IFC and Channel 4 are teaming for the original TV comedy Year of the Rabbit.
The project, a six-episode straight-to-series order, will star Matt Berry as Detective Inspector Rabbit — a drunk sleuth investigating crimes inspired by the world of Sherlock Holmes’ Victorian-era London.
Written by Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, and directed by Ben Taylor, the series also stars Freddie Fox and Susan Wokoma. It’s being produced by Objective Fiction.
“Like everyone else in comedy, we have been trying to develop a Victoria- era procedural cop show for years so between that and stalking Matt Berry since he was a guest star on Portlandia, we could not be more thrilled to partner with Channel 4 on this brilliantly funny period piece,” joked IFC senior vp programming Christine Lubrano. “The concept, the writing and the cast are simply perfect for IFC’s ‘slightly off’ comedy brand.”
Berry previously starred in The IT Crowd and Toast of London, the latter of which earned him a BAFTA Award.
IFC’s originals output continues to skew comedic, including series Brockmire, Documentary Now! and Stan Against Evil. Portlandia, on which Berry once guest-starred, wrapped its eight-season IFC run in March.
