'The Kennedys' Producer to Create Drama for ReelzChannel

NEW YOK - ReelzChannel said Monday it has struck a production deal with Asylum Entertainment to develop and produce original scripted series for the network. 

The news comes after ReelzChannel earlier this year picked up The Kennedys from Asylum, whose president and chief creative officer Jonathan Koch will be the point person for the collaboration at Asylum. Executive producer Joel Surnow will serve as a consulting executive. 

The series drew more than two million viewers to each episode during premiere week, according to the network.

The partners said Monday that they "expect to have a series ready to debut on the network in 2013 or as early as late next year," likely a one-hour drama. In addition to this initial series, the partnership will explore, develop and produce multiple scripted and unscripted projects together, the companies said.

“In acquiring The Kennedys one of our goals was to bring a quality of programming to our network of a kind that we have not been able to do before," said ReelzChannel CEO Stan Hubbard. "In the few short weeks we had to market and promote the The Kennedys, it became clear that our interests, approach and vision are in close alignment with Asylum Entertainment and Joel Surnow."

“Following the tremendously successful run of The Kennedys, Stan Hubbard and his team are clearly committed to solidifying ReelzChannel as a force in the cable programming world,” said Koch. "We are currently looking for a script and auspices that will further establish ReelzChannel as a place to watch high quality original programming."

Said Surnow: "When Stan Hubbard approached Jonathan Koch and me with the idea of continuing to build on the foundation of the network with high quality programs, we couldn’t sign up quickly enough."

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com

Twitter: @georgszalai