Sky Atlantic's new five-part drama, "Possession," is a gothic thriller that draws inspiration from Daphne Du Maurier's classic literary style, featuring a narrative that blends contemporary mystery with the haunting echoes of Jamaica's slave-owning past.
The series, originally titled "Inheritance," focuses on Claudia, a solicitor from Bristol played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who is dispatched to Kingston, Jamaica. She is tasked with handling the estate of one of her firm's wealthiest clients, who has died on his country property. This estate, once a sugar plantation fueled by slave labor, represents a fortune of approximately £50 million.
Upon opening the will, the deceased's son and heir, Oliver Connaught (Jonny Lee Miller), finds himself disinherited. Instead, the entire fortune is bequeathed to a mysterious individual named Cudjoe East, who appeared at the estate only six months prior.
Screenwriter Karla Crome utilizes elements from classic cinema and Jefferson Bannis's story to create a disquieting atmosphere where past and present converge. The drama's visual style, described as channeling Daphne Du Maurier, includes imagery like a decaying mansion and spectral apparitions. The narrative delves into the island's violent history and the complex emotions of West Indians whose ancestry connects them to both enslaved Africans and their European oppressors.
The story flashes back 200 years to reveal Charlotte, the plantation owner's daughter, who shared her father's affections with his illegitimate son, Matthew, whose mother was a slave. Matthew, though educated, was treated as a servant by some relatives and a traitor by others.
In the present day, Cudjoe East arrives to claim his inheritance. Portrayed by Sheldon Shepherd, who also plays Matthew, Cudjoe East is depicted as wild-eyed, seething with anger, and almost demonic. Claudia is horrified to recognize him, as she has been plagued by recurring, blood-drenched dreams involving the house, Matthew, and a locked box, suggesting a deep, personal connection to the unfolding mystery.
"Possession" is noted for its departure from typical television treatments of such sensitive historical subjects, avoiding one-dimensional characters and pious tones. Instead, it offers a meditation on the lingering effects of historical trauma and the conflicting emotions tied to mixed-race heritage in the West Indies.