BBC-ZDF Cold War spy series 'Honey' makes first sales after Mipcom premiere in Cannes
The BBC and ZDF series 'Honey', a comedic Cold War spy thriller set in 1982 East Berlin, premiered at Mipcom in Cannes. Distributor Fifth Season has made its first sales.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2'Honey', a Cold War spy thriller made for the BBC and ZDF, had its world premiere at the Mipcom TV market in Cannes on Monday evening, 12 October. DeadlineN “The first sales for Honey have rolled in as the darkly comedic thriller had its world premiere in Cannes.” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “which had its world premiere Monday evening at Mipcom” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1Deadline reported that distributor Fifth Season has made its first sales: Australian streamer Stan and Sky in New Zealand pre-bought the show, and OSN+ (Middle East and North Africa) and Hot (Israel) signed presales. DeadlineN “It has been pre-bought by Australian streamer Stan and Sky in New Zealand. Fifth Season is distributing the show and has also sealed presales with OSN+ for the Middle East and North Africa and Hot in Israel.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2The series follows Martha (Ann Skelly), a young MI6 agent in East Berlin in 1982 who navigates counterespionage and becomes entangled in a love triangle. VarietyLC “a young MI6 agent Martha (Ann Skelly) becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle in East Berlin in 1982, where she navigates a shadowy world of counterespionage.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “a deep cover agent in 1982 Germany” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2Skelly, known for 'House of Guinness', stars alongside Nate Mann, Jannis Niewöhner and Rory Kinnear. DeadlineN “Skelly appears alongside Nate Mann, Jannis Niewöhner and Rory Kinnear in the series.” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “stars alongside Nate Mann, Jannis Niewöhner and Rory Kinnear” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Lead writer and executive producer Emma Moran said she was drawn to mixing romance with spy genres, and that real-life spycraft helped supply the comedy, citing prosthetic testicles used to hide notes and cameras strapped to pigeons. VarietyLC “They literally have prosthetic testicles in which they hide notes.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “I loved smashing together romance and spy [genres],” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 1Executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle of Sid Gentle Films, known for 'Killing Eve', said the team never wanted a 'brown, turgid period show'. VarietyLC “They never wanted to make a “brown, turgid period show.”” Read at Variety ↗
Centre · 1Deadline noted that the Martha character later appeared in 'Killing Eve', played by Fiona Shaw as Carolyn Martens, and that the makers stress the show shares that universe but is not a prequel. DeadlineN “The team behind Honey, however, have been at pains to stress that while it is the same universe, it is not a prequel.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Skelly said she relished playing a 'brazen and bold' character and, per Variety, recalled filming in Lithuania in very cold weather. Fifth Season's Jennifer Ebell called the show commercially viable with a distinct voice, and Moran said the team would like to return, since the show is only at 1982. DeadlineN “Seeing a character so brazen and bold and full of want, that’s really fun” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “It’s very hard to find commercially viable content with a distinct voice.”“It’s only 1982 [in the show] so we’ve got seven years left to do a lot of stuff,”” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Light, quote-driven feature on the show's tone, led by its humour and the absurdity of spying.
- Emphasis
- Moran's and Skelly's remarks, the spy-museum anecdotes, production in Lithuania and Fifth Season's commercial pitch.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not list the territory sales buyers; says only that Fifth Season sells the show.
- Charged language
- “Sex, Lies – and Prosthetic Testicles”“brown, turgid period show”
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Trade-news scoop led by the deals: first territory sales following the premiere, with cast and creator comments as colour.
- Emphasis
- Buyers (Stan, Sky NZ, OSN+, Hot), the Fifth Season distribution role, and the link to the Killing Eve universe.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the prosthetic-testicle spycraft anecdotes or the Lithuania shoot.
- Charged language
- “EXCLUSIVE”“glitzy premiere”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- 'Honey' is a BBC-ZDF Cold War spy series set in 1982 East Berlin.
- It premiered at Mipcom in Cannes and is handled by Fifth Season.
- Ann Skelly plays Martha, with Nate Mann, Jannis Niewöhner and Rory Kinnear.
- Emma Moran is lead writer and executive producer; Sally Woodward Gentle of Sid Gentle Films is executive producer.
Fifth Season organisation
Fifth Season sells the series and has secured its first presales; its distribution executive Jennifer Ebell praises its distinct voice and commercial viability.
“Fifth Season is distributing the show and has also sealed presales with OSN+ for the Middle East and North Africa and Hot in Israel.” — Deadline
“It’s very hard to find commercially viable content with a distinct voice.” — Variety
Honey (TV series) other
The makers present 'Honey' as a genre-blending comedy-romance-spy drama in the Killing Eve universe, but not a prequel.
“it is the same universe, it is not a prequel” — Deadline
“There’s an innate comedy and absurdity to spying.” — Variety
Left1 article
-
Sympathetic Playful, promotional-leaning feature highlighting the series' humour and the cast's and producers' quotes.
Centre1 article
-
Cold War Thriller ‘Honey’ Scores First Sales After Cannes World Premiere
Neutral Deal-focused exclusive reporting presales and summarising the premiere remarks.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 13 Oct 07:47 First DeadlineN Cold War Thriller ‘Honey’ Scores First Sales After Cannes World Premiere
- 13 Oct 13:27 +5h 40m VarietyLC BBC, ZDF Cold War Thriller ‘Honey’ Offers Sex, Lies – and Prosthetic Testicles: ‘There’s an Innate Comedy and Absurdity to Spying’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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