Available today on Netflix, the series “Bodkin” seems to be the little cousin of the comedy “Only Murders in the Building”. A bit of grating humor and an investigation carried out by a motley trio.
What is it about ?
A motley group of podcasters investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in a pretty little coastal town in Ireland. Their discoveries reveal a case of a scale and strangeness beyond anything they could have imagined. Through these protagonists who strive as best they can to discern reality from fiction around the investigation, their colleagues and, worse still, their own existence, the series questions our relationship to the truth and highlights the stories we tell ourselves to justify our beliefs and legitimize our fears.
Bodkin, a series created by Jez Scharf with Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, Robyn Cara… Currently on Netflix
In line with Only Murders in the Building
Are you a fan of Only Murders in the Building and do you miss the series? Good news: Bodkin is made for you! Because the pitch of the Netflix series is more or less the same: podcasters who investigate true crimes aim to solve a mystery!
Direction Ireland which seems to be the ideal place to unearth an old story of disappearance twenty years earlier. What’s more, it’s a land of born storytellers, really very, very talkative storytellers, whether by the fireside or in crowded, noisy pubs. Added to this is the humor and spirit tinged with cynicism which characterizes the inhabitants, as well as landscapes of breathtaking beauty. This is where Bodkin sets the scene.
In terms of treatment, the tone is also very close to that of Only Murders. Bodkin establishes itself from the first minutes as a black comedy with touches of thriller. We follow Will Forte in the role of Gilbert, an American podcaster – who has the art of always widening his eyes – in search of his next big story.
To do this, Gilbert needs help. He therefore leaves with a real investigative journalist, with a surly character, named Dove (Siobhán Cullen) and who could be confused with Chloë Sevigny behind her dark glasses.
Enda Bowe/Netflix
Originally from Dublin but living in London, she is going through a real professional crisis and is forced to team up with Gilbert, whom she despises from the depths of her being. “I am journalist“, she laments at one point, “and I’m stuck acting as a consultant for a true crime podcast in the middle of nowhere.“
And then there’s Emmy (Robyn Cara), an eager-to-please production assistant who hides her own insecurities with her overenthusiastic nature. Despite her good intentions, it is clear that she is quite transparent.
Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, Bodkin falls into the category of nice series with its slightly stereotypical but complementary characters, its rather well-rounded plot but it is above all its relocation to Ireland which constitutes its real added value. Certainly the folklore overflows everywhere, but we know that it is done on purpose.
Bodkin is currently available on Netflix.
