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Strange Calls for US Pilot season

Chances are you missed it on ABC2, but Strange Calls is now one of 4 comedy Pilots with ABC in the US.

4strcWhen Strange Calls screened on ABC2 in 2012 with Toby Truslove and Barry Crocker it flew completely under the radar.

It premiered to just 18,000 viewers.

Now its remake is one of 4 comedy Pilots with ABC in the US, relocating it from Coolum in Queensland to Nantucket island, near Boston.

The Hollywood Reporter notes no cast has yet been announced but that it is now in contention for 2014-15.

Based on the Australian series, the U.S. version centers on a good-hearted but somewhat inept Boston cop who is excited to night duty on Nantucket island, where he works from a creaky lighthouse. Strange, inexplicable phenomena start happening with frequency and he teams with an eccentric lighthouse keeper — who is also the local paranormal authority — for a crime-fighting duo to deal with the strange calls that come into the lighthouse station.

The Strange Calls is one of two projects by Brisbane-based Hoodlum Productions with ABC.

Secrets and Lies, which is coming to TEN, also has a 10 episode series order with the US network.

In both cases the shows have won US adaptations even before their Aussie premieres. Hoodlum is certainly showing how it’s done.

Along with Rake, Lowdown, A Moody Christmas, Review with Myles Barlow and The Slap Australia’s ABC is also leading the way in developing local product that attracts international interest.

5 Responses

  1. I enjoyed it, but Toby, like many comedic actors, star in too many things back to back and essentially just play the same character.

    Was fun to see Barry along with Carole Burns and Val Lehman, Prisoner’s very own Frankie and Bea. Shame they weren’t in the same episode, but they both got to play very different characters.

  2. It had a certain charm though, in an “X-Files meets Murder She Wrote” kinda way.

    Toby Truslove was either dire or horribly miscast, but Barry Crocker was, as always, a delight.

  3. Fantastic news for Hoodlum, they are clearly great salespeople.

    I have to admit I thought this show was utterly woeful but if they can get a US sale, all power to them!

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