The BBC and RTÉ have released the first look at Tall Tales & Murder, a six-part dark comedic crime series created by Stuart Carolan and co-created by Chris Addison, set to debut on RTÉ One in Ireland on September 27, 2024, and arrive soon after on BBC One and BBC Northern Ireland. Blending modern underworld operations with an 8th-century tale of monks, Vikings, and buried treasure, the series features an ensemble cast led by Ella-Lily Hyland and first-time television actor Casey Walsh.
Plot and Premise of Tall Tales & Murder
The narrative follows Bridget, an unconventional night-shift nurse at a Dublin nursing home played by Ella-Lily Hyland, who reads bedtime horror stories to residents, hosts clandestine late-night dances, and assists with voluntary euthanasia. Her routine changes when Paul, a young car thief working off a debt to crime boss Ma Baker (Philippa Dunne) and seeking a legitimate job to stay out of prison, arrives at the facility. According to production details from Avalon and Metropolitan Pictures, Paul secures the job through Bunny Ryan (Brian Doherty), an irascible detective who uses his personal history with the nursing home's Matron (Aisling O'Sullivan).
On Bridget and Paul’s first shift together, a comatose patient known as “Anonymous” wakes up and reveals himself to be long-lost gangster Grinner McNair, played by Aidan Gillen. Grinner claims knowledge of a buried hoard of Celtic gold, setting off a scramble for the treasure that draws in vicious gangster Wesley Swanson (Packy Lee) and his henchmen. The series is based on the nine-book Dublin Trilogy by Caimh McDonnell.
Creative Team and Production Background
Tall Tales & Murder is written by Stuart Carolan, creator of the RTÉ crime drama Love/Hate, and co-created with director and Emmy winner Chris Addison. The project is a co-commission from BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ, produced by Avalon in association with Ireland-based Metropolitan Pictures and Screen Ireland. The series was filmed in the Republic of Ireland, with direction shared by Chris Addison and Neasa Hardiman.
“Tall Tales & Murder is storytelling at its darkest, funniest and most surreal,” said Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning for BBC Northern Ireland. Executive producer Rob Aslett noted that Carolan’s scripts reflect contemporary Irish settings through an original crime drama framework.
Cast and Character Details
- Bridget: Played by Ella-Lily Hyland, an unorthodox night nurse.
- Paul: Played by Casey Walsh, a car thief entering legitimate employment to escape prison.
- Grinner McNair: Played by Aidan Gillen, a long-lost gangster who wakes from a coma.
- Bunny Ryan: Played by Brian Doherty, a detective acting as a guardian figure to Paul.
- The Matron: Played by Aisling O’Sullivan, the icy nursing home administrator.
- Ma Baker: Played by Philippa Dunne, a crime boss owed a debt by Paul.
- Wesley Swanson: Played by Packy Lee, a rival gangster pursuing the buried treasure.
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