‘Babylon Berlin’ Finds New U.S. Home On Newly-Merged MHz Choice & Topic Streaming Platform

Babylon Berlin has landed a new U.S. home on a newly-merged streaming service created as Kino Lorber’s MHz Choice and Topic combine.

The boutique streamer will be named MHz Choice and feature the likes of The Killing, The Bridge, Detective Montalbano, The Sea Beyond and Pagan Peak, alongside the popular Babylon Berlin, which moves over from Netflix after three seasons on that streamer.

Kino Lorber said the streamer will “combine the best European dramas and mysteries with Nordic noir crime and thrillers under the MHz Choice brand.”

The Four Daughters distributor owns MHz Choice and Topic, the latter of which in a JV with First Look Media under which Kino has a majority stake and management oversight. The news comes a few weeks after we revealed layoffs at First Look production subsidiary Topic Studios.

Viaplay has also exited the U.S. following a disastrous 12 months that has seen it retrench in core European markets, leaving a clearer path for a streamer bringing together Scandi noir with other European shows. Kino Lorber also runs boutique movie streamer Kino Film Collection.

“MHz Choice is now the ultimate destination for those who love international series, and especially European mysteries and Nordic noir,” said Ed Carroll, President, Kino Lorber Media Group. “Babylon Berlin is one of the crown jewels of television, a period drama whose timeless themes transcend geography and language in the way shows like A French Village, Downton Abbey or Mad Men have all around the world. We anticipate our subscribers will enjoy the early seasons of Babylon Berlin as well as the premiere of season four.” 

Babylon Berlin

Babylon Berlin is the third show in the last six months where MHz has taken US rights to a show that first gained prominence on Netflix – first with The Sea Beyond, just started streaming Bordertown and now with Babylon Berlin. 

The neo-noir Sky/Ard Degeto series from Tom Tykwer will also be up for grabs in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Starring Volker Bruch and Liv Lisa Fries, it follows Gereon Rath, a police inspector on assignment from Cologne who is on a secret mission to dismantle an extortion ring, and Charlotte Ritter, police clerk by day, prostitute by night, who aspires to become a police inspector.

When Sky Deutschland pulled the plug on scripted originals last year there were fears over the show’s future but German major Beta and X-filme have kept it afloat and a fifth season is in the works.