ITV series: Father and Son

A sophisticated and deftly-plotted thriller from the pen of Emmy award-winning Frank Deasy (Prime Suspect: The Final Act and The Passion) filmed on location in Ireland and Manchester.

Set against the backdrop of Ireland’s once rapid economic resurgence, Father & Son depicts the complexity of modern inner city life where crime is now a global business and where gun culture is an ever more entrenched part of everyday life. Ex-criminal Michael O’Connor (Dougray Scott) returns to Manchester from a quiet life in Ireland to save his teenage son from prison, but also to redeem his own troubled past.

Seven years ago Michael O’Connor (Dougray Scott) was a lynchpin of Manchester’s organised crime. Upon his release from an Irish jail, Michael decided not to go home but instead start a new life, with his girlfriend Anna (Flora Montgomery). Anna is now heavily pregnant and they are looking forward to the birth of their first child.

Start of the story

Meanwhile 15 year old Sean O’Connor (Reece Noi), Michael’s son by late wife Lynne, is living in Manchester with his Aunt Connie (Sophie Okonedo).

As Connie leaves for work, Sean’s friend Maurice (Ciaran Clancy) arrives with Stacey (Wumni Mosaku), Sean’s sassy and beautiful girlfriend. To Sean’s shock Maurice has a gun. Maurice and Stacey try to get Sean to look after the gun but he refuses, despite Stacey’s pleas. Two youths appear, speeding towards Maurice on their bikes. One has a blue plastic bag concealing a gun. He raises it and in a split second, Maurice is gunned down. The gunman trains his sights on Sean - but too many people are watching now - he runs - but with a warning - this isn't over.

At the hospital, Maurice's gun falls to the floor. Sean grabs it, he and Stacey go to take it out of the hospital only to be confronted by the same gang as before. Stacey grabs the gun. A shot rings out; Stacey has shot Elijah King (Lucien Laviscount). Coming to her senses, Stacey pleads with Sean that she can’t go to jail and he decides to take the rap for her. The police arrive and Sean is arrested. The shot gang member is alive but critical.

Sean's Aunt Connie arrives at the scene - in uniform - she is a serving police officer on the Manchester gun unit. Tony Conroy (Ian Hart), the DI in charge of the operation, tells a shocked Connie that Sean appears to have shot a gang member and that a prior shooting took place outside their house. A distressed Connie has to watch as Sean is driven off to the police station. She phones Michael and tells him what has happened. Michael leaves immediately for Manchester, leaving behind an apprehensive Anna.

Michael arrives in Manchester and is determined to save his son. In the cab on the way to the city, he gazes out, memories of his old life flooding back.

Production

ITV’s Director of Drama Commissioning, Laura Mackie, is delighted with the project: “Father & Son is a compelling, multi-layered thriller that will engage and entertain with every plot twist and turn. The scripts are undeniably gripping and the cast is very impressive.”

Executive Producer Andy Harries (The Queen, Prime Suspect), said: “Frank Deasy has created an amazing portrait of urban life which is researched meticulously. It’s a surprising and stunningly original piece of writing. Brian Kirk is a director I have admired for a long time and he has a really brilliant partnership with producer, Michael Casey.”

ITV series Father and Son starring Dougray Scott

Inner city gun crime

Starring Dougray Scott, Reece Noi, Flora Montgomery, Sophie Okonedo and Wumni Mosaku