The Red King (TV series)
| The Red King | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama Horror |
| Created by | Toby Whithouse |
| Written by | Toby Whithouse |
| Directed by | Daniel O'Hara, Lisa Clarke |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Guy Hescott |
| Production company |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Alibi |
| Release | 24 April 2024 |
The Red King is a 2024 British crime drama television series, which was screened across six episodes from 24 April on Alibi. It was created and written by Toby Whithouse with Daniel O'Hara and Lisa Clarke directing. It stars Anjli Mohindra as Grace, a detective sergeant posted to fictious St Jory Island, off the Welsh coast. St Jory is home to the True Way, a cult which was established about 100 years ago by the Nancarrow family. Locals claim it no longer exists. Grace and police constable Owen (James Bamford) investigate the murder of a boy despite lack of cooperation from others. Main characters are former sergeant Gruffudd (Mark Lewis Jones), pub owner Lowri (Lu Corfield), her daughter Winter (Maeve Courtier-Lilley), doctor Ian (Marc Warren) and Nancarrow descendant Heather (Adjoa Andoh).
Synopsis
After informing on fellow police officers, Grace is posted as a sergeant to the small Welsh island of St Jory. The local doctor, Ian, asks Grace to solve the case of his missing son, Cai, who disappeared a year earlier.[1] Locals react negatively when Grace re-opens the investigation. She learns that St Jory is home to the True Way, a pagan, folk based cult, which was established about 100 years earlier. Grace finds Cai's corpse.
Cast and characters
- Anjli Mohindra as Grace Narayan: Detective Sergeant replaces Gruffudd at St Jory's police station
- Sam Swainsbury as Father Douglas Carrisford: St Jory's Church priest, arrived five years earlier
- Marc Warren as Dr Ian Prideaux: local general practioner, town drunk, Cai's father. Cai disappeared a year earlier.
- James Bamford as Owen Parry: police constable, Elan's husband, Owen junior's father
- Rosie Sheehy as Elan Parry: Owen's wife, Owen junior's mother. True Way secret member
- Mark Lewis Jones as Gruffudd Prosser: retired Detective Sergeant
- Oliver Ryan as Mihangel Pugh
- Lu Corfield as Lowri Bain: pub owner, Grace's landlady, Winter's mother
- Adjoa Andoh as Lady Heather Nancarrow: St Jory's main business and landowner. True Way's secret leader but claims it no longer exists
- Maeve Courtier-Lilley as Winter Bain: Lowri's daughter, Cai's friend
- Tuyen Do as Minh Prosser: Gruffudd's wife
- Lloyd Meredith as Eric Crowther: Alun's twin brother
- Dylan Jones as Alun Crowther: Eric's twin brother
- Jill Halfpenny as Ann Fletcher
- Aled ap Steffan as Silas
- Lauren Morais as Lucy Popkin
Production
The Red King is written by Toby Whithouse and directed by Daniel O'Hara and Lisa Clarke. The executive producers are Nicola Shindler and Davina Earl for Quay Street Productions, Philippa Collie Cousins for UKTV and writer Whithouse and director Daniel O’Hara. The series is produced by Guy Hescott.[2]
The cast includes Anjli Mohindra, Adjoa Andoh, Marc Warren and Jill Halfpenny, as well as Mark Lewis Jones, Oliver Ryan, Sam Swainsbury, Lu Corfield, James Bamford and Maeve Courtier-Lilley.[3]
Although set in fictious St Jory's Island off the Welsh coast, filming took place in Northumberland, and had begun by 19 June 2023.[4][5] Filming locations included Embleton, Craster, Alnmouth, and Cambois.[6] The Morris dancers featured in the series were from Black Gate Morris.[7]
Broadcast
The series premiered in the United Kingdom on Alibi on 24 April 2024.[8]
Reviews
The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, comparing it favourably with The Wicker Man. They said "The Red King applies entertaining topspin to the road-tested premise, adding yet more rug-pulls and buckets of sarcasm and self-reflexiveness."[9] Carol Midgley in The Times praised the "dry, dark wit" of Whithouse’s script, and said the cast is "high pedigree".[10] Keith Watson in The Daily Telegraph awarded the series four stars out of five and praised the performance of Mohindra who "hits just the right note".[11]
Episode guide
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 24 April 2024 |
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 1 May 2024 |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 8 May 2024 |
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 15 May 2024 |
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 22 May 2024 |
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Daniel O'Hara | Toby Whithouse | 29 May 2024 |
References
- ^ Cormack, Morgan (15 April 2024). "The Red King: Release date, trailer and latest news for Alibi drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "Original drama The Red King films for UKTV". The Knowledge Online. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Hodgson, Barbara (22 June 2023). "Filming under way in North East on new crime drama The Red King". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Buchan, Craig (16 November 2023). "First images released of Alibi crime and horror series The Red King that was filmed in Craster". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "New original drama The Red King, supported by the North East Production Fund begins filming in the North East". Investnortheastengland. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Buchan, Craig (16 April 2024). "The Red King stars praise 'beautiful' Northumberland filming locations ahead of Alibi crime and horror drama's air date". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Christian, James Merryclough, Mossy (24 April 2024). "Who are the Morris Dancers in The Red King?". Tradfolk. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Duke, Simon (15 April 2024). "Jill Halfpenny's The Red King gets start date as fans set to be hooked on Northumberland thriller. Many fans are already making predictions for future events in the series. What's yours?". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "The Red King review – like a wickedly playful new spin on The Wicker Man". The Guardian. 24 April 2024.
- ^ "The Red King review — a cold case drama with added Wicker Man". The Times. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "The Red King, review: offbeat cop drama combines Midsomer Murders with The Wicker Man". The Daily Telegraph. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
External links
- The Red King at IMDb