Premiered in 2023, BBC’s ‘Boat Story’ is a thriller miniseries that follows a duo of broke strangers who are united by fate and unforeseen circumstances. It centers upon Janet and Samuel, who stumble upon something incredible — a treasure trove of packed cocaine worth millions. Thinking this could be a way to get them out of their penniless days, the duo agrees to sell it and equally split the money. However, things turn south as they encounter several interested parties and become entangled in the suspicions of some of the most dangerous criminals and the police.
Created by Harry and Jack Williams, the narrative is packed with tropes from the dark comedy genre; however, the miniseries is a through-and-through thriller. It is additionally assisted by comedic and drama elements, applying a more diverse theme to its surroundings. Due to its well-crafted plot and illustrations of incidents, many will wonder if the story is inspired by real-life happenings.
Boat Story is Loosely Based on True Events
Sibling duo and showrunners Harry and Jack Williams, known for their craftsmanship in shows such as ‘The Missing’ and ‘Baptiste,’ brought to life an over-the-top experience in ‘Boat Story,’ that’s only partially inspired by real-life events. In an interview with the BBC, Harry Williams explained, “The idea for ‘Boat Story’ came from having seen articles about similar things involving large amounts of drugs washing up on shores somewhere.” He further revealed that the series is an exception, as most of the shows they’ve developed had begun with just “a series of conversations” among themselves.
The show illustrates their actions and reactions to real-life inspired fictional events, or as Harry Williams revealed, “This one, was what would we do if we had stumbled across a boatload of washed-up drugs? We probably wouldn’t do what the characters did, which is try and sell them, but that would make for a less interesting series. Instead, we imagined what would happen should we have done such a thing.” The other half of the duo, Jack Williams, reiterated in the same interview that the development process between the brothers has always begun with a “what would you do if…” that blossoms into a plot constructed piece by piece.
Jack explained that, in most cases, they make their way out from a place of relatability. However, this particular show did not come from a familiar backdrop. He goes on to clarify that most people aren’t like the lead characters of the show. Most people wouldn’t do what they did. The sibling duo described ‘Boat Story’ as a “contemporary morality tale,” wanting to approach the show through the freshest route possible and seek a challenge while doing so. While following the route of originality, the creators focused on producing the show with the intention of concentrating on the narratives themselves and why they are being told.
Jack further remarked, “What we landed upon, was to make it a show about stories themselves, and why people tell stories and why people watch and enjoy them. There’s a meta layer to the whole show as well.” So it isn’t really so much the way it is made, but the way these stories are told. It introduces the lead characters, Janet and Samuel, who aren’t going through their greatest financial phases. Individually, their underwhelming lives leave much to be desired. The two are on the brink of desperation.
As fate would have it, they unexpectedly meet and stumble upon a conspicuous boat washed up on the beach. Within it lies bundles of cocaine worth millions. As an average citizen, one wouldn’t necessarily investigate further; it is likely they would leave it be or inform the authorities. It is quite well-known that where there are copious amounts of drugs, there’s always bound to be trouble. Janet and Samuel aren’t quite the regular sort in this case. They are fueled by desperation and its following traits, making them ideal candidates to probe the matter further.
Moral complexities apart, the show dives deep into the minds of people who seek more from their lives and those who are at the edge of despair. The boat, in this case, is a measure of escape from the mediocre and hard-up. The allure of the riches they could attain after selling the contents of the vessel, in the minds of Janet and Samuel, is far more potent than the drugs and their consequences. In the end, each individual’s mindset shines the brightest, with the lead characters driving the show with ample amounts of hopeless willingness.
While speaking about the writing process for a unique show such as this one, Jack Williams mentioned that a crucial part of the proceedings was keeping it “robust.” A clear indication of the intricacies they have pursued in the show, adding masterfully intertwined elements of humor, thrills, and drama. While at the crux of it, ‘Boat Story’ is loosely inspired by the real-life incidents of drugs washing ashore, it is actually an exploration of human reaction driven by desperation, which, in turn, is deeply rooted in reality.
Read More: Best Crime Movies on HBO Max
