'Roadkill': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about PBS show starring Hugh Laurie
Ambition and corruption often go hand in hand when it comes to politics. In the new PBS show 'Roadkill', Hugh Laurie is out to show you just that.
Starring as a self-made, working-class, right-wing politician, Laurie's world is upended when his enemies begin digging up his past. Will his ambitions come crashing down in the aftermath? Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming political thriller.
Release date
'Roadkill' arrives on Masterpiece on PBS on November 1, 2020.
Plot
According to the official synopsis of 'Roadkill', the four-part series is about Peter Laurence (Hugh Laurie), "a self-made forceful and charismatic politician. Peter's public and private life seems to be falling apart — or rather is being picked apart by his enemies. As the personal revelations spiral, he is shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse, expertly walking a high wire between glory and catastrophe as he seeks to further his own agenda while others plot to bring him down. However, events show just how hard it is, for both an individual and a country, to leave the past behind. With enemies so close to home, can Peter Laurence ever out-run his own secrets to win the ultimate prize?"
Cast
Hugh Laurie as Peter Laurence
Laurie describes the show as "a political drama about the price of success in the political realm". He adds, "It's pretty unforgiving."
The actor is best known for playing the titular role in 'House', a performance for which he received two Golden Globe Awards. He is also known for his work in 'The Night Manager', for which he won his third Golden Globe Awards, and 'Veep', a role for which he received his 10th Emmy Award nomination.
Helen McCrory as Dawn Ellison
McCrory is best known for playing Narcissa Malfoy in the final three 'Harry Potter' films, 'Hugo', 'Skyfall', 'Fearless', 'MotherFatherSon' and 'Peaky Blinders'.
The series also stars Pippa Bennett-Warner as Rochelle Madeley, Millie Brady as Lily Laurence, Ophelia Lovibond as Susan Laurence, Shalom Brune-Franklin as Rose Dietl and Iain De Caestecker as Duncan Knock among others.
Creators
'Roadkill' is written by Academy Award nominee David Hare and is directed by Michael Keillor. Hare, who is best known for writing 'The Hours' and 'The Reader', explains the show, "I wanted to ask what happens when you put ideals of freedom and personal responsibility above all other virtues. I was also interested in the effect of believing that every one of us is alone responsible for the destiny and progress of our own lives."
He adds, "Writing about the Tories has given me an immense amount of fun, and pushed me towards conclusions which I hope are unexpected."
Trailers
You can watch the trailer for the political thriller here.
Where to watch?
Episode 1 of 'Roadkill' will premiere on Masterpiece on PBS on November 1, 2020, at 9/8c. The following episodes will air through the coming month.
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