‘Bodkin’ Explained: Everything We Know About Will Forte’s Netflix Dark Comedy Thriller

Bodkin is a fully fictional Netflix series about three podcasters who investigate disappearances linked to an annual Samhain celebration in a coastal Irish town. Netflix describes it as a darkly comedic thriller that also examines true-crime storytelling. Will Forte leads the cast, and the series premiered on May 9, 2024, with seven episodes.

What the show is about

The premise follows Gilbert, Dove, and Emmy, a mismatched podcast team. Netflix’s Tudum feature says they investigate mysterious disappearances connected to a town’s annual Samhain celebration. Netflix describes Samhain as a traditional Gaelic fall festival that marks the end of the harvest and the longer, darker days ahead. The show’s comedy comes from the friction between the three hosts, while the thriller element comes from the mystery they keep pursuing even when it becomes dangerous to do so.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Bodkin Ras	$5.47	Buy on Amazon
2		The Bodhrán DVD		Buy on Amazon

Netflix’s official announcement from June 17, 2022, described the series as a seven-episode darkly comedic thriller about podcasters investigating the disappearance of three strangers in a coastal Irish town. That framing has stayed consistent across Netflix’s later materials.

Is Bodkin based on a true story?

No. Netflix Tudum states that the story is entirely fictional. The Tudum feature describes the show as “funny, though not a comedy; and a true crime story, though entirely fictional.” Some coverage has labelled it a parody, but Netflix’s own framing is dark comedy and thriller, with true crime as its subject rather than its target.

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Co-showrunner Alex Metcalf put it directly: “Not a real story, not a real place.” Creator Jez Scharf went further: “It’s a fake town, it’s a fake place. It’s all fake people. The mystery itself, we worked very hard to find something that is in no way adjacent to a real true crime story. The fictionality of it was very deliberate.” Both statements come from Netflix Tudum and establish that the mystery is not meant as a thinly veiled version of a real case.

Is Bodkin a real place in Ireland?

The town of Bodkin is fictional. According to Scharf and Metcalf, the town and its residents were invented for the series, so the show should not be used as a guide to real locations. Anyone planning a trip to Ireland should rely on verified local sources for real places and events.

Cast and crew

Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, and Robyn Cara play the central trio. Netflix’s June 2022 announcement also named David Wilmot and Chris Walley in the cast.

The 2022 announcement lists the roles as announced at that time. Later credits, or changes made during production, may differ, so check the title page for the final cast list.

Premiere date and episode count

Netflix Tudum gives May 9, 2024, as the premiere date and calls the series a seven-episode thriller. Netflix’s Ireland title page also lists the series as 2024 with seven episodes and provides individual episode descriptions on the page itself.

The true-crime question at the centre of the show

The creative motive, according to Netflix Tudum, was the morality of true-crime storytelling. Scharf said: “At the time, I was thinking a lot about the morality of true crime.” Metcalf criticised the way tragedy gets packaged for audiences: “just take any crime-ridden, tragic event, and story-ize it to make it palatable and make it an easy- and fun-to-digest drama.”

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The Bodhrán DVD

• A Gentle and Careful Progression Through Bodhrán Techniques Using Numerous Examples and Exercises
• Includes a Selection of Repertoire Pieces
• Standard Notation
• Publisher: Music Sales America
• Run Time: 61 minutes

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Scharf’s broader point concerns narrative itself. He said: “Once you start asking that question, all of reality falls apart.” He also described the show’s subject as “the stories that we tell in general, and the stories that we tell ourselves and what violence we can do to ourselves and others.” The series treats its hosts as storytellers whose own narratives matter as much as the mystery they are chasing.

The influence of S-Town

Scharf named the podcast S-Town as the most inspiring true-crime podcast for the team. He pointed to its unexpected narrative turns as a model for Bodkin. The show borrows the idea that an investigation can change direction in ways the audience does not expect, while applying that structure to a fictional case.

Where to watch and availability

Bodkin is a Netflix original. Netflix’s Ireland listing names the audio options as English original audio, with additional dubbed tracks and subtitles. Those options vary by market, so the listing in your own country may differ. The Netflix Media Center also carries a page for the title.

Netflix’s Tudum feature and its Ireland listing do not settle whether a second season will be made. Treat any claim about renewal or cancellation as unconfirmed unless Netflix announces it.

Key facts at a glance

For the official details behind these facts, see Netflix Tudum’s Bodkin feature, the Netflix Ireland title page, and Netflix’s June 17, 2022 production announcement.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Bodkin Ras

$5.47

Bestseller No. 2

The Bodhrán DVD

Includes a Selection of Repertoire Pieces; Standard Notation; Publisher: Music Sales America

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