Black Snow is a six-part Australian crime drama starring Travis Fimmel of Vikings fame. It follows shocking events at a high school after a ceremony to open a time capsule that was buried 20 years previously, shortly after the mysterious murder of pupil Isabelle. Inside it is a highly cryptic message written by Isabelle which leads to a reopening of her murder case and turmoil in the town...
Here's everything you need to know about Black Snow on BBC Four...
Black Snow release date
Black Snow arrives on Acorn TV from Monday 15 April 2024. The series was first shown in the UK with two episodes on BBC4 on Saturday 23 September 2023 at 9pm and 9.50pm. Double episodes ran weekly. All six episodes are available on BBCiPlayer. Black Snow was previously shown in the US on Sundance Now from Thursday, February 23, 2023 and in Australia on Stan from January 1 2023.
Black Snow plot
Black Snow is set in the small Australian town of Ashford was rocked to its core when 17 year-old schoolgirl Isabel Baker was murdered back in 1994. Her killer was never found, but when a time capsule buried a few weeks before her death is opened it reveals some chilling clues about the case!
Following two timelines, one in 1994 and one in 2019, this six-part drama follows Detective James Cormack, played by Vikings star Travis Fimmel, as he tries to crack a cold case that has haunted the town for decades. "James has a lot of issues, childhood issues that he’s still dealing with, parental figures, and I think that’s the reason he became a cold-case detective," says Travis. "It’s cathartic for him to investigate the case, but it brings up lots of painful memories.
"Detective Cormack is a very flawed character. He isn’t from Ashford, but he’s intrigued when he hears Isabel warn of ‘predators posing as friends’ from beyond the grave, once the time capsule is opened.
"He went through some stuff that’s very similar to the stuff that’s going on in the main storyline,’ explains Travis. ‘I think it’s cathartic for him to be doing what he’s doing, but at the same time it brings up a lot of painful memories. The flawed aspect attracted me to the character and the scripts are great - it’s a real whodunit sort of story!"
Following the two timelines of 1994 and 2019, the drama delves into Ashford’s past and brings up heartbreaking memories for Isabelle’s best friend, Chloe Walcott (Neighbours star Brooke Satchwell) who still lives in Ashford.
Isabel’s death was also devastating for her younger sister Hazel Baker (Jemmason Power) who believes her family were discriminated against by the police because of their heritage as South Sea Islanders.
Like many other Queensland towns, Ashford is home to a large South Sea community, many of whom were tricked into coming to Australia to work the sugar cane fields from the mid-19th to early 20th century. The controversial slavery-like practice was known as ‘blackbirding’ and is a dark chapter from Australia’s past..
"We never learned that at school, did we?" says Travis. "It was such a great learning curve. I love that Black Snow is going to put the community out there and represent it in some way, educate people, because I was amazed by some of the stuff that I read and learnt and was told.’
Black Snow cast — who's who in the drama
The lead character in Black Snow is Detective James Cormack, played by Vikings star Travis Fimmel. Brooke Satchwell is Chloe Walcott, Jemmason Power plays Hazel Baker, Talijah Blackman-Corowa is Isabel Baker, Seini Willett is Glenda Baker, Eden Cassady plays Kalana Baker, Gulliver McGrath plays Constable Dale Quinn, Annabel Wolfe is young Chloe Walcott, Jimi Banj plays as Joe Baker, Fraser Anderson is young Hector Ford, Josh Macqueen is young Anton Bianchi, Erik Thomson plays Steve Walcott, Lisa Blackman is Aunty Rosa, Kim Gyngell plays Sergeant Troy Turner, Rob Carlton plays Victor Bianchi, Alexander England is Anton Bianchi, Ava Carmont palys young Tasha Hopkins and Kestie Morassi plays Tasha Hopkins.
