Ion Television has signed a deal with ITV Global Entertainment for exclusive U.S. rights to Durham County.
Ion, which has also secured digital media, Internet streaming and video on demand rights to the procedural, plans to bow the show’s dozen hours sometime later this year.
The show’s first six-episode season bowed on The Movie Network and Movie Central during 2007, before getting a second run on Global during the 2007-08 season.
The second six-installment run is also expected to run on those outlets this year, before migrating Stateside to Ion.
Produced by Back Alley Films and Muse Entertainment, the series stars Hugh Dillon, star of the CBS police action series Flashpoint. In DurhamCounty, Dillon plays Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective who moves his family to suburban Durham County to start over after his partner is killed and his wife Audrey (Hélène Joy) is diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbor and childhood nemesis Ray Prager (Justin Louis) may be a serial killer, setting off an intense showdown between the two complex men and their families.
Durham County is written by Laurie Finstad-Knizhinik (Bliss) and helmed by award-winning directors Holly Dale (Cold Case, Absolution) and Adrienne Mitchell (Bliss,Drop the Beat). Michael Prupas (This is Wonderland) of Muse Entertainment and Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell (Bliss) of Back Alley Films serve as executive producers.
The series received 11 Gemini Award nominations, including three wins: Louis for best actor, Joy for best actress and Dale for best direction.
"Durham County brings award-winning suspense, storytelling, and casting to Ion’s first foray into 2009 original programming,“ said Brandon Burgess, chairman and CEO, Ion Media Networks, in a statement. “With eerie crime storylines, Durham County, along with the CBS hit show Criminal Minds, will offer ‘PositivelyThrilling’ primetime appointment viewing on Ion Television.”
