Mad Dogs
Mad Dogs is a British black comedy and psychological thriller television series created by Cris Cole that began airing on Sky1 on 10 February 2011. 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. However, after Alvo is murdered, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption. The series was initially a story about a rock band, but changed after a feeling that bands have been "done to death". 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.
Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick have finally made their way back to the UK, although being home is anything but sweet. Picking up where they left off is not an option and, depressed and directionless, the boys feel out of place, no more so than at Baxter’s daughter’s wedding – where a scuffle breaks out. Rick, however, has a solution that could pocket them two million euros apiece and turn everything around. Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan for these four.
Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick hope that their problems will soon be over for good.
Having been collared by the law at the end of the last series, the new run begins with the unlucky quartet banged up in a dilapidated prison, where they face various forms of interrogation.
A couple of years later and the group of friends have all made fresh starts under fake identities. A reunion is planned and Baxter discovers some key information.
The friends attempt to discover if they're in the clear, before meeting a contact on the other side of South Africa with the assistance of a familiar face.
The quartet arrive at Lazaro's empty house, where they kill some time by sharing a few home truths and playing the blame game, resulting in a playground-style scuffle. The machine-gun-toting Lazaro isn't best pleased by the behaviour of his uninvited guests - but after hearing their story he is happy to help them out. It seems too good to be true - haven't Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick learned their lesson by now?
The four life-long friends continue their holiday from hell, when a sighting of Dominic heading towards the villa stops them in their tracks as they prepare to drive off and leave Quinn behind.
The nightmare continues to unfold. Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick cover their tracks by heading to a remote village, only for strange forces to come into play...
The boys finds themselves unable to catch a break. They attempt to undo the damage they've unwittingly done and a race against the clock ends up pushing them to breaking point.
Mackenzie decides to assign the group a task and then they are free to go home. However, he forces Quinn to stay with him in his caravan. Mackenzie admits that although he is rich enough, he cannot let the €3,000,000 go because of his reputation. The rest are instructed to pick up supplies to produce ecstasy from a cabana and send them to the abadnoned village. Enroute Baxter returns for Carmen. After making the ecstasy, Carman exits the van to wait for Baxter later. They deliver the ecstasy in a nightclub. After they receive payment, they drive back to Mackenzie's caravan in time to save Quinn. It is revealed that Mackenzie made them produce fake tablets to fool the nightclub owners. Mackenzie lets them go, and as an extra, allows them to keep the €5,000,000 payment, and lets them go, instructing them to board a cargo container, which will take them back to the mainland via ferry. However, this does mean Baxter has to leave Carmen behind, though he intends to contact her when they arrive in Barcelona. However, they find that Mackenzie tricked them; the ferry arrives in Morocco.
Four life-long friends visit Majorca to meet up with the fifth member of their gang to celebrate his early retirement, only to become entangled in a web of deception and murder.
Tensions simmer as Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick stumble into a scenario that is spiralling out of control.
The friends realise the gravity of their situation and come up with a plan to make Alvo's murder look like a Russian Mafia hit, fearful that gangsters will soon come looking for their money. The pals have already cut off one of the victim's feet - but paranoia reopens old wounds.
The critically applauded drama concludes, finishing on the headiest of highs. Barricaded in the villa, things really do go from bad to worse for Woody, Quinn, Baxter and Rick...
The cast and crew members talk about the success of the show.
The cast and crew members talk about the success of the show.
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Release | 2011-02-10 |
| Producer | Left Bank Pictures |