From a media release:
CraveTV Taps Comic Megastar Russell Peters for Next Original Series, RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE
- Original 4 x 1 hour series comes to CraveTV in partnership with CTV
- Russell Peters stars in his first scripted TV series, created by renowned executive producer and writer Frank Spotnitz
- International co-production set to go to camera in this fall in Durban, Mumbai, and Toronto
CraveTV, in partnership with CTV, announced today its second original series, RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE. The new series follows on the success earlier this year of CraveTV’s breakout hit series, LETTERKENNY. Worldwide comic sensation Russell Peters stars in the four-part, one-hour, fish-out-of-water dramedy. Commissioned in partnership with CTV from Big Light Productions (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, HUNTED, MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE), Blue Ice Pictures (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES, October Gale), and Wonder Films (Water, The Young Messiah), RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is set to begin production this fall in 4K. The production will shoot in Durban, Mumbai, and Toronto, before premiering on CraveTV in 2017.
Developed for Peters by acclaimed writer and executive producer Frank Spotnitz (THE X-FILES, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE) and Smita Bhide (HUNTED, TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES), RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE follows Peters’ Doug D’Mello, a charming, smart, ambitious Toronto cop of Indian heritage whose dreams of becoming a homicide detective are put on hold when he is unjustly suspended. While on leave, D’Mello visits his dad in Mumbai, where he gets embroiled in a local case and pursues an impressive and beautiful attorney. As a dangerous investigation unfolds, D’Mello must also grapple with culture shock in a country where, despite his heritage, he is an outsider. Equal doses comedy and high-stakes drama, RUSSELL PETERS IS THE INDIAN DETECTIVE marks Russell Peters’ first starring role in a scripted television series.
The series builds on the long-standing relationship with Peters, which has included A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS, now a Bell Media holiday scheduling tradition, Peters’ two stints as host of THE JUNO AWARDS, as well as the 2003 CTV COMEDY NOW! special that propelled him into an international phenomenon when it was posted anonymously on the internet and made its way around the globe.
RUSSELL PETERS started doing stand-up in 1989 at the age of 19 at open mics in his native Toronto. Peters is the first comedian to sell-out Toronto’s Air Canada Centre six times since 2007, and just completed his Almost Famous World Tour, which took him to over 120 cities across 25 countries with more than 500,000 fans. Having released four stand-up specials since 2004, Peters recorded his new special, RUSSELL PETERS ALMOST FAMOUS at Toronto’s Massey Hall, which will be released in October. Recently, Peters was a judge on NBC’s LAST COMIC STANDING, and appeared in Spike TV’s hit show, LIP SYNC BATTLE. Peters can also be seen in Jon Favreau’s critically acclaimed movie, Chef, and can be heard as one of the voices on Disney’s The Jungle Book.
INDIAN DETECTIVE is created and executive produced and written by Frank Spotnitz and co-written by Smita Bhide, both of whom also wrote the first episode. It is executive produced by Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron and Lance Samuels (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES, October Gale), Wonder Films’ Mark Burton (Water, The Young Messiah), CPI Pictures Clayton Peters (RUSSELL PETERS: NOTORIOUS, RUSSELL PETERS VERSUS THE WORLD), and Paul Canterma. Co-executive producer is Sharon Remmer (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE). Sarah Fowlie is Director, Independent Production, Comedy, Bell Media. Executive for Bell Media is Chris Kelley. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Entertainment Production and Broadcasting, Bell Media.


