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2019 Starz’ New TV Series Dublin

18th, Murders Explores New Turf &

September

| Mythic Murders
EXAMINER Tas the location of Drama Centre. He has
ing to London to train at the
By Brad Balfour
hough Dublin nor-
mally isn’t thought of
already made his mark as
Tommy in the RTÉ One
IRISH record for a crime drama, series “Love/Hate.” But this
series,
new
"The
series will do much more to
this
make his face recognizable as
Dublin
uses
Murders,"
such a place to add a wrin- a notable character. The
kle to a thoroughly wrin- lanky Dubliner explained
kled tale. what drew him to the it and
When a young girl is drew the producers to him.
found dead on an altar — “It was a funny thing because
part of a archeological dig in Sarah and I were cast sepa-
a wooded area of Dublin — it rately. We never did a chem-
stirs local memories of an istry reading or anything to
decades-old mystery of two bring us together and see
missing children. Inspector how we get on. I was in Los
Rob Reilly (Killian Scott) and Angeles and I got the script.
his professional partner It was a quick turnaround, I
Cassie Maddox (Sarah didn’t really have the time to
Greene), are tagged to solve read through the first couple
the crime but the investiga- of episodes, so I just looked
tors are part of the mystery at the pages that they wanted
in more ways than one. to audition.
Decades earlier, two boys He added, “I immediately together. So, the intense vate the narrative beyond a about the children that go
disappear and a third comes had this instinct of under- relationship between these gory tale of murdered chil- under the hill and The
of out the woods with no standing and I just felt that I two detectives, which is dren and repressed child- Likeness is about doppel-
memory of what happened. understood where the guy based on something that hood trauma." gangers. The fact that these
The current crime recalls was coming from. I was real- they understand about each In what became the were Irish tales were really
facts associated with the ear- ly attracted to the idea that other, is so deep and strange. Dublin Murder Squad series, important to me. I’m sure
lier incident. Irish-American Ron is the guy that basically, Everything impacts upon her second novel, The you all have noticed that
author Tana French spun the very effectively, kept a par- each other.” Likeness (2008), shifts to the over in Britain we seem to be
stories, the Dublin Murder ticular type of manner in Maybe the key to appreci- story of the debut's co-lead, having a sort of Meth
Squad books, which are the order to excel in his chosen ating French’s stories, is that Cassie Maddox. Kirkus moment. As ever, Ireland has
basis of this series. Produced occupation. It is a very diffi- she brings a unique sense of praised its mix of "police pro- been used very much as a
by Euston Films, a part of the cult thing to do to to become place to her work. Though cedures, psychological thrills political football and a really
Fremantle Media group, the a successful and talented born in Burlington, Vermont and gothic romance beauti- important legislation that
eight-episode first season murder detective as he is at on May 10th, 1973, she’s fully woven into one stun- created peace is again being
debuts on RTÉ One and BBC his age. And to be English in lived in numerous countries ning story". Further novels used as a political football. It
One in late 2019. The first Dublin as well, which is a as a child such as Ireland, have taken other members of felt to me that it was really
season — adapting her first complicated situation, partic- Italy, the U.S., and Malawi. the Murder Squad as lead important that this was a
two tomes, “In the Woods” ularly in that kind of role of Her father was an economist characters. really crucial time to be
and “The Likeness,” is authority.” working in the developing In citing the power of telling stories about Ireland.”
already getting a huge buzz For writer/series creator world, so the family experi- French’s books to inspire the Added seasoned producer
not just from her literary fan Sarah Phelps, who decon- enced many cultures. creation of this series, Phelps Spanos, her engagement was
base but from the TV structed French’s books and French attended Trinity opined, “Tana is also very driven simply by an apprecia-
cognoscenti as well. transformed them into the College, Dublin, trained in brave about telling stories of tion of the books’ story
Recently, Starz held a episodes, explained that, acting and ultimately settled a nation. They are psycho- telling — and of the drama-
New York premiere with “because the [books] are in Ireland where she has has logical and detective thriller, turgy Phelps has employed in
executive producer Naomi such strong immersive lived since 1990. Married but they are also about the transforming them for the
Spanos, creator Sarah Phelps worlds…, ‘Into the Woods’ with two daughters, she years of a tiger economy, the small screen. “I think that we
and lead Killian Scott, joining gets you around the throat retained dual citizenship — boom, and then the button, all fell in love with the books
the audience afterwards. and ‘The Likeness’ kind of U.S.A. and Italy. In her 30s, a and a huge really damaging because, we are all fans of
Having only aired the first digs a finger into the corner passion for writing was recession and then the slow, crime, but also, the shift of
episode, many questions of your brain. I know that rekindled and in the months- long climb out to recovery. the characterization in these
were in mind though not all sounds really horrible, but it long lulls between castings, And at the same time she novels, and the sense of place.
were answerable at the time. really is an intensely pleasur- she began her debut novel. really taps down to the older It’s a tinge of modern gothic
The pressure was on Scott able reading experience even Published in 2007, “In the stories we tell ourselves. The which Sarah has drawn out
to enlighten but not reveal though I’ve made it sound Woods” garnered acclaim ancient, ancient folktales and beautifully. For us, crime is
too much. Born Cillian horrendous. I kept thinking, and rave reviews. Publishers myths. crime, but it’s the secrets, it’s
Murphy on July 6th, 1985, he ‘I don’t want to do Rob’s Weekly gushed, "Ryan and “When I was reading, I the lies, it’s the themes that
had studied English and story and then drop it and Maddox are empathetic and kept thinking that these are are in every book of Tana’s
Philosophy at University then pick it up with Cassie’s, flawed heroes, whose part- modern retellings of really that Sarah has bubbled right
College Dublin before mov- I’m going to plait them nership and friendship ele- old tales. Into the Woods is to the top.” C