QUICK TAKES - March 17, 2009

Television producer Mark Burnett sent four explorers to retrace journalist Henry Stanley’s 19th century search in Africa for missing explorer David Livingstone.

The TV series that came out of the trip, “Expedition Africa: Stanley & Livingstone,” will unfold as an eight-part series on the History channel, starting in June. It’s the cable channel’s most expensive foray into original programming.

History Channel chief Abbe Raven said Monday she hoped the series was the start of a franchise in much the same way as Burnett’s “Survivor” has become part of the TV landscape.