Six Fouris an upcomingdrama-thriller limited seriesthat champions danger, betrayal, and an arduous quest for truth. The show adaptsSix Four, a best-selling novel by Hideo Yokoyama, into a four-part series that tells the story of a traditional suburban family gone awry. The initial conflict appears straightforward: a missing teenage daughter of policeman-turned-detective Chris O’Neill (Kevin McKidd,i.e., Owen Hunt onGrey’s Anatomy. However, as Chris and his wife, Michelle, search for their daughter, they uncover a shocking web of corruption. Their daughter isn’t the only suspicious missing persons case in the area, and during the fight for their family, the two might just solve one of the biggest criminal cover-ups in their lifetime.
The original novel gained widespread praise after its 2012 publication in Japan and, later, in 2017, publication in the United Kingdom. Additionally, the title appeared on theNew York Times'100 Notable Books of The Year list and was called one of the best books of the year byThe Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle,andLiterary Hub,among many others. The praise and accolades champion the source material’s author, Hideo Yokoyama, for his unique writing style and real-world journalistic experience in a “true crime” setting. During his time as a police reporter, Yokoyama took nearly a decade to writeSix Four.This long development period led to a nontraditional, “slow-burn” crime novel that centers on personal, complex interactions between characters.Six Fourearned critical praise for focusing on relationship dynamics instead of the fast-paced action that typically defines crime novels. Hideo Yokoyama created a unique crime story with distinct characters, riveting twists, andeverything that defines a great mystery-thriller.
Ahead of its 2023 premiere, here’s everything to know about ITVX’sSix Four.
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Six Four: The Plot
The official synopsis is as follows.
“Serving police detective, Chris, is provided with a startling revelation about an infamous, unsolved case that once divided the police when a local girl called Julie Mackie disappeared. Now, reeling from the news that his own daughter has gone missing, Chris is approached by a journalist who tells him that fatal mistakes were covered up in Julie’s disappearance. Revisiting the case, Chris uncovers a series of undeniable errors, corruption and unbridled ambition.
As Chris fights to make sense of what he’s discovered, his wife Michelle, takes matters into her own hands in search of their daughter. Using skills she learned as a former undercover officer, Michelle takes ever-increasing risks as she follows a trail of clues into the criminal underworld she previously escaped from, where vice and extortion had the power to reach to the top of the political establishment.
“While Chris and Michelle do everything they can to get to the truth, the daughter of the Justice Minister is suddenly kidnapped, just as the minister is on the cusp of achieving a political election victory. The kidnap has unnerving similarities to the Mackie case. Is the past repeating itself, or is the explosive truth of what really happened to Julie Mackie about to be revealed?”
Six Fouruniquely deviates from many of its crime-thriller counterparts by championing both parents as law enforcement officers, what with Chris as a police detective and Michelle as a former undercover officer. Michelle and Chris O’Neill have a wealth of knowledge, on-the-job experience, and prominent connections that can all be used in the search for their daughter. This makes it all the more terrifying when the two struggle to make headway in the investigation. This undertaking involving high-level politicians and a “deep criminal underworld” seems too much for the two parents to handle by themselves, but they must. Michelle and Chris have to find their daughter, solve the inexplicable kidnappings, and confront their ominous past as it pulls them to the center of the mystery.
Six Four: The Cast and Crew
Six Fourstars Kevin McKidd(Grey’s Anatomy, Trainspotting)and Vinette Robinson(Boiling Point, Sherlock). The cast also includes Richard Coyle(Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore),James Cosmo(The Bay), Alex Ferns(The Irregulars), Iona Anderson(The Long Calf),Andrew O’Neill, and Nilani Chetty.
The series is adapted by BAFTA Scotland-winning screenwriter Gregory Burke(Black Watch)and co-written by Clare McQuillan.Six Fouris directed by Ben A. Williams(Sherwood, Baghdad Central)and executive produced by Gregory Burke, Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross, and Molly Bolt. It is produced by House Productions(Sherwood, Brexit - The Uncivil War),a BBC subsidiary.
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Six Four: The Release Date
Six Fourwill stream on ITVX on March 30th, 2023. It will have a linear transmission on ITV1, a British television network, in late 2023.
Six Four: Everything Else
In a Stylist Magazine publication, screenwriterGregory Burke raved about the upcoming series.
“I’m so excited to bringSix Fourto the screen with the wonderful combination of House Productions, ITV, and BBC Studios. At its heart,Six Fouris a human story about two people under incredible amounts of pressure, who both choose to try and address their pasts. It is a story about how chance can define a lifetime, exploring the corruption that runs through institutions, and examining the secrets and monsters that lurk in every family.”
In a statement to BBC’s Media Centre, theacclaimed novelist Hideo Yokoyama commentedon the upcoming adaptation.
““I’m surprised and delighted in equal measure when people have found something universal in my work. That little boy who was so obsessed with the stories of Sherlock Holmes would be excited to hear about this. I offer my heart-felt gratitude to everyone connected with the production who decided to make this series and I can’t wait to see it.”
