The new psychological thriller series, “Dead and Buried,” is set to premiere on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday, September 2, at 10:40 p.m., with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer from 10 p.m. the same day. This four-part drama, written by Colin Bateman and directed by Laura Way, explores the intricate web of revenge, forgiveness, and the impact of trauma on a border town between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The series begins with a chance encounter between Cathy McDaid (Annabel Scholey), a schoolteacher, and Michael McAllister (Colin Morgan), the man responsible for her brother’s death 15 years prior. This unexpected meeting sets off a chain of events that unravels the lives of both Cathy and Michael. Bateman explains, “It’s about Cathy, an ordinary person who, on a normal day, bumps into the man who killed her brother. It asks, what would you do in that situation? Do you seek revenge, or do you turn the other cheek?”
Executive Producer Ben McGrath emphasizes the universal themes at the heart of the series, “It’s about putting oneself in the shoes of the characters and asking the question ‘what would I do’. . It’s a darkly unpredictable and unsettling ride, the TV equivalent of a literary page turner.”
Cathy McDaid, played by Annabel Scholey, is “a mother, a wife, a friend, and a teacher. She’s hyper-focused, obsessed, and lives life to the extreme when she’s off her meds for bipolar disorder. She’s funny, stubborn, and has a unique way of following her instincts, which can be dangerous and disruptive.” Scholey was drawn to the role by the challenge of playing a character with bipolar disorder and the opportunity to work with director Laura Way.
Colin Morgan is Michael McAllister, a man with a complicated past. He explains, “He’s a man who at a very pivotal point in his life – that point, whenever he’s a teenager on the cusp of developing into a man – was actually in prison and is released into a world of a different kind of confinement. So when this woman comes along online and he chooses her and he chooses to step outside of the life, it feels good. He just doesn’t know that this is someone who actually has ulterior motives, because it’s about a person’s darkest places that their fears, their worst nightmares.” Morgan highlights the importance of dark humor in the series, a common coping mechanism in Northern Ireland, and how it adds authenticity to the characters.
Kerri Quinn plays Sally Bowman, Cathy’s best friend. She shares, “I was drawn to Sally because she actually reminded me of myself. Not afraid to speak her mind and loyal to her own detriment. I love her morals. Sally provides a lot of light relief in a very dark piece so I fell in love with her instantly. She’s a good egg.” Quinn praises the chemistry between her and Scholey, making their on-screen friendship feel authentic.
Was Ali plays Raymie, a family man and Cathy’s husband. He reveals, “Raymie’s a caring and down to earth family man. He’s a football fanatic, goes to the pub with friends, plays five aside when his knee doesn’t give in. He grew up in London but has roots in Ireland and by the time we meet him in the show he is married to Cathy whom together have a son (Sasha) and has been working as a English Teacher in Ireland for a number of years.”
Director Laura Way praises the collaborative nature of the production, “From the moment I spoke to Ben McGrath and Cormac Fox, I knew it would be an incredibly satisfying, fulfilling creative experience. There was complete trust and a collective vision from the beginning which remained through to the end. ”
Dead and Buried is a four-part psychological thriller produced by Three River Fiction and Vico Films. It is written by Colin Bateman, directed by Laura Way, and executive produced by Ben McGrath. The series will premiere on BBC One Northern Ireland and Virgin Media in the Republic of Ireland on September 2, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer from 10 p.m. the same day.
