In the latest adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novel "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", ITV have recruited Richard E Grant to play the head of secret government department M10 (or the "Invisible Men") Sir Roger Bulstrode and Tom Bateman as Robert Jekyll. The 10-part series "Jekyll and Hyde" is still in the filming stage and it will be set in London during the 1930s, with Dr Jekyll searching for his true identity. The Selling Point: Richard E Grant for a start - he is simply brilliant and will almost certainly steal the show. Also, everyone loves a series about someone with a split personality, don't they? The Concerns: Various adaptations of Stevenson's novel have been created over the years - can this one really offer something that is truly unique?
21. SS-GB (2015)
Masterful author Len Deighton's 1978 novel "SS-GB" tells the alternate history of a United Kingdom conquered and then occupied by Germany during the Second World War - and it is now being made into a five-part BBC series, due to be released later this year. "SS-GB" is the British wing of the Nazi SS - but the show's protagonist, "Archer", is a Scotland Yard detective who begins to witness growing resistance to German rule. Interestingly, Robert Wade and Neal Purvis - of James Bond, Skyfall and Casino Royale fame - have been called in to write the script. The Selling Point: Britain run by the Nazis is something many people have often comprehended - it's about time the public saw what it could have been like if things had turned out differently. Also, Wade and Purvis have written some cracking scripts in the past so there's no reason to assume this one should be any different. The Concerns: Alternate history worries arise once more, but mainly no cast has yet been announced - and a show such as this will require some strong performances, so let's hope the Beeb get their choices right.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
