Recalling great anthology series like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, fabled cult film director John Waters (Hairspray, Polyester, Cry-Baby) brings us face to face with our most wicked thoughts in this scripted 13 episode anthology series.

In the Hitchcockian role of host and commentator, Waters is the Groom Reaper, lending his wry comedy and macabre sensibility to the twisted true stories of spouses who, for one reason or another, killed their loved ones (or not so loved ones), and found themselves on the pages of America's and Canada's court records.

Waters has a history of shining an ironic spotlight on his subjects and is right at home hosting a series about doomed marriages with the feel of Fargo meets American Beauty. Waters himself puts it best when he says, "I've always been jealous of Vincent Price's career - maybe now that he's dead, I can hijack it."

Dark, edgy and unique with true stories too bizarre to concoct, each episode dramatizes the events of the true crime with tantalizing and dramatic scenes revealing the story of the ill-fated relationship; what they did, how they covered it up and ultimately ending with the guilty spouse getting caught in a way they never expected.


"Such good sickly fun." - The New York Times

Duration:
13 x 30 mins

Rights:
TV: World excl USA & Canada ~ DVD: World excl Canada No clip sales. No Licensing. US DVD release: 9 months from Court TV’s initial broadcast or 15 mths following full delivery (and acceptance by Court TV) of the last episode for the cycle/season, whichever is earlier.

Clearances:
Cleared

TX:
19th March 2007, Court TV, 22:00 and 22:30

Target Demographic:
Male & female, 16-55 category

Delivery : Dec 31 2007 12:00AM to Dec 31 2007 12:00AM

Pitch Availability:
Now.

Brief Synopsis:
True life tales of wedded woe. Truth is often stranger than fiction, especially when presented by cult film director John Waters (Hairspray, Serial Mom, Cry-Baby). As presenter and narrator, “The Groom Reaper”, he brings his macabre sensibility and wry comedy to a series of dramatised stories which reveal the real life cases of ill-fated relationships, what they did, why they did it and how they covered it up. Recalling great anthology series like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, each episode of this dark edgy and unique series has a happy ending, John Waters style, with the guilty spouse getting caught in a way they never expected.

Key Points:
S.2 has been commissioned however it is going through a major format change and FME won't be acquiring on this basis. S.1 is a co-production between Court TV (USA) and Global TV Network (Canada). John Waters is an internationally known cult director who made films such as PINK FLAMINGOS, HAIRSPRAY and SERIAL MOM. The 2007 theatrical version of Hairspray has achieved over $100million at the box office and received great critical acclaim and has raised John Waters profile internationally. His film Cry Baby will launch as a musical on Broadway later this year. This is his first starring role as an actor and Court TV's first scripted series. Each episode has high production values and is a darkly comic drama which tells the story of love gone wrong in an engaging way. It resembles Desperate Housewives in tone - a drama that has moments of dark humour that gets underneath the facade of American suburban life. Another murder/mystery anthology that was successful was the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS... which also featured another cult director 'hosting' a series of murderous stories. This is a post-watershed series due to the brief moments of violence (although not too graphic). Many intl. clients can identify with the content of the series as it bears many similarities to the true life story magazines that you get around the world. Review - Denver Post: "Often you can see the twist coming. But there's fun en route to the casket" Review - LA Daily News: "John Waters, who hosts Court TV's new docudrama series " 'Til Death Do Us Part," isn't a mogul, and he's not really an animatronic ghoul, either. But he's an inspired choice to host this docudrama series based on real-life crimes of passion" "Such good sickly fun" New York Times "Darkly funny" MIPTV A-list Hollywood Reporter Linda Stasi – New York Post – Feb 2007 - What I like about his series is that it is anti-slick and anti- pretty. The people look like real people. Shot in high definition.

Press Coverage / Other Information:
In America the show is known by its original title of TIL DEATH DO US PART. The decision was taken to change the name as it bore a resemblance to US sitcom export TILL DEATH. Official Court TV website - http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/til_death_do_us_part/index.html Court TV is being renamed in January 2008 as truTV - http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i23ee60eb1c87d19373cbb45d52e4a486 More info about John Waters - http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/til_death_do_us_part/john_waters.html 'What I like about this series is that they look like real people' - New York Post 'Love you to Death is an exercise in high style' - New York Newsday

Marketing Materials:
Series 1 promo and series 1 programme card to be available online for NATPE 2008. Series 1 brochure available at NATPE 2008. Series 1 promo available at NATPE 2008. Advertising: No advertising planned Merchandise: Not available Episodes and promo to be available on OTV for NATPE 2008.

