The Pact
Genre
Created byPete McTighe
Directed byRebecca Johnson
Eric Styles
Nicole Volavka
Starring
Country of originWales
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes12
Production
Production companyLittle Door Productions
Original release
NetworkBBC One
Release17 May 2021 (2021-05-17) –
present (present)

The Pact is a BBC One television drama series written and created by Pete McTighe and made and filmed in Wales.[1][2] Produced by Little Door Productions, it began broadcasting on BBC One on 17 May 2021. On 6 April 2022, a second series was announced, focusing on a new cast and story,[3] which premiered on 24 October 2022.

Synopsis

Series 1

Four friends, Anna, Nancy, Cat and Louie, work in a 100-year-old family brewery in mid-Wales. The owner, Louie's brother Arwel, has recently retired and has put his son, Jack, in charge. Jack is a cocaine addict and treats his staff with contempt. During the centenary party, the four abduct the drunken, stoned Jack and drive him to the woods. They photograph him in a partly undressed pose then leave. When they return to check on him, they find him dead. They make a pact not to disclose their involvement.[4]

Series 2

The second series focuses on a new cast and story. Christine, a social worker, and her children Will, Jamie and Megan are trying to move on from the death of a fourth sibling, Liam, through overdose. However, a stranger comes to town claiming a connection to each of them; this tests their family loyalties.[5][6]

Cast

Series 1

Series 2

  • Rakie Ayola as Christine Rees
  • Jordan Wilks as Connor
  • Mali Ann Rees as Megan Rees
  • Lloyd Everitt as Will Rees
  • Aaron Anthony as Jamie Rees
  • Lisa Palfrey as Beth
  • Jacob Ifan as Gethin
  • Rebekah Murrell as Samantha
  • Kristy Phillips as Kayla
  • Christian Patterson as Joe
  • Matthew Gravelle as D.S Pritchard
  • Elizabeth Berrington as Kate
  • Callum Hymers as Owain
  • Huw Novelli as Lloyd
  • Nick Hywell as Alec
  • Marsha Miller as Carol
  • Steven Mackintosh as Harry
  • Kaylen Luke as Alfie[8]

Production

Production of the first series of The Pact began in September 2020[9] and filming took place on location at the Rhymney Brewery, Blaenavon,[10] the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Pontsarn Viaduct, Merthyr Tydfil, the Pontsticill Reservoir, Whitecross Street in Monmouth, and St Mary's Church, Marshfield in Newport, Wales.[11]

Series 2 was filmed in Cardiff and on the Vale of Glamorgan coast. The Rees family home was in Llantwit Major, with other coastal scenes being filmed in Ogmore-by-Sea and other scenes take place at Llantwit Major Beach and Dunraven Bay. Filming also took place in Penarth, Penarth Pier, Porthcawl, Swanbridge Bay Beach and Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.[12]

Episodes

Series overview
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1617 May 2021 (2021-05-17)1 June 2021 (2021-06-01)
2624 October 2022 (2022-10-24)28 November 2022 (2022-11-28)

Series 1 (2021)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.K. viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Eric StylesPete McTighe17 May 2021 (2021-05-17)7.54
Four female friends who work at a brewery go to its 100th anniversary party. Afterwards, finding that their obnoxious, abusive young boss Jack has tried to assault one of the women, they abduct him and dump him in the woods. Later they go back to check that he is all right and find him dead.
2"Episode 2"Eric StylesPete McTighe18 May 2021 (2021-05-18)6.88
The four friends are interviewed by the police but say nothing. Anna’s husband, Max, a police sergeant, is part of the investigation. The friends each receive a blackmail demand and Anna pays it.
3"Episode 3"Eric StylesPete McTighe24 May 2021 (2021-05-24)5.44[13]
Max discovers that Anna has withdrawn their savings from the bank and she pretends she has lent it to one of her friends. After the blackmailer demands more money Anna tracks down the messages to Nancy's phone.
4"Episode 4"Rebecca JohnsonPete McTighe25 May 2021 (2021-05-25)5.31[14]
CCTV footage reveals to the police that Nancy’s car was travelling in the direction of the woods on the night of Jack's murder. Nancy reveals that her husband, Richard, has incurred huge gambling debts and the blackmail attempt was intended to obtain a temporary respite so that they would not lose their home.
5"Episode 5"Rebecca JohnsonPete McTighe31 May 2021 (2021-05-31)4.53[15]
Nancy is held overnight by the police. Anna and the other friends are questioned.
6"Episode 6"Rebecca JohnsonPete McTighe1 June 2021 (2021-06-01)4.48[16]
The truth of who killed Jack is revealed.

