Cultural specificity and transnational coproduction: A case study of Irish/New Zealand crime drama, The Gone

Abstract

This article offers a case study in transnational coproduction using Irish/New Zealand crime drama serial, The Gone (TVNZ/RTÉ, 2023-24), the first major coproduction between these countries. Examining The Gone ’s exemplification of what Havens’ (2018) terms ‘conspicuous localism’, the article links the cultural equality that characterised this drama’s writing and filming to the maximisation of cultural specificity in the finished show. Informed by interview insights from The Gone ’s producers and writers, the article foregrounds creative processes for high-end drama, and reveals the continuing importance of traditional coproduction pathways when SVoD investment is unavailable, for high-end TV dramas produced in small markets.