The Bay: Season One

Carville, Daragh (2019) The Bay: Season One. ITV, ITV.

Abstract

Written by Darragh Carville, The Bay is a multi-series ITV drama, in 6 parts (viewing figures 8M, bought by 95 countries; nominated Best New Drama, TV Choice Awards, 2019). TV crime drama is genre based and often set in metropolitan locations. The Bay investigates reimagining genre and place to produce an innovative televisual form and regional representation. In particular, it explores and experiments with the boundaries between the genres of family drama and police procedural by foregrounding the character of police Family Liaison Officer (the first British drama to do so), decentring the conventions of its two reference genres to explore the effect on form. The Bay is the first drama series set in Morecambe Bay. The process of investigation deliberately sought to dignify this under-represented location, and its marginalised communities, without being exploitative. The research process involved rigorous engagement with locals and relevant professionals. I developed the central Family Liaison Officer character by interviewing real professionals and police advisors. I also conducted research with local communities, via interviews and fieldtrips and an open public meeting at Morecambe Winter Gardens, and through collaboration with directors, producers, actors, and locally recruited extras. As an Irish writer, I drew on the notion of Dinnseanchas (lore of places) to write the Bay, embedding local specificity into my writing. The process of writing the script and its translation into production revealed the capacity of genre drama to be remodelled and expanded within mainstream scheduling. It also revealed the importance of writing about and with under-represented regional locations nd communities, including by showcasing Morecambe as an excellent place to film, with local talent. I discovered some of the needs and values of the Morcambe community, and the process of researching and making the project helped fortify local social and artistic networks.

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