Bookish, the new period detective drama created by and starring Mark Gatiss, has proved to be a huge success with audiences.
The U&Alibi series sees Gatiss portray Gabriel Book, an eccentric bookkeeper who assists the police in solving various crimes in 1940s London. The collaboration is rife with danger, however, owing to Gabriel’s closeted homosexuality.
Following the premiere of the first two episodes in Wednesday’s (16 July) double-header, Bookish has seemingly struck a chord with audiences after Broadcast reported that 270,000 viewers tuned in.
This is a markedly bigger figure than the 43,000 benchmark for that time slot, with viewers also sticking around for the follow-up episode as it accrued a figure of 202,000 against the standard mark of 45,000.
The viewing figures will surely delight UKTV, who had already renewed the series for a second season back in May, a full two months before the detective drama had even aired its opening episode.
UKTV
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“I’m thrilled that the team at U&Alibi are allowing me to dive back into the world of Bookish and create more fiendish crimes for Gabriel Book and the team to solve,” said Gatiss. “I can’t wait for viewers to immerse themselves in the world we’ve created.”
The second season received an update earlier this month, with filming on the latest batch of episodes set to begin in the coming weeks. Though plot details are yet to be confirmed, the central cast is set to reprise their roles.
UKTV
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Billed as a “period detective drama with a difference”, Gatiss is joined in the cast by Polly Walker, Joely Richardson, Daniel Mays, Elliot Levey, Connor Finch and Blake Harrison. Gatiss, best known for his role in Sherlock, co-wrote the series with Matthew Sweet.
“London, 1946, is the dynamic, dangerous and chaotic setting for this stylish new detective drama, with the whip-smart and debonair Gabriel Book at the very heart of the story: a maverick consultant detective to the local police,” reads the official synopsis.
Bookish airs on U&Alibi and is available as a box set on Sky, Virgin and NOW.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. Â His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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