Six Four (TV series)

Six Four is a 2023 British crime thriller television series set in Glasgow and Edinburgh starring Kevin McKidd, Vinette Robinson, Alex Ferns and James Cosmo. It is an adaptation by Gregory Burke of the novel of the same name by Hideo Yokoyama. It was made available on ITVX in the United Kingdom from 30 March 2023.

Six Four
Based onSix Four by Hideo Yokoyama
Screenplay by
Directed byBen A. Williams
Starring
ComposerLuke Richards
Country of originScotland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Gregory Burke
  • Juliette Howell
  • Tessa Ross
  • Molly Bolt
Production companyHouse Productions
Release
Original networkITVX
Original release30 March 2023 (2023-03-30)

Synopsis

Chris (McKidd) and Michelle (Robinson) are parents to a missing child, but a wider conspiracy may link the father (Cosmo) of another missing child to Chris' brother, Philip (Whipp).[1]

Cast
  • Kevin McKidd as Detective Constable Chris O'Neill
  • Vinette Robinson as Michelle O'Neill, Chris's wife and a former undercover officer
  • Selin Hizli as Samantha Wishart, an investigative journalist with whom Chris had an affair
  • Alex Ferns as Constable Gordon Byrne, a local officer based in Dumfries
  • James Cosmo as Jim Mackie, a lawyer and the father of missing woman Julie Mackie
  • Andrew Whipp as Assistant Chief Constable Phillip O'Neill, Chris's older brother
  • Brian McCardie as Bill Martin, a security contractor and former Special Branch officer
  • Richard Coyle as Robert Wallace, the Scottish Justice Minister and SNP leadership candidate
  • Alison Peebles as April Mclean, the mother of deceased DC Gary Mclean, the audio recordist involved in the Mackie investigation
  • Laura Cairns as Ms Fullerton, a teacher at the private Strathalmond School in Dumfries
  • Lorne Macfayden as Stuart Simpson, a maths teacher at the private Strathalmond School
  • Toby Stephens as Piers Fields-Turner, former criminal associated with Michelle
  • Iona Anderson as Annabel Wallace, the teenage daughter of Robert and Pauline
  • Frances Grey as Pauline Wallace, Robert's wife and Annabel's mother
  • Jessica Hardwick as PC McKenzie, an officer based at Glasgow Police Headquarters
  • Peter Hannah as Cameron, a member of Wallace's ministerial staff

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Episode 1"Ben A. WilliamsGregory Burke
Claire McQuillan		March 30, 2023 (2023-03-30)
In Edinburgh, DC Chris O’Neill and his wife Michelle are called to identify a body believed to be their missing daughter, Olivia. However, it is not her. Michelle (a former undercover officer) travels down to London and meets Tony, someone from her undercover days. In Glasgow, during a visit to police headquarters from Justice Minister Robert Wallace, Chris notices he is accompanied by former Special Branch officer Bill Martin, now working private security for the Scottish Government. Chris is asked questions by reporter Sam Wishart about Julie Mackie, a 16 year old missing person case that his brother Philip, now Assistant Chief Constable, worked on. She alleges Julie's father, Jim, states the family received a call from a kidnapper after her disappearance (of which there is a recording), but the police covered it up. Using her alias “Sarah Jones”, Michelle is rebuffed by Tony when she asks to be put in contact with Piers, someone she put in prison for 10 years. Chris visits Jim Mackie, but upon discovering he is police, Jim kicks him out the house and claims Julie was kidnapped by the Security Service because he “knew about Six Four”. Wishart is intimidated on the road whilst driving home. Wallace announces his SNP leadership candidacy. Wallace’s teenage daughter Annabel is kidnapped from Strathalmond School in Dumfries.
2"Episode 2"Ben A. WilliamsGregory Burke
Claire McQuillan		April 6, 2023 (2023-04-06)
Tony reluctantly provides Piers contact information to Michelle. Philip tells Chris that Wallace has promised him promotion to Chief Constable if he becomes First Minister, and asks him to probe Wishart about the alleged kidnapper phone recording. He discovers DC Gary Mclean, the audiologist on the Mackie case, was killed years prior by his partner. However, the file on his murder is locked. Annabel Wallace's disappearance is reported, and local PC Gordon Byrne is assigned to investigate. He finds Annabel's phone whilst retracing her steps. Jim Mackie is revealed to be Annabel's kidnapper. Chris speaks with Mclean's mother, April, who reveals Bill Martin was friends with him and searched his room after he died. Wishart tells Chris she is being monitored, and has been contacted by Stuart Simpson, Annabel’s teacher from Strathalmond, stating he has proof Julie Mackie is dead, not missing. She also spoke with Mackie, who promised her a copy of the kidnapping recording, and told her “Six Four” is a codename for an MI5 operative. Chris takes a phone given to Sam by Mackie. Michelle tells Chris she has made a “big mistake”. She confronts Piers, now terminally ill, for information on Olivia, who she reveals is his daughter. Chris breaks into Mackie's house, but is detained by operatives working for Martin.
3"Episode 3"Ben A. WilliamsGregory Burke
Claire McQuillan		April 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)
Chris is warned to stop investigating by Martin, who also threatens his brother. The Scottish Crime Agency sets up at the Wallace residence. Piers has no information on Olivia, so Michelle disarms him and his bodyguard and escapes. Chris returns home, and finds Olivia. She tells him she left due to the lies her parents told her. He confesses to his affair with Sam, and admits he only discovered he’s not her father that day from Michelle. Olivia leaves, and Chris informs Michelle. Jim reveals his identity to Annabel, and claims he has kidnapped her due to her fathers actions. Stuart Simpson is interviewed by the SCA, who reveal he is in considerable debt. He confesses Annabel told him she overheard her parents talking about Julie Mackie being dead. Chris fights with Phil, who still insists there were no calls on the Mackie case. Accessing Phil’s secure server, he uncovers the identity of Mcleans killer, Steven Bryce. Bryce tells Chris he was framed for murder by a policeman, after he was hired to steal documents from a lawyer and Julie accidentally fell. Unknown men took her body and he was forced to call the Mckenzie residence by Robert Wallace. Annabell convinces Jim to open the door, and knocks him out with a brick and escapes. She runs into Byrne, revealed to be aligned with Jim, who returns her and knocks her out.
4"Episode 4"Ben A. WilliamsGregory Burke
Claire McQuillan		April 20, 2023 (2023-04-20)
Chris meets Michelle, and they escape Martin’s men. Byrne calls Wallace with coordinates to meet in Galloway. Wallace reveals to Philip that Jim Mackie was his mentor. Byrne reveals to Annabel he was part of the Julie Mackie case, and DC Gary Mclean’s real partner, and is seeking revenge against Robert Wallace for his death. Wallace meets Mackie at a rural rendezvous, monitored by the police. Jim reveals it was Wallace who instructed Bryce to break into his house (where he accidentally killed Julie) to steal documents evidencing Wallace is an MI5 infiltrator into the SNP to prevent Scottish independence, codenamed “Six Four”. He demands Wallace go public in exchange for Annabel. Chris receives Annabel’s location on a phone he took from Sam, and meets with Byrne at the house, who holds him at gunpoint and reveals the same information. Upon hearing Martin’s men are en route, he gives a USB with a copy of the kidnap recording and documents to Chris and Michelle and releases Annabel. Confronted by Martin, Byrne commits suicide. Jim is killed by an CTSFO sniper when he advances on Wallace. Wallace is later appointed Deputy First Minister. Chris doesn't go public with the information, but plays the USB recording to Philip, which implicates him. He gives him the drive, urging him to do the right thing as a police officer.

