Written by Ben Court and Caroline Ip (Whitechapel) and directed by Brian Welsh (Black Mirror), BBC One’s new five-part drama Mayday stars Sophie Okonedo, Aidan Gillen, Peter Firth and Lesley Manville.

> Order Mayday on DVD on Amazon.

 

Episode 1
Sunday 3 March 2013, 9pm

It’s May Day and a small community waits excitedly for this year’s pagan parade to begin. Local teenager and dark horse, Linus Newcombe, watches woefully as the love of his life, Caitlin Sutton, kisses a rival. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Caitlin’s twin and the beautiful young May Queen, Hattie Sutton, travels on her journey to appear as the town’s symbol of new life.

On her journey she catches Linus’s father Everett’s eye as she rides by on her bicycle, before passing PC Alan Hill, who makes his way home after a difficult shift. Meanwhile, wealthy community figure and property developer Malcolm Spicer smokes a cigarette, waiting for his nagging wife Gail to leave the house – is that malice in his eyes as Hattie cycles past? Lastly, Spiritual local misfit Seth dances a jig, disguised as a ‘Green Man’ and watching on as sinister morris men circle Hattie, chanting a foreboding pagan ditty.

At the parade, Fiona Hill – wife of Alan and ex-copper, now housewife, struggles to get her three kids to the festivities on time, wondering when Alan will show. Meanwhile, wannabe local hero Steve Docker helps to organize the parade, wary that oddball Seth might at any point ruin his do-good image.

When the innocent and well-loved Hattie fails to appear, the town is sent spinning by the knowledge that someone in their midst has taken her. Linus, Fiona, Gail and Steve must face the hardest question: what do you do when you suspect a loved one of a terrible crime?

 

Episode 2
Monday 4 March 2013, 9pm

A worried Gail calls in support from her son, James when Malcolm fails to surface after the search for Hattie. She leaves James searching Malcolm’s office for clues. But when Gail gets home, James has got some chilling news…

The searches are enthusiastically led by Steve to further ingratiate himself to the family of Hattie, as well as cover his own worries about his brother.

When the police call on Linus, their routine questioning leaves him with food for thought. In an effort to try and find out more about his dad, he starts doing some investigating of his own.

Alan and Fiona disagree over her desire to help with the unofficial searches – is it just a desperate attempt to feel useful? Fiona can’t help feeling that she will find something.

Everett is one of the only men to resist the searches and, as Steve lands himself in trouble with the police in the woods, away from the searches, Seth makes his own horrible discovery…

 

Episode 3
Tuesday 5 March 2013, 9pm

Gail struggles to deal with the devastating recent news as well as new discoveries about Malcolm’s true nature. With the spotlight of suspicion now on Malcolm, Gail and James become the focus of the town’s residents seeking vengeance with horrible repercussions.

Fiona spots Everett with a suspicious-looking acquaintance. Meanwhile, Alan must face a day of interviews regarding the accusations of assault against him on the evening of Mayday. The Hills must also cope with an increasingly paranoid Charlotte.

Steve’s relieved that Malcolm is top of the suspects’ list for now. He suggests to Hattie’s parents calling in help from his estranged ex, Angie – Jo’s sister – with the hope of seeing her again. Later, he calls the mental health Crisis Team to try and deal with Seth’s increasingly erratic behaviour. However, things twist unexpectedly when Seth turns the tables on Steve…

Linus’s relationship with Caitlin develops when she confides in him about a shameful secret concerning May Day.

 

Episode 4
Wednesday 6 March 2013, 9pm

Fiona wakes to her worst nightmare, bringing things to a head between her and Alan. Fiona makes a visit to someone that she hopes can quell her mind once and for all.

Meanwhile, Seth continues to be plagued by visions of Hattie – is his mind playing tricks on him, or could these be real?

Gail’s lack of forgiveness drives a wedge between her and James. But when news breaks of a possible sighting of Hattie, it seems that nearly everyone’s off the hook – except for Everett, whom Linus suspects more than ever – where is he?

Whilst Alan returns to work, Fiona encourages Linus to expose the truth, whatever the consequences.

When Seth’s visions seem vilified, he’s driven to drastic self-sabotage. As a result, Steve must use desperate measures to get closer to his son.

 

Episode 5
Thursday 7 March 2013, 9pm

As the town gathers for Hattie’s memorial, things take a dark turn and a chaotic interruption has fatal consequences. Steve finally gets his moment with his ex, Angie – will he manage to win his family back?

Fiona must face her old colleagues in a way she never thought she would, while Gail frees herself of her old trappings. Meanwhile, Everett and Linus have a confrontation which takes their relationship to a new place and, as Caitlin makes an eerie transformation, Linus realises he has made a big mistake.

 

> Order Mayday on DVD on Amazon.

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