ARRIVEDERCI ZEN

[18.14 - French Time] The Guardian reports that BBC One has decided not to commission another series of detective drama Zen, starring Rufus Sewell.

Adapted from the Aurelio Zen series of books by Michael Dibdin, the three-part feature length drama was produced by Left Bank Pictures (Wallander for BBC One) for the BBC. It was co-produced by the Italians of RTI (Mediaset), the Americans of Masterpiece, German pubcaster ZDF and Ingenious Broadcasting, in association with LipSync Productions.

English actor Rufus Sewell starred as Aurelio Zen, an upright maverick detective working at the Questura di Roma of the Italian State Police. The premiere of Zen in January attracted 5.11 million viewers (20%), beating ITV1's Agatha Christie's Marple (4.3m/17.4%). But the two other episodes lost vs Wild at Heart and Dancing on Ice.

According to The Guardian's article, Left Bank is currently in talks with other broadcasters about pursuing the series elsewhere. Could Sky, for which Left Bank Pictures already produces Mad Dogs and Chris Ryan's Strike Back, be a new home for the Italian cop? The company also produces DCI Banks for ITV1, which has its share of recent literary detective adaptations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/22/zen-rufus-sewell-bbc1
http://www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2011/01/arrivederci-roma.html (Review)
http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2010/10/murders-by-book.html

Rating details:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a295682/famous-and-fearless-launches-with-2m.html
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s101/dancing-on-ice/news/a296955/dancing-on-ice-skates-in-with-93m.html
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s101/dancing-on-ice/news/a298331/dancing-on-ice-dominates-primetime.html