The BBC has announced Sutherland, an original six-part sci-fi thriller set in Scotland and space. Created by James Smythe (All Her Fault) and produced by World Productions Scotland (Vigil) for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland, the series will star Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Fuze, Loki), Stuart Martin (Army of Thieves) and Iain De Caestecker (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D).
Set in the far north of Scotland in the near future, the drama follows Mirren (Mbatha-Raw), flight director at Paravel Space Hub for the UK's first crewed mission to the stars. Hours after launch, a series of unexplained events plunges Sutherland into mystery, threatening to destroy everything Mirren has been working for. As a decades-old conspiracy resurfaces, local detective Logan (Martin) is drawn back into Mirren's orbit, and the pair join forces to make an extraordinary discovery.
Writer James Smythe said: 'Sutherland is at heart a love story, a story of loss, a story of discovery – and a story that speaks to our collective desire to understand more about both what's far above us, and what's right at our feet.' Executive producer Jake Lushington added that the series asks a timely question about whether answers lie in space or on Earth.
The series is written by James Smythe, Laura Grace, Tom Mair and Helen Kingston, and directed by Chloë Wicks and Patrick Harkins. Filming will take place in Scotland later this year, with further casting to be announced. Sutherland will air on BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland.
