BBC America gives details about its first original drama, ‘Copper’

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BBC America announced details of its original scripted series Wednesday. ‘Coppers,’ a historical crime drama, is set in 1860s New York City’s crime-ridden Five Points neighborhood, notorious from ‘Gangs of New York.’

Tom Weston-Jones of ‘MI-5’ will star as an Irish-immigrant cop in the aftermath of the Civil War. He’s trying to keep the peace in Five Points as well as search for information about the disappearance of his wife and the death of his daughter. Also in the cast are Anastasia Griffith (‘Royal Pains,’ ‘Damages’) and Franka Potente (‘The Bourne Supremacy,’ ‘Run Lola Run’) as a madam.

Scheduled to premiere on BBC America in summer 2012, ‘Copper’ was created by Tom Fontana, whose pedigree includes ‘Oz’ and ‘Homicide,’ and Will Rokos (‘Monster’s Ball,’ ‘Southland’). Co-executive producers include Fontana, Rokos, Barry Levinson (‘Rain Man,’ ‘You Don’t Know Jack’) and Christina Wayne of Cineflix Studios (executive in charge of ‘Mad Men’ at AMC).

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-- Joy Press

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