Many of the new series are mystery and crime stories. The majority of the selected projects are currently in development or at an early phase of production and will not be broadcast this year.

Tomáš Bařina will direct the six-episode crime-thriller The Rabies. Marek Najbrt and Radim Špaček will direct the retro crime mini-series The World Under Head, an adaptation of the BBC’s Life on Mars. Jiří Strach, the award-winning director of the series The Labyrinth, the investigation of a series of murders based on Hieronymus Bosch’s painting, will direct The Blood of Demon, a three-part mystery-thriller.

Slovakia will also have a presence in the Czech TV line-up. Slovak director Peter Bebjak will direct the three-part psychological drama The Justice, which follows a detective investigating a crime committed by the daughter of a prominent judge. The 13-part crime series Inspector Max with Juraj Kukura in the lead role will be a Czech/Slovak coproduction.

Jan Prušinovský, the director of The Snake Brothers, which won six Czech Lions, will be taking on Most. A period drama series The First Republic was renewed for a second season; the director Biser A. Arichtev will be directing the next 13 episodes. The Life and Times of Judge A.K. will continue for a second season as well. Robert Sedláček, Bohdan Sláma, Radim Špaček and Petr Marek will share the directing.

The Czech Television also has a rich documentary section which reflects the Czech interest in history. That production includes new series such as The Stories of the 20th Century dealing with the “normalisation” period, and the six-part series Expelled After Charta featuring personalities behind the Charter 77 civic initiative. There are also a number of upcoming documentaries that will focus on contemporary topics, such as 140 bpm, a doc about the techno subculture, and Children Online, featuring the youngest generation of internet users.