Sure, Benedict Cumberbatch has made a fantastic jump to the big screen in recent years with performances in movies like Doctor Strange and The Imitation Game, but the man is no slouch in the television department, either. In fact, he is about to once again prove himself as a small screen actor with his upcoming turn in Sky Atlantic and Showtime's Patrick Melrose, and the first official trailer for the forthcoming project has him drinking like a fish and eccentrically charming everyone in sight. Take a look at the trailer, below. But, be quick about it, since it's been taken off line at several outlets.
Based on the novels by Edward St. Aubyn, Patrick Melrose focuses its story on the titular hero and his battles with his inner demons. The trailer shows him indulging in the more elegant things in life (particularly an unhealthy amount of alcohol) and then proceeds to watch him as he makes attempts at sobriety and recovery and to reconcile some of the greater demons from his past. Along the way, we see flashbacks to his time as a child, and how those experiences molded him into the hedonistic man that he would eventually grow into.
From a performance standpoint, this trailer makes it look like Benedict Cumberbatch is once again leaning into his charm and ability to speak at a rapid-fire pace for his portrayal of Patrick Melrose's titular protagonist. It feels like a nice return to his Sherlock roots, and will likely help get many of his longtime fans excited for his next role.
It also very much feels like Benedict Cumberbatch has come full circle with this new role. Several years ago he took part in a Reddit AMA session and specifically admitted that he wanted to portray Patrick Melrose at some point in his career. Now he has that chance, and it looks like he's making the most of it.
In addition to Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose has also enlisted a considerable supporting cast in the process of rounding out its core ensemble. This cast includes The Matrix's Hugo Weaving, as well as Holliday Grainger and Jessica Raine. Cumberbatch remains the star of the show, but it looks like the folks behind the limited series have endeavored to surround him with equally-talented individuals as well.
Patrick Melrose is set to debut on Sky Atlantic and Showtime in 2018. As for the other major 2018 television debuts, you can also take a look at CinemaBlend's comprehensive 2018 midseason premiere guide to get more information on all of the shows set to hit the small screen within the next few months. Then, if your eyes are burning after all of that reading, but you still want some great content, you can also listen to the most recent episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast to hear what we have to say about the world of streaming content.
