SPT prescribes Lux Vide medical drama

Rai1’s Doc – Nelle Tue Mani drew a 30% audience share

MIPCOM: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has landed exclusive format and distribution rights to Italian prodco Lux Vide’s medical drama Doc – Nelle Tue Mani.

Described as a mix between House and The Good Doctor, the show is based on the true story of Dr Andrea Fanti, played by Luca Argentero (Eat Pray Love), who suffers memory loss following a serious head injury but still finds a new way to continue his career.

The Rai1 series premiered during the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic on March 26, drawing nearly eight million viewers and a 30% audience share, making Doc – Nelle Tue Mani the most-watched show on Italian television in the past 13 years.

The deal, announced as Mipcom Online+ draws to a close, marks the second scripted collaboration between SPT and Lux Vide, following historical drama Leonardo, which stars Aidan Turner in the lead role and has recently wrapped production.

Lux Vide CEO Luca Bernabei said: “We feared that some people might turn away from medical storylines amid the pandemic but the opposite was true. This is a remarkable story of a doctor who has an ability for transforming his illness into a force for good. Medical stories that explore real-life heroes who step up on behalf of society when the worst things imaginable happen have never been more relevant.”

Mike Wald, SPT’s exec VP of distribution and networks, said: “At its core, Doc is a human story with truly universal appeal and the success and acclaim it received in Italy, in this most unprecedented of years, is a testament to its uniqueness and quality. We can’t wait to bring this Italian original to the global marketplace, as well as to work with partners around the world, including here in the US, to develop local adaptations.”