Sky orders darkly comic horror series The Baby
- Sky Atlantic is to film darkly comic horror series The Baby in 2021
- The producers say: "The Baby gleefully deconstructs the 'joy of motherhood'"
- The eight-part series follows a 38 year-old woman who has a controlling and manipulative baby
Sky Atlantic is to make The Baby, a darkly comic horror series.
The show is described as "a funny, raw examination of motherhood as an institution: a set of unspoken rules that affect women differently depending on how they're viewed by society. If you're not scared by that, you should be."
Talking about the plot, the producers tease: "When 38 year-old Natasha is unexpectedly landed with a baby, her life of doing what she wants, when she wants, dramatically implodes. Controlling, manipulative and with violent powers, the baby twists Natasha's life into a horror show. Where does it come from? What does it want? And what lengths will Natasha have to go to in order to get her life back?
"Terrifying and darkly comic, The Baby gleefully deconstructs the 'joy of motherhood', exploring the powerful anxiety of whether or not to have children, questioning who gets to choose 'motherhood' and who doesn't.
"She doesn't want a baby. The baby wants her."
The Baby has been written by Siân Robins-Grace, who has previously worked as a producer on Netflix hit Sex Education. This is the first series she has written. She co-created the concept with Lucy Gaymer, who has worked as a production manager on TV shows such as Gangs Of London, and will now step up to produce this series.
The series will be overseen by Sister Pictures, which makes BBC comedy Don't Forget The Driver, and is also working on the forthcoming comedy drama This Is Going To Hurt. Proverbial Pictures are also involved.
Sky Atlantic is co-producing the eight-part series with HBO. Sister Pictures recently won multiple awards for Chernobyl, the drama it produced for HBO and Sky Atlantic.
Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer say: "With The Baby we want to explore the powerful anxiety around the question of whether or not to have children. The ambivalence of not knowing, the bafflement at everyone else's certainty and the suspicion that the whole thing is one millennia-long scam. We're thrilled to be working with such a phenomenal team of producers to help us bring this weird baby into the world with HBO and Sky."
Cameron Roach from Sky says: "The Baby is by turns dark, comedic, and horrifying. The vision that Siân and Lucy are bringing to life is truly unique."
Amy Gravitt from HBO adds: "Siân and Lucy's exploration of motherhood is as funny and resonant as it is twisted, The Baby gives voice to all the women who just don't know. We're thrilled to be partnering again with Jane Featherstone, Carolyn Strauss, and our friends at Sky."
The team at Sister Pictures comment: "We are so inspired by the horrific and hilarious vision that Siân and Lucy have for The Baby and fell in love with Siân's script the moment we read it. Natasha and the baby are two rare beings who we can't wait to bring to life."