Epix Orders First Scripted Series

Epix is dipping its toes into the scripted waters, partnering with Lionsgate and Paramount Television on its first two original series.

The half-hour comedy Graves stars Nick Nolte as a former President of the United States. Twenty years after his presidency, former President Richard Graves has the epiphany that his policies have damaged the country for decades and so, with his young assistant, he goes on a Don Quixote-like journey to right his administration's wrongs just as his wife, the former First Lady, decides to follow her own political ambitions.

The 10-episode, straight-to-series order will be produced in partnership with Lionsgate TV. Joshua Michael Stern created the project and will write, direct and executive produce the series.

Epix's other series is hour-long drama Berlin Station from Paramount TV. The 10-episode drama follows a newly anointed case officer who has arrived at the CIA foreign station in Berlin, Germany with a clandestine mission: to uncover the source of a leak who has supplied information to a now-famous whistleblower.

Michaël Roskam will executive produce and direct the first two episodes.  American spy novelist Olen Steinhauer will write and executive produce the series, with Eric Roth and Anonymous Content on board as executive producers.

Production will begin on both series this fall and will premiere in the fall of 2016.

Epix says it will also announce a third project from MGM soon.