New drama titles for Foxtel / Binge

TV Tonight can reveal new drama titles coming to Foxtel / Binge in coming months.

French – British period drama Marie Antoinette created and written by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63).

Filming took place in many prestigious historical places including the Châteaux of Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Lésigny, Champs, Voisins, and at the Bry-sur-Marne studios.

Co-written by Louise Ironside (The Split), Avril E. Russell (All on a Summer’s Day) and Chloë Moss (Run Sister Run), the series is directed by Pete Travis (Bloodlands) and Geoffrey Enthoven (Children of Love).

The show was produced by Banijay Studios France, CAPA Drama and Les Gens as a Canal Plus Creation Original. Production is by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for Capa Drama, Alban Étienne and Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France, and Christophe Toulemonde for Les Gens.

Synopsis: Marie Antoinette was barely 14 years old when she left Austria to marry the Dauphin of France. Growing from a stubborn young princess navigating the rules of the French court under pressure to continue the Bourbon line, to a true fashion icon, she impressed with her charisma, and recreated life in Versailles in her image: free, independent and feminist. Even with rumours undermining her reputation, the notorious figure was able to defeat her enemies at the Versailles court with courage and dignity.

US police drama East New York from CBS, stars Amanda Warren (The Leftovers, Three Billboards) as Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood.

Written by William Finkelstein (The Good Fight, NYPD Blue, Civil Wars) and Mike Flynn (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Queen), it also features Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue, The West Wing), Kevin Rankin (Dallas Buyers Club, The Umbrella Academy), Richard Kind (Mad About You, Spin City), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Orange Is the New Black, Shameless), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Castle, Billions)

Synopsis: Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood (Amanda Warren) is the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct in East New York – a working-class neighbourhood on the edge of Brooklyn that is in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the help of her officers and detectives. But first, she has the daunting task of getting them on board, as some are sceptical of her promotion, and others resist the changes she is desperate to make. Her team includes her mentor, shrewd veteran two-star Chief John Suarez (Emmy® Award winner Jimmy Smits); Marvin Sandeford, a highly respected training officer and expert on the neighbourhood; Tommy Killian, a detective with some old-school approaches to policing; Capt. Stan Yenko, Haywood’s gregarious and efficient right hand; Crystal Morales, an intuitive detective who can’t be intimidated; Andre Bentley, a trainee from an upper middle-class background; and ambitious patrol officer Brandy Quinlan, the sole volunteer to live in a local housing project as part of Haywood’s plan to bridge the gap between police and community. Regina Haywood has a vision – she and the squad of the 74th Precinct will not only serve their community, they will also become part of it.

On September is the premiere of This England (previously announced) starring Kenneth Branagh as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The series charts the events surrounding Johnson, the government and the country at large as the UK makes its way through the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chrissie Carras, Head of Branded Services, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said: “Different countries responded to COVID-19 in very different ways. BBC First is the home of premium British drama and we are pleased to bring this fascinating insight into how the UK tackled the devastating events that affected the world to Australian audiences.”

This England is a Sky Original drama, produced by Michael Winterbottom’s Revolution Films (The Trip, 24-Hour Party People) and Richard Brown’s Passenger (True Detective, Catch-22, Outlaw King) and distributed by Fremantle. Co-written and directed by Michael Winterbottom, the series also stars Ophelia Lovibond (Elementary) as Johnson’s then fiancée (now wife) Carrie Symonds, Simon Paisley Day (Brexit: The Uncivil War) as Boris’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings and Andrew Buchan (Broadchurch) as former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Based on Boris Johnson’s tumultuous first months as UK Prime Minister, This England traces the impact on Britain of the first wave of the pandemic. The drama takes us inside the halls of power, as Johnson (Branagh) grapples with Covid-19, Brexit, and a controversial personal and political life. The events in government are interwoven with first-hand testimonies from around the country, from the experts and scientists racing against time; the doctors, nurses and care-home workers working tirelessly and heroically on the frontline; and ordinary people whose lives were thrown into turmoil.

Cleaning Lady S2

Also coming is Season 2 of the US drama about an undocumented worker forced to navigate the criminal underworld to save her ailing son’s life.

Developed by executive producer Miranda Kwok (The 100) and executive-produced by showrunner Melissa Carter (Queen Sugar), and executive producers Shay Mitchell (You, Pretty Little Liars), David Dean Portelli, Rose Marie Vega and Paola Suarez.

The cast also features Elodie Yung as Thon, Adan Canto as Arman, Oliver Hudson as FBI Agent Garrett Miller and Australian actor Martha Milla as Fiona.

The debut episode (11.9 million multiplatform viewers) is FOX’s most watched drama debut in two years and the most-streamed FOX debut on Hulu in network history.