SPT Russia secures drama commissions

The UK’s Doc Martin

Russian broadcasters are set to air local versions of dramas Doc Martin, Mad Dogs and The Good Wife following a deal with Sony Pictures Television (SPT), which is expanding its scripted operation in the country.

Doctor Martov, a Russian adaptation of the UK’s Doc Martin, has been ordered by Channel 1. SPT’s Russian production company, Lean-M, is producing 16 episodes that will air in 2017.

Lean-M has also struck a development deal with NTV to produce local adaptations of Mad Dogs (Besheny Psy) and The Good Wife (Khoroshaya Zhena), both of which are set to go into production next year.

Separately, Rossiya-1 has commissioned The Midwives (Akusherka), a four-hour limited series adaptation of SPT’s 2001 TV movie Midwives.

Alexander Kushaev, producer, productions and acquisitions, at Rossiya-1, said: “We hope this project is the beginning of our fruitful collaboration with Lean-M.”

SPT Russia already produces The Voronins, a local adaptation of US comedy Everybody Loves Raymond that airs on CTC and is now Russia’s longest-running comedy series.

The show first aired in 2009 and now totals 402 episodes. SPT’s other comedies in Russia include The Eighties, Happy Together and The Nanny.