Canal+ takes Amazon originals to France

Canal+ has acquired two of Amazon Prime Instant Video’s original comedies, Alpha House and Betas.

Both comedy series came out of the first wave of pilots and originals commissioned by the US OTT service. They will play on the French pay TV giant’s CanalPlay on-demand service.

Amazon’s Prime Instant service is only available in the US, UK and Germany and Austria meaning the Canal+ deal marks the first time these originals will have gone out in France. Both will roll out on December 18.

Betas (above) is set among the world of Silicon Valley tech start-ups.

Alpha House is a political comedy starring John Goodman and has been renewed by Amazon for a second season.

“I am delighted to introduce to our users two series from universes that I like,” said said Patrick Holzman, director, Canalplay. “One is in the vein of House of Cards or Scandal, with a sharp comedy angle; the other could be compared to series like Silicon Valley or Big Bang Theory, but has a world of its own and a real personality.”

Sony Pictures Television distributes Amazon’s original series.