David Farnor | On 09, Dec 2015

Amazon has confirmed a release date for its remake of Mad Dogs – and released a trailer as well.

The show, a co-production with Sony Pictures Television, is the latest in a string of new Amazon original series, arriving hot on the heels of The Man in the High Castle and Red Oaks, plus the second seasons of both Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle (out later this month).

While Amazon is now entering sequel territory, though, it is also broadening out into the remake game: Mad Dogs is a US version of a Sky TV series of the same name, written by Cris Cole. The scenario is broadly unchanged: four old friends travel to visit a fifth member of their group, who is about to retire.

Billy Zane plays Milo, the rich Belize resident, who appears to spend his days lounging by a swimming pool. He’s confident. He’s imposing. He’s clad in a thin, white shirt. He’s Billy Zane.

The only other two words more appealing than “Billy Zane”? Shawn Ryan. The Shield veteran is the Executive Producer of the show, alongside Cole, Marney Hochman (Last Resort), Andy Harries (Strikeback), Suzanne Mackie (Kinky Boots), and Charles McDougall (The Good Wife), who is also directing.

The longtime, forty-something friends visiting Milo are a mixture of single, married and recently divorced, all seemingly at crossroads in their lives. They include Steve Zahn as Cobi, Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) as Lex, Romany Malco (Weeds) as Gus, and Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line) as Joel.

Completely out of their element after the reunion goes sour, the guys quickly realise that the only way they can survive this adventure will be by having to trust one another, probably the last people in the world they should.

“I loved working on a comedic, albeit dark, story like Mad Dogs and know that the performances by Steve, Michael, Romany and Ben will resonate with all who have had longtime friendships that evolve and change as the years go on,” says Ryan.

The show has a tough act to follow, though: it was commissioned for a full series by Amazon after its pilot premiered in the same season as The Man in the High Castle, which has gone on to become one of Amazon’s best-original shows yet.

“Director Charles McDougall brings some visual energy to their man-child chaos, while Cris Cole’s script, co-written with Shawn Ryan, seems to benefit from The Shield creator’s experienced handling of machismo and testosterone, turning the awkward reunion into a bubbling cauldron of unease,” we said of the pilot in oru review. “Even if the characters themselves feel like shallow stereotypes, the tension that builds is tangible.

The pilot is still available to watch for free by anyone, whether they are Amazon Prime Video subscribers or not. The remaining nine episodes will all be released on Friday 22nd January for Amazon Prime Video customers in the UK, US, Germany and Austria.

Here’s the trailer:

An Amazon Prime Video subscription costs £5.99 a month, or, for free next-day delivery on Amazon products to boot, is included in a £79 full annual Amazon Prime membership.

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