Death and Nightingales (TV series)
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| Death and Nightingales | |
|---|---|
_title_card.png) Title card | |
| Genre | Historical period drama |
| Created by | Allan Cubitt |
| Based on | Death and Nightingales by Eugene McCabe |
| Written by | Allan Cubitt |
| Directed by | Allan Cubitt |
| Starring | Ann Skelly Matthew Rhys Jamie Dornan |
| Composers | Gerry Diver David Holmes |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | James Mitchell Tommy Bulfin |
| Producer | Jonathan Cavendish |
| Cinematography | Stephen Murphy |
| Editor | Steve Singleton |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 58 minutes |
| Production companies | Imaginarium Productions (The Imaginarium) Soho Moon BBC Two Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | RTÉ One, BBC Two |
| Release | 26 November – 12 December 2018 |
Death and Nightingales (also written Death & Nightingales) is a 2018 television historical drama miniseries, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by author Eugene McCabe. The series stars Ann Skelly, Jamie Dornan and Matthew Rhys. It started broadcast on RTÉ One in Republic of Ireland on 26 November 2018, and two days later in the UK on BBC Two.[1][2]
Cast[edit]
- Ann Skelly as Beth Winters, stepdaughter to Billy Winters
- Matthew Rhys as Billy Winters, Beth's stepfather and owner of Clonuala
- Jamie Dornan as Liam Ward
- Charlene McKenna as Mercy Boyle, a maid at Clonuala
- Seán McGinley as Jimmy Donnelly, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clogher
- Martin McCann as Frank Blessing, a friend of Liam
- Michael Smiley as Dummy McGonnell, a mute
- Francis Magee as Mickey Dolphin, a farmhand at Clonuala
- Valene Kane as Catherine Winters, Beth's mother
Production[edit]
Jamie Dornan and writer Allan Cubitt, the writer of the series, had previously collaborated on The Fall.[3] The show was filmed in County Fermanagh[4] and at Springhill House, near Moneymore in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland [5] Cubbit revealed that the series was a "Brexit warning", saying "we can't afford to go back" to how things were before the Northern Irish peace process.[6]
Episodes[edit]
| No. | Title | Directed by [3] | Written by [3] | Original air date [7] | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Allan Cubitt | Allan Cubitt | 28 November 2018 | 2.73[8][9] |
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Allan Cubitt | Allan Cubitt | 5 December 2018 | 1.90[8][9] |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Allan Cubitt | Allan Cubitt | 12 December 2018 | N/A |
Release[edit]
Red Arrow Studios distributed the series, and the first episode premiered on BBC Two on 28 November 2018.[2] In the United States, the series will begin airing on Starz on 16 May 2021.[10]
Critical reception[edit]
The series was met with lukewarm reviews from critics. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 60% approval rating with an average rating of 6.0 out of 10 based on 15 reviews.[11] Gerard O'Donovan of The Daily Telegraph gave show four stars out of five, calling it "the rarest of dramatic gems - one that pushes and challenges understanding - and it's impossible not to be drawn in."[12] The Times' Carol Midgley was slightly more critical, deeming it "a heavy drama with lean dialogue and precious little mirth, but I'm being seduced."[13] Ed Cumming, writing for The Independent, gave the show three stars out of five, writing "The desired tone, I think, is a kind of Ulster version of Deadwood, a creation parable for the problems of the 20th century, but there is a fine line between powerful and self-parodic."[14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Matthew Rhys, Jamie Dornan to Star in BBC Drama 'Death and Nightingales'". Variety. 29 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Matthew Rhys, Jamie Dornan To Star In 'Death And Nightingales' For BBC Two". Deadline. 29 May 2018.
- ^ a b c "Matthew Rhys, Jamie Dornan and Ann Skelly to star in Allan Cubitt's Death And Nightingales for BBC Two". BBC. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ Hanna, Aoife. "Here's Why Jamie Dornan's New BBC Drama Will Have You On The Next Plane To Ireland". Bustle. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "Death and Nightingales on BBC2 - What's it about, who's in the cast and when's it on TV?". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ Smith, Neil (27 November 2018). "Jamie Dornan drama 'offers Brexit warning'". BBC News. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "Death And Nightingales Episodes Guide and Summaries". Next Episode. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Four-screen dashboard BARB".
- ^ a b "Death and Nightingales opens with 1.9m". Broadcast.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (21 April 2021). "Starz Picks Up 'Death & Nightingales'; Sky Italia Chiefs Exit; 'Romulus' Renewed — Global Briefs". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Death and Nightingales - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ O'Donovan, Gerard (28 November 2018). "Death and Nightingales, episode 1 review: Jamie Dornan reunites with The Fall's Allan Cubitt for this haunting new drama". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ Midgely, Carol (29 November 2018). "TV review: Death and Nightingales; Vic & Bob's Big Night Out". The Times. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ Cumming, Ed (28 November 2018). "Death and Nightingales review: Jamie Dornan's cheekbones are more expressive than his expressions". The Independent. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
