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Mad Dogs (British TV series)

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Mad Dogs
A DVD cover with the title "Mad Dogs" at the top. Underneath are five middle aged males, four are sitting while the fifth in the middle is standing and on the telephone. Behind them is a villa.
Blu-ray cover art of the series.
Genre
Created byCris Cole
Written byCris Cole
Directed byAdrian Shergold
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerSpencer Campbell
Production locationsMajorca, Spain
Running time40-45 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkSky1
Release10 February 2011 (2011-02-10) –
present

Mad Dogs is a four-part British black comedy and psychological thriller television series created by Cris Cole that started broadcast on Sky1 on 10 February 2011. It was produced by Left Bank Pictures, and co-produced by Palma Pictures. The series stars John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley and Philip Glenister, with Ben Chaplin and María Botto serving as additional cast. It follows four long-time, middle-aged friends getting together in a villa in Majorca to celebrate the early retirement of Alvo, a fifth friend. However, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption after Alvo is murdered.

The series was initially a story about a rock band, but changed after feeling bands have been "done to death." After gaining interest from some terrestrial networks, the series was commissioned by British Sky Broadcasting. Filming took place on location throughout the island of Majorca starting May 2010, and took around four million euros and 44 days to make. The main themes towards the series is about friendship and growing older, while Glenister added it is about ageing and "getting closer to death." Photographer David LaChapelle directed three 30-second advertisements for the series. Mad Dogs opened with 1.61 million viewers, which became the 17th highest rated programme ever for Sky1, and attracted generally positive reactions from critics. They noted similarities with British gangster films, more predominently the 2000 film Sexy Beast. A second series is reportedly underway.

Series overview and themes

Mad Dogs centres on a reunion of four friends who have known each other since sixth form, now in their 40s and a mix of single, married and divorced. They have been invited by a fifth friend, Alvo, to his villa in Majorca to celebrate his early retirement, having made his fortune in property. However, their holiday soon turns into a "labyrinthine nightmare of lies, deception and murder."[1]

The primary theme for the series is friendship and "growing older."[2] Philip Glenister elaborated, saying it is not about "a group of blokes hitting their 40s and having a jolly-up. That would have been boring," but "an undercurrent of something a bit darker," and "about reaching a stage in life, looking at what you've achieved and where you go next. It's about how normal people deal with a certain situation and how they can implode." Essentially, it is about ageing and "getting closer to death."[3]

Cast

Production

The series was filmed on location in Majorca.

The idea behind Mad Dogs came from the friendship between the four main actors, who wanted to work together for a television project, as well as Cris Cole and executive producer Suzanne Mackie.[2] The four initially wanted to make a story about a rock band, but decided that making programmes about bands have been "done to death."[4] To write the series, Cole was influenced by the works of David Lynch and the Coen brothers as inspiration to the kind of storytelling that is "never quite what you think it is going to be."[2]

The series initially gained interest from major terrestrial networks such as the BBC and ITV. However, Max Beesley and Philip Glenister grew frustrated with the comments from the commissioning teams from the networks. Glenister stated "the problem with the BBC and ITV is more people coming in and telling you what to do. We are grown up and big enough to know where the boundaries are." They ultimately settled for Sky, as the network was "the one that we believed would let us do what we wanted."[5] Head of Sky Drama Elaine Pyke had an immediate interest in the project, as she was "immediately grabbed by how thrilling, scary and funny it is," believing it to be "the perfect show for Sky1."[2] In a separate interview, Beesley stated "Andy [Harries] basically put the show out to a few of the networks and Sky said 'Bang! Here's the money, go and make it and we'll give you notes later on, but really do have the freedom to make it,' which is great, and there's not a lot of that happens nowadays."[4]

