Bell Media's CTV Orders Edgy New Original Scripted Drama, PLAYED

- From Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Back Alley Film Productions -

- Creator is Greg Nelson (SAVING HOPE/ROOKIE BLUE) -

To tweet this release: http://bit.ly/10hUKL9

PASADENA, CA, Jan. 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Welcome to the world of highly skilled and brave detectives who give the word "undercover" a whole new meaning. Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports, announced today from the Television Critics Association tour in Pasadena, CA that CTV has ordered a new Canadian drama series from critically acclaimed Muse Entertainment Enterprises and award-winning Back Alley Film Productions. CTV has ordered thirteen, one-hour episodes of PLAYED (working title), an ensemble, procedural police drama that follows the activities of the CIU (Covert Investigations Unit), a Toronto-based police unit that goes undercover to infiltrate criminal organizations. In each episode, the detectives perform a high-wire, nerve-wracking act that requires a serious confidence game as they go undercover and convince the bad guys that, they too, are criminals - all the while trying to prevent their jobs from corroding their own lives.

The announcement follows CTV's pick-up today of the new Canadian comedy series SATISFACTION. The two programs join CTV's burgeoning lineup of original scripted series including MOTIVE, SAVING HOPE, and THE LISTENER.

PLAYED is developed for television by Gemini Award winning executive producers Adrienne Mitchell and Janis Lundman (BOMB GIRLS, DURHAM COUNTY), Emmy®-Award nominated Michael Prupas (THE KENNEDYS, BEING HUMAN), and Greg Nelson (SAVING HOPE), who is creator and co-showrunner with Mitchell. PLAYED is set to begin production in Toronto this spring.

"PLAYED is a suspenseful, adrenaline-filled ride," said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports "This ensemble series will show viewers a gritty and modern take on the gruelling life of undercover cops."

"PLAYED is a contest of wits between undercover cops and their targets. It's about selling yourself as authentic, the anticipation of whether or not the target buys you, and the threat of what they'll do to you if they don't," said executive producers Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell of Back Alley Films.

"PLAYED will bring audiences into the world of undercover cops in a way that they have never seen before. It is completely original and explosive. We are extremely appreciative of the enthusiastic support of CTV in launching this series in a very competitive scheduling environment," said Michael Prupas, President and CEO of Muse Entertainment.

PLAYED sees the CIU (Covert Investigations Unit) take on a new case and target each week. The unit designs the operation and executes each case undercover as they infiltrate criminal worlds, collect evidence, and make arrests. The undercover CIU detectives build relationships with bad guys, whether coaxing confessions, buying drugs and guns in covert sting operations, infiltrating high finance scams, or immersing themselves with a crew of bank robbers. Today's fast-paced times demand equally rapid detective work: these cops work quickly, plunging into the deep end and into high stakes scenarios with short, intense timeframes. Then, after posing as various criminals, the members of the CIU flip the switch and try and go home to their "normal" lives as spouses and parents.

PLAYED is produced by Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Back Alley Film Productions in association with Bell Media. Executive producers are Adrienne Mitchell, Janis Lundman, Michael Prupas, and Greg Nelson, who is also creator of the series. Adrienne Mitchell and Greg Nelson are co-showrunners. Tom Hastings is production executive for Bell Media. Trish Williams is Director, Independent Production, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned and co-produced some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, while working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE and THE LISTENER, and the recently concluded game changer FLASHPOINT. New for 2013 on CTV are the drama series MOTIVE and PLAYED (working title), relationship comedy SATISFACTION, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, a Canadian-produced, complementary version of the hit international series, and a pilot for the half-hour comedy SPUN OUT. Scripted series on Bell Media specialty channels include two-time Emmy^®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, mythological/action series PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD, and the upcoming dramas ORPHAN BLACK and BITTEN. In total, Bell Media ordered 26 new original Canadian series in 2012, and put 35 scripted projects into development.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 10 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at ctv.ca.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@MuseEntertains
@backalley_films
@gregynels (Greg Nelson - Creator and Co-Showrunner)

Facebook:
facebook.com/ctv

SOURCE: CTV

Allie Page, CTV, 416.384.4596 or [email protected]