Aug 8, 2008

Tradecraft: Australian Spies Infiltrate America

After reading this story in the print version of The Hollywood Reporter, it took me forever to find the link online. Really, how can the website of a major trade publication be as awful and unnavigable as The Hollywood Reporter's? Well, that's enough venting; here's the scoop so you don't need to go through all that: the trade reports that Fox is adapting the upcoming Australian spy series Informant for American TV. Writer Tom Szentgyorgyicq describes it as "Jason Bourne at home," and according to the trade, "it centers on Richard Button, a regular middle-class suburban dad who works as a police informant for an elite federal investigative agency. Button's background is a mystery, but his detailed knowledge of international crime networks and money laundering suggests that he might have been involved in espionage." Says Szentgyorgyicq (is that name even pronounceable?), "It's a blend of a spy undercover procedural and a family story about his life at home. The intelligence officers are working with him but also investigating him." This all sounds vaguely similar to the upcoming Christian Slater spy show My Own Worst Enemy, which also evoked the Bourne name in its trade announcement. It also sounds a little reminiscent of the compelling Canadian spy series Intelligence (I'll have a long overdue full review of that one soon). It could be cool, but, frankly, I'm more interested in seeing the Australian version! I hope that one makes it Stateside eventually, at least on DVD.
Sorry about the picture, David, but I couldn't resist the Simpsons reference!

1 comment:

David said...

The Informant hasn't even screened here yet - who knows, it could be a flop. But I am sure the heads at Fox have seen a few episodes - enough to want to re-use the idea.

I am always surprised when English, American and Australian shows get remade for another countries audience...after all, we (almost) speak the same language.

As for The Simpsons flag...don't worry, our revenge is almost complete. The Koala who hitched a ride on the plane at the end of the episode has been busy building an underground army. Soon the streets of Washington, New York and Los Angeles will will over run with gun-toting koalas!!!