With Showtime’s long running series “Californication” coming to a close, actor David Duchovny is moving on to a new series entitled “Aquarius” for NBC. Co-starring with Duchovny is “Friday Night Lights” actor Grey Damon and series regular Emma Dumont (“Salvation,” “Bunheads.”) Rounding out the cast will be “Game of Thrones” actor Gethin Anthony (Renly Baratheon,) who will portray Charles Manson, described as the “archetypal authentic hippie freak,” whose intense charisma draws young followers to him in droves.
The 1960s cop drama focuses on a policeman who goes undercover to track Charles Manson and the Manson Family before they go on their infamous mass murder spree. Damon will play Duchovny’s partner, while Dumont will play Emma Karn, the daughter of Grace Karn and her influential husband Ken. The gritty hour long drama, envisioned as an event series, received a 13-episode straight-to-series order from the network.
Here are a few more details about the series.
It’s 1967 and the era of free love, drug experimentation and Vietnam is in full effect. When the teenage daughter (Emma Dumont) of a respected lawyer goes missing, Los Angeles Police sergeant Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny) starts asking around. He soon discovers that the hippie kids he’s questioning don’t take kindly to cops, especially one with hair as short as his. Needing the help of someone they trust, he partners with rebellious undercover cop Brian Shafe (Grey Damon,) a man who’s more comfortable rolling a joint than patrolling a beat. It’s not long before they stumble upon a small-time cult leader seeking out vulnerable women to join his cause. From there, they follow this man’s trail down a rabbit hole of drugs, sex, murder and cultural revolution. Little could they know, however, the guy they’re hunting will eventually become the killer we now recognize as Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony.) He was a lost soul who desperately wanted to get into the music scene of the ’60s until something snapped. This is the show that will explore the cat-and-mouse game between him and the police, which will go on for several seasons ultimately ending with the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.
“Aquarius” is written by John McNamara and produced by ITV Studios America and Marty Adelstein Productions. Duchovny will executive produce the series along with John McNamara, Marty Adelstein and Melanie Greene.
Sources: deadline, NBC, usatoday, TVLine