Deutsche Telekom orders first original series

Christoph Maria Herbst

German pay TV provider Deutsche Telekom (DT) has commissioned its first original series, a French-coproduced comedy.

The move into original production is a “logical step” for Deutsche Telekom following the launch of Ultra-HD services and its first exclusive acquisitions for its new Entertain TV streaming platform.

The show, Germanized, is a 10x30mins comedy from Bavaria Fernsehproduktion and Newen Group-owned Telfrance.

The series is billed as a “light-hearted, culture clash comedy” about “200 Germans ‘invading’ a picturesque but bankrupt Basque village”. Christoph Maria Herbst (Stromberg) and Roxane Duran (The White Ribbon) star.

Franck Magnier and Alexandre Charlot (Les Guignols de L’Info) are the French co-creators and head writers. They are working alongside co-creator and writer Thomas Rogel, who pens ZDF political satire Heute Show, and Stromberg producer Peter Güde.

Bavaria’s executive producer of international series, Moritz Polter, and chief creative officer Oliver Vogel are coproducing, along with Güde and Telfrance’s head of international coproduction, Sandra Ouaiss.

It shoots early next year ahead of a Q4 2018 premiere debut on Entertain TV, which was revamped last year as part of a wider push into UHD content and exclusive sports rights acquisitions.

Entertain TV currently offers around 300 channels, around 10 of which are HD, and offers seven-day catch-up.

Michael Hagspihl, managing director of private clients at Deutsche Telekom, said: “Our journey continues – after UHD and the first exclusive series for Entertain TV, the next logical step is original productions. With our partners we have put together a strong team with stellar expertise in serial production. We’re looking forward to joining forces for our first EntertainTV original.”