FX has never been known to shy away from delving into controversial subject matter, and the network’s latest release hints that it doesn’t have any plans to quit pushing the envelope anytime soon. New limited series Black Narcissus (airing in the UK on BBC One) will follow one convent’s intense struggle to maintain its sanctitude amidst a community that tests it devotion to God, carefully toeing the line between piety and iniquity. In other words, these nuns are getting freaky, y’all.
Black Narcissus, written by Amanda Coe and directed by Charlotte Bruus Christensen, takes audiences to a hidden palace tucked away at the top of the Himalayas, where a group of nuns attempt to establish a mission. However, spreading the word of God in their new church home proves to be more difficult than the women of the cloth anticipated.
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The grand building has a reputation for being pretty carnal — it even used to be known as the “House of Women” — and the vibe that greets the nuns of St. Faith threatens to throw them off their spiritual game. The remaining sexual energy of the palace combined with the arrival of a scruffy young general sends the convent into a state of lust and chaos.
“I think this place is too much for all of us,” says one sister fearfully in the dark trailer.
“This is an usual place,” replies another as she explores the abandoned palace. “We should expect unusual things.”
The show is a reboot of the popular 1947 British psychological drama of the same name, which was also adapted from Rumer Godden’s 1939 novel, so the stakes are pretty high for this project. Thankfully, Black Narcissus brings together a cast of new and veteran actors to breathe new life into the twisty story. Gemma Arterton, Alessandro Nivola, Aisling Franciosi, and the late Diana Rigg star in the series, and they will be joined by Nila Aalia, Kulvinder Ghir, Chaneil Kular, and more.
The three-episode story arc of Black Narcissus will air on BBC One in December 2020.