Showtime Developing Drama Produced By Alexander Payne Based On Dutch Format

Showtime has put in development Kilroy County, a drama from producing partners Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor and Jim Burke, The Brink co-creator Roberto Benabib, director Miguel Arteta (Getting On), Scripted World, IM Global and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Taylor and Weeds alum Benabib and to be directed by Arteta, Kilroy County is based on the Dutch series Holland’s Hoop. It centers on Simon, a forensic psychiatrist struggling to treat the criminally insane at a high security facility near Chicago. When his estranged father dies, Simon hopes the ensuing visit to the family farm will allow him to confront issues in his marriage and with his own children. But the more pressing problem is that one of his former patients, Dennis, a dangerous but extremely charming psychopath, has followed them there.

Taylor, Benabib and Arteta executive produce with Payne, Burke, Scripted World’s Rob Golenberg and Alon Aranya, Endemol Shine North America’s Sharon Hall and IM Global’s Mark Stern.

The project had been in the works at Endemol Shine North America for years, originating at predecessor Shine America under Rich Ross, with then-head of scripted Carolyn Bernstein bringing Payne on board.

The original 2014 Dutch series, which currently airs its second season, was created, written and directed by Franky Ribbens & Dana Nechushtan and produced by VARA, NTR, VPRO in association with Lemming Films. Robert Kievit, Marina Blok, Joost de Wolf, Franky Ribbens and Dana Nechushtan serve as executive producers. The show, which already has been renewed for a third season, has received multiple awards including the Kees Holierhoek Screenplay 2012-2016 award and The Golden Calf Best TV drama award.

In the Dutch version, a forensic psychiatrist comes home with his wife and children after he inherits the family farm following the death of his estranged father and discovers that this farm, called “Hollands Hoop”, is a cannabis plantation that is part of a drug empire. (Watch a trailer with English subtitles below)

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Aranya & Rob Golenberg’s Scripted World has produced other U.S. adaptations of Dutch formats, including Red Widow and Betrayal, at ABC, and has Adam & Eva, based on a Dutch drama, in development at Fox with Marc Platt producing. At Showtime, the company has the Israeli format-based Your Honor, with Robert & Michelle King and Peter Moffat, which has a series commitment.

Payne, Taylor and Burke’s latest collaboration is the feature Downsizing, starring Matt Damon, which was written by Payne and frequent writing partner Taylor, directed by Payne and produced by the trio who previously won a best motion picture drama Golden Globe for The Descendants.