Sky Atlantic – Your guide to Sky's newest channel

Launching on Tuesday 1st February is Sky Atlantic. And it is destined to become one of your favourite channels.

Developed in conjunction with US TV powerhouse HBO, Sky Atlantic will be the new home of many of your best loved shows along with a raft of new imports from the States and some intriguing original output from our own shores.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about Sky Atlantic is the fact that it will be offered as part of Sky’s basic package. That means that no matter which Sky TV deal you go for you’ll be able to enjoy all of these great programmes and more on Sky Channel 108.

Boardwalk Empire and beyond

The flagship show for Sky Atlantic’s launch week will be prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire.

Already a huge critical and commercial hit in the States, this depression-era drama follows the fortunes of corrupt politico Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, who is portrayed by the wonderful Steve Buscemi, in what is widely being lauded as a career-best performance.

With a pilot directed by non other than Martin Scorcese, Boardwalk Empire is widely tipped to sweep the board at next month’s Emmy awards.

You can judge for yourself whether the hype is justified when Boardwalk Empire comes to Sky Atlantic on Tuesday 1st February.

Blue bloods

Making a welcome return to our screen is Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I. to a generation of TV viewers on both sides of the Atlantic) in Blue Bloods, a gritty new police drama from the makers of The Sopranos.

The title refers to the bloodline that runs through a family of career police officers in New York City. Selleck portrays Frank, the patriarch of the Reagan family, and NYPD Commissioner.

As with Boardwalk Empire, critical and commercial reaction to Blue Bloods has been ecstatic since it premiered on CBS in September 2010.

Treme

This gritty drama is another huge success stateside and comes with a strong pedigree having been created by The Wire showrunners David Simon and Eric Overmeyer.

Treme tells the story of the residents of Faubourg Tremé, a suburb of New Orleans as they try to rebuild their homes, their businesses and their lives just three years after the region was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

With a writing staff featuring some of the most well respected names in US TV history and a blistering soundtrack of jazz classics, Treme is another show that is expected to come away with gold on Emmy night, and one which should find a strong viewership on Sky Atlantic.

Sky Atlantic: Comedy

Sky Atlantic will also be bringing some great comedy to our shores upon its launch.

Bored To Death sees indie movie darling Jason Schwartzman turn to TV in a great role as Jonathan Ames, a failing writer and unlicensed private detective who gets into a range of scrapes with cohorts (and comedy greats) Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis.

How To Make It In America is a cynical yet warmhearted tale of two friends tricking their way to the top in the New York fashion scene. This show has earned a very vociferous fanbase in America and the hip, young cast is expected to see this success repeated over here.

Funny or Die Presents, an off-shoot from Will Ferrell’s website of the same name, will bring a showcase of fresh comedy channel to Sky Atlantic each week. Numerous stars have already earned their big breaks on the Funny or Die site and this is a trend that is expected to be repeated on the TV show. Watch this space.

Sky Atlantic: The Year Ahead

Fantasy fans are expected to flock to Game Of Thrones when it comes to Sky Atlantic in the spring.

Based on the bestselling ‘A Song Of Ice And Fire’ novels, Game of Thrones is shaping up to be a medieval fantasy of the highest order. And with British actor Sean Bean leading a stellar cast we are tipping this to be the big TV hit for the first half of 2011.

Battlestar Galactica, one of the biggest science fiction hits of the last 10 years, will return to UK screen in the autumn in the form of new offering Blood and Chrome.<

This prequel series will focus on William “Husker” Adama, a hot-headed graduate viper pilot undertaking his first perilous mission against the Cylons as a member of the newly commissioned Battlestar that it is his destiny to one day command.

Hit And Miss is the latest creation from Paul “Shameless” Abbott. An off-beat tale of a transsexual hit man you can expect this to be a jet-black cult comedy in the greatest British tradition when it arrives later this year.

Offering broader appeal will be Enlightened, an optimistic comedy-drama starring Laura Dern as an executive in the beauty industry as she rebounds from a very public breakdown. With support from actors Dianne Ladd and Owen Wilson and with a script from Mike White (School of Rock & Orange County) this is sure to become an instant classic when it arrives on Sky Atlantic in the autumn.

Sky Atlantic has also poached the suave and sexy Mad Men from the BBC and will be the only place for Donald Draper fans to follow the misadventures and machinations of Donald Draper from season 5 onwards.

Sky Atlantic: Beyond 2011

While Sky Atlantic already has some really fantastic shows schedule for its launch its biggest hits may yet be to come.

Sky TV has cleverly signed a first-look deal with HBO that will see the British satellite broadcaster given first refusal on all new HBO shows until 2016.

And with previous HBO shows including smash hits including Six Feet Under, Flight of the Conchords, The Pacific, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, The Wire, Band of Brothers there really is no limit to Sky Atlantic.

Sky Atlantic will launch on Sky channel 108 on Tuesday 1st Feb 2011.

Sky TV Deals

Cable.co.uk always has the best deals and offers on Sky TV packages and bundles including HD options that will allow you to enjoy Sky Atlantic in even greater detail and with truly stunning sound.

Currently there are no plans for Sky Atlantic to be available on either Virgin or BT so if you don’t want to miss any of these great new shows then the time really has come for you to join Sky.

So if Sky Atlantic is the channel that makes you want to take the plunge and join the Sky revolution there really is no better place to get the right Sky package to suit you.