OCS, or previously known as Orange Cinéma Séries, was a group of French pay television networks that is dedicated to films and series. It was launched in November 2008 by Orange S.A. and was later sold to Groupe Canal+
The channels launched on November 13, 2008, as part of the company's new direct-to-home satellite service and was exclusive to Orange TV.
OCS is composed of three channels and a streaming service. OCS broadcast almost all their series in English with French subtitles in simulcast with the American broadcasting, but they also broadcast series dubbed in French or French series. From November 2008 to December 2022, OCS was holding the French rights to HBO production.
From 2012, OCS TV package was available from Bouygues Telecom, CanalSat, Numericable, Orange TV, SFR and Tahiti Nui Satellite. All subscribers have the option to subscribe to OCS with their TV distributor. OCS is also available through multi devices. In 2024, following its acquisition by the Groupe Canal+, the channels were closed and replaced by Ciné+ OCS.
History In April 2008, France Telecom (who would rebranded as Orange in 2013) announced that they're creating a new movie direct-to-home satellite service by launching Orange Cinema Series, a package of six pay-TV channels exclusive to Orange's customers and had signed exclusive content deals with Warner Bros. (including HBO), Gaumont, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to show their movies and TV series to the service.
In October 2008, it was announced that Orange had set the launch date of their subscription-based multiplatform Orange Cinema Series along with their announced five new pay-TV premium movie channels which were called Orange Cinemax (for major blockbusters in HD), Orange Cinéhappy (for family films), Orange Cinéchoc (for action movies), Orange Cinénovo (for independent and art house films) and Orange Cinegeants (for timeless classic movies) as part of the company's then-new television service named Orange TV to November 13, 2008 with HBO's programming being available in that same day on the Orange Cinema Series service.
A month later on November of that same year, Orange Cinema Series was officially launched along with their five channels.
Attempted merger with Canal+ In September 2010, France Telecom had announced that there in talks with Groupe Canal+ the owner of CinéCinema and TPS Star channels to merge Orange's Orange Cinema Series with Canal+'s general entertainment channel TPS Star to create a premium
On January 20, 2011, France Telecom and Canal+ had announced that they're creating a new enterprise partnership that could merge the blockbuster film channel Orange Cinema Series with TPS Star to create a proposed premium pay TV channel which was planned to be called Orange Cine Star. It was going to be distributed by the Orange services and CanalSat was about to be available to other French telco operators.
On 25 November 2011, Canal+ took a 33% share in Orange Cinéma Séries. Originally exclusive to La TV d'Orange, Orange Cinéma Séries joined CanalSat on 5 April 2012. On 22 September 2012, Orange Cinéma Séries became OCS to show its expansion bouquets other than Orange TV.
On 10 October 2013, OCS Happy was merged with OCS Max; OCS à la demande became the multiplatform service OCS Go; and OCS Novo was replaced by OCS City, specialised in TV series and HBO productions.
Since 2008, OCS have an exclusive contract with HBO, but other channels like Canal+ Séries can broadcasts reruns of HBO series. In 2017, OCS's contract with HBO became stricter, giving complete exclusivity to OCS.
The suite also includes a streaming service, OCS Go, who simply became OCS in 2019. Content is provided by exclusive contracts with Warner Bros., HBO, MGM and Fidelity as well as non-exclusive contracts with Gaumont, SND, BAC and Wild Side.
On 2 August 2017, OCS was launched in Switzerland on Teleclub Premium. It is also available on the Ciné-Séries bouquet of Canal+ since March 2019.
Acquisition by Canal+ When Warner Bros. Discovery announced that their removing of HBO shows on OCS in return for the former launching their own streaming service in France, it was announced that Orange was considering selling their movie bouquet OCS along with their channels including their production arm Orange Studio to other French companies
In December 2022, OCS deal with HBO ended with most HBO productions leaving OCS from January 2023 onwards. Following that, OCS closed OCS City, the channel that was in charge of HBO programs, and merged it with OCS Choc to create OCS Pulp.
