Hot Picks: Domino Day

Domino Day stars Siena Kelly (Adult Material) as a young woman on all the dating apps. But Domino isn’t swiping to find her soulmate – she’s a powerful young witch hunting for people whose energy she can feed on.

Acceptance doesn’t come easily for Domino, who is desperately seeking a community that can help her understand her powers. But little does she know that a coven of witches is already tracking her every move, convinced they have to stop her before her powers destroy everyone and everything around her. When a dangerous figure from Domino’s past comes back into her life, it could either be a fresh start or a final showdown.

“It’s a supernatural thriller with a twist,” says Fremantle chief executive of commercial and international Jens Richter. “A drama that charts the struggles of a young woman trying to reconcile her dark powers with her human desire for love and acceptance – a modern take on a witch story and today’s dating scene. Torn between self-acceptance and the fear that she is a monster, Domino’s struggle manifests in her love life.”

Domino Day hails from writer Lauren Sequeira (Gangs Of London) and has been developed and produced by Fremantle-owned Dancing Ledge for BBC3.

Richter says the show is “an attractive proposition for buyers on multiple levels” – starting with its strong female cast. “Kelly leads a cast of strong female characters, with an impressive, female-led creative team behind the camera,” he notes.

He also predicts it will resonate with young audiences: “It combines the occult and supernatural with millennial anxieties and doubts, and is an exhilarating exploration of race, misogyny, sexuality and identity. It’s a fresh, exciting thriller for modern viewers – you just have to look at WitchTok to see that this genre is highly on trend.”

Fremantle will have a full episode of Domino Day to screen at Mipcom. In the UK, youth-focused broadcaster BBC3 has a track record of contemporary supernatural series, including hit drama Being Human. Looking further afield, Richter sees it as “a great fit for international networks and platforms alike” that could develop into a returnable franchise.

“There are thrilling set pieces where we see Domino’s powers impact the real world, alongside the more grounded, relatable elements of the series”

One of the big talking points in the global market in the past year has been the eye-watering cost of scripted TV, and the need to control budgets. So where does this Manchester-set series sit in terms of on-screen ambition?

“Domino Day has a solid BBC drama budget,” says Richter. “There are thrilling set pieces where we see Domino’s powers impact the real world, alongside the more grounded, relatable elements of the series.”

South Londoner Sequeira is an alumna of Dancing Ledge’s Writer in Residence programme and is the first graduate to get a show picked up by a network. Dancing Ledge chief Laurence Bowen calls her “an exceptional talent” and says the series “celebrates all the things that define her as a writer – beautifully complex and strong female characters, a love of genre and a desire to entertain”.

Besides Sequeira, Charlene James (A Discovery Of Witches) and Haleema Mirza (Secret Invasion) also write on the series.