Inspired by films like Crimes and Misdemeanors—and its original inspiration, Crime and Punishment, where the murder happens in the first 100 pages, the creators said they were most interested in exploring how past events shadow family relationships indefinitely and are infinitely reinterpreted through different character’s eyes.
“Looking at those examples, we were confident that you could structure an entire first season of a television series around certain major events and still have future seasons where those same characters are vibrant and there’s an enormous amount of story yet to tell,” Todd Kessler added.
The structure lent itself well to Netflix’s all-at-once distribution, but also let them work more on establishing character without unnecessary episode breaks, said Glenn Kessler. “It allowed us to approach the whole season as one long movie. And because it’s a thriller, the first few episodes are kind of that opening of a thriller.” Within that extended narrative, he said, their aim is to show the audience different sides of the same people, from the roles they continue to play within their families to what they only reveal to others on the outside.
Bloodline was shot by Darren Lew and Jaime Reynoso in 4K in the causeway-tethered town of Islamorada and the wide, richly hued and underwater shots help establish the show’s other major character, the location itself. “The reason we chose the Keys is because it’s not on television,” said Zelman. “We wanted a visual landscape that felt unique to this show,” and the Rayburn family, whose “job is to welcome people to paradise, have their own dark current running beneath them. The Keys are just so fascinating in that way because it’s a strange place with a strange history. It’s all in keeping with that gothic thriller tradition of Cape Fear and Body Heat.”
The Kesslers and Zelman sold a full season of their show to Netflix before the cast was attached, but had no trouble drawing top talent to the table. “When he pitched it to me, Glenn said its was going to be very cinematic; he made it sound so exciting,” said Spacek, the Rayburn matriarch. “I’ve been doing film my entire career and I didn’t want to miss the boat. And the character was interesting to me because it gave me an opportunity to explore my sixth decade of life. I’d never worked on a television show where you’re in at the beginning and you’re a part of creating the character as you go. In film, we know the beginning, middle and end before you start. That was very intriguing to me, and also a little scary!”
Chandler said he was also drawn to the way his character develops as the season progresses, and was “very excited to go there, and even more excited to see where Glenn, Todd and Daniel take it.”
Mendelsohn, the lone Australian actor in the cast who delivers a dead-on American accent, also spent more than a few scenes in the ocean, much to his horror. “I’m not your typical Australian,” he said. “I’m bad at swimming, so those scenes were hard for me,” especially with all the “aquatic beasts” about. “In Australia, there are some people that are really great with sharks. I’m not one of those people.”
Editor’s Note: Bloodline has been nominated for Emmy awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, and outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
