Charlie Brooker is turning his attention to a serial killer, though perhaps not in quite the way a serial killer drama would expect. Netflix has revealed the title and first-look images for ‘Charlie Brooker’s Blackmere’, an absurd comedy dressed up as an extremely serious crime thriller. The series, previously known simply as Brooker’s untitled project, is heading to the streamer in early 2027.
At the centre of it is Detective John Blackmere, a tormented officer who leaves the rain-soaked Northern city of Bleakford for London following his partner’s death. He wants revenge and needs to catch a ritualistic serial killer before the killer runs out of victims. That sounds like a fairly conventional grim detective drama, right up until Netflix describes the whole thing as an absurd comedy and adds the helpful warning that it contains blood and frowning.
Brooker made his name putting unsettling ideas in front of us with ‘Black Mirror’, and the new title seems rather pleased with how closely it resembles the name of that show when said aloud. Whether there is anything more to the resemblance remains to be seen. For now, the fun appears to be in watching a police thriller commit completely to its gloomy exterior while something much dafter goes on underneath.
Rory Kinnear (‘The Diplomat’) is the latest addition to the cast, joining Paddy Considine (‘House of the Dragon’), Georgina Campbell (Barbarian) and Lena Headey (‘Game of Thrones’). Netflix has not revealed which of them plays John Blackmere or shared character details for the other three, so we will leave the detective work there for the moment. The first-look images offer plenty of police tape, stern expressions and dark corridors, which is certainly one way to maintain the disguise.
Brooker created the series and writes it with Ben Caudell, Jason Hazeley, Emer Kenny, Daniel Maier and Joel Morris. Victoria Asare Archer provides additional material, while Al Campbell directs. Jessica Rhoades and Annabel Jones executive produce alongside Brooker, with Mark Kinsella as co-executive producer and Richard Webb as producer.
There is no episode count or exact premiere date in the announcement. There is, however, a decent question already hanging over ‘Charlie Brooker’s Blackmere’: how long can a show keep a straight face when its creator has told us the joke? Given the cast and the deadpan premise, we are keen to find out.
‘Charlie Brooker’s Blackmere’ premieres on Netflix in early 2027. An exact date has yet to be announced.
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