Frankie Drake Mysteries

U.K.-based distributor DCD Rights has unveiled new deals for Frankie Drake Mysteries.

The Shaftesbury-produced series has been sold to Ovation TV (U.S.), which follows a PBS Distribution streaming window; Epic Drama and VIP Serial (CEE, Russia and CIS); Seven Network (Australia);  YLE (Finland); Sky TV Network (New Zealand); and HRT (Croatia).

As well, new sales for earlier seasons of the 1920s-set series include The Walt Disney Company (Balkans) for season one; Prime Time Media (Russia and CIS) for season one to three; Latvian Television for season two and three; and CH.U (South Korea) for season one to four.

Produced in association with CBC and UKTV, the series follows Toronto’s only female private detectives, featuring Lauren Lee Smith as the eponymous Frankie Drake. It also stars Chantel Riley, Rebecca Liddiard and Sharron Matthews.

Notably, it was recently announced Frankie Drake Mysteries would end with its fourth season.

PBS International

PBS International has licensed preschool series Elinor Wonders Why to Canada’s Knowledge Network as well as a raft of others.

Created by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson, and produced in partnership with Hamilton, ON’s Pipeline Studios, the animated series (74 x 11 minutes + 1 x 55 minute special) follows curious bunny Elinor and her friends as they explore the world and the ways nature connects to our everyday lives. Each episode sees the character use her powers of observation and willingness to ask questions and investigate.

It has also been picked up by Discovery Latin America, YLE (Finland), Hop! (Israel), SVT (Sweden) and e-junior (UAS).

Elinor Wonders Why was developed as part of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS Ready To Learn Initiative with funding from the U.S. Department of Education and additional support from CPB, according to a press release.

Super Channel

New Zealand-set family thriller Mystic (13 x 30 minute) is set to premiere on Super Channel Heart & Home next month.

Based on author Stacy Gregg’s Pony Club Secrets book series, the series, which is set to debut May 16 at 8 p.m. ET, follows a new-to-town teenager and her mother.

A Libertine Pictures and Slim Film + Television co-production, and co-commissioned by the U.K. children’s channel CBBC, Seven Network in Australia and New Zealand’s TVNZ, with investment from NZ On Air, the show was created for television by Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers.

Executive producers are Richard Fletcher for Libertine Pictures, Simon Crawford-Collins for Slim Film + Television, Amy Buscombe for CBBC, Brian Bird for Super Channel, Pierre-André Rochat for Daro Film Distribution, which distributes the series, as well as Shindler and Chalmers.

The family drama is also written by author Gregg, Steph Matuku, Scott Payne, Yero Timi-Biu, Samuel E. Shore and Kate McDermott. Directors include Peter Salmon, Aidee Walker and Michael Hurst. It stars Macey Chipping, Laura Patch, Phil Brown, Jacqueline Joe, Kirk Torrance, Cathy Downes, Jonny Brugh, Antonia Robinson, Max Crean, Josh Tan, and Harriet Walton.

Episodes will be available on Super Channel On Demand the day after the show’s weekly linear broadcast.

Image of Frankie Drake Mysteries season four courtesy of CBC