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Ragdoll is the latest murder series obsession for audiences to watch. The six-part AMC+ series, set in London, tells the story of a chilling case where the limbs of six victims are sewn together into one grotesque body. The case has a deeper tie to its main character DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), who battles his demons from the past. Ragdoll’s production team and writer brought the book series by Daniel Cole to life.

Main characters of 'Ragdoll' series poster based on a book series
Main characters of ‘Ragdoll’ series in official poster | via AMC

The AMC+ series is full of dark and gorey drama and some comedy

Viewers will get hooked on the gritty storyline that starts to unfold in episode 1 of Ragdoll. The story’s backdrop revolves around Rose, who spirals when his case on the Cremation Killer falls apart. A few years later, Rose and the main characters investigate a new murder case connected to Rose’s past.

At the crime scene, the characters face a suspended body made up of the ligaments of six victims. As they investigate the case tagged as the Ragdoll Killer, the murder sends a kill list with Rose at the very end. The gruesome case has a connection to Rose’s past.

‘Ragdoll’ is based on a book series by Daniel Cole

Many well-known crime dramas originally came to life on the page in a book series or novel. Ragdoll’s storyline is from Daniel Cole’s book of the same name from 2017. In AMC’s behind-the-scenes video, executive producer Lee Morris explains Cole’s book “was crying out to be adapted for the screen.” Ragdoll’s executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle praises Cole’s ability to create a “ticking clock” story.

The script had to capture the essence of the characters and story to bring Cole’s book to life on screen. The producers brought in Killing Eve writer Freddy Syborn. “It’s a really entertaining read; it’s this gruesome premise and intriguing,” said Syborn to Entertainment Weekly.

When adapting a book into a series, there are some challenges to address. “So the challenge became, how can you tell this story with the genre thrills, the gore, the scares, and the mystery but still explore this extra dimension that people have which sometimes gets left out,” said Syborn. Fans can look foward to an array of complexity to its characters intermixed in the grander murder mystery.

What can fans expect from ‘Ragdoll’ based on the Daniel Cole book?

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The book series Ragdoll is based on promises a lot of thrill, darkness, gore, and comedy. According to Syborn, fans are yet to see how disturbing and gory the series will be. Lloyd-Hughes also starred in Killing Eve Season 2 and explained he has seen some “wacky death in my time.” But Ragdoll has an “exotic cocktail of deaths” fans can look foward to.

An aspect of Cole’s storyline and characters is the use of humor. In a dark and disturbing murder, Ragdoll’s main characters try to make lighthearted jokes to push away the evil they see every day. “It’s macabre, but Daniel Cole, the author, allowed his characters to still have fun and have a sense of humor. That really appealed to me because people are funny,” said Syborn.

Syborn explains what drew him to the story and how he built the characters using humor as a defense mechanism. Rose, Baxter, and Edmunds know they are being funny, “it’s about the intention behind the joke that helps to tell the story and to ground it and for it not to feel gratuitous.”

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