An enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor last night for a screening of the pilot episode of AMC’s newest drama series, Low Winter Sun. The episode was immediately followed by a Q&A session with the cast and show-runner, Chris Mundy, where they talked extensively about the creative processes involved in the series.
Mundy joined cast members Mark Strong, Lennie James, Sprague Grayden, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Athena Karkanis, David Costabile and Billy Lush for the Q&A, which was hosted by Mark Binelli, author of “Detroit City is the Place to Be.” The series is set and filmed in Detroit, making the screening’s Michigan location all the more significant: many of the audience questions revolved around the use of the city in establishing the world of Low Winter Sun. The cast and show-runner discussed Detroit’s role almost as a character itself in the series, explaining that the location impacted both writing and acting choices.
“It’s not a cop show,” lead actor Mark Strong reiterated during the Q&A. The police drama is merely the framework for the story that is being told about the characters as the series progresses. Rather than solving cases each week, Low Winter Sun centers around the characters’ varying motivations for the choices they make and actions they undertake. The show focuses on both the cops and criminals (though the line between the two often seems to blur), trying to “find the humanity” in both groups of people.
The pilot starts off with a bang, and more twists unfold throughout the episode, paving the way for a thrilling first season. Dark, well written and with an extremely talented cast, Low Winter Sun could quickly become another successful staple for AMC when it premieres August 11.