British Network Television & Radio
Did you see “Six Four”?
ITV’s “Six Four” is an exceptional drama…
Six Four, a brilliantly realised four-part drama, is must-see British television on a level hardly ever seen. The first episode, brought to ITVX on Thursday, 30 March 2023, does a lot of heavy lifting. The adaptation, co-written by Gregory Burke and Clare McQuillan, is simply marvellous.
Six Four, based on Hideo Yokoyama’s novel of the same title, Kevin McKidd, Vinette Robinson, Alex Ferns, and James Cosmo. McKidd, Robinson, Ferns, and Cosmo, in many ways, bring their best work to the screen. There is much that can be said for the on-screen chemistry. Williams, when asked about being approached to direct the four episode miniseries, was explicit in his response.
“There was a lot. The team that had already assembled before I was involved. I’ve been a huge fan of Greg’s writing for years. I think he’s one of the most interesting and intelligent playwrights and screenwriters that we have,” Williams said.
“No one else writes with the level of respect for the audience’s intelligence as Greg. He doesn’t talk down to you. It’s up to you to piece it together. He leaves a lot of space for his audience to think their way into things. It’s the same in ‘Six Four’: all the pieces are there, but it’s up to you to put them together.”
McKidd’s character, Detective Constable Chris O’Neill, is frequently distracted by self-doubt. Curiously, even though O’Neill hasn’t achieved the same career success his brother has attained, the detective constable possesses far better investigative skills. Far too often, as the DC has experienced, O’Neill has been side-lined in favour of lesser skilled individuals.
O’Neill, deeply disturbed by the sudden disappearance of his daughter, is devastated to learn that he is not her biological father. His marriage to Michelle has recently been rocked by his affair with Samantha Wishart.
“I play Chris O’Neill. He’s a grey man in a sense. He lacks ambition. He’s in a rut in his personal life and in his professional life. He was obviously, in his younger years, much more passionate and I think something’s happened to him,” Kevin McKidd said.
“It’s an interesting journey for him through this story because he becomes really ignited again and passionate, reconnecting with his passion for police work. And he’s good at it, you know, ultimately. But when you first meet him, he’s going through a midlife crisis almost.”
The four-part miniseries, created by BAFTA Scotland Award-winning screenwriter, saw Ben A. Williams return to the directorial chair. Williams previously directed Sherwood and Baghdad Central. Six Four was produced by the award-winning House Productions. House Productions is well-known both Sherwood and Brexit: The Uncivil War.
“You know, it’s funny, when I first read it, I was like, should I be the brother, Phillip, or Chris, you know? And I kind of went back and forth. I was a wee brother, in my family dynamic. I have a big brother who’s five years older than me and he was going to be the hot shot, and I was kind of like the runner-up almost,” McKidd said.
“Not in a bad way but that’s just what it looked like our lives were going to be. And that dynamic of being the wee brother and kind of being in the shadow of your big brother and what that does, even as adults, how that dynamic just still exists. And there’s a tension there but there’s also that brotherly love. That’s when I realised I should probably play Chris because it’s basically similar to my own upbringing in life.”
Episode Synopsis…
Episode 1…
DC Chris O’Neill is approached by a journalist about a cold case involving a missing girl. His own daughter is also missing, and his wife Michelle goes to London to search for her.
Episode 2…
Pauline Wallace receives a ransom call. Chris discovers a link between Annabel’s kidnapping and the supposed cover-up in the Julie Mackie case and Michelle confronts Piers.
Episode 3…
An unexpected visitor confronts Chris with the consequences of Michelle’s secrets. A visit to Gary McLean’s killer brings Chris closer to the truth and Annabel faces her captor.
Episode 4…
Michelle returns to Scotland and accompanies Chris in search of Annabel. Robert and Mackie face off as the truth behind Julie Mackie’s disappearance threatens to come out.
Curiously, whilst the four part miniseries is adapted from Yokoyama’s work, Four Six is really more inspired by the novel. The drama, set primarily in Glasgow, is a compellingly dark story revolving around kidnap, corruption, betrayal. The search for an uncompromising truth, when Chris and Michelle O’Neill’s teenage daughter goes missing, is readily apparent.
