U.S. channel WGN America has acquired the broadcast rights to CBC original drama Bellevue.

The eight-part, hour-long drama, which was not renewed by CBC for a second season, will premiere in early 2018 on WGN America. The channel is owned by Chicago-based Tribune Broadcasting and has a national reach of approximately 80 million households in the U.S.

This is the first time WGN has acquired a CBC series, a spokesperson for WGN confirmed to Playback Daily.

Produced by Muse Entertainment (The Kennedys) and Back Alley Film Productions (Durham County), the series went to camera in September 2016 and debuted on CBC in February of this year.

Bellevue stars Anna Paquin (True Blood, Alias Grace) as a detective attempting to discover what happened to a transgender teen who went missing in her hometown 20 years previously. The show also stars Shawn Doyle (Fargo) and Allen Leech (Downton Abbey).

The series is created by Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell, who executive produce alongside Paquin, Janis Lundman, Michael Prupas, Morwyn Brebner and Jesse Prupas. Episodes are directed by Adrienne Mitchell, April Mullen and Kim Nguyen.

International distribution is handled by Muse Distribution International and TM International.