The creator of a new series starring Stephen Graham has explained why his show won’t fall foul of the so-called ‘Netflix Curse’.
Here's the trailer, check it out:
It’s called Bodies and it came out today, in case you’ve not already heard.
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The series is based on a graphic novel from DC Vertigo of the same name, and stars Graham alongside Shira Haas – from Unorthodox – as well as Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Kyle Soller, and Amaka Okafor.
It’s a thriller that also features time-travel, so that should make things interesting, at least.
We don’t actually know that much else about it, to be honest.
A synopsis reads: “Four detectives in four different time periods of London find themselves investigating the same murder.”
Fascinating stuff, right?
However, if you are into your Netflix content, you might also know the painful side of loving a show on the streaming platform, too.
We’re talking – of course – about the Netflix Curse.
It can come for loads of different shows, but it has a knack for coming for shows that develop a ravenous cult following.
Then, much to the anger and disappointment of that keen fanbase, the show is cancelled, leaving them stranded with no direction for their love for the programme.
The list of casualties is a strong one.
We’re talking The Midnight Club, The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, Lockwood & Co, and 1989.
All were cancelled after one series, leaving a disenfranchised group of fanatics behind, literally begging Netflix to reconsider.
However, the creator of Bodies say that will never happen to his show.
Simply put, that’s because it’s an eight-part ‘one and done’ mini-series, rather than something intended to continue for much longer.
Paul Tomalin, who is known for his screenwriting on shows like No Offence, Shameless, and Torchwood, explained: “When you have gangbuster concepts up front like this, it’s kind of criminal to keep them stringing along.
“To actually be able to cook it, bake it, and hand it over to the audience at the end is rare these days because everybody’s trying to string it out.
“So we’re not going to fall victim to the Netflix second series season curse because it’s not part of the offer.”
Now, that doesn’t mean that he’s totally ruling out any further series’ if the show is a success.
He continued: “Now if it’s a massive hit, and people are knocking on Netflix’s door for a sequel we’d be, ‘Hmm, okay’ because there are questions left answered.
“And what we did was we left a very cute dot dot dot at the end of it just in case.”
As for bagging Graham for a role in the piece, Tomalin said he was at the top of his wish list, but he never realistically expected to get him.
“I’d read previously that Stephen Graham set up his production companies that want to do relatable stories,” he said.
“And then, I’m like ‘Hi, Steven, here’s a story set in the future. You’re going to be going everywhere. Do you want to do something that might register as utterly daft?’
“But it didn’t and he read it and loved the script. He responded to its themes.
“I think he says that it’s a kind of beautiful madness and that’s exactly actually the phrase for it.”
Well, if you’re intrigued by that, you can watch all eight episodes of Bodies on Netflix now.
Just don’t get too attached to the show, as eight episodes is all you might get.
Topics: Netflix, TV and Film, Stephen Graham
Tom Wood