WBD’s HBO Max shares Talpa drama in Netherlands

Warner Bros Discovery has struck a deal with Talpa Network in the Netherlands for the latter’s recently rebooted medical drama Medisch Centrum West.

The weekly show, which is returning to screens after a three-decade absence, debuted on Talpa’s SBS6 on Sunday and has now also been made available on WBD’s streamer HBO Max in the Netherlands.

The deal for the 10-parter underlines the streamer’s increasing appetite for local content. Episodes will become available on HBO Max (which is branded as Max in other European territories) one week after debuting on SBS6.

Medisch Centrum West follows doctors and nurses working in an emergency room, peeling back the exciting but harsh reality of hospital life.

It originally ran for seven seasons from 1988 to 1994 on public broadcaster TROS, which merged with AVRO in 2014 to become AVROTROS.

Joost Brakel, chief executive at Talpa Network, said: “We have been investing in our open media network strategy for over a year and a half and the partnership with HBO Max is a great next step in that.

“Together we can ensure this iconic series reaches everyone in the Netherlands, linear viewers and streamers.”

Jordi de Groot, acquisitions manager for HBO Max, added: “The complementary collaboration with Talpa Network ensures that local content becomes even more accessible to the viewer.

“You don’t have to miss anything, because everything can be watched later. This is a great example of how linear TV and streaming reinforce each other in the current media landscape.”