AMAZON RESCUES CANCELED DRAMA SERIES

Marginally performing TV series with solid fan bases could seek refuge from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime if a gambit involving the canceled BBC drama Ripper Street pans out. Amazon said on Wednesday that it has agreed to film a third season of the series after it was canceled last year. Britain’s Guardian newspaper commented today (Thursday) that the deal “marks a significant moment for the U.K. TV industry — the first time a [video-on-demand] operator has stepped in to fund a drama series after it was dropped by a major broadcaster.” (The BBC is also contributing an unspecified amount of funds to the production.) As part of the deal, the BBC will be able to carry the series three months after it becomes available online. (Amazon also secured rights to sell the first two season of the series online.) Vice-president of Amazon Instant Video Europe Tim Leslie told the Guardian that the company is seeking to work with more U.K. producers: “We want any and all to come to us. We just want great content … for our customers,” he said.