Series 2 (2022)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.K. viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Nicole VolavkaPete McTighe24 October 2022 (2022-10-24)N/A
2"Episode 2"Nicole VolavkaPete McTighe31 October 2022 (2022-10-31)N/A
3"Episode 3"Nicole VolavkaPete McTighe7 November 2022 (2022-11-07)N/A
4"Episode 4"Christiana Ebohon-GreenJoy Wilkinson14 November 2022 (2022-11-14)N/A
5"Episode 5"Christiana Ebohon-GreenJoy Wilkinson21 November 2022 (2022-11-21)N/A
6"Episode 6"Christiana Ebohon-GreenPete McTighe28 November 2022 (2022-11-28)N/A

Broadcast

The first series of The Pact was broadcast every Monday and Tuesday on BBC One between 17 May 2021 and 1 June 2021.[17][18]

The second series was broadcast every Monday on BBC One between 24 October 2022 and 28 November 2022.

Reception

Writing for The Guardian, Rebecca Nicholson gave the first series three out of five stars, stating that it saw "a starry cast and a hint of mystery".[19] The Independent critic Sean O'Grady awarded four out of five stars, praising the "strong" writing and cast, but stating that "the premise does seem far-fetched."[20] Anita Singh of The Daily Telegraph wrote similarly of The Pact, describing it as a "Welsh Big Little Lies" where "realism wasn't a high priority".[21]

Alison Rowat in The Herald found series 2 “as gripping as the first one”.[22] Jesper Rees in The Daily Telegraph criticised the soundtrack “which omnipresently pumps out dull doomy chords in the background, a bit like musical cloud cover. Talking of clouds, the shoot in picturesque spots such as Penarth and Margam Abbey seems to have happened under Glamorgan’s very greyest skies.”[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the cast of BBC One drama The Pact". Radio Times. 17 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Nisbet, Megan (26 December 2022). "The TV shows of 2022 that showcased just how magnificent Wales is". WalesOnline. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "The Pact series 2: Filming begins with brand new story".
  4. ↑ Ed Power (19 May 2021). "The Pact is a stonking standout of a crime thriller". Irish Times. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Pact series 2 cast: Who stars in the BBC drama, what time it's on tonight and how many episodes there are". inews.co.uk. 24 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "BBC Wales renews The Pact". voice-online.co.uk. 6 April 2022.
  7. ↑ Williams, Kathryn (17 May 2021). "The Pact: Cast of new BBC drama filmed in Wales". WalesOnline.
  8. ↑ "Meet the cast of The Pact season 2". Radio Times.
  9. ↑ "The Pact: brand new BBC Cymru Wales crime thriller begins filming". BBC Media Centre. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Rhymney Brewery Visitor Centre | VisitWales".
  11. ↑ Williams, Kathryn (17 May 2021). "The Pact: Welsh locations where new BBC drama was filmed". WalesOnline.
  12. ↑ "The Pact series 2 locations: The parts of the Welsh coast where the BBC drama is filmed". walesonline.co.uk. 24 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "7-DAY RATINGS: 24-30 MAY 2021". tvzoneuk. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "7-DAY RATINGS: 24-30 MAY 2021". tvzoneuk. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "7-DAY RATINGS: 31 MAY-06 JUNE 2021". 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "7-DAY RATINGS: 31 MAY-06 JUNE 2021". tvzoneuk. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "How many episodes of The Pact are there?". Heart. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "The Pact (2021) Season 1 – Episodes Guide and Summaries". next-episode.net. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  19. ↑ Nicholson, Rebecca (17 May 2021). "The Pact review – Wales's Big Little Lies will have you on tenterhooks". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  20. ↑ O'Grady, Sean (17 May 2021). "The Pact is a cautionary tale about wreaking revenge on your horrible boss – review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  21. ↑ Singh, Anita (17 May 2021). "The Pact, episode 1 review: Monterey is swapped for Monmouthshire in this Welsh Big Little Lies". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  22. ↑ "Alison Rowat's TV reviews: The Pact; The Handmaid's Tale; Lost Worlds with Ben Fogle; Jimmy Carr Destroys Art". Heraldscotland.com.
  23. ↑ Rees, Jasper (24 October 2022). "The Pact, series 2 review: the future isn't bright for this murky Welsh noir". The Telegraph.
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