On January 8, 2023, Canal+ Group along with Orange had announced that Groupe Canal+ had secured a deal with Orange and the latter announced that they were acquiring both Orange's rival premium pay-TV movie services OCS along with their three channels and its film production and television co-production house Orange Studio, which Canal+ previously owned the minority stake on Orange's pay-TV arm and film division. The planned acquisition would give Canal+
In January 2024, Groupe Canal+ announced that they had finalised their acquisition of Orange's pay-TV premium movie service OCS along with their three premium television channels and the film production and television series co-production company Orange Studios from long-time partner Orange after the acquisition was conditionally approved by the French Competition Authority
TV channels Channel Type Notes Launched Closed Blockbusters, comedies, family and teen films Programs have been moved to Ciné+ Premier (Now OCS), Ciné+ Frisson and Ciné+ Family 2008 2024 Classic films Programs have been moved to Ciné+ Classic Merged to Ciné+ then Ciné+ OCS launched Streaming service 2013 Independent, arthouse, action, thriller and horror films Programs have been moved to Ciné+ Frisson and Ciné+ Festival Family and teen channel Programs have been moved to OCS Max 2008 2013 Independent and art house films Became OCS City Action, thriller and horror films Merged and became OCS Pulp 2023 Independent, art house films and programs from HBO 2013
Logo 2008-2012
2012-2022
2022-present
Series OCS Max (2008-2024) This list includes programs from OCS Happy who have been moved to OCS Max.
2 Broke Girls 3615 Monique Aïcha Alphonse Président Angry Birds Toons Band of Brothers Being Erica Better with You Black Sails Boardwalk Empire (season 1-4, other seasons on OCS City) La Bouse Breaking Bad (season 1-4, other seasons on OCS City) Bunheads Cougar Town Crash Éternelle Entourage Falling Skies France Kbek Fantômette (2000) The Garfield Show Gary Unmarried The Girlfriend Experience Glee Good Behavior The Handmaid's Tale Hell on Wheels (season 1-2, other seasons on OCS Choc) Holly Weed Houdini The Hour How to Make It in America Hung In Treatment John Adams Kinky et Cosy Lazy Company Legion Luck Magic City Make It or Break It Merci Julie ! Mildred Pierce Mr Selfridge Mr. Sunshine The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Pretty Little Liars Quarry Q.I. (season 1-2) Rubicon Seinfeld Sex and the City Six Feet Under True Blood (season 1-6, other seasons on OCS City) Turn: Washington's Spies Veep (season 1-2, other seasons on OCS City) War and Peace The White Princess The White Queen Winx Club Zak
OCS Choc (2008-2023)
Ash vs Evil Dead Band of Brothers The Fear (2012) Game of Thrones (season 1-3, other seasons on OCS City) Generation Kill Hell on Wheels House of Saddam Justified Kingdom Kinky et Cosy The Knick Misfits Outcast Plaisir de Nuire, Joie de Décevoir Power Powers Preacher Revivre The Sopranos Spartacus: Blood and Sand Spartacus: Gods of the Arena Spartacus: Vengeance Trafics The Walking Dead
OCS City (2013-2023)
1992 The Art Of Television : Les réalisateurs de séries Atlanta Ballers Band of Brothers Being Human Big Little Lies Blunt Talk Breaking Bad The Brink Boardwalk Empire Bored to Death Boss The Casual Vacancy Crashing Curb Your Enthusiasm Divorce Eastbound & Down Episodes Entourage Extra Life Flesh and Bone The Game Game of Thrones Girls Hello Ladies High Maintenance Irma Vep Irresponsable In America Insecure John Adams The Knick The Leftovers Looking Louie Low Winter Sun Manhattan Masters of Sex Missions Mozart in the Jungle Mr Selfridge The Newsroom The Night Of The Office Q.I. Room 104 Rome Search Party Sex and the City Sex and the Series Show Me a Hero Silicon Valley Six Feet Under The Sopranos Templeton Togetherness Transparent Treme True Blood True Detective Veep Vice Principals Vinyl Xanadu Westworld The White Lotus
OCS Pulp (2023-2024) 3615 Monique Tales of the Walking Dead
References