Mad Dogs was commissioned as a four-part series by Pyke, with the official announcement made in May 2010. Cole wrote the episodes. It was produced by Left Bank Pictures, the same production company responsible for other series including BBC One's Wallander and Sky1's Strike Back.[6] It continues Sky's commitment to investing in new dramas with all-star casts.[7] The series sees the return of John Simm and Philip Glenister, who previously worked together on the BBC One series Life on Mars.[8] A casting note once went awry when "Tony Blair" (the armed man in a Tony Blair mask) was misspelled as "Tiny Blair"; as a result six dwarfs auditioned for the part, and one of them ended up being cast in the role.[9] Filming began in May 2010, and took place on location in Majorca,[6] over a period of 44 days.[10] The series was budgeted at an estimated four million euros, with a further €150,000 grant from the Mallorcan Tourism Foundation, who hoped the series would promote Majorca, and was co-produced by Palma Pictures.[11] In one scene, Glenister refused to go nude to shoot the four running to a swimming pool, citing his age.[3] Half the filming crew were locals. Beesley noted that the Spanish crew were "fantastic," and joked the cast and British crew were given some half-days because of local involvement.[4]

Plans are underway for a second series.[11]

Promotion

Photographer David LaChapelle directed three 30-second advertisements for the series.

Three 30-second films were produced to be used as on-air promotions for the programme on all Sky channels and selected third-party channels. The promotions starred the cast, directed by David LaChapelle and shot on location in Majorca. Print, outdoor and online promotions were also made. Executive creative director Clare McDonald was impressed by LaChapelle's work because the adverts were "staying true to our vision." Television promotions were first broadcast on Sky1 on 11 January 2011.[7] On 28 January, a preview of the first two episode were screened at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) event in London. This was followed by a questions and answers session by Marc Warren, Cris Cole, Suzanne Mackie and Adrian Shergold.[10]

Release and reception

Broadcast and ratings

Scheduling of the series has been changed over the course of its development. The first announcement of the series in May 2010 stated it would be broadcast during the spring 2011,[6] but by August it was announced it would be moved up to the autumn schedule,[5] before it was ultimately settled to broadcast on February 2011. The series premiere received overnight ratings of 967,000 viewers and a 4 per cent audience share. It became the second largest multichannel audience of the night, behind a repeat of EastEnders on BBC Three, which was seen by 1.061 million.[12] The consolidated ratings for the first episode raised to 1.61 million viewers, which made the episode the second largest multichannel audience in its week, behind an episode of Glee on E4.[13] It also became the 17th highest rated programme ever for Sky1.[14] The second episode went down slightly to 802,000 viewers, and a 3.1 per cent share.[15] The third episode dropped further to 691,000, and a 2.8 per cent audience share.[16] The finale episode gained in viewership to 938,000, and a 3.9 per cent audience share.[17]

Critical reception

Michael Deacon of The Daily Telegraph reacted positively towards the series, stating "episode one was enjoyably sinister. It was also, once or twice, quite amusing, in (of course) a blokey way." Deacon liked the beginning of the pilot where the main characters record a video message, stating "this is what Mad Dogs did well – like any competent suspense thriller, it made you ask questions throughout. The episode bubbled with foreboding, right up to the cliffhanger." Deacon also noted at the cliffhanger that "the most disturbing sight wasn't the shower of blood but the gunman's rubber mask, which was of a grinning Tony Blair."[18] John Crace of The Guardian however, was more mixed, starting "after unsuccessfully fobbing us off with endless series of Ross Kemp looking macho, Sky is now throwing serious money at getting viewers to watch something other than sport." Crace was critical of the set up of the episode, stating "I'm all for allowing a drama time to breathe but we didn't really need a whole hour just to establish that Alvo was a bit dodgy and that the four others had complications in their lives. Rather than building menace, the snail-like pace dissipated it," However, he reacted positively towards the end, as "things did eventually look up," adding "there's hope for Mad Dogs yet."[19]

Jane Simon of the Daily Mirror believed the "setting and the gangsterish plot are both reminiscent of that great British movie Sexy Beast, and this first instalment of the four part series presses all the right buttons," adding "it has naturalistic performances, an ­effortless blend of comedy and sinister undertones plus rather more shots of Marc Warren's bum cheeks than might be considered absolutely necessary."[20] Ben Walsh of The Independent rated the series three stars out of five, having written "there's far too much exposition, a very daft plot, some risible dialogue and yet Sky's ripe four-parter is horribly compelling," and added "it's extremely silly, but Simm and Glenister are always compelling and they make this gamey tale of gangsters, police corruption and 'friendship' work."[21] Reviewing the first two episode, The Stage believed the first was "a slow-burning exploration" and "all very intriguing and disturbing, with a great performance by Chaplin as the smilingly psychotic host." However, the reviewer criticised the death of Alvo, as he was considered the most "compelling character" and since "sent the plot line spinning off into less original territory," adding the producers took ideas from crime capers such as Sexy Beast and Shallow Grave. However, the reviewer added "what Mad Dogs lacks in originality it makes up for in energy, verve and humour. The dialogue positively crackles with great lines." In the end, the reviewer stated that Mad Dogs "may be an unapologetic crowd pleaser, but it is a finely made one, with excellent performances from a dream cast. It also offers the only opportunity I have of seeing blue skies, azure waters and sunshine in February, so I am in for the duration."[22]

