Murder in Successville
GenreComedy
Created byAndy Brereton
Avril Spary
Directed byJames de Frond
StarringTom Davis
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes18 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducersAndy Brereton
Ed Sleeman
Running time30 minutes (approx)
Production companyTiger Aspect Productions
Original release
NetworkBBC Three
Release6 May 2015 (2015-05-06) 
24 May 2017 (2017-05-24)

Murder in Successville is a British sitcom with improvisational elements created by Andy Brereton and Avril Spary. The series aired on BBC Three from 6 May 2015 to 24 May 2017. Murder in Successville stars Tom Davis as DI Desmond Sleet who is partnered with a guest celebrity every episode to solve a murder.[1] The cast of every episode includes impersonations of various celebrities who live in the fictional Successville.

Celebrities are transposed into fictional versions that fit into the setting of Successville, such as Alan Carr who in Successville's universe is a mobster and brother to Jimmy Carr. Liam Hourican appears as Police Chief Gordon Ramsay in each episode, introducing the guest celebrity at the start and revealing whether they have picked the correct killer at each episode's conclusion.

Cast

Celebrities who have participated include Jamie Laing, Greg James, Deborah Meaden, Dermot O'Leary, Chris Kamara, Richard Osman and Martin Kemp.

All episodes are set in the modern day, except the series 3 episode with Martin Kemp, who travelled back in time to the first murder in Successville.

Actor Role(s)
Tom Davis DI Sleet
Liam Hourican Gordon Ramsay, Simon Cowell
Luke Kempner Alan Carr, Brian Cox, Andy Murray, Russell Brand, Daniel Radcliffe, Tom Daley, Jeremy Kyle, Arsène Wenger, Declan Donnelly, Bear Grylls
Cariad Lloyd Darcey Bussell, Justin Bieber, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Miley Cyrus, Angela Merkel, Claudia Winkleman, Hillary Clinton
Colin Hoult Gary Barlow, Jimmy Carr, Ian McKellen, David Tennant, Anthony McPartlin, Adrian Chiles, Piers Morgan
Jenny Bede Jessie J, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift
Tony Way Harry Styles, Paul Hollywood, Jamie Oliver
Rachel Parris Lady Gaga, Sarah Millican, Tess Daly
Marie Lawrence Lana Del Rey, Kim Kardashian, Lorraine Kelly, Paloma Faith, Sharon Osbourne, Neil - DI Sleet’s Sister in Law
Jason Lewis Barack Obama, Jay Z, Kanye West
Harry Peacock Niall Horan
Frances Barber Mary Berry
Nick Mohammed Dynamo
Marek Larwood Boris Johnson
Ricky Grover Lord Alan Sugar
Tom Stourton Vladimir Putin, Neil - DI Sleet's brother
Joseph Morpurgo Shia LaBeouf
Yasmine Akram Nigella Lawson
Justin Edwards Jeremy Clarkson
Paul Kaye Louis Walsh
Kerry Howard Katy Perry, Madonna
Ellie White Cara Delevingne, Björk
Neil Maskell Frankie Boyle
Doc Brown Lewis Hamilton
Paul Whitehouse Len Goodman
Kevin Bishop John Bishop
Jess Robinson Lily Allen
Tom Meeten Richard Hammond
Renton Skinner Bob Geldof
Gemma Whelan Adele
Nico Tatarowicz Sid Lowecroft
Jamie Demetriou Zayn Malik
Tom Bennett Conor McGregor, Michael McIntyre
Terry Mynott Bill Nighy, Jonathan Ross, David Walliams
Perry Fitzpatrick Phil Neville
Samson Kayo will.i.am
Leo Armstrong Darren Lowecroft
Tim Grewcock Cult leader
Nick Oram Cult leader
Jessica Kennedy Venus Williams
Dominique Moore Serena Williams
Lydia Fraser Beyoncé

Episodes

Series overview

Series Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 6 6 May 2015 10 June 2015
2 6 15 June 2016 20 July 2016
3 6 19 April 2017 24 May 2017

Series 1 (2015)

Episode
no.
Title Guest star Original air date UK viewers
(in millions)
1"The Mob"Jamie Laing6 May 2015 (2015-05-06)TBA
When Bruno Tonioli is murdered, DI Sleet and new recruit Jamie Laing must interview Tonioli's ex-wife Darcey Bussell and explore the underworld of Successville's mobs headed by the Carr twins (Jimmy and Alan), and their rivals Harry Styles and his One Direction gang.
2"Bunch of Cults"Greg James13 May 2015 (2015-05-13)TBA
When Reese Witherspoon is found murdered, Greg James teams up with DI Sleet to uncover the culprit. Reverend Gary Barlow, Justin Bieber and Mary Berry are all suspects in the case.
3"Dead, Rich and Famous"Deborah Meaden20 May 2015 (2015-05-20)TBA
A call to Lady Gaga's mansion over a case of topiary vandalism soon leads to the discovery of a murder and its time for new recruit Deborah Meaden to partner with DI Sleet and discover whether Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Jay-Z, Boris Johnson or Nicki Minaj is responsible.
4"Mayor the Force Be with You"Dermot O'Leary27 May 2015 (2015-05-27)TBA
The murder of Amanda Holden leads DI Sleet and Dermot O'Leary to discover that Mayor Simon Cowell has been kidnapped. Miley Cyrus, Jessie J and Alan Sugar are all suspects and its up to O'Leary to find the culprit.
5"Dr Death"Kimberly Wyatt3 June 2015 (2015-06-03)TBA
DI Sleet tries to track down a killer at Successville Hospital with the help of guest star Kimberley Wyatt. This week's murder suspects include Nurse Adele, Doctor Obama and surgeon Bob Geldof.
6"Orangefinger"Louis Smith10 June 2015 (2015-06-10)TBA
The detectives learn that pharmacist Lindsay Lohan has been spray-tanned to death, before tonight's beauty pageant organized by businessman Russell Brand, a pageant in which Sleet and gym owner Vladimir Putin are judges, and psychopathic killer Kim Kardashian is a contestant. Forensic pathologist Richard Hammond shows them the body and journalist Lily Allen is murdered during the case.

