Bodkin S01E01: Well-written Irish podcast mystery – the Lagarde

In the dramedy series, Will Forte plays with verve an American podcaster who delves into a special missing person case in Ireland.

The nice thing about actor Will Forte is that in addition to his comedic talent, he can also perform good dramatic roles. In Bodkin he plays Gilbert Power, an American podcaster who investigates the mysterious disappearance of three residents of the village of Bodkin in Ireland, where his ancestors come from. Power seems cheerful at first, to the irritation of investigative journalist Dove (Siobhán Cullen), who accompanies Power. Dove does not really appreciate Power’s steady optimism and finds his profession, making podcasts about true-crime cases, rather vulgar anyway.

But during the first episode, Power also appears to have a less cheerful side, as evidenced by a scene in his hotel room in which he looks serious. Of course, screenwriter Jez Scharf does not immediately lay all the cards on the table. But Power seems to be hiding something. Just like Dove, who is forced to be on this journey – why exactly? And then there are the villagers, whom Power wants to get in front of his microphone. But most people refuse an interview. And although Bodkin seems idyllic at first, the residents appear to be keeping up a facade for the podcasters.

Scharf portrays Power and his assistant Emmy (Robyn Cara) as naives who do not really seem to understand this resistance, unlike the always skeptical Dove. The result of this naivete, whether played or not Bodkin manages to maintain its lightness despite the drama. Comedy is never far away, even during more drastic scenes. At one moment you as a viewer think: this is going in the wrong direction. At another moment, Will Forte walks through the screen again, smiling. In that sense the series almost seems to mirror the Irish. It often rains there, but sometimes the sun breaks through.

Bodkin S01, available in its entirety on Netflix from Thursday, May 9, 2024