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Airdate: Counterpart

Critically acclaimed US spy drama, starring J.K. Simmons, is coming to SBS in June.

Critically acclaimed US spy drama Counterpart, starring J.K. Simmons, is coming to SBS in June.

The 10-part Starz-produced drama, which boasts a rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, is set to give new meaning to the term ‘double-crossing .’

Marshall Heald, SBS’s Director of Television and Online Content said: “Counterpart has been highly-acclaimed by both international critics and audiences alike, for its intense exploration of identity, relationships and culture. The bi-lingual series is the perfect fit to join our slate of bold, provocative international dramas.”

Robert Lanier, Sony Pictures Television’s SVP, International Distribution, Asia Pacific said “Counterpart is an intriguing story, with an incredible cast including an extraordinary performance by J.K. Simmons in two lead roles. SBS’s commitment to diverse, premium international content makes it the perfect home for the series in Australia.”

SBS will broadcast the first episode on SBS, with the full season at SBS On Demand.

This aired in the US in December.

Set in the captivating world of espionage, intrigue and government conspiracies, Counterpart dives into the mysterious world hidden beneath the surface of everyday existence. The show explores themes of identity, fate and lost love, posing the eternal question, “What if our lives could have been different?”

The series follows Howard Silk (Academy Award-winning star of Whiplash and Spider-man J.K. Simmons), a lowly cog in the bureaucratic machinery of a Berlin-based spy agency. When he discovers that his organisation is hiding a secret gateway into a parallel dimension, Howard is thrust into a shadowy world of intrigue, danger and double crossing… where the only man he can trust is Prime (also played by Simmons), his near-identical ‘counterpart’ from this parallel world.

 

J.K. Simmons features in a multi-faceted dual lead performance, supported by a stellar international cast comprising Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense, Hyde Park on Hudson), Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything, Game of Thrones), Nicholas Pinnock (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland, Hotel Mumbai). Academy Award® nominee Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) directed the first episode.

Created, written and executive produced by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book, Rewind), the dual-language English and German series emerged from his keen interest in British spy classics from the likes of Ian Fleming and Graham Greene, combined with his desire to create an American/British hybrid series.

Counterpart is produced by Gilbert Films, Anonymous Content and MRC. Sony Pictures Television sells the show globally. It is executive produced by Amy Berg (Da Vinci’s Demons), Gary Gilbert (La La Land) with Gilbert Films, Jordan Horowitz (La La Land), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game), as well as Keith Redmon (The Revenant) and Bard Dorros (Spotlight).

10.30pm AEST Saturday, 16 June.

Full season on SBS On Demand immediately following the ‘France v Australia’ FIFA World Cup match.

8 Responses

  1. So only the 1st episode is on television? If so, I really dislike this method of what I can only term marketing. It’s gimmicky. Yeah, yeah, I know; move with the future, blah blah.

    Also, while it may be 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s 76 on MetaCritic, which is a far more accurate/realistic review aggregator site.

    1. I watched the first episode on The Youtube, I found a link in an article and the episode was free to watch, and morally and ethically correct so I wasn’t stealing it!!

    2. DaveyBoy, I don’t think it’s a marketing gimmick, more necessity. SBS’ nightly schedule is going to be crammed with sporting content for the next 2 months. SBS has exclusive broadcasting rights for the French Open, World Cup and the TdF. Rather than cram it into the schedule when and where they can, why shouldn’t they use the resources at their disposal?

      In not unrelated SBS-scheduling news: David, is there any word on when the new season of Bosch will air?

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