Ryan Lambie of Den of Geek said of the first episode; "In terms of writing and acting, Mad Dogs is good, but not perfect, and much of its knock-about banter is uncannily like any Brit gangster flick you've ever seen," like "Sexy Beast: the series." However Lambie noted "when events push its premise from naff lads' drama into exotic thriller, Mad Dogs gets infinitely better, and if nothing else, it keeps you guessing.[23] As the series progressed, Lambie noted that Mad Dogs was "developing into a nifty TV thriller with an engaging sense of the absurd. Writer, Cris Cole, enjoys picking holes in his characters' machismo as the tension mounts, and the strange billboard posters dotted all over the sun-scorched island, which say "Yenda a ninguna parte," ("Going nowhere") are perhaps a foreshadowing of their imminent fate."[24] However, Lambie was disappointed at the ending for being "unexpectedly flat," adding "the major plot twist that the previous three-or-so hours appeared to allude to never arrives, [...] I couldn't help but feel that, as the closing credits rolled on the whole saga, the tension and intrigue that had gradually built up in previous weeks had been allowed to slip away.[25]

Home media release

The series was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the United Kingdom on 7 March 2011.[26]

Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers
(million)
1"Episode 1"Adrian ShergoldCris Cole10 February 2011 (2011-02-10)1.613[27]
The episode begins with four long-time friends Baxter (Simm), Rick (Warren), Woody (Beesley) and Quinn (Glenister) recording messages to their loved ones. A week earlier, the four arrive in Majorca, Spain to celebrate the early retirement of another friend Alvo (Chaplin), who made himself wealthy in the property business. Over the course of the first three days, Rick has a one-night stand with Lottie (Joseph), a tourist from Bradford. Also, the group become concerned with Alvo's increasingly erratic behaviour after finding a dead goat floating in his swimming pool. When they go deep sea fishing, Alvo admits he stole the boat, and at the insistence of the others, they return to the villa. As the group argue during the evening, they find a man wearing a Tony Blair mask (Pozzi), nicknamed "Tiny Blair" due to his height, breaking into the villa and shoots Alvo in head for stealing the boat.
2"Episode 2"Adrian ShergoldCris Cole17 February 2011 (2011-02-17)1.523[27]
Immediately following Alvo's murder, the killer takes steps to frame Baxter by rubbing the gun on his face and forcing him to spit. Before leaving, he warns them not to go to the police, claiming to be an officer himself. The four then bury Alvo's body and spend the entire night cleaning the scene. They decide that should police get suspicious about Alvo's disappearance, they say he went to the mainland. Rick recalls leaving his video camera on the boat they allegedly stole, which contain visual evidence they were present. They proceed there to find it is still missing, but during the search, two men arrive at the boat and find bags of cocaine. Thinking the four are the owners, they are paid three million euros. They return to the villa and decide to hide the money in a rental car until they leave for England at the end of their holiday. Upon returning to the villa, police arrive, headed by detective María (Botto). She interviews the four individually about Alvo's behaviour. In the end, it is revealed María previously got hold of Rick's camera.
3"Episode 3"Adrian ShergoldCris Cole24 February 2011 (2011-02-24)1.456[27]
Baxter comes to realise, after another visit from María, that he and his friends have been caught up in activities set up by the Serbian mafia. Knowing the mafia were responsible for the murder of Jesus, the owner of the boat, who had his hands and feet removed, Rick panics, and the four get into another argument. They later decide to bring Alvo's body back to the boat, cut off his arms and feet to make it look like a mob hit. When they return to the villa, "Tiny Blair" demands to know where the boat is; Rick later disarms him. The four plan to reason with the mafia by demanding safe passage back to England in return for him. They decide to bring the tape to the police, but after realising the police may not be involved in the first place, they go to the same hotel Lottie is staying to ask her to drive the car holding the drug money to the villa for the following day. When returning to the villa, they find somebody previously broke in and executed their prisoner, leaving behind the message; "we told you not to go to the police."
4"Episode 4"Adrian ShergoldCris Cole3 March 2011 (2011-03-03)1.775[27]
After burying "Tiny Blair", the four see flares firing overhead, followed by a power cut in the villa, which Woody believes are scare tactics set up by the Serbians. The next morning, María returns to tell them the police have found the boat, and the Serbians may be after them, and gives them one last chance for protection. Woody turns it down, not believing she is a police officer. The four get into another argument, resulting in a fight, but later reconcile. Through their video cameras and footage from the boat Rick took, Baxter realises that Alvo was involved in drug smuggling, and that María manipulated the four; there was no Serbian mafia, only corrupt police officers. After they record the video messages from the first episode, Lottie returns with the car. The four prepare to leave the money behind while they proceed to the airport, but are stopped by María who intends to kill them, but Quinn kills her first. He then reveals that he will stay behind with most of the money, while the other three return to England. In the end, Quinn sees an armed Dominic (Woodward), the detective who organised the drug running, approaching the villa.

