Obsession (2023 TV series)

Last updated

Obsession
Genre Erotic thriller
Based on Damage
by Josephine Hart
Screenplay by
Directed by
Starring
Country of origin
  • France
  • United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Matthew Read
  • Frith Triplady
  • Alison Jackson
ProducerGina Carter
Running time33–43 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Netflix
Release13 April 2023 (2023-04-13)

Obsession is a British erotic thriller television miniseries co-written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Benji Walters, based on the novel Damage (1991) by Josephine Hart. Starring Charlie Murphy, Richard Armitage, Indira Varma and Sonera Angel, the series was released on Netflix on 13 April 2023.

Contents

Synopsis

William is a surgeon who begins an affair with his son Jay's fiancée Anna. William soon becomes obsessed with Anna, which threatens his career and life. [1]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [2]
1"Episode 1"Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'Sa Morgan Lloyd Malcolm April 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)
2"Episode 2"Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'SaMorgan Lloyd Malcolm & Benji WaltersApril 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)
3"Episode 3"Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'SaMorgan Lloyd Malcolm & Benji WaltersApril 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)
4"Episode 4"Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'SaMorgan Lloyd Malcolm & Benji WaltersApril 13, 2023 (2023-04-13)

Production

The series is produced by Gaumont Film Company and Moonage Productions. Gina Carter is producer with Moonage’s Matthew Read and Frith Triplady, and Gaumont’s Alison Jackson as executive producers. Armitage, Varma, Murphy and Shah were cast in spring 2022 when the production had the working title Damage. [3]

It was co-written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Benji Walters and based on the book Damage by Josephine Hart. The novel was adapted into the 1992 film Damage starring Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson and Jeremy Irons. Richardson's performance garnered her the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. [4] Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa were directors on the series. Filming locations included a set at Twickenham Film Studios. [5]

The four-part series has been described as an ‘erotic thriller’. [6] Discussing the sex scenes within the project Lloyd Malcolm told Zoe Williams of The Guardian that “The book is so particular about the kind of sex they’re having and the way they do it and how that feeds into their relationship.” She added that “it has to be quite a vanilla version of kink, because it’s mainstream TV” but it “was really important to me to not be saying anything like: ‘BDSM sex is bad sex,’” [7]

Broadcast

The series began streaming on Netflix on Thursday April 13, 2023. [8] [9]

Reception

The series was met with negative reviews from TV critics and audiences. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Damage</i> (Hart novel) 1991 novel by Josephine Hart

Damage is a 1991 novel by Josephine Hart about a British politician who, in the prime of life, causes his own downfall through an inappropriate relationship. It was adapted into a film of the same title by Louis Malle in 1992, starring Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche, as well as into an opera, called Damage, an Opera in Seven Meals, by Greek composer Kharálampos Goyós which premiered as part of the Athens Festival in 2008. A second screen adaptation has been released in April 2023 as a four-part limited series for Netflix, under the title Obsession.

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References

  1. Whittington, Paul (8 April 2023). "Obsession star Charlie Murphy: 'You have to have a really happy set to go to those dark places —Love/Hate was one of the happiest'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. "Shows A-Z – Obsession on Netflix". The Futon Critic . Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. Ritman, Alex (17 March 2022). "Richard Armitage, Indira Varma Cast in Netflix Adaptation of Erotic Thriller 'Damage'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. Devore, Britta (29 March 2023). "Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy Get Hot and Heavy in a Trailer for Netflix's 'Obsession'". Collider. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. Fletcher, Alex (30 March 2023). "Obsession: Everything you need to know about the Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy erotic thriller". bt.com. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. Shillcock, Francesca (30 March 2023). "Happy Valley star joins Richard Armitage in Netflix's racy new thriller". Hello. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  7. Williams, Zoe (31 March 2023). "'The all-consuming orgasm': how erotic thriller Obsession takes sex to the next level". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  8. Hibbs, James (29 March 2023). "Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy in trailer for "seductive" Obsession". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  9. Obsession (2023) , retrieved 15 April 2023
  10. "Obsession". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 15 April 2023.