THE MUTUAL
a 3 × 60 min television series pitch deck
OVERVIEW
Logline
Three estranged women must rekindle old friendships and navigate their shared suspicions when a murder connects them.
Target Audience
Fans of character-driven mysteries and dark comedies, particularly women in their 30s to 60s who enjoy shows like Dead to Me and Only Murders in the Building.
Themes
Trust and betrayal, the complexities of friendship, isolation and reconnection, and morality in the digital age.
Genre
Dark comedy-drama with a murder mystery twist.
THEMES
Friendship & Trust
Explores the fragile nature of friendships, the lingering connections of the past, and the difficulty of rebuilding trust when relationships have fractured.
Isolation & Loneliness
Tackles the emotional struggles of feeling disconnected and the lengths people will go to rediscover companionship and purpose.
Secrets & Betrayal
The story dives into hidden truths, personal betrayals, and how secrets can shape relationships and lead to unexpected consequences.
Morality in the Digital Age
Examines the ethical dilemmas around privacy, surveillance, and the unintended consequences of online actions and data leaks.
TREATMENT
Kitty Burtenshaw is stuck in a mid-fifties crisis. Single, lonely, and disconnected, she finds herself reflecting on her past friendships, trying to pinpoint where it all went wrong. Kitty dissects the friendships that faded away, hoping to reconnect with her former life. Just as she’s resigned herself to the possibility that she may never find her place again - until she receives a message from Zelda Nowak, a socially awkward old friend with a true crime obsession and a flair for getting in over her head.
A crime aficionado obsessed with crime novels, documentaries, and podcasts, Zelda lives a quiet, predictable life with her dull-but-content husband, but when she attends a crime convention featuring Scandi-noir author Compton Larbey, she inadvertently stumbles upon a real-life mystery. Zelda finds a discarded USB stick filled with personal files about a woman named Christine Lanchester—a stranger whose life details, from job insecurities to failed relationships and messy online dating chat - and threats from her ex-husband, Richard Griddle. All of this captivates Zelda’s curiosity. Convinced that returning the USB stick anonymously is the right thing to do, Zelda infiltrates Christine’s life, posing as a friend to avoid causing her embarrassment.
Fascinated but unsure what to do, Zelda decides to quietly return the USB to Christine by slipping it into her bag. Following Christine and waiting for the right moment, Zelda ends up befriending Christine, mostly out of pity. But as she gets to know Christine, she quickly realizes she doesn’t like her. Christine is brash, argumentative, and perpetually angry—traits that make Zelda question her decision. She ghosts Christine, hoping to never see her again.
That is, until the news breaks that Richard - Christine's Ex - has been found dead in suspicious circumstances. With suspicions mounting, Zelda believes Christine might be involved in the death. When she investigates further on social media, Zelda discovers that Kitty Burtenshaw is connected to Christine - a mutual friend - and decides to reach out to Kitty for help.
Kitty, however, dismisses Zelda’s theory that Christine might be involved in the murder—until Christine contacts Kitty herself, claiming that Zelda is either a stalker or even a killer, the situation becomes more complicated. Christine insists that the USB stick in her bag doesn’t belong to her—someone is clearly setting her up. Despite her hesitancy, Kitty is pulled into the drama as a reluctant mediator between the two women.
As they dig deeper into their pasts and present connections, they uncover a web of lies and deceit, realizing that their shared history might hold the key to solving the mystery and uncovering the truth. Along the way, Kitty confronts her own loneliness and failed friendships, Zelda deals with the cracks in her marriage, and Christine grapples with her failed romantic relationships.
EPISODES
1
Episode 1
Kitty Burtenshaw is in her mid-fifties, stuck in a rut and reflecting on her failed friendships. She hesitates to make any new friends because every previous friendship has left a scar.
Zelda Switzer, Kitty’s quirky and true crime-obsessed former friend, reconnects with her out of the blue after discovering a USB stick containing private files belonging to Christine Lanchester, a mutual acquaintance of Kitty and Zelda. Zelda informs Kitty that Christine is a murderer.
Christine gets in touch with Kitty, demanding a meeting. She believes she is being stalked by a mutual friend of theirs: Zelda.
