Mayday (British TV series) explained

Genre:	Drama thriller
Creator:	Ben Court Caroline Ip
Director:	Brian Welsh
Starring:	Peter Firth Peter McDonald Leila Mimmack Aidan Gillen Sophie Okonedo Lesley Manville Max Fowler Tom Fisher Sam Spruell
Composer:	Stuart Earl
Country:	United Kingdom
Language:	English
Num Series:	1
Num Episodes:	5
Executive Producer:	Jane Featherstone Polly Hill
Producer:	Chris Fry
Location:	Dorking, Surrey, England
Cinematography:	Dirk Nel Zac Nicholson
Runtime:	57-59 minutes
Company:	Kudos
Channel:	BBC One

Mayday is a British drama thriller television series shown on BBC One, starring Leila Mimmack, Sophie Okonedo, Aidan Gillen, Peter Firth, and Lesley Manville.

Development and production

The series' commission was announced on 27 April 2012 by the BBC Media Centre.^[1] The series was filmed in Dorking, Surrey, making use of street settings including the high street area, Cotmandene (an open grassed area close to the town centre), a kebab shop on the corner of Dene Street and Leith Hill. The old magistrates court was used as the police station and the production was based in Pippbrook House which had housed the town library.^[2]

Premise

A thriller series about the sudden disappearance of a 14-year-old girl in a small town with a relatively affluent rural setting and strong pagan traditions. The locals are galvanized to work with the police to find her. Ex-copper Fiona, frustrated with her present life, soon becomes involved. Her policeman husband's career is hanging in the balance following an accusation of assault on duty. The stress he is under adjusts his disposition and lends itself to doubts - in his wife's mind - concerning his propriety and morality.^[3]

It is an investigative drama with a difference - the action is centred on the community figures and not the detectives.

Cast and characters

• Leila Mimmack as Hattie, the missing young May Queen, and as, Caitlin, Hattie's more rebellious twin sister who has always felt that she lived in her sister's shadow.
• Peter Firth as Malcolm, a very successful local public figure, proud of his achievements and self-made millions.
• Sophie Okonedo as Fiona, an ex police officer who has left the force to look after her three children.
• Aidan Gillen as Everett, a funny, irreverent and spontaneous person until his life was destroyed by the tragic death of his wife in suspicious circumstances.
• Lesley Manville as Gail, Malcolm's wife who is trapped in an almost loveless marriage.
• Peter McDonald as Alan, a tough, no nonsense and strait-laced policeman.
• Tom Fisher as Seth, a man with a personality disorder who spends most of his time in the woods.
• Sam Spruell as Steve, who is driven by a strong sense of responsibility and a need to prove himself.
• Max Fowler as Linus, an intelligent, funny and assured teenager who also has a darker side.

DVD release

The complete series of Mayday was released by Acorn Media UK on 8 April 2013.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sophie Okonedo, Peter Firth, Aidan Gillen and Lesley Manville to star in new BBC One thriller Mayday from Kudos Film and Television.
2. Web site: Internet Movie Database - Mayday. . 3 March 2013.
3. [Gibraltar Chronicle]
4. Web site: Weekly Viewing Summary (see relevant week) . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081108151337/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&RequestTimeout=500 . 8 November 2008 .
5. Web site: Mayday on DVD . 11 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130325072300/http://www.acornmediauk.com/mayday.html . 25 March 2013 . dead .