New York, NY – May 7, 2014 – BBC AMERICA announced today the renewal of its award-winning original series “Orphan Black” for a fourth season. The drama starring Tatiana Maslany has been re-commissioned for a 10 episode order from Temple Street Productions and is slated to air in 2016. Hailed as “utterly original and spellbinding” by The Daily Beast and “a multi-layer cake of performance” by The Los Angeles Times, season three is currently airing and will finale on Saturday, June 20 at 9PM ET.
Sarah Barnett, BBC AMERICA President and General Manager, stated, “’Orphan Black’ is an entirely fresh and original show that stands out even in today’s crowded TV landscape. Tatiana Maslany’s buzzy, virtuoso performance headlines a brilliant cast and we are delighted to let our vocal and passionate fan base know that this wildly entertaining ride will continue next year.”
Co-creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson said: “We’re thrilled to be moving forward with season four of the Orphan Black saga. Huge thanks to our partners Temple Street Productions, and to BBC AMERICA and Space. We’re extremely excited about where our story lines are going, and look forward to riding the rollercoaster with our amazing fans #CloneClub.”
The series has received considerable critical and award attention. It earned a Peabody Award in 2014 and lead actress Tatiana Maslany has received two Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Actress, a TCA Award for Individual Achievement, a Young Hollywood Award, a Gracie Award, two Canadian Screen Awards and Golden Globe®, SAG and People’s Choice nominations.
The cast includes Tatiana Maslany, Ari Millen, Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Skyler Wexler, Kevin Hanchard, Evelyne Brochu, Kristian Bruun, Ksenia Solo, Michiel Huisman, Josh Vokey, Zoé De Grand Maison, Justin Chatwin and Kyra Harper.
“The growth of ‘Orphan Black’ and the amazing response from audiences over the past three seasons has exceeded our expectations and we’re delighted to be able to continue the journey in season four,” commented David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, executive producers of “Orphan Black” and Co-Presidents of Temple Street Productions. “We are incredibly proud of our talented cast and crew and grateful for the support from our broadcast partners at BBC AMERICA and Space.”
“Orphan Black” is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with BBC AMERICA and Space. Executive producers are Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier of Temple Street Productions, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett. “Orphan Black” is distributed by BBC Worldwide.
“Orphan Black” Season Three Audience and Social Media Highlights:
- The AMC Networks roadblock of the “Orphan Black” Season 3 premiere garnered the largest ever audience for the show, with 1.9 million viewers.
- BBC AMERICA accounted for 60% of the audience with 1.1 million viewers on premiere night.
- Source: Nielsen, Live+3, 4/18/15, Orphan Black Ep 301 (BBCA, AMC, IFC, SUND, WEtv), P2+ gross impressions.
Includes premiere night encore on BBCA.
- With a Median Income of $77K, “Orphan Black” ranks as the 2nd most affluent drama on ad-supported television in the 2014/15 season, behind only AMC’s “Mad Men.”
- Together, AMC and BBC AMERICA account for the Top 4 most affluent dramas on ad-supported TV this season: “Mad Men,” “Orphan Black,” “Better Call Saul,” and “Doctor Who.”
- Source: Nielsen, Live+SD, 2014/15 STD (9/22/14-5/3/15), Broadcast & Ad-Supported Cable: Primetime Original Dramas (excludes repeats), Median Income (P2+).
- “Orphan Black” continues to show tremendous social media engagement, ranking as the #1 basic cable drama on Twitter and Tumblr in its premiere week, and continuing to rank among the Top 10 cable dramas on both platforms each week thereafter.
- Twitter Source: Nielsen SocialGuide, week of 4/13/15, basic cable program rank based on unique authors.
- Tumblr Source: ListenFirst Media, week of 4/13/15, basic cable program rank based on engagement (notes & tags).
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About BBC AMERICA
BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. A joint venture between BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, and AMC Networks, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including four Emmy® Awards, five Golden Globes® and 12 Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable’s most affluent and educated audiences and is available on cable and satellite TV in nearly 80 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.BBCAmerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist. Find out more by visiting www.Press.BBCAmerica.com/ or follow us on www.twitter.com/BBCAMERICA.
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCX) owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates BBC AMERICA through a joint venture with BBC Worldwide. In addition, the company operates AMC Networks International, its global division. More information is available at www.www.amcnetworks.com.
About Temple Street Productions
Temple Street Productions is a leading producer of television, film and digital media content based in Toronto and Los Angeles. A selection of Temple Street’s past and present projects include, Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, Space), X Company (CBC), Being Erica (CBC, SOAPnet), The Next Step (Family Channel), Wingin’ It (Family Channel), Say Yes to the Dress Canada (W), Million Dollar Critic (W, BBC America), Cook’d (YTV), Over the Rainbow (CBC), Recipe to Riches (CBC, Food Network, Global), Cover Me Canada (CBC), Billable Hours (Global, Showcase), Canada’s Next Top Model (CTV), How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? (CBC), Queer as Folk (Showtime, Showcase), and Darcy’s Wild Life (NBC, Discovery Kids, Family Channel). For more company information www.templestreetproductions.com twitter @TempleStreet or connect with us on Facebook.