The Midwich Cuckoos (TV series)
The Midwich Cuckoos | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | David Farr |
Based on | The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham |
Starring | Keeley Hawes |
Composer | Hannah Peel |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 7 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Pat Karam |
Running time | 60 minutes (except first episode: 75 minutes) including adverts. |
Production companies | Snowed-In Productions DayOut Productions Route 24 |
Release | |
Original network | Sky Max |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 2 June 2022 |
The Midwich Cuckoos is a British science fiction television series on Sky Max, created by David Farr.[1][2] It is based on the 1957 book of the same name by John Wyndham. It stars Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley. It began airing on 2 June 2022,[3] and all episodes became available on Sky On Demand. In Australia, the entire series is available on Stan.[4]
Synopsis
The Midwich Cuckoos is a sci-fi drama in which all of the titular town's child-bearing aged women inexplicably fall pregnant. As these women give birth, Midwich begins to realise these children are unlike any other.[5] Each child resembles their mother (unlike the book where they all have golden eyes, dark blonde hair, and pale, silvery skin). They have their mother's DNA, but with alien additions. And some male, implying a Y chromosome. The government takes an immediate interest and imposes secrecy, paying the parents for their cooperation.
Cast
- Keeley Hawes as Dr. Susannah Zellaby
- Max Beesley as DCI Paul Haynes
- Aisling Loftus as Zoë Moran
- Ukweli Roach as Sam Clyde
- Synnøve Karlsen as Cassie Stone
- Samuel West as Bernard Westcott[6]
- Lara Rossi as Jodie Blake
- Indica Watson as Evie Stone
- Hannah Tointon as Rachel Saunders
- Alex Brock as John Lancaster
- Adiel Magaji as Nathan Blake
- Kimia Lamour as Olive Randall
- Aditi Pothuganti as Young Sunny Chohhan
Soundtrack[7]
1 Hive Mind
2 Cuckoo
3 Help Me
4 Ward 300
5 Hive Scream
6 Seen
7 Underground
8 Midwich School
9 Midwich Cuckoos
10 The Blackout
11 Awakenings
12 Pregnant
13 Scared
14 The Keys
15 If and When
16 No Leaving
17 Waking
18 A Pattern
19 Come Out
20 It’s Over
Episodes
No. overall | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | UK viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bad Things | Alice Troughton | David Farr | 2 June 2022 | 1.50 |
2 | In This Together | Alice Troughton | David Farr | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
3 | The Hive | Jennifer Perrott | David Farr and Sasha Hails | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
4 | Hide and Seek | Jennifer Perrott | David Farr and Laura Lomas | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
5 | Why Are You Lying? | Jennifer Perrott | David Farr and Namsi Khan | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
6 | Not An Ice Cream | Börkur Sigþórsson | David Farr | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
7 | Departure | Börkur Sigþórsson | David Farr | 2 June 2022 | N/A |
Reception
The series received mixed reviews. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the first episode two out of five stars, feeling it did not make the most of its adaptational changes and topicality with its emphasis on the perspective of female characters.[8] Nick Hilton of The Independent also gave it two out of five stars, deeming it 'humourless' and criticizing the production.[9] By contrast, Mark Kermode on Kermode and Mayo's Take praised the series' tone, use of horror and performances, saying it was a successful update of the novel.[10] Carol Midgley of The Times also gave it four stars, praising the atmospheric direction and Farr's scripts.[11]
References
- ^ "Keeley Hawes & Max Beesley To Star In Sky One's 'The Midwich Cuckoos'". TVWise. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
- ^ "Sky reveals first look trailer and image for Sky Original drama the Midwich Cuckoos starring Keeley Hawes". Skygroup.sky.
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos: Release date, cast, trailer and latest news for Keeley Hawes drama". Radio Times. 20 May 2022.
- ^ "Exclusive: The Midwich Cuckoos star Keeley Hawes on her 'relatable' role in new Stan sci-fi series". Nine.Com. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos show vs book: Main differences between the Sky drama and book". Daily Express. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
- ^ Den Of Geek https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/how-the-midwich-cuckoos-ending-twist-sets-up-season-2/ retrieved 10/06/2022
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos Songs List - SoundTrack On". Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos review – women's rights are under attack, and this is what they make?". The Guardian. 2 June 2022.
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos is a bland, faithless reimagining of the sci-fi novel – review". The Independent. 2 June 2022.
- ^ Mark Kermode reviews The Midwich Cuckoos – Kermode and Mayo's Take – via YouTube.
- ^ "The Midwich Cuckoos review — one freaky return to the Village of the Damned". The Times. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Use British English from June 2022
- IMDb ID not in Wikidata
- 2022 British television series debuts
- 2022 British television series endings
- 2020s British horror television series
- 2020s British science fiction television series
- 2020s British mystery television series
- Sky UK original programming
- Horror drama television series
- English-language television shows
- Television shows based on British novels