A TV drama set in the Isle of Man has begun airing in the USA.
The siblings then reunite to unearth the truth about their mum’s sudden death and her double life on the Isle of Man.
The three-part drama was created by and stars Doctor Foster and Gentleman Jack actress Suranne Jones and premiered on ITV and its streaming platform ITVX last year.
It is now being broadcast to a potential audience of millions across the pond after the series was picked up by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) network in America.
Founded in 1969, PBS is a nonprofit American company that provides programming content to 330 TV stations across the US.
The organisation says it reaches more that 100 million people through its television programming every year.
MaryLand first premiered on PBS back in March and the drama has now been given another airing on the network, starting with the first episode which went out on Sunday (May 5).
The trailer was promoted on PBS’ social media channels in the run-up to the broadcast.
Despite being set on the Isle of Man, the only footage of the island featured in the series are aerial clips of areas such as Peel.
The drama was filmed on the Howth Peninsula just east of Dublin as well as the Isle of Wight.
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Suranne Jones explained why she chose to base the drama on the Isle of Man.
She said: 'When I thought about it, I just thought it would be like a strange little village.
‘And so what she [the character of the late mother in the series] said was to put water between her old life and her new life, and have it in a closed off community.
'[the Isle of Man is] its own little microcosm. I worked there when I was 17, so I knew it.
'We shot it in Ireland, for many reasons, but then of course there’s the GVs (general views)… But yeah, I think it just adds to it. I think it looks beautiful.'
When news of MaryLand’s development began circulating in 2022, the then-Minister for Enterprise Alex Allinson said that a more favourable tax credit scheme in the UK had meant the island lost out as a potential filming location for the series.
The UK provides certain companies with up front funding for filming, provided they are within the UK corporation tax net.
The absence of corporation tax on the Isle of Man means the island cannot give that up front funding out of taxpayers’ money.
Members of the production company making the series had met with Department for Enterprise political members where they were instead offered non-financial support such as help with equipment, crew and road closures in the hope that ‘some of this production could take place on the Isle of Man.’
Speaking at the time, Dr Allinson said: ‘In terms of financial benefit from films being shot in various locations, I think some of the evaluation of that hasn’t shown that that initial investment has produced the right results.
‘So I again think we need to be very careful when it comes to how government is seen to spend taxpayers’ money to promote films and television productions which may not actually generate employment and wealth for the very people who are paying for it.’
MaryLand also stars George Costigan (Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley), Hugh Quarshie (Stephen, Riches), Dean Lennox Kelly (Tom Jones, Jamestown) and Andrew Knott (Ackley Bridge, Tin Star).