TRT in Turkey. ReGenesis is distributed by The Shaftesbury Sales Company and Oasis International.
