The Secrets Behind Hollywood’s Newest Espionage Series

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Approximately ten years have passed since the espionage thriller “The Bureau” was the initial French series to employ the American writer’s room model, and French-American producer Alex Berger continues to enjoy the accolades of its triumph.

At Canneseries, George Clooney discussed the festival’s opening night screening of “The Agency,” a production he’s involved with that’s an adaptation of his French success. Reflecting on his career and influence within the industry, he mentioned that Europe wasn’t accustomed to creating shows like ours at the pace we intended.

In his statement, Berger refers to himself and Éric Rochant, the showrunner of “The Bureau,” as a team. They established The Originals Productions, an independent production company, in 2008. After achieving success with their popular series, they refined their approach, which they labeled Structured Writing Workshop. This unique method combines the strengths of French and American systems, blending the principles from the French system with American ingenuity and productivity.

In France, our largest broadcast typically airs around six to eight series every two to three years. However, we aimed to produce at least ten series annually, emulating the U.S. approach of utilizing writers’ rooms and showrunners. Adapting this model to French labor laws was a complex process, but it allowed us to release one season per year and establish what are now known as French writing rooms, executed with great success.

I’ve been fortunate to be a part of a television series that has made its mark in over 120 markets worldwide. Last year, we excitedly announced a sequel/spin-off titled “The Bureau: Africa,” and the American adaptation serves as a testament to our enduring legacy. Showtime’s “The Agency” is the brainchild of George Clooney and Grant Heslov, featuring stars like Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Richard Gere. The talented Butterworth brothers, known for their work on “Fair Game,” serve as the showrunners. The series premiered last November and was swiftly renewed for another season shortly thereafter. Currently, we’re in the midst of filming Season 2 in London, with writers already hard at work crafting scripts for Season 3.

According to Berger, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth did an outstanding job with the adaptation. They managed to preserve the original essence while giving it a fresh, captivating twist. Regarding the distinction between working on “The Bureau” in France and “The Agency” in the U.S., Berger pointed out that the primary difference lies in the scope of the projects.

In 2013, we produced the initial season of ‘The Bureau’ for approximately €15 million ($19.8 million), and the first season of ‘The Agency’ is more than ten times that amount,” commented the executive. “Paramount and Showtime aim to establish a highly successful franchise from something that has already been proven, much like they did with ‘Homeland.’ They take pride in assembling top talent to deliver exceptional work.

Berger explained that there was a competition between Apple TV+ and Paramount for the rights to remake the French series. However, it was Paramount’s proposal to involve David Glasser, producer of “Yellowstone” and “Tulsa King”, that secured the deal. As recalled by Berger, Glasser stated, “We aim to produce this at the highest quality and we don’t want to alter anything.” Despite Rochant not wishing to participate in the adaptation, he felt obligated to protect the genetic makeup of his creation while allowing Paramount the liberty to develop an entirely new narrative.

Originally, the producer had partnered with Apple TV+ for a separate project, but not the fashion drama “La Maison” that debuted last year to widespread praise. However, there were some issues with how his show was promoted in the American streaming market by Apple TV+, as reported by Berger.

He highlighted his point: “Marketing is all about putting on a spectacle.” Using Apple as an example, he argued that they are exceptional at marketing iPhones, yet lackluster when it comes to television advertising. In essence, they don’t engage in traditional marketing, and this posed problems for us with ‘La Maison.’ Despite our production of an excellent show that achieved great success in France and other parts of Europe, Apple refused to promote it. This left him exasperated.

Berger explained that despite feeling Apple TV+’s marketing strategies seemed lacking, his decision to bring “La Maison” to the platform was driven by optimism. He put it simply: “We had hope.

The producer noted that Apple TV+ had never produced a show in France or Europe. However, ‘Slow Horses’ began in the U.K., although it was co-produced with the U.S. The producer expressed hope that they could change Apple TV+’s approach. At times, they felt that Apple TV+ was undermining itself and wondered why. In the producer’s opinion, having an Apple TV+ subscription is like owning a premium iPhone. It’s exclusive, catering to a limited audience. Despite their ambitious artistic endeavors and financial backing, many of their shows go unseen, which the producer finds unfortunate.

The producer concluded his musings by challenging the outdated notion that “build it and they will come,” stating instead that in today’s entertainment landscape, uniqueness is crucial due to the abundance of options such as numerous shows, movies, books, exhibitions, and art vying for attention. He emphasized the importance of standing out.

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2025-04-25 20:19