Tall Tales & Murder First Look: Hyland, Gillen Unleashed
BBC has released a first look at its upcoming six-part dark comedy crime drama Tall Tales & Murder, starring Ella-Lily Hyland and Aidan Gillen. For viewers searching for tall tales 038 murder energy, it matters because the series blends bent-cops chaos with a folk-horror bedtime-story world—plus Veep and Love/Hate pedigree behind the camera.
Key Takeaways
- BBC’s first look spotlights a six-part dark comedic crime drama, Tall Tales & Murder.
- Ella-Lily Hyland stars as Bridget, an unconventional Dublin nursing-home night nurse with secrets.
- Aidan Gillen appears as “Anonymous,” who wakes to reveal a buried-gold underworld connection.
- The show is set to broadcast on BBC One and BBC One Northern Ireland this fall.
What happens in the Tall Tales 038 Murder first look?
Bridget (Ella-Lily Hyland) works the night shift at a Dublin nursing home. She reads old folk bedtime horror stories, arranges clandestine late night dances, and—per the plot details—euthanises them if they ask nicely. Into that secret world comes Paul (Casey Walsh), a young man stuck stealing cars to repay a debt to crime boss Ma Baker (Philippa Dunne), who calls for help from a guardian-angel-of-sorts: the irascible detective Bunny Ryan (Brian Doherty).
On Bridget and Paul’s first shift together, a mysterious comatose patient known only as Anonymous wakes up. As played by Aidan Gillen, Anonymous reveals he is the long-lost gangster Grinner McNair, carrying a buried hoard of Celtic gold. But they’re not alone—vicious gangster Wesley Swanson (Packy Lee) and his henchmen close in, making every favour and every decision cost more than anyone planned.
For more weekly premiere intel, check the Streaming & TV Alerts category hub.
How does the series mix dark comedy with crime mayhem?
Variety’s first-look plot description frames Tall Tales & Murder as a “Bonnie and Clyde style adventure” of bent cops, kidnapping, underworld fixers, and “libido-enhancing horse medication bootleggers.” It’s a darkly funny blend of unconventional heroes and villains—built on a surprise multi-era pitch that also pulls in “an 8th century tall tale of monks, Vikings, buried treasure and a priceless holy book.”
Who’s behind the camera, and why does it matter?
The series comes from “Love/Hate” creator Stuart Carolan, co-created with Emmy and DGA award winning “Veep” director Chris Addison. Addison directs, with Neasa Hardiman also directing, and the project is executive produced by Addison, Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, Stuart Carolan, and Jon Thoday for Avalon, alongside David McLoughlin and Catherine Tiernan for Metropolitan Pictures.
That creative pedigree matters here because Tall Tales & Murder isn’t just leaning on crime tropes—it’s explicitly aiming for big tonal swings, from dark comedy to chaotic underworld storylines that collide with folktale-style myth-making.
When will Tall Tales & Murder air on BBC One?
Commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ (with Screen Ireland involved), the six-part drama will broadcast on BBC One and BBC One Northern Ireland this fall. Filmed in the Republic of Ireland, it’s produced by Avalon in association with Ireland-based Metropolitan Pictures.
The series is based on Caimh McDonnell’s nine-book “Dublin Trilogy,” and it will be distributed internationally by Avalon. The first-look plot details are reported in Variety’s exclusive roundup: Tall Tales & Murder gets first look.