 Strike Back began as a six @-@ part series from Sky1 , based on a book of the same name from former Special Air Service ( SAS ) soldier turned novelist Chris Ryan . It transmitted two episodes weekly from 5 to 19 May 2010 . The first two episodes more than tripled Sky1 's audience share in its timeslot in the past three months . On August 2010 , Sky1 controller Stuart Murphy commissioned a second series to consist of a longer run of ten episodes . Left Bank Pictures continued their role as the production company . In February 2011 , it was announced that Sky entered a co @-@ production deal with the American television network Cinemax , as the network wanted to introduce new drama series . Strike Back became one of two television projects to be produced by British and American networks in 2011 , the other being Torchwood : Miracle Day , which was produced between the BBC and Starz . 
