FOX is making a big splash in international programming with the rights to the new thriller series Murder in a Small Town. Here’s what we know about it!
After the WGA and SAG strikes played havoc on TV schedules, several networks have been trying out co-productions with other countries. The CW was first with several Canadian shows like The Spencer Sisters and the upcoming Wild Cards. CBS also worked with Australia for NCIS: Sydney.
Now, FOX is making its first international co-production on a scripted show as they have the U.S. rights to the Canadian Sepia Film series Murder in a Small Town. Slated to air for the 2024-25 season, this would be a good thing for FOS as it allows Sepia Films to take on most of the budget but still get to rake in the ratings and some new programming for the fall season.
What is Murder in a Small Town about?
Per TVLine, the series is based on the novels by L.R. Wright and centers on Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland), who moves to a quiet coastal town to escape the stress of being a big city cop.
“But this gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets,” the logline reads, “and Karl will need to call upon all the skills that made him a world-class detective in solving the murders that, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, continue to wash up on his shore.”
Kristin Kreuk (last seen in The CW drama Burden of Truth and in Reacher Season 1) co-stars as Cassandra, a local librarian who becomes Alberg’s “muse, foil and romantic interest,” per the official character description.
In a statement, Michael Thorn, FOX’s president of scripted programming, praised the series.
"“[Head writer] Ian [Weir] has done a masterful job bringing L.R. Wright’s seminal detective Karl Alberg to life, finding his perfect alter ego, Rossif Sutherland, to star on screen alongside Kristin Kreuk. Murder in a Small Town illustrates our ongoing strategy to identify and commission impactful global content in a smart and effective manner with proven creative partners, all of which we have found in Ian, [EP] Milan [Cheylov], Sepia Films and Future Shack.”"
The series has just begun pre-production, with only Sutherland and Kurek announced as cast members. It’s set to begin filming in British Columbia, and while it’s slated for the 2024–25 season, it’s uncertain if it will debut in the fall of 2024 or in the winter/spring of 2025.
At least fans have a new crime show to look forward to next year and Murder in a Small Town joining the list of moody crime thrillers.
Murder in a Small Town is set to air on FOX in the 2024–2025 schedule.