Mad Dogs | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama |
Created by | Cris Cole |
Written by | Cris Cole |
Directed by | |
Starring | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 4 |
No. of episodes | 14 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Spencer Campbell |
Production locations |
|
Running time | 40-45 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | Sky1 |
Release | 10 February 2011 29 December 2013 | –
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) |
Mad Dogs is a British psychological thriller television series, written and created by Cris Cole, that began airing on Sky1 on 10 February 2011, and ended on 29 December 2013 after four series and 14 episodes. It is produced by Left Bank Pictures, and co-produced by Palma Pictures. The series stars John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley, and Philip Glenister as four long-time and middle-aged friends getting together in a villa in Majorca to celebrate the early retirement of their friend Alvo (Ben Chaplin). After Alvo is murdered, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption.
After gaining interest from some terrestrial networks, the series was commissioned by British Sky Broadcasting. Filming took place on location throughout the island of Majorca in May 2010, and took around four million euros and 44 days to make. The main themes are friendship and growing older; Glenister said it is about ageing and "getting closer to death". Photographer David LaChapelle directed three 30-second advertisements for the series. Mad Dogs opened with 1.61 million viewers, the 17th highest rated programme ever for Sky1, and attracted positive reactions from critics. They noted similarities with British gangster films, more predominantly the 2000 film Sexy Beast.