Dead Still [RTE One]

brian_t

Dead Still is a six-part Irish-Canadian drama series starting on RTE1 next Sunday at 9.30pm.

The world of Victorian Dublin is brought to life in this period drama doubling up as a macabre murder mystery.

Michael Smiley plays photographer Brock Blennerhasset, whose speciality is memorial photography, ie, taking staged portraits of dead people.

The bizarre fad for postmortem portraits was an actual thing in Ireland in the 1880s – people queued up to have their deceased loved ones dolled up and propped up in a chair to have their picture taken before making their final journey.

Demand for Blennerhasset’s services go through the roof, but he’s got a rival – except that this person is actually killing people before taking their picture.

Written by John Morton and Imogen Murphy, and co-starring Norma Sheahan, Eileen O’Higgins and Aidan O’Hare co-star, this six-parter has the bones of a morbidly funny series.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/level-5-lockdown-tv-from-the-crown-to-dead-still-the-ultimate-guide-to-what-to-watch-1.4388428

cdgalwegian

Michael Smiley has to be one of the most underrated actors out there. Really looking forward to seeing him in a decent role in a series again. Last decent one was in Luther/'Looooofah!', I think.
Hope it works out well, what with all the Irish involvement. Seems to have a lot of good ingredients that if mixed well, could be quite a tasty morsel.

Basq

Michael Smiley, eh?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjXDims7uvU

Posy

I'll definitely give this a shot! I've always found the idea of Victorian postmortem photography pretty interesting.

JP Liz V1

Is it a dramedy?

jos28

Just watching this on RTE 1, looks promising

cdgalwegian

jos28 wrote: »

Just watching this on RTE 1, looks promising

Already a thread on this:
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058125474

walshb

Eileen O’Higgins...stunner!

The Black Oil

Threads merged.

Elmo

Only caught half of it so far, and it looks good. Will continue to watch.

Galwayguy35

Dead boring it should have been called, gave up on it after half an hour.

Darc19

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Dead boring it should have been called, gave up on it after half an hour.

Ah, the old "I hate anything that rte do" brigade are about.

Surprisingly late.

Usually the naysayers are mouthing off within 5 minutes of it starting.


BTW, excellent reviews from the more expert reviewers.

MonkstownHoop

Darc19 wrote: »

BTW, excellent reviews from the more expert reviewers.

What makes them an expert on what I should or should not like?

Elmo

Darc19 wrote: »

Ah, the old "I hate anything that rte do" brigade are about.

Surprisingly late.

Usually the naysayers are mouthing off within 5 minutes of it starting.


BTW, excellent reviews from the more expert reviewers.

Very difficult to come back following both the South westerlies and finding... And that RTÉ continue to unfund independent original drama

Galwayguy35

Darc19 wrote: »

Ah, the old "I hate anything that rte do" brigade are about.

Surprisingly late.

Usually the naysayers are mouthing off within 5 minutes of it starting.


BTW, excellent reviews from the more expert reviewers.

Calm down lad I didn't think it was great and I'm perfectly entitled to say so if I want.

You must work for RTE seeing as you are nearly wetting yourself with anger over something so trivial.

Darc19

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Calm down lad I didn't think it was great and I'm perfectly entitled to say so if I want.

You must work for RTE seeing as you are nearly wetting yourself with anger over something so trivial.

Ah the old "you must work for" response.

The type of response from someone who knows they have no actual answer.

Galwayguy35

Darc19 wrote: »

Ah the old "you must work for" response.

The type of response from someone who knows they have no actual answer.

You seem to be looking to have an argument over nothing, I wasn't interested in the programme.

Come to think of it maybe you had a bit part in it so thats why you are getting so annoyed.

saabsaab

I liked it too. Not the usual run of the mill plot.

upupup

Its good,it's unusual and not like an rte production(is it?)..I didn't think it would be good.I like the characters and acting is good.
First episode 7/10,hope it stays like that.

saabsaab

Watching this. Really very good, great for Halloween

Darc19

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

You seem to be looking to have an argument over nothing, I wasn't interested in the programme.

Come to think of it maybe you had a bit part in it so thats why you are getting so annoyed.

A childish, stupid comment. One of these people who can't accept that they have little knowledge and just attacks anything to hide their shortcomings

Azatadine

I'm surprised but I quite like it too. The production values are very high and the acting is very good too.

upupup

The couple in episode 2 were funny..."Could you please refrain from screaming in our house as we are mourning the death of our son":D
Nancy was at her first party!...she plays the role very well.

saabsaab

upupup wrote: »

The couple in episode 2 were funny..."Could you please refrain from screaming in our house as we are mourning the death of our son":D
Nancy was at her first party!...she plays the role very well.

I think she was Mrs Doyle from Fr Ted!

