TV these days seems to have two basic settings: crime drama and reality show. Occasionally, there's something about cakes or wildlife thrown into the mix, but for the most part modern programming revolves around either washed-out D-list celebs eating worms in the jungle, or moody London detectives who split their time between banging married colleagues and solving murders.
The latter can become particularly boring, especially given that most of them follow the exact same plot structure as an episode of Scooby Doo (minus the banging, of course) stretched over a whole series (it was the creepy guy from right at the start who we haven't seen again since, IT ALWAYS FUCKING IS.)
However, every now and then, a good crime drama comes along and flips the whole thing on its head; the BBC's new show, Rellik, looks set to be one of them.
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Have a look at the trailer here:
Credit: BBC
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Rellik, which stars Game of Thrones actor Richard Dormer, quite literally turns the crime detective drama format upside down - more observant readers may already have realised that the show's title spells out 'killer' backwards. And Dormer looks completely unrecognisable in his new role.
Clever stuff, we're sure you'll agree, and a good indication of how the show works.
Unlike most other shows in the genre, Rellik begins with a killer being caught, but this is only the beginning. As the show moves backwards in time the viewer learns that not everything about the crime and the killer is as straightforward is it might have appeared.
Rellik explores what makes a serial killer and what goes through the mind of the cop who is compelled to relentlessly track them down.
If you're not dying to watch the first episode already then you might be when you find out that the brains behind it were also responsible for hit series, The Missing. If that's still not enough to make you watch surely the fact that Richard Dormer has the starring role will be an incentive.
Credit: HBO
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Speaking to The Express about his role, Dormer described it as one of the most difficult things he's ever had to do.
"We start almost at the end and work our way backwards to find out how all these characters came to be the way that we're presented with them at the beginning. Audiences who like a thriller will love it, but that is very hard to do as an actor.
"If you're shooting backwards, you're trying to imagine what you're going to be feeling at the beginning. Or is it the end? I'm confused now!"
Speaking about his character, he said: "[He's a] very driven, intense, emotionally explosive type of person, not your typical cop.
"There are many layers to him. He's obsessed with this particular case because the person he is chasing has done this to him, has disfigured him by throwing acid in his face. So he's after this guy with a mania. It's personal."
Sounds like gripping stuff, and if you're interest has been piqued you've only got until September 11th to wait, when Rellik will air on BBC1.
Featured Image Credit: BBC