Show of the week: Residue

When a freak explosion rocks a hedonistic fictional futuristic city, photojournalist Jennifer Preston sets out to investigate, finding strange ephemeral phantoms and random acts of violence taking place, as a conspiracy unfolds. This is the set-up in Residue, film producer Matador Pictures’ first foray into TV.

Content Television is selling the series as a three-parter or one-off feature, and Jonathan Ford, executive VP, sales & distribution, describes it as a “sci-fi conspiracy, set in the near future”.

Natalia Tena (Harry Potter), Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) and Jamie Draven (Billy Elliot) are among the cast and Alex Garcia Lopez (Misfits, Utopia) directs. John Harrison (Dune) penned the series.

Content’s film division has worked with Matador, distributing features from the indie including The Numbers Station and Heartless. It worked with the film company to set up the production of Residue although the film indie fully financed it itself without a broadcaster attached. “They used a film model in the TV space, they had a good storyline and wanted to get it filmed,” says Ford.

That gives Content the world to sell the show to and last week at NATPE it was targeting pan-regional channel or platform in Lat-Am.

The show will also work well on SVOD services, he adds, with the show’s well-known cast allowing for star-oriented promotion. The series has a resolution, but the producers are hoping that it will resonate with broadcasters clearing the way for a second, longer, run.

THE SHOW: Residue
THE PRODUCER: Matador Pictures
THE DISTRIBUTOR: Content Television
THE CONCEPT: 3x60mins futuristic drama about the aftermath of a freak explosion