BBC America greenlights period genre series The Living and the Dead

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Horror is hot on television right now and I'm not surprised to be hearing that we'll be seeing more genre content coming our way. Now BBC America is working towards bringing us a new period genre series set in the age of Spiritualism and dealing with the Society for Psychical Research. Sound intriguing? Read on!

BBC AMERICA and BBC One have announced a new series titled "The Living and the Dead", written by Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham, co-creators and writers of 'Life on Mars", "Ashes To Ashes" and "Eternal Law". It is co-produced by BBC Wales Drama Production and BBC AMERICA in association with Monastic Productions for BBC One. So what is "The Living and the Dead" about, you ask? Here ya go:

Somerset, England, 1888. A land and a community on the edge of monumental change, on the great hinge between ancient traditional ways and an industrial, scientific future. A land of ghosts and myths, poltergeists and demons – if there was ever a time for those ghosts to rise out of the ground, this would be that time.  At the heart of this small community is Nathan Appleby, a reluctant gentleman farmer who is obsessed with proving the existence of the afterlife.

In the new original drama, this complex and compelling man will investigate hauntings, paranormal happenings, and ghostly visitations, encouraged by the Society for Psychical Research. But as these terrifying investigations become ever more frequent and ever more scary, Nathan starts to see and hear disturbing things that he simply cannot have imagined. Will Nathan’s interest in the occult begin to threaten his family, his livelihood and even his sanity?

Sounds like it could have some potential! No word yet on casting but we expect to hear word on that soon enough.

Writer-creators Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham says:

“We are as excited about this show as anything since Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes – we want it to be moving, tender, sensual…and very, very scary.”

That's what we like to hear!

We'll keep an eye on "The Living and the Dead" so keep checking in for more on it as we hear it.