References

  1. ^ "Mad Dogs - LEFT BANK Pictures". Left Bank Pictures. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Knight, Dominic (5 May 2010). "Mad Dogs for Sky One". AVT Today. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b Tobin, Christian (10 February 2011). "Glenister refused to go nude for 'Mad Dogs'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Fletcher, Alex (7 February 2011). "Max Beesley talks 'Mad Dogs'". Digital Spy; Tube Talk. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b Sweeney, Mark (3 August 2010). "Mad Dogs stars: we turned down BBC and ITV". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  6. ^ a b c Deans, Jason (5 May 2010). "John Simm and Philip Glenister to star in Sky1's Mad Dogs". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  7. ^ a b Laughlin, Andrew (12 January 2011). "LaChapelle creates Sky1 'Mad Dogs' promo". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  8. ^ Wightman, Catriona (5 May 2010). "Simm, Glenister team up for Sky1 show". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Andy Harries's media gossip". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Mad Dogs, Sky One, Mallorca". Palma Pictures. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  11. ^ a b Carver, Gavin (31 January 2011). "Mad Dogs in Mallorca". See Mallorca. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  12. ^ Halliday, Josh (11 February 2011). "Mad Dogs grabs 967,000 viewers". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  13. ^ "Weekly Top 30 Programmes (See week Feb 07-Feb 13, 2011 and scroll down to Others)". BARB.co.uk. Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Mad Dogs' first episode ranks 17th highest rated programme ever on Sky 1". Left Bank Pictures. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  15. ^ Laughlin, Andrew (18 February 2011). "'Celebrity Juice' bursts past 1m". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  16. ^ Laughlin, Andrew (25 February 2011). "ITV's 'Marchlands' fends off 'MasterChef'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  17. ^ Laughlin, Andrew (4 March 2011). "'Marchlands' concludes with 5.9m". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  18. ^ Deacon, Michael (11 February 2011). "Philip Glenister in Mad Dogs, Sky1, review". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  19. ^ Crace, John (11 February 2011). "TV review: Mad Dogs, 30 Rock and The Culture Show". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  20. ^ Simon, Jane (10 February 2011). "Mad Dogs - Sky1, 9pm". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  21. ^ Walsh, Ben (4 March 2011). "DVD: Mad Dogs (15)". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  22. ^ "TV review: Mad Dogs, Sky 1, Thursday 10 February, 9pm". The Stage. The Stage Newspaper Limited. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  23. ^ Lambie, Ryan (11 February 2011). "Mad Dogs episode 1 review". Den of Geek. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  24. ^ Lambie, Ryan (17 February 2011). "Mad Dogs episode 2 review". Den of Geek. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  25. ^ Lambie, Ryan (3 March 2011). "Mad Dogs episode 4 review: series finale". Den of Geek. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  26. ^ "Title: Mad Dogs". 2entertain.co.uk. 2 Entertain. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  27. ^ a b c d "Weekly Top 10 Programmes (See relevant weeks and scroll down to Sky1)". BARB.co.uk. Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
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