CBC has greenlit The Council (working title), a compelling international thriller woven around a remote Canadian Arctic town from Emmy Award-winning showrunner and writer René Balcer (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) with Lark Productions and Keston International Productions. The Council is set against the unfolding drama of our changing planet and draws inspiration from the true-to-life fight over the vast and valuable resources of the Arctic. The series traces the journey of two cops who uncover a small-town murder that is at the heart of a global conspiracy. Production kicks off this summer, shooting in Resolute, Iqaluit, London, Copenhagen and Manitoba. The Council will debut with 10 episodes on CBC-TV in fall 2024.
“We are delighted to be partnering with such a strong team to bring Canadian audiences this riveting and relevant drama series,” said Sally Catto, general manager, programming at CBC Television. “It is an honour to be working with the remarkably talented René Balcer, who brings his unique voice and passion for the subject matter to shine a light on the Canadian north.”
Known for his ability to weave complex mysteries with character-based drama, Balcer has had a lifelong interest in the Arctic and its indigenous culture. "The Arctic has engaged my imagination since I was a kid reading stories about the Inuit, and then as a college student working construction at the mouth of the Mackenzie River. The Council is a story where the stakes are as high as they come, about a land and a people who are the bellwether of our survival on this planet,” said Balcer. "It's an exciting mystery and a political intrigue set against a wide canvas — climate change, indigenous extinction, competition for resources. As a story-teller, I couldn’t ask for more."
Balcer is a 20-year veteran of the Law & Order franchise, beginning as a writer and rising to executive producer and showrunner. In 2024, he left the series to create the show’s spinoff Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which he developed with creator Dick Wolf. He is also the creator of the international drama JO. Balcer has been awarded with an Emmy Award, Peabody Award, a Writers Guild of America Award and four Edgar Awards for his television work.
The Council will be produced by Lark Productions (Motive), with executive producers Louise Clark and Erin Haskett, in partnership with Keston International Productions' executive producers Trevor Walton and Denis Coyne. The series is a Canada/UK Co-Production, with Nick O'Hagan’s London-based Giant Films Ltd. NBCUniversal International Distribution retains all distribution rights.