The Living and the Dead Arrive In Time for Halloween!

In the new BBC America series The Living and the Dead, pioneering doctor Nathan Appleby brings his wife Charlotte home to his family’s estate with the aim of bringing new, modern ideas to an ancient rural community – but are modern ideas enough to deal with the strange cases they encounter?

The Living and the Dead premieres on Thursday, October 27th (9/8C) – with the entire six-episode series becoming available online for binge-watching the next day (just in time for Halloween). Follow the jump for details.

HALLOWEEN WEEK BINGE-A-THON OF BBC AMERICA’S SPINE-TINGLING LIMITED SERIES, THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, PREMIERES OCTOBER 27 

New York – September 12, 2016 – In the lead up to Halloween, BBC AMERICA premieres the chilling limited series, The Living and the Dead, on October 27. From Ashley Pharaoh (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), the six-parter stars Colin Morgan (Humans, The Fall, Merlin) and Charlotte Spencer (Glue, Line of Duty) as Nathan and Charlotte Appleby, a couple hell-bent on bringing modern ideas to an ancient rural community. When Nathan, a pioneering Victorian psychologist, brings his vivacious young wife back to live on his family’s estate, he’s confronted by one disturbing case after another. Are these strange events linked merely by coincidence, or is there something more sinister – more supernatural – going on in the village? The Halloween week binge-a-thon of The Living and the Dead begins Thursday, October 27 at 9/8c on BBC AMERICA and the entire limited series will be available the following day to stream on the BBC AMERICA App and BBCAmerica.com.

Sarah Barnett, President of BBC AMERICA, whispered ominously… “’The Living and the Dead’ is a frisky Halloween brew of gothic Victoriana, an isolated village, a sick young woman and an earnest young protagonist who believed rational thought will save the day… a perfectly eerie Halloweenathon for BBCA fans.”

The arrival of the railways, the unrelenting pace of industrialization, and the impact of groundbreaking science and philosophy are changing forever the ancient ways of rural England. Nathan and Charlotte are part of this movement of change. But when the death of Nathan’s mother brings them back to his family’s estate, they must turn the farm’s fortunes around – or risk ruin and the devastation of the local community. Though the farm and its future demand their attention, when a vulnerable teenage girl is brought to Nathan, seemingly possessed by a terrifying spirit, he cannot leave her to suffer.

A pioneering doctor, Nathan has worked at the forefront of the emerging science of psychology and is an expert in mapping the dark places of the mind. He believes there is always a rational or scientific explanation to be found for life’s mysteries; though Harriet’s case is disturbing, he must use every psychological technique he has to find a way to cure her, to free her from this terrible burden.

But what if Nathan is wrong, and it isn’t an illness of the mind? Could Harriet actually be haunted?

The Living and the Dead is a BBC Wales Drama production in association with Monastic Productions and co-produced with BBC AMERICA.

CREDITS

Nathan Appleby                       Colin Morgan (Humans, The Fall, Merlin)

Charlotte Appleby                    Charlotte Spencer (Glue, Line of Duty)

Creator/Writer/                       Ashley Pharoah (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes)

Executive Producer

Director (Episodes 1, 2 & 3)      Alice Throughton (Merlin, Atlantis)

Director (Episodes 4, 5 & 6)      Samuel Donovan (Humans)

Executive Producer                  Matthew Graham (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes)

Executive Producer                  Faith Penhale (War & Peace, The Game)
Executive Producer                  Katie McAleese (Ripper Street, In the Flesh)      

Producer                                  Eliza Mellor (Poldark)

SYNOPSES  

PART ONE

Somerset 1894. When the death of his mother brings pioneering psychologist Nathan Appleby and his vivacious young wife Charlotte back to the family estate, they must turn the farm’s fortunes around or risk ruin, and the devastation of the local community. Though the farm and its future demand their attention, when a vulnerable teenage girl is brought to Nathan, seemingly possessed by a terrifying spirit, he cannot leave her to suffer.  Is it an illness of the mind or could she actually be haunted?

PART TWO

When a young boy is disturbed by terrifying visions, Nathan Appleby finds himself drawn into another case. The boy’s nightmarish hallucinations lead him into increasingly dangerous situations and Nathan must find a way to help him. However, Nathan’s belief in scientific and rational explanations is rocked by a growing sense of unease, as he starts to experience some mysterious visions of his own. Are all these strange events linked merely by coincidence, or is there something deeply wrong in the village of Shepzoy? 

PART THREE

It’s harvest time and Charlotte Appleby needs everyone to pull together to get the harvest in – the farm’s future rests on the flowing fields of wheat. Yet when a series of freak occurrences threaten the crop, Peter, a disturbed young villager is blamed, and Nathan Appleby must step in.

PART FOUR

Recent events have made Nathan Appleby doubt everything he once believed, but he’s convinced he can get to the bottom of the mysteries. However, his growing fascination with spirits is driving him away from his wife Charlotte. And while Charlotte is holding everything else together on the farm, she is also guarding a secret of her own.

PART FIVE

Nathan Appleby’s increasing obsession with the spirits haunting the village of Shepzoy is taking its toll on his wife Charlotte and the farm. Will he risk his relationship to pursue the truth? No one believes what he’s seen and heard, and even Nathan is left wondering if it’s all just been in his head. 

PART SIX

The village of Shepzoy is a changed place after the horrifying events of recent weeks. Nathan Appleby’s desperate attempts to solve the mysteries have left him on the edge of madness, and his wife Charlotte is struggling to hold their marriage and the farm together. The harder she tries to save Nathan, the further he pushes her away – can Charlotte find a way to help him before it’s too late?