Series 2 (2016)

Episode
no.
Title Guest star Original air date UK viewers
(in millions)
1 (7)"Vigilante"Vicky Pattison15 June 2016 (2016-06-15)TBA
On his birthday, Sleet's arrested for the murder of Nick Knowles' when the body is discovered in the detective's car. Rookie cop Vicky Pattison breaks him out and together they hunt the real killer. Interrogating politician Len Goodman, breaking into Sleet's former lover's apartment (Lorraine Kelly) and questioning Sleet's rival Lewis Hamilton.
2 (8)"Miranda"Mark Wright22 June 2016 (2016-06-22)TBA
DI Sleet and Mark Wright visit Daniel Radcliffe to find out who is dealing a new drug, nicknamed 'Miranda'. Radcliffe is killed so they start their investigation by going undercover to interrogate biker gang leader Paul Hollywood at a bar. Mark heads to Successville's most notorious drug lord Frankie Boyle's house to interrogate him, before finally heading into Scumville to question low-life druggies Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
3 (9)"A Horse Called Alan"Chris Kamara29 June 2016 (2016-06-29)TBA
DI Sleet and Chris Kamara discover that Sleet's close friend, Successville's most successful race horse, Alan Shearer has been murdered. Jockey Tom Daley points them to suspects, promoter John Bishop, model Cara Delevingne, and Sheik Kanye West.
4 (10)"Incognito"George Shelley6 July 2016 (2016-07-06)TBA
D.I Sleet and George Shelley investigate the murder of the hacker Ed Sheeran. Suspects include tech CEO Shia LaBeouf, DeathCorp honcho Sarah Millican and banker Jeremy Kyle.
5 (11)"Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes"Emma Bunton13 July 2016 (2016-07-13)TBA
This week DI Sleet is joined by Spice Girl Emma Bunton, investigating the death of James May, a cop from North Successville. May's police partner Jeremy Clarkson explains the details of the crime, while Sleet takes a shine to Chief of Police Nigella Lawson. Suspects include Fisherman Ian McKellen, cafe owner Katy Perry and wild man Louis Walsh.
6 (12)"Memoirs"'Clip Show', Jamie Laing20 July 2016 (2016-07-20)TBA
Sleet reflectively takes us through his colourful memoirs as we see previously unseen moments from his life as a cop.

Series 3 (2017)

Episode
no.
Title Guest star Original air date UK viewers
(in millions)
1 (13)"The Brass Gnome"Richard Osman19 April 2017 (2017-04-19)TBA
A piece of art is stolen, and Björk is murdered in the process. DI Sleet teams up with Richard Osman to investigate Arsène Wenger, Hillary Clinton, and Zayn Malik, with things coming to a head at an illegal art auction run by Bill Nighy.
2 (14)"A Murder in Ye Olde Successville"Martin Kemp26 April 2017 (2017-04-26)TBA
Sleet travels back in time with Martin Kemp to investigate the death of lady of the night Rita Ora. Forensic pathologist Conor McGregor points them to suspects, brothel madam Paloma Faith, Professor will.i.am, and posh gentlemen Jamie Oliver and Jonathan Ross.
3 (15)"I Saw a Monster!"Lorraine Kelly3 May 2017 (2017-05-03)TBA
Sleet teams up with Lorraine Kelly to investigate the death of reporter Harry Hill, and sighting of a radioactive monster. When clues on Hill's body point them towards Hill's ex girlfriend Madonna, hillbillies Ant and Dec, and sinister factory owner David Walliams, things take a turn for the worse.
4 (16)"A Nest of Vipers"Reggie Yates10 May 2017 (2017-05-10)TBA
Sleet and Yates investigate the murder of undercover detective Noel Edmonds. They make a side trip to Sharon Osbourne's Bandeoke night, before heading to an assassin's conference where they investigate paid killers the Williams sisters and hitman Adrian Chiles.
5 (17)"A Rat's Tale"Professor Green17 May 2017 (2017-05-17)TBA
Sleet and Green hunt down the killer of Commissioner Bear Grylls with the help of their alter egos, Rattman and Dormouse. A note left from the Commissioner points them to tech millionaire Piers Morgan, reporter Beyoncé, and Police Chief Gordon Ramsay.
6 (18)"The Big Sleet"[Clip Show]24 May 2017 (2017-05-24)TBA
Sleet must make his hardest decision yet. With some self-reflection on his past adventures, he must decide which persona to turn his back on forever, Rattman or Cop.

American adaptation

In January 2022, it was announced that Netflix would be making an American adaptation of the series, titled Murderville. Murderville does away with the original series' concept of all the town residents being celebrity impersonations; instead, the townspeople (including all the murder suspects) are simply fictional characters.[2]

The Netflix adaptation is produced by and stars Will Arnett as the character senior detective Terry Seattle and features guest stars Conan O'Brien, Annie Murphy, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch and Sharon Stone. All six episodes of Murderville premiered on 3 February 2022.[3]

References

  1. Downes, Jade (2 February 2015). "BBC Three takes a trip to 'Successville'". Tiger Aspect Productions. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  2. Rose, Lacey (13 January 2022). "Will Arnett, Netflix Team for Improvised, Star-Packed Whodunnit (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. Leston, Ryan (14 January 2022). "Will Arnett Stars In a New Netflix Murder Mystery With an Improv Twist". IGN. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.