Production

The series is produced by House Productions.[2] Clare Kerr is producer and Ben A. Williams is director. Gregory Burke is script writer executive producer alongside Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross and Molly Bolt.[3] Clare Mcquillan is also a writer on the series. Burke described the series as a “human story about two people under incredible amounts of pressure, who both choose to try and address their pasts. It is a story about how chance can define a lifetime, exploring the corruption that runs through institutions, and examining the secrets and monsters that lurk in every family.”[4] The adaptation moves the setting from Kyoto in Japan to Glasgow, Scotland with the main character’s name changing from Mikami to Chris. Script writer Gregory Burke explained the move by saying “In recent years we have not lacked our own examples of institutional inertia. Our public life and collective health has been jeopardised by corruption. In many of these situations the same dilemma is at their core; to what is the individual within the institution loyal, and does that loyalty inevitably lead to a compromise with the truth.”[5]

Casting

Kevin McKidd and Vinette Robinson were revealed to be cast as Chris and Michelle O’ Neill in May 2022.[6]

Filming

Six Four was filmed in both Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland in the summer of 2022.[7][8]

Music

Music from the television series was released by Dubois Records on March 30, 2023. The album features a selection of original music for the series by Luke Richards.[9]

Broadcast

The series was available on ITVX in the United Kingdom from 30 March 2023.[10] ITV1 began airing the four episodes weekly, commencing Sunday 22 October 2023.[11]

Reception

Charlotta Billstrom in the Evening Standard said, "The cast deliver performances" and "it might sound like the plot is a little bit all over the place, [but] the steady pacing ... and the careful focus on a small number of interesting characters (so you can get a grip on them all early on) make it easy to keep track."[12]

References
  1. Singh, Anita (30 March 2023). "Six Four, ITVX review: surprise, surprise – another crime thriller about a missing girl". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  2. Cormack, Morgan (16 March 2023). "Six Four: Release date, cast and latest news for ITVX crime thriller". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  3. "BBC Studios to distribute Six Four, produced by indie partner House Productions for ITV". bbc.com. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  4. Ramachandran, Naman (31 May 2022). "'Grey's Anatomy' Star Kevin McKidd, 'Boiling Point's' Vinette Robinson Cast in ITV Adaptation of Bestseller 'Six Four' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  5. Jessop, Vicky (31 March 2023). "Behind the scenes of ITV's new police drama Six Four". Evening Standard. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  6. Jones, Tamara (31 May 2022). "'Grey's Anatomy' Star Kevin McKidd and Vinette Robinson to Star in ITV Crime Thriller 'Six Four'". Collider. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  7. Berry, Jo (30 March 2023). "Grey's Anatomy's Kevin McKidd on staying with Grey's and returning to Scotland for thriller series Six Four". Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  8. Christie, Janet (1 April 2023). "Grey's Anatomy star Kevin McKidd swaps LA for Scotland in his new TV crime thriller Six Four". Scotsman.com. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  9. "Soundtrack to ITV series 'Six Four' to be released". 29 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  10. Gilbert, Gerard (30 March 2023). "Six Four, ITVX, review: The second good crime drama this week – there's life in the genre yet". Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  11. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/six-four-release-date-itvx/
  12. Billstrom, Charlotta (30 March 2023). "Six Four on ITVX review: tight, thrilling and full of twists and turns". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
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