FORCE PERSPECTIVE

Max Beesley is Midwich copper Paul Kirby

Can you describe your character?

He’s a pretty hands-on DCI of Midwich, and runs the town, really. He’s fundamentally a very dogmatic policeman, by the book in a lot of ways. He’s had a military past, very brief – I think we might see his REME [Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers] tattoo once in the whole show. But that becomes quite important in the seventh episode. And if the show gets recommissioned it’ll probably be quite important for the second season as well.

How does he relate to Susannah?

Susannah’s got that sort of personal touch with the community, and mine’s more professional. He doesn’t trust her at first, but as the drama unfolds he sees she’s actually been right about nearly everything all along. Then they join forces before the end, and work together as a unit.

What sort of approach does this series take to the story?

I think what’s brilliant about the show is you’re not tuning into a very obvious, from frame one, sci-fi drama. It looks like a very normal, but dramatic, piece of television. Then when ridiculous things start happening, it makes it very scary, because you’re not cranking music up, or effects. There’s no gimmickry with the children, it’s just performance – and there are a few children on this that are absolutely amazing actors. It’s quite layered as a drama, and that will pull you in straight away, because the central performances are very strong. So when the abnormal occurs, you go, “What the fuck are we watching?”. I think it’s pretty scary.

What do you think it is about the basic concept that’s so compelling?

Ultimately, it shows quite vividly parental attachment to their offspring, and how engrossed they become by their children, but then how, “Bang!”, it’s gone – the kids are just vessels, and there’s no attachment. That made me think about my kids, and my role as a father. We all like looking at our kids and saying, “Doesn’t he look like you?”, and we get affirmation from children having some of our nuances. Ultimately, we’re feeding our own egos, really. But I think the best thing to do is make the children think like they’ve been lent to us, and accept them, and try and make them better versions of who they are. Because ultimately, we’ll be off the Earth and they’ll be thriving. So this shows you that separation process, but through the sci-fi element.