Sky Atlantic seeks TV's higher ground

New HBO product such as Treme (about New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina) and the Prohibition-era gangster series Boardwalk Empire (starring Steve Buscemi and with a pilot episode directed by Martin Scorsese) will lend cutting-edge lustre. Further highlights being tee'd up for later in the year include Kate Winslet in Mildred Pierce, Sean Bean in Game of Thrones (pictured below), and Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte in Luck.

But that's not all. Perhaps alert to suggestions that HBO is no longer the sole repository of high-class drama in American TV, Sky has been casting its tentacles wider, nicking AMC's Mad Men from the BBC and talking to Showtime (maker of Dexter and Nurse Jackie) about potential programming deals. And to prove that the "Atlantic" in the title bridges two continents, there'll even be a sprinkling of UK-grown material in the mix, kicking off with Paul Abbott's Hit and Miss.

Stuart Murphy, director of programmes for Sky 1 and Sky Atlantic, explained that "we're aiming at Freeview audiences, people who have never considered paying before and say there's nothing on Sky for them. That's where Sky Atlantic comes in." It could be worse. While you have to take out a Sky subscription, Sky Atlantic will be part of the "Variety Pack" bundle rather than a premium-priced add-on. However, the downside of that is that the programmes will have ads in them. And if you've ever tried watching The Sopranos with commercial breaks, you'll know it's almost impossible.