Will Arnett (and an amazing mustache) just set up the coolest-sounding new show at Netflix. Part murder-mystery, part improv, “Murderville” will guest star Annie Murphy, Conan O’Brien, Ken Jeong, Kumail Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch, Sharon Stone. And no one we just named will have any idea what is going on during the otherwise scripted whodunnits.
(If any of that sounds familiar, by the way, that’s because “Murderville” is based on BBC3 series “Murder in Successville” by Tiger Aspect Productions and Shiny Button Productions.)
Here’s the logline: Meet Senior Detective Terry Seattle (Arnett), Homicide Division. For Terry, every day means a new murder case and a new celebrity guest star as his partner. But here’s the catch: each episode’s guest star isn’t being given the script. They have no idea what’s about to happen to them.
The Netflix description continues: Together, the guest star and Terry Seattle will have to improvise their way through the case… but it will be up to each celebrity guest alone to name the killer. Join them as they punch a one-way ticket to “Murderville.”
The six-episode procedural crime comedy premieres globally on Netflix on Feb. 3. “Murder in Successville” is a BAFTA-winning series, so the stateside adaptation comes with a strong pedigree.
In addition to Arnett, the “Murderville” main cast includes Haneefah Wood as Chief Rhonda Jenkins-Seattle, Lilan Bowden as Medical Examiner Amber Kang and Phillip Smithey as Detective Darren “Daz” Phillips.
Executive producers are Arnett, Marc Forman, Jonathan Stern, Peter Principato, Brian Steinberg. Tom Davis, Andy Brereton and James De Frond. The showrunner is Krister Johnson. Directors are Iain Morris and Brennan Shroff. Writers are Anna Drezen, Chadd Gindin, Craig Rowin, Jack Kukoda, Marina Cockenberg, Kerry O’Neill, Hannah Levy and Adriana Robles.
“Murderville” hails from Electric Ave, Abominable Pictures, Artists First and Sony Pictures Television.