BBC Studios aim for Britain and beyond

This week BBC Studios holds its annual Showcase in London, as it presents a suite of upcoming titles to its global customers.

Drama, documentary, natural history, comedy and gameshows will be on show, with creatives and producers highlighting titles including Life After Life, Happy Valley S3, The Birth of Daniel F. Harris (w/t), Chivalry, MOOD, The Outlaws S2, Avoidance, I Hate You, Louis Theroux’s Forbidden America, Frida, Spectacular Earth, landmark natural history series Dynasties II and Frozen Planet II and more.

“More than ever we are trying to cater for everyone – not just a British audience, but audiences around the world,”  Caroline Stone,  Director of Independent Drama tells TV Tonight.

“We’re always looking for a big iconic lead drama like Sherlock. It’s great to have something that stands out in that way. I think you can never have too many.”

BBC Studios are famous for handsomely-produced period epics, next with Life After Life, adding a touch of fantasy.

“Audiences now are so used to seeing cinematic qualities on television,” she agrees.

“It’s based on a book by Kate Atkinson set between 1911 through to the Second World War. It’s about a young girl called Ursula, who basically dies but comes back to life… again and again and again, she can restart her life. It asks that question, ‘What would you do?’

“So it’s quite a high concept, but it’s also a beautiful period drama.”

The cast features NZ actress Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit), Sian Clifford (Fleabag), James McArdle (Man In An Orange Shirt), and Jessica Hynes (Years And Years).

“We’re always going to have an awful lot of brilliant crime dramas. Happy Valley 3, we’re so excited about. Sally Wainwright is writing again, it’s currently in production. It’s great to see Sarah Lancashire and James Norton back.”

It will premiere in Australia on BBC First.

Also from BBC Studios is Blue Lights (pictured above), a new crime drama set in Belfast written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson (The Salisbury Poisonings).

“They’ve written a six part drama, centered around three rookie cops in Belfast where the policing system is different. You work as a police officer for a few months before you can qualify. Many don’t qualify, and they go back to their jobs. So it’s a really different system,” she explains.

“There’s so much truth to it, with brilliant storylines.”

Also to screen on BBC First is six-part series Sherwood by James Graham (Brexit: The Uncivil War, Quiz). Inspired in part by real events and set in the Nottinghamshire mining village where Graham grew up it centres around two shocking and unexpected killings that shatter an already fractured community and spark a massive manhunt.

“Sherwood is a really big ensemble cast led by David Morrissey, Lesley Manville and Joanne Froggatt -great British acting talents. That’s an ensemble rather than one big lead.”

There are also several dramas Stone describes as ‘authored’ pieces which focus on new talent.

“We’ve got a show called MOOD, starring and created by Nicôle Lecky (pictured above). She’s going to be a superstar, I think,” Stone tips.

“It explores many themes, but particularly around sex-cam work for young girls. She’s spoken to lots of people who’ve been through this and it’s a brilliant drama. There’s also a musical element to it. That’s a co-production with AMC and BBC Three.

“The Birth of Daniel F. Harris (working title), written by Pete Jackson is a totally original idea and it’s so different to anything I’ve seen before,” she continues.

“It’s about young boy whose mum is killed in a car accident when he’s very young, and his dad takes him away from the world. They live kind of remotely and it’s only when he turns 18 he realises there’s a whole world out there. I was blown away by the scripts on this one.”

Also coming is Chivalry starring its creators, Steve Coogan and Sarah Solemani.

“It touches on the MeToo movement. It’s about a failing film that Steve Coogan is producing and Sarah Soleimani comes in as the saviour to the film. It’s about their relationship and the people around them. I would class that as a dramedy … really fun but there’s serious tones to it as well. They tackle some big themes in that show.”

Guests stars included Wanda Sykes, Sienna Miller, Paul Rudd and Peter Mullan.

Caroline Stone

The length of UK drama projects is also becoming more variable.

“The norm is six episodes, but we are seeing Life After Life as four episodes, but sometimes seeing longer runs. Gentleman Jack is eight episodes. But what’s interesting, I think, is also the duration of episodes,” Stone observes.

“BBC Three looks at 45 minute episodes more, not always an hour. So it’s constantly changing to what the creative wants the show to be, and the length of what they want to write.”

While New Zealand’s Thomasin McKenzie stars in Life After Life, Stone notes there is no reason Australians can’t feature in upcoming titles.

“The world has gotten smaller. I always look at how well Australian actors have done in America. You see them headlining so many dramas there, that definitely can happen in the UK, particularly now it’s easier to travel. It’s been a really difficult two years with the pandemic.

“We see that in Europe as well, coming over to star in British shows being filmed here. So absolutely, I can see no reason why.”