David Harewood Takes on a Gripping, Morally Complex Lead Role in Channel 4's "Pierre"

You know David Harewood, right? The incredible talent we've seen in everything from 'Homeland' to 'The Night Manager' and even as the Martian Manhunter in 'Supergirl'. Well, he's about to grace our screens once again, and this time, it sounds like he's taking on a character that's going to really pull at our heartstrings, or perhaps, keep us on the very edge of our seats.

Harewood has just signed on to lead a brand-new six-part thriller for Channel 4, aptly titled 'Pierre'. And let me tell you, the premise alone is enough to pique anyone's interest. He'll be playing the titular character, Pierre, who's described as a former Met detective. Now, you might think, 'Oh, another cop drama,' but this is far from your typical procedural. Pierre is pulled back into a world he thought he'd left behind, but not by choice.

Imagine this: Pierre, who’s trying to live a quiet, normal life, suddenly finds himself cornered. An MI6 officer, for reasons we can only begin to speculate on, coerces him into infiltrating a powerful organized crime group. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place! It's one thing to go undercover when you're on the force, but quite another when you're being blackmailed into it. He's facing an almost impossible moral dilemma: does he risk everything to help the police, knowing it could put his loved ones in grave danger, or does he dive deeper into the criminal underworld, potentially becoming one of them, all to shield his family?

It's a truly compelling setup, promising to be an emotionally charged journey into the darker side of London's criminal landscape. The show aims to explore those incredibly messy grey areas, where right and wrong aren't so clear-cut, and where the lines between hero and villain become hopelessly blurred. Harewood himself sounds incredibly excited about it, describing Pierre as a "thrilling character" with a lot of "moral ambiguity." You can almost feel his enthusiasm, can't you? He believes the story will resonate deeply, and honestly, after hearing the premise, I'd have to agree.

So, who's behind this intriguing project? The series is being brought to life through a collaboration between STV Studios and Chapter One Pictures. The brilliant mind penning these intricate moral quandaries is Pete McKenna, who's known for his fantastic work on 'Kin'. With him at the helm of the script, we can probably expect some seriously sharp dialogue and complex character development. David Harewood himself is also executive producing, alongside Adam Morane-Griffiths for Chapter One, and Dan McCool and Sarah Brown representing STV Studios. Ben Wadey is the commissioning editor for Channel 4, clearly seeing the immense potential here.

Everyone involved seems to agree that 'Pierre' is going to be something special. STV and Chapter One have highlighted it as a "complex, emotional thriller" with "powerful storytelling," while Channel 4 has praised its "ambitious" and "complex" nature. It sounds like we're in for a truly thought-provoking ride, a series that won't just entertain but will also make us ponder what we'd do in Pierre's shoes. I, for one, can't wait to see David Harewood navigate this treacherous path. Bring it on!