Be right back

saabsaab wrote: »

I think she was Mrs Doyle from Fr Ted!

Who, the wife? The wife was acted by Norma Sheahan.

saabsaab

Be right back wrote: »

Who, the wife? The wife was acted by Norma Sheahan.

You're right! Thought it was Pauline McLynn..

saabsaab

Was that the real Dublin Castle?

Azatadine

Looked like it I think? The actress playing his niece is beautiful.

saabsaab

Azatadine wrote: »

Looked like it I think? The actress playing his niece is beautiful.

Yep, she is. The infamous 'Monto' tonight as well.

itac

Will be trying to tune in for episode 4 on Saturday night-a nice mix of surreal and silly with an element of murder-mystery all nicely filmed/edited - just stumbled upon it on the rté player and am really enjoying it!

Be right back

itac wrote: »

Will be trying to tune in for episode 4 on Saturday night-a nice mix of surreal and silly with an element of murder-mystery all nicely filmed/edited - just stumbled upon it on the rté player and am really enjoying it!

It's on Sunday night. Enjoying it too.

saabsaab

itac wrote: »

Will be trying to tune in for episode 4 on Saturday night-a nice mix of surreal and silly with an element of murder-mystery all nicely filmed/edited - just stumbled upon it on the rté player and am really enjoying it!

One of the best on the box at the moment.

upupup

itac wrote: »

Will be trying to tune in for episode 4 on Saturday night-a nice mix of surreal and silly with an element of murder-mystery all nicely filmed/edited - just stumbled upon it on the rté player and am really enjoying it!

...and a bit of controversial pornography,grave robbing,child neglect and tonight Ghosts!

Azatadine

This is a great little series. Well acted with great production values.

Be right back

Azatadine wrote: »

This is a great little series. Well acted with great production values.

It's very good. Hopefully there will be a second series.

saabsaab

Getting even weirder, have to wonder where this is all going? A cliffhanger perhaps.

Be right back

saabsaab wrote: »

Getting even weirder, have to wonder where this is all going? A cliffhanger perhaps.

Definitely a cliffhanger. They couldn't tie up all the loose ends by next week.

Be right back

Good end to the series. Hope it will be back for a second series.

Azatadine

Surely be another series?

Be right back

Azatadine wrote: »

Surely be another series?

Has to be!

saabsaab

Weird as hell but really good.

Be right back

saabsaab wrote: »

Weird as hell but really good.

Fingers crossed there is a second series.

upupup

Great series.....Scary looking person in the end scene!.must be one of the (immortal) hellfire club members.I look forward to series 2,there has to be!

Be right back

upupup wrote: »

Great series.....Scary looking person in the end scene!.must be one of the (immortal) hellfire club members.I look forward to series 2,there has to be!

Yes, I wonder who that person is!!

Azatadine

Its bizarre how much they pushed that absolutely abysmally dire Finding Joy series but they don't promote this? Its a great series and the production values and cast are fantastic. I loved it and got more engrossed episode by episode as the characters developed.

Elmo

Azatadine wrote: »

Its bizarre how much they pushed that absolutely abysmally dire Finding Joy series but they don't promote this? Its a great series and the production values and cast are fantastic. I loved it and got more engrossed episode by episode as the characters developed.

I was thinking that Both Finding Joy and The South Westerlies were both heavily promoted by RTÉ and this was not mentioned all that much.

It seem to me RTÉ want FJ and TSW to return. Unlikely for FJ to return (though I said that 2 years ago and was wrong) but TSW for all of it big cast names, failed to produce a interesting or funny script.

saabsaab

I liked the TSW. Easy on the eye and a touch of topicality.

Elmo

saabsaab wrote: »

I liked the TSW. Easy on the eye and a touch of topicality.

Nothing happened, more could be got by picking up a Newspaper and writing about actual political skullduggery in a fictions way, which can be funny or humourous.

Very mediocre.

JohnFalstaff

Deadpan Pictures received an offer of funding for a second series in this week's BAI round so 'Dead Still' will most likely return.

I enjoyed watching the first season, it was a well told series. It will be interesting to see where they take the second series.

Elmo

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Deadpan Pictures received an offer of funding for a second series in this week's BAI round so 'Dead Still' will most likely return.

I enjoyed watching the first season, it was a well told series. It will be interesting to see where they take the second series.

Good to see but RTÉ didn't back that pitch To be Confirmed (TV Drama or Animation), I suspect that they will come in, it's got 8% funding of 350,000, 4.3m sought for the show or 729,000 per episode.

In 2019 RTÉ only gave 3.5m to independent drama and scripted comedy, and they included the Tommy Tiernan show in that, so more like 2.2m, RTÉ might give a million to it. The rest from other sources.