The sinister trailer for Sky’s upcoming sci-fi thriller The Midwich Cuckoos reveals that the show might be just as creepy as its source material. The series is a modern-day remaining of John Wyndham’s classic novel of the same age. The author’s book was first published in 1957 and is widely praised by prominent dramatists such as Dan Rebellion (Chekhov in Hell) and globally renowned writers like Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale).
The book was previously adapted into the film Village of the Damned with a remake starring Christopher Reeve in 1995 and has also been turned into a radio play on several occasions (in 1982, 2003, and 2007). Christina Hardyment, writer of The Times, commented that “that the book packed even more of a punch in an age of "genetic experimentation" than it had done in the 1950s.” Do you fancy seeing an invasion story touching on moral ambiguities, motherhood, and brood parasitic aliens? The Midwich Cuckoos might be the show you have been waiting for.
The Plot
Starring BAFTA-nominated Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard, Spooks) and Max Beesley (Homeland, Ordinary Lies), the eight-part series centres on a fictional, idyllic British town called Midwich. A place where not much happens. Until a dismaying incident turns the life of its residents upside down. In the twilight hours of a summer’s day, a mysterious silver object appears in the sleepy commuter town and makes all of its inhabitants go from absolute panic into a state of unconsciousness. After this brief period of blackout passes, referred to as the “Dayout,” the object disappears. However, every woman of child-bearing age realizes they have inexplicably fallen pregnant.
The show’s official synopsis reads:
“As news spreads and tensions simmer, it is up to gifted psychotherapist Dr. Susannah Zellaby (Keeley Hawes) to help support those affected through the emotional wilderness. Susannah’s own daughter, Cassie, has fallen pregnant and harbours deep concerns about who, or what, is behind this phenomenon.”“Local officer DCI Paul Haynes (Max Beesley) is tasked with maintaining order but unbeknownst to them all, a terrifying force is building in the comfortable streets of Midwich. These children – potential parasites – flourish under the very love and care that their families give them. Who are these children? And what do they want?”
According to the book, when the 31 boys and 30 girls are born, they seem to be completely normal except for their golden eyes and unusually pale skin. Yet as they grow up, it becomes obvious that they bear none of the genetic characteristics of their mothers. They grow up rapidly and obtain terrifying abilities. They have telepathic powers and can control others’ actions and behavior. The story is rooted in many of our inherent fears. How do you, as a parent, react to your precious child turning against you? How do you fight an unknown, ruthless, superior power that is set to destroy you and your community? What if E.T. was the only kind-hearted alien? And most importantly, how do you make a tin foil that also looks chic?
The Cast & Crew
Wyndham’s dark novel has been adapted for the screen by Emmy award-nominated writer and creator David Farr (Hanna, The Night Manager), who had previously spoken about his relation to Wyndham’s work, saying:
"I first read The Midwich Cuckoos when I was 12. I was living in a small town in 1980s Britain. Everything about the book rang true to me and terrified me. An invasion of a small community by a hostile force? Apparently innocent children as a force of huge malevolent power? It got under my skin. As I've grown older, the story has never ceased to exert a grip. The idea that we may birth our own destruction is so simple and frightening. That as a mother or a father, the being we love most in the world may turn on us. It's the stuff of nightmares.”
The show is written by Farr and co-written by Sasha Hails, Namsi Khan, and Laura Lomas. The Midwich Cuckoos is produced by Route 24 and backed by ITV Studios and Snowed-In Productions, in association with Sky Studios. It was filmed May-August 2021, and after some COVID-19 related delays, the show will air on Sky Max in the summer of 2022. Gabriel Silver, Director of Commissioning for Drama at Sky, told Entertainment Daily: “When the opportunity arose to create a modern-day adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel that is The Midwich Cuckoos, we jumped at the chance.”
Alongside Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley, Synnøve Karlsen (Clique), Aisling Loftus (A Discovery of Witches), Lara Rossi (Robin Hood), Ukweli Roach (Blindspot), and Lewis Reeves (I May Destroy You) are also members of the cast. The show’s episodes are directed by filmmakers Alice Troughton (Atlantis, Legends of Tomorrow, A Discovery of Witches), Börkur Sigþórsson (Vultures, Trapped), and Jennifer Perrott (Echo Beach, Gentleman Jack, Home and Away).