Research:
Aired on Court TV (USA) and Global (Canada). Peaked with an audience of 1.4 million viewers on Court TV (USA). Consistently performed above the Court TV prime time for all viewers (2+). Exceeded the Court TV prime time share by up to 63% for all viewers (2+). Won market shares up to 38% higher than the Court TV prime time for the commercial target (Adults 18-49).

Producer:
Blueprint Entertainment

Duration:
13 x 30 mins

Rights:
TV: World excl USA & Canada ~ DVD: World excl Canada No clip sales. No Licensing. US DVD release: 9 months from Court TV’s initial broadcast or 15 mths following full delivery (and acceptance by Court TV) of the last episode for the cycle/season, whichever is earlier.

Clearances:
Cleared

TX:
19th March 2007, Court TV, 22:00 and 22:30

Target Demographic:
Male & female, 16-55 category

Delivery : Dec 31 2007 12:00AM to Dec 31 2007 12:00AM

Pitch Availability:
Now.

Brief Synopsis:
True life tales of wedded woe. Truth is often stranger than fiction, especially when presented by cult film director John Waters (Hairspray, Serial Mom, Cry-Baby). As presenter and narrator, “The Groom Reaper”, he brings his macabre sensibility and wry comedy to a series of dramatised stories which reveal the real life cases of ill-fated relationships, what they did, why they did it and how they covered it up. Recalling great anthology series like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, each episode of this dark edgy and unique series has a happy ending, John Waters style, with the guilty spouse getting caught in a way they never expected.

Key Points:
S.2 has been commissioned however it is going through a major format change and FME won't be acquiring on this basis. S.1 is a co-production between Court TV (USA) and Global TV Network (Canada). John Waters is an internationally known cult director who made films such as PINK FLAMINGOS, HAIRSPRAY and SERIAL MOM. The 2007 theatrical version of Hairspray has achieved over $100million at the box office and received great critical acclaim and has raised John Waters profile internationally. His film Cry Baby will launch as a musical on Broadway later this year. This is his first starring role as an actor and Court TV's first scripted series. Each episode has high production values and is a darkly comic drama which tells the story of love gone wrong in an engaging way. It resembles Desperate Housewives in tone - a drama that has moments of dark humour that gets underneath the facade of American suburban life. Another murder/mystery anthology that was successful was the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS... which also featured another cult director 'hosting' a series of murderous stories. This is a post-watershed series due to the brief moments of violence (although not too graphic). Many intl. clients can identify with the content of the series as it bears many similarities to the true life story magazines that you get around the world. Review - Denver Post: "Often you can see the twist coming. But there's fun en route to the casket" Review - LA Daily News: "John Waters, who hosts Court TV's new docudrama series " 'Til Death Do Us Part," isn't a mogul, and he's not really an animatronic ghoul, either. But he's an inspired choice to host this docudrama series based on real-life crimes of passion" "Such good sickly fun" New York Times "Darkly funny" MIPTV A-list Hollywood Reporter Linda Stasi – New York Post – Feb 2007 - What I like about his series is that it is anti-slick and anti- pretty. The people look like real people. Shot in high definition.

Press Coverage / Other Information:
In America the show is known by its original title of TIL DEATH DO US PART. The decision was taken to change the name as it bore a resemblance to US sitcom export TILL DEATH. Official Court TV website - http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/til_death_do_us_part/index.html Court TV is being renamed in January 2008 as truTV - http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i23ee60eb1c87d19373cbb45d52e4a486 More info about John Waters - http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/til_death_do_us_part/john_waters.html 'What I like about this series is that they look like real people' - New York Post 'Love you to Death is an exercise in high style' - New York Newsday

Marketing Materials:
Series 1 promo and series 1 programme card to be available online for NATPE 2008. Series 1 brochure available at NATPE 2008. Series 1 promo available at NATPE 2008. Advertising: No advertising planned Merchandise: Not available Episodes and promo to be available on OTV for NATPE 2008.

Research:
Aired on Court TV (USA) and Global (Canada). Peaked with an audience of 1.4 million viewers on Court TV (USA). Consistently performed above the Court TV prime time for all viewers (2+). Exceeded the Court TV prime time share by up to 63% for all viewers (2+). Won market shares up to 38% higher than the Court TV prime time for the commercial target (Adults 18-49).

Producer:
Blueprint Entertainment