Israeli TV continues to be a prime source for International and American remakes. Paramount Network has ordered 10 episodes of the dark comedy-drama “68 Whiskey,” based on the Israeli series “Charlie Golf One.” Following men and women medics on a U.S. Army base in Afghanistan, the series is from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment. Producers behind the original series—creator Zion Rubin, Efrat Shmaya Dror and Danna Stern–will remain involved as executive producers.
Roberto Benabib (“Weeds,” “Kidding”) is writing the series. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to produce a series that echoes the dark irreverent films of the ‘70s and speaks to the dark irreverent insanity of the world today,” he said.
Set on Israeli Defense Forces base in the desert, “Charlie Golf One (a.k.a. “Combat Medics”) starred Tomer Capon (“Where Heroes Fly”) and was Yes TV’s most successful original program of 2016. A second season is currently in production.
“On the Spectrum,” an Israeli series about three twenty-something roommates who have autism, is being remade in English for Amazon Prime Video. Jason Katims (“Parenthood,” “Friday Night Lights”), who is writing the adaptation and will serve as showrunner, has a son with Aspberger’s Syndrome, a form of autism.
The Israeli original won nine awards at the Israeli Television Academy Awards In March.
Hagai Levi, who co-created the original Israeli versions of “In Treatment” and “The Affair,” has “The Summer of 2014” coming to HBO. The 10-part drama isn’t based on an Israeli property but comes from Keshet International and is about the events that let to the war in Gaza.
