Were you a fan of the Beeb’s Murder In Successville, which featured Tom Davies as a detective investigating crimes in a town populated by celebrities (all played by actors) and joined by a real celebrity guest each week? Turns out, so was Will Arnett, who has turned the concept into a similar series called Murderville for Netflix.
It’s not a straight port from the original, though, as while it’ll still find a central detective (named Terry Seattle, and played by Arnett), the celebrity-filled town aspect appears to have been dropped. Real celebrities will show up to help Terry solve the week’s case, though, and the likes of Conan O’Brien, Annie Murphy, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch and even Sharon Stone will appear as the six episodes go on. And in keeping with parts of Successville, the famouses won’t be handed a script, instead improvising their way through the episode and trying to figure out who the murderer is each time. Arnett and some of his fellow cast will have material to work from, and the writing staff (led by Wet Hot American Summer veteran Krister Johnson), figured out the specifics of each crime.
“I do think people liked the idea that they could come in, they didn’t have to learn any dialogue and they could be themselves and just go for a ride,” Arnett tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And I have to give these people credit because it’s freakin’ scary as shit.”
Iain K. Morris and Brennan Shroff split directing duties between them and with all the episodes shot last summer, the show will be with us before we know – it’ll land on Netflix on 3 February.
