Odysseus is created by Frédéric Azemar, writer on Un Village Français, a highly acclaimed historical drama series. It was filmed in studios in Portugal and it has a €12-13 million budget for all 12 episodes — that's $16-17 million - to put it in perspective, the first season of HBO's Rome cost $100-110 million.
Arte is a channel usually airing great/old films and documentaries. But for a few years now, they've started airing series, at first only historical ones, like The Tudors or The Hour, and also miniseries (Parade's End will air this month). But now, they're broadcasting Breaking Bad (after pay-cable channel Orange aired it first), Akta Manniskor (great show, by the way), Borgen, Hatufim, etc.
And after a few noble attempts to create original series (Les Invincibles, Xanadu), Arte got a breakout hit with Ainsi Soient-ils, last fall. It's a very good French show (renewed for a second season) set in the Ecclesiatic world, so you'll understand it's not a bestseller among foreign channels. But Odysseus, with its historical setting, might get more traction abroad.
