Taxi Brooklyn (NBC) -- From Luc Besson -- Summer 2014

[djariya]

NBC has acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to EuropaCorp Television‘s Taxi Brooklyn for a summer debut. The 12-episode action/comedy series is produced by showrunner Gary Scott Thompson (Las Vegas, The Fast And The Furious) and based on Luc Besson‘s Taxi feature franchise. It stars Grey’s Anatomy alumna Chyler Leigh and Jacky Ido (Inglourious Basterds). Former Blue Bloods co-star Jennifer Esposito, Ally Walker (Profiler), James Colby (Person Of Interest), Bill Heck (Pan Am), Jose Zuniga (Body Of Proof) and Raul Casso (Blue Bloods) round out the cast. Formerly known as Taxi: Brooklyn South, Taxi Brooklyn was shot in English in the titular borough along with Manhattan and Queens. Leigh plays Detective Caitlyn “Cat” Sullivan, who is determined to find the truth about the death of her father, an NYPD detective who was killed in the line of duty. When her stubborn character and recklessness behind the wheel see her demoted to foot patrol, she teams with the highly skilled and charming Marseille-born cabbie Leo Romba. Realizing Leo lied on his immigration form, Cat offers him a deal: in exchange for his driving prowess and taxi, she will help Leo with his papers situation. He becomes her personal driver and police consultant as they race through the streets of New York City solving cases.

Among the series directors are Olivier Megaton (Taken 2) and the helmer of three films in Besson’s Taxi franchise, Gerard Krawczyk. Exec producers are Edouard de Vesinne, Thomas Anargyros and Thompson. The series hails from EuropaCorp Television with the participation of France’s TF1 which starts airing the series April 14. Thompson says, “After over a hundred episodes of Las Vegas on NBC, and The Fast And Furious at Universal, it’s a happy home coming for me. I’m very pleased NBC recognized our show’s potential, and I look forward to working with them on Taxi Brooklyn.”

Besson has produced four Taxi films. The original, about a Marseille cabbie who inadvertently gets involved in fighting crime, was helmed by Gérard Pirès and became a smash hit when it was released in 1998. It sold over 6M tickets in France and spawned three sequels and a U.S. remake. In 2000, Krawcyzk took over directing the franchise, and Taxi 2 became the top-grossing movie of the year with over 10M admissions. The latter two films were also in the Top 10 in 2003 and 2007. Each starred Samy Naceri and Frédéric Diefenthal. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard appeared in the first three films.

Coming this summer. This is based on Besson's Taxi movies.

[kngtmat]

I really enjoy this show and hope it gets a second season in the US like it did in France. Especially since most of the episodes ratings have done a little better here than in France.

[MifuneFan]

Soon Brooklyn will take over every network....and then the WORLD...

[djariya]

I'm about 3 episodes behind, but I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.

Sure this is probably the definition of disposable entertainment, but I've liked the weird little dynamic they've set up with Chyler Leigh's character and Jacky Ido's. Hard to believe this is a French produced series.

Also, rather than being a straight forward cop procedural, they've added a little continuing storyline.

[djariya]

Originally Posted by kngtmat

I really enjoy this show and hope it gets a second season in the US like it did in France. Especially since most of the episodes ratings have done a little better here than in France.

Yeah I heard this got a 2nd season in France, but that doesn't mean they will air in the U.S. Crossing Lines aired on NBC last summer, a second season was ordered overseas, but NBC didn't pick it up. They have said they will shortly announce an American distributor soon.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by djariya

Yeah I heard this got a 2nd season in France, but that doesn't mean they will air in the U.S. Crossing Lines aired on NBC last summer, a second season was ordered overseas, but NBC didn't pick it up. They have said they will shortly announce an American distributor soon.

True, but I'd be surprised if NBC didn't pick this up again for next season. While by Fall season standards the ratings are bad, it does finish a very close second in it's time slot and Summer ratings are different. They'd be stupid to let it go in my opinion.

Speaking of the show, I forgot that it started already and the first three episodes are already gone on Hulu. I guess I'll just pick it up starting with Episode 4.

[kngtmat]

Although Crossing Lines ratings was mostly below 3.0 while Taxi Brooklyn has had 4.62 as the lowest. But I agree just like the Michael Shanks show Saving Hope I liked got renewed in Canada where it's from but not on NBC.

[doctorD]

Got through the entire season over the weekend. Really enjoyed the show. Hoping we get a season 2 next summer.