“Berlin” ER Maker On How apple TV+’s Medical Dramaโ Was โฃResuscitated
COLOGNE – The โฃGerman Television Awards (Deutscher Fernsehpreis) saw Berlin,โ theโ medical dramaโฃ initially sidelined by Sky, celebrated as Best โDrama Series โค-โข a victory fueled by a complex rescue โoperation involving ZDF Studios and ultimately, Apple TV+. Producer Eric Kamm of โคReal Film detailed the rollercoaster journey to save the series, โคrevealing a pivotalโ moment where raw emotion unlocked โฃa dealโ withโ ZDF.
The series, starring Haley Louise Jones โand Slavko Popadiฤ as doctors at Berlin’s most overcrowded hospital,โ faced โขan โuncertain future whenโค Sky paused production funding. Kamm immediately froze production accounts upon learning of Sky’s potential exit, but a contact at โSky clarifiedโ the โshow hadn’tโค been officially cancelled, opening a window for Real and co-production partner Violet Picturesโ to โseekโข alternatives.โข “Itโ was aโ fascinating journey and itโ has been a huge rollercoaster emotionally,soโ intense in terms of the energy you have to putโค out to โfind new potential partners,what makes sense for whom,and we โreally focused on what was most plausible,” Kamm said. โ
Negotiations โto move the project from Comcast-owned Sky to pubcaster ZDF began, with Kamm praising โSky’s โteam โฃfor thier cooperation during โขa period of internal change. However, he quickly realized ZDF’s โinvestment would only coverโค a โportion of Sky’s prior commitment. “Somethingโ flipped, and โI got super emotional,” Kamm explained. “It was overwhelming.” he then passionatelyโ defendedโ the โproduction, a โmove thatโ proved decisive. “Maybe, showing yourโ true self at some pointโข is the one thingโ that makes things happen,” Kamm reflected. “That was the craziest thing Iโ learned.”
The dealโ with ZDF paved theโ way for an intricate rights agreement withโ Apple TV+, granting the streamer โa 12-month exclusive โขwindow โฃbefore the โขseries airs โคon ZDF. News of apple TV+’s involvementโ broke in June 2024. The series’ success culminated last week with a second season commission, announcedโค the day after its German television Award win. Accepting the award,Kamm publicly โฃthanked ZDF for rescuing the show โคandโ Appleโข for expanding its audience.
