The Red King takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride of tension and terror as it follows a dogged cop who uncovers chilling secrets on a remote island.
The star-studded six-part thriller, airing on Alibi this month, centers on spirited Sergeant Grace Narayan (Vigil and The Lazarus Project’s Anjli Mohindra), who, after speaking out against corruption within her inner-city police force, is sent to a new post on the (fictional) isle of St Jory, off the Welsh coast.
But as Grace tries to settle into her new home, she grows increasingly disturbed by life on the island, which adheres to its own pagan religion, The True Way, and is devoted to the omnipotent god, The Red King.
Meanwhile, her arrival also gets a mixed reaction from the community including welcoming but steely landowner Lady Heather Nancarrow (Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh) and hostile retired cop Gruffudd Prosser (Men Up's Mark Lewis Jones).
And when Grace becomes determined to crack the unsolved case of missing local teenager Cai, the son of drunken GP Ian Prideaux (Van Der Valk's Marc Warren), she is met with frightening obstacles…
Here, Anjli Mohindra tells What To Watch about The Red King…
The Red King is a real mix of crime and horror. What appealed to you?
“I found this hybrid of a knotty police mystery with folk horror elements exciting, and the script took me by surprise. It's twisty with so many red herrings that the rug is pulled out from under you.”
How do you see Grace?
“She’s a by-the-book officer who thrives on the rigidity of the police system. Her principles get her into trouble when she whistleblows on two corrupt colleagues, but she believes in doing justice the right way, she's like a dog with a bone who doesn’t give up. But she had a turbulent upbringing, so she finds human interaction difficult.”
What does she make of St Jory?
“Grace knows this punishment posting is an attempt at making her leave the force and she's determined not to let that be the case. But she rubs people up the wrong way. And this island has become a perfect breeding ground for a cult to take hold and the locals don't like outsiders. Whenever there’s pagan horror, our brains go to things like [classic 1973 film] The Wicker Man but there are similarities with [2022 movie] Men too.”
How do the locals react to her investigation into Cai’s disappearance?
“It becomes a classic whodunnit. She’s trying to do right by this abandoned child. But lots of people are keeping secrets. We kept talking about The Traitors because it feels like they are hiding things, and you're not sure if that’s to do with the case, or the cult. There's distrust and fear. Grace is gaslit, ostracised and pushed to the limit. But is her reality skewed?”
Did you enjoy sharing scenes with the starry cast, which also includes Jill Halfpenny as fellow cop DCI Ann Fletcher?
“It was a joy. Adjoa sparkles, and Grace and Lady Heather become unlikely allies. Marc Warren made us all raise our game and Mark Lewis Jones is incredible, he has this emotional undercurrent bubbling away and Gruffudd and Grace are each other’s kryptonite. And Jill Halfpenny is so funny! When Ann arrives, Grace is delighted to have somebody normal to interact with, but Ann minimises her, like everybody else does.”
What research did you do?
“We had this brilliant police adviser, Lisa Farrand, who Happy Valley’s Catherine Cawood [played by Sarah Lancashire] is based on. I was starstruck! She told me how the police deal with whistleblowers, it's a lonely position, so for Grace to be determined to stick to her path is rare.”
The rugged Northumberland coast stands in for Wales. Was it lovely filming there?
“It was incredible! There are stunning beaches. We had a barbecue, swam and saw loads of dolphins, they knew we were watching because they’d do a little dance!”
Finally, what’s next for you?
“Another thriller, Fear, for Prime Video [with Martin Compston]. It's about a couple with children who start a new life in Glasgow and discover there's a guy living nearby who isn't who he seems to be. I like making people scared!”
The Red King airs on Wednesday, April 24 at 9pm on Alibi. It will also be available as a box-set on Sky Box Sets, Virgin TV Box Sets and NOW.