2
Episode 2
Kitty agrees to mediate a meeting between Christine and Zelda. Tempers flare as accusations fly, but a breakthrough occurs when Christine reveals her laptop was hacked and the files were stolen.
The trio realizes that the files were intentionally planted to frame someone. Their mistrust grows as they reluctantly decide to investigate Richard’s murder to clear their names.
Christine shares her suspicions about her ex-husband’s death, including potential suspects from her life—her office creep Ross, the IT guy, Scandi-Noir author Compton Larbey and her ex-husband's secretive behaviour.
The investigation leads Kitty to question her own role in all of this, and she delves back into her own past broken friendships to make sense of the present.
3
Episode 3
Kitty discovers an unexpected link between herself, Zelda, and Christine: a mutual acquaintance that was missed due to her lack of social media presence.
The trio argues over who to trust, each suspecting the other of ulterior motives. Zelda realises that real-life is mirroring the plot of a Compton Larbey novel.
Suspect author Compton Larbey provides cryptic advice about real-life crime-solving - but is it a red-herring?
Kitty has to decide what she wants for herself for the first time in her life, and question if Zelda and Christine are the kind of friends she needs, or whether to just walk away… but searching for a killer leads Kitty to finding herself.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Kitty Burtenshaw
A reflective woman in her mid-fifties, Kitty is navigating a midlife crisis, grappling with loneliness and a sense of failure in her relationships. Once warm and nurturing, she has grown hesitant and self-critical, but her sharp mind and quiet resolve make her an unlikely but resourceful investigator.
Zelda Nowak
Quirky and awkward, Zelda is a true crime enthusiast with a curious streak that often gets her into trouble. Married but slightly disconnected from her husband, she finds comfort in mysteries—both fictional and real-life. Her good intentions often come across as clumsy meddling.
Christine Lanchester
Sharp-tongued and independent, Christine is a woman used to surviving on her own after a failed marriage and a rocky career. Beneath her brash exterior, she’s vulnerable and insecure, particularly as she’s forced to confront the betrayal that led to her ex-husband’s death and the attempts to frame her.
Compton Larbey
A washed-up crime author clinging to his former glory, Compton is enigmatic and arrogant, but his keen understanding of crime makes him an oddly useful (albeit reluctant) ally to Zelda and Kitty. Beneath his jaded exterior lies a hint of regret over his faded career and missed opportunities.
Helena 'Lennie' Munt
A vibrant and magnetic figure, Jodie was once the life and soul of every gathering. After having children, she distanced herself from Kitty, prioritizing her family over their friendship. But maintaining the perfect family has a cost…
Edwina Melidor
Charming and meticulous, Edwina is a master manipulator who hides her jealousy and anger behind a facade of composure. Her sense of superiority is a superpower, but confrontations reveal cracks in her armour.
CASTING SUGGESTIONS
Kristen Wiig
Zrinka Cvitešić
Hannah Waddingham
Ralph Fiennes
Compton Larbey
Rachel Weisz
Helena 'Lennie' Munt
Rose Byrne
Edwina Melidor
TARGET AUDIENCE
Fans of Dark Comedy & Mystery
Viewers who enjoy shows like Only Murders in the Building, which blend humour with suspense and complex character dynamics.
Midlife Women
Appeals to women in their 40s and 50s who can relate to Kitty’s struggles with loneliness, identity, and rekindling friendships.
Fans of Ensemble Character-Driven Drama
Targets viewers who enjoy character-focused stories with layered relationships, emotional depth, and a mix of drama and comedy.
COMPARABLES
Fargo
A darkly comedic crime anthology with twists, quirky characters, and the unexpected chaos of everyday people caught in crime.
Only Murders in the Building
A trio of unlikely friends investigates a murder, blending comedy with a clever whodunit structure.
Search Party
A quirky, darkly comedic mystery about a group of friends who become amateur sleuths with messy consequences.
THE WRITER
Andrew Wright is a screenwriter and author who has worked in various roles in the film and television industry, alongside Lord Richard Attenborough (Jurassic Park), Dominic West (The Wire), and Kathy Burke (Nil By Mouth). His first student film was co-funded by Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys).
MUSIC PLAYLIST
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Who can you trust if you can't trust friends?