BBC America has given us a first look at its upcoming drama “Copper.”
The teaser shows the series’ main protagonist, Det. Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones) shooting someone, pummeling a prisoner with brass knuckles, sitting in bed with what appears to be a hooker, and getting reprimanded by his boss.
Obviously this copper ain’t no saint.
But Corcoran, an Irish-American cop working the mean streets of New York City’s Five Points neighborhood in 1864, has an ax to grind: He’s searching for the baddies who kidnapped his wife and killed his daughter. The Civil War vet quickly learns that it’s hard to keep your moral compass pointed true in a city full of corruption, violence and class and racial conflict.
Sure, as a colleague pointed out, “Copper’s” revenge story is nothing new, but the trailer indicates it’s going to find its own distinct plot lines. It was on my summer must-see list, and the trailer just makes me more impatient for the debut.
Besides, BBC America couldn’t have asked for a better team behind-the-scenes for its first non-import original series. Co-creator Tom Fontana gave us some of the most praised TV dramas of all time, including “Oz,” “Homicide: Life on the Streets” and “St. Elsewhere.” Will Rokos, the other co-creator, had a hand in the film “Monster’s Ball” and the excellent cop drama “Southland.” They serve as exec producers along with Oscar winner Barry Levinson (“Good Morning Vietnam,” “Rain Man”), Cineflix Media Co-CEO Glen Salzman and Cineflix Studios President Christina Wayne (executive in charge of “Mad Men”).
Besides Weston-Jones, who appeared in “MI-5” and looks dam imposing (not to mention sexy) as Cocoran in this clip, the cast includes “Run Lola Run” star Franka Potente as Eva Heissen, a madam; Kyle Schmid of Syfy’s “Being Human” as Robert Morehouse, an aristocrat and friend of Cocoran’s; Anastasia Griffith (“Damages”) as Elizabeth Haverford; Ato Essandoh (“Damages”) as Dr. Matthew Freeman, an African-American who secretly assists Corcoran, and Kevin Ryan as Det. Francis Maguire, Corcoran’s partner. (For more casting, check out this previous post.)
The 10-episode “Copper” premieres at 8 p.m. Aug. 19 on BBC America. Learn more about the show at BBC America’s newly launched “Copper” site.
