“Departure,” starring Archie Panjabi (“The Good Wife”) and Christopher Plummer (“All the Money in the World”), will be on the Universal TV channel in the U.K. and Germany and 13th Street in France and Spain after NBCUniversal pre-bought the upcoming drama series. It will also be on Universal TV in Africa and 13th Street in Poland as part of NBCUniversal International Network’s pay-TV deal for the show in several parts of the EMEA region.
A Canada-U.K. co-production, the six-part scripted series is in production in Britain and follows aviation investigator Kendra Malley (Panjabi) as she attempts to solve the mystery of a passenger plane that has disappeared over the Atlantic. She has to investigate her former boss and mentor, Howard Lawson (Plummer), as part of the case. Kris Holden-Ried (“Vikings”), Claire Forlani (“Hawaii Five-O”), Rebecca Liddiard (“Frankie Drake Mysteries”) and Shazad Latif (“Star Trek: Discovery”) also star.
Canadian free-TV network Global commissioned the series and will launch it later this year. It is helmed by T.J. Scott (“Orphan Black”) and produced by Shaftesbury and Greenpoint. Starlings Television co-financed the event series and is distributing it in the U.S. In the rest of the world, it is being sold by Red Arrow International, which struck the NBCUniversal deal.
“’Departure’s’ gripping storyline – steeped in conspiracy, mystery and intriguing characters – is a great fit for our international channel brands and will have our viewers on the edge of their seats,” said Steve Patscheck, EVP for global programming at NBCUniversal International Networks. “We look forward to bringing this thrilling series and its stellar award-winning cast to our fans around the world.”