Showtime announced today that they have picked up the limited run series of Melrose.
The series will be aired in five parts, following the life of the man himself–Melrose, the high-flying and charming ladies’ man. Melrose must strive to overcome the after effects of being raised by an abusive father and a mother who let it happen, while still showing the cultural landscape of the South of France in the 1960s, New York in the ’80s, and Britain in the early 2000s.
Melrose is based on the previous Patrick Melrose series, which picked up much critical attention because of the truth and grit of the quasi-autobiographies penned by Edward St. Aubyn. The novels remarked on class and cultural issues, but mainly focused on Melrose’s journey from abuse victim to drug addiction, and finally to recovery.
Benedict Cumberbatch (of Sherlock, Star Trek, you name it) is set to star as Patrick Melrose. He also executive produces Melrose, and is excited to put a face to another literary gem: “We are delighted to be part of this incredible series. We have been huge fans of these books for many years and David Nicholls adaptions are extraordinary.”
Rachael Horovitz and Michael Jackson are also signed on to executive produce, and they have nothing but glowing words for their star/co-executive producer. Horovitz and Jackson were both quoted as saying, “Edward St. Aubyn’s book series is one of the great works of fiction of the last thirty years. It’s a privilege to bring them to television with the person who was born to play this remarkable, compelling character.”
Indeed, David Nicholls (One Day, Far From the Maddening Crowd) has agreed to write all five episodes of Melrose, which is expected to start filming in August.