HBO Max Acquires Mark Gatiss’ Series ‘Bookish’ for Australia as Sales Reach Over 100 Territories
HBO Max has acquired the cozy crime series Bookish for its Australian audience. The show, created by Mark Gatiss—known for his work on Sherlock—is set to return for its second season, with Gatiss also taking on the lead role.
Set against the backdrop of post-war London in the 1940s, Bookish features a bibliophile detective, Book, portrayed by Gatiss, who assists the police in solving complex cases. The character navigates life as a gay man during a time when homosexuality was illegal, and is involved in a lavender marriage with his childhood friend Trottie, played by Polly Walker from Bridgerton.
The series has proven to be a significant asset for Beta Film, which distributes it internationally. In addition to HBO Max, Bookish has secured new sales with various networks, including Radio Canada, Sky New Zealand, Viasat World for Central and Eastern Europe, BBC Brit for Africa, and the Italian public broadcaster RAI.
These recent deals have elevated the series to over 100 territories, reflecting the growing popularity of cozy crime dramas worldwide. The show has garnered positive reviews, having also landed earlier sales with AMC Networks for Latin America and Brazil, BBC First for Benelux, TRT for Turkey, HRT for Croatia, DR for Denmark, and SVT for Sweden, among others.
In the UK, Bookish airs on UKTV’s Alibi channel, where its launch episode attracted an impressive average of 1.5 million viewers, marking its second-highest premiere performance to date.
As the second season approaches, Mark Gatiss returns alongside Polly Walker and Connor Finch, with additional cast members including Elliot Levey (Quiz), Blake Harrison (World on Fire), and Buket Kömür (Our House). Newcomers to the cast for the upcoming season will include Jason Watkins (The Game), Miranda Richardson (The Last Anniversary), and Simon Callow (Étoile).
