Relationships are fickle. People grow and change constantly, their priorities in life sometimes shifting entirely on a moment's notice. As we look for meaning in how and why people enter and leave our lives, sometimes it's easier to find solace in movies and television. The popularity of romantic comedies and dramatic films like Marriage Story is a testament to this. There'll always be an audience for relationship stories -- they're part of the foundation that makes us tick. With this in mind, we can expect Prime Video's upcoming series, Mammals, to show us the highs and lows of interpersonal relationships.
Mammals is directed by Stephanie Laing of Made For Love fame, with Jez Butterworth in the writer's chair. Butterworth has had a prolific series of successful works, ranging from winning the 2017 Tony award for his play The Ferryman to having a writing credit for Edge of Tomorrow and the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones film. Laing, on the other hand, had a significant role as a producer for HBO's Veep, in addition to collaborating with comedian Tracey Ullman on a variety of projects.
Here's everything we know about Prime Video's Mammals.
Mammals: The Plot
The show's official plot synopsis provided by Prime Video is as follows:
"In this darkly comedic drama from writer, Jez Butterworth, revelations and secrets come to light and the complexity of modern marriage and fidelity are exposed. In a world of eight billion, what happens after we've found 'the one'? Can we stay true to the promises we strive to keep when, after all, aren't we all just MAMMALS?"
We follow the story of Jamie, a successful chef who uncovers shocking secrets about his wife, Amandine. The pair is initially shown to be on a romantic vacation, the bright sun giving the two of them a healthy, warm glow. While Jamie stands on a rocky shore, he witnesses a text from a man named Paul saying, "whattup sexy." Jamie's face immediately drops. Enlisting the help of his brother-in-law Jeff, the duo aims to find out what exactly Amandine is keeping from them.
Mammals' trailer and synopsis hint that the central conflict will stem from Jamie and Amandine's clashing ideas of monogamy versus polygamy. However, it's suggested that there will be a genuine discussion about these topics instead of milking them for drama. Relationship dynamics depicted in television have changed significantly since the advent of the streaming age, so it'll be interesting to see what exactly Mammals has to say about them.
Jamie and Amandine are just one-half of what's on offer here. Jamie's sister, Lue, finds her marriage to Jeff strained by his increasing distance from her. She finds herself repeatedly returning to a strange fantasy land between walking her dog and hunting elk. What exactly this fantasy world is has been left out of the show's trailer. All we have to possibly go on are a handful of promotional materials Prime Video has released to the public. Specifically, the show's key art shows off a fox in a heavy jacket with thick exterior shoulder pads and a dachshund in a slick suit. It's bizarre to see compared to the rest of the pre-release materials, but it's likely that the fantasy land will be kept under wraps until the show's premiere.
Mammals: The Cast
Mammals features a high-profile cast for its leading roles. Jamie will be played by the current host of The Late Late Show and star of Gavin & Stacy, James Corden. While the star has seen some recent controversy over his behavior in public, it's unlikely to have any impact on his involvement in the show. Mammals will also mark Corden's first prominent acting role in a live-action scripted production since 2015. Playing Amandine is Melia Kreiling, who got some attention for her role as Bereet in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy.
The other half of the leading protagonists -- Jeff and Lue -- will be played by Colin Morgan and Sally Hawkins, respectively. Between them, they've had several fantastic performances in The Living and the Dead, Merlin, The Shape of Water, and Made in Dagenham. Based on some scenes from the trailer, including an elderly lady tearfully returning a Rubix cube, they're likely to pull double duty as an engaging side plot and comic relief.
According to an article by The Times, famous singer-songwriter Tom Jones will also make a guest appearance in the show as himself due to him being the "patron saint of marriage and the away game." By his own admission, Jones has been in countless intimate relationships, making him appropriate for the themes Mammals will tackle.
Release Date
Mammals releases internationally on November 11th, 2022. The series will have six episodes, hopefully making it one of the best miniseries airing in 2022.