Tanner

A former intelligence officer's search for a missing boy exposes a threat to democracy itself.

Tanner is a contemporary conspiracy thriller set in an Ireland transformed by the power of global technology corporations. When a teenage boy disappears, former military intelligence officer Tom Tanner returns home to help find him. Gifted with an extraordinary ability to understand and mirror the minds of others, Tanner soon uncovers a web of influence connecting big tech, government and intelligence agencies. As political tensions rise and a powerful data platform begins shaping national security decisions, Tanner must confront the gift that once destroyed his life. A character-driven mystery about power, technology and democracy in the modern world.

Producers' note

Tanner is a distinctive and commercially appealing mystery thriller that successfully combines the emotional depth of a character study with the intrigue of espionage and the accessibility of a crime procedural. At its centre is Thomas Tanner, a compelling protagonist whose unique "Mirror" profiling ability provides the series with a clear and original hook while also serving as a powerful metaphor for identity, trauma and self-acceptance. The concept immediately stands apart in a crowded crime-drama market through its combination of psychological investigation, espionage tradecraft and a deeply personal LGBTQ+ journey.
The series focuses on a man who has spent years rebuilding himself after professional disgrace and personal turmoil. His return to Ireland creates a strong emotional engine for the narrative. The relationship with his husband David provides warmth and humanity, while Aisling offers a complex connection to Tanner's former life, creating rich opportunities for emotional conflict beyond the central mystery.
As the story expands beyond the missing-boy investigation into wider conspiracies and espionage networks, it explores the large base of US companies present in Ireland and their grip on political power in the country. The series demonstrates significant scale and ambition while retaining a personal stake through Tanner's emotional journey.
From a production perspective, the Ireland–Canada framework presents attractive co-production opportunities while providing a distinctive international identity. The themes of power, belonging, surveillance, institutional secrecy and identity feel timely and globally relevant. The series has clear appeal to audiences of shows such as Slow Horses, Happy Valley, Bodyguard and Broadchurch, while the psychological dimension of Tanner offers a fresh point of difference.

Screenwriters' note

Tanner began with a simple question: what would happen if a spy's greatest strength became the very thing that threatened to destroy him? I wanted to explore espionage not through action or spectacle, but through identity, empathy and the psychological cost of living behind masks. Thomas Tanner is a man who has spent his life becoming whoever others needed him to be. His ability, "The Mirror," is an extension of a survival mechanism many people develop: the instinct to adapt, conceal parts of ourselves, and perform different versions of who we are.
As a gay man who grew up in a generation where secrecy was often a necessity, Tanner learned early how to compartmentalise his life. That skill made him a brilliant intelligence officer, but it left him uncertain of who he really was. At its heart, The Mirror is not simply a mystery or spy thriller; it is the story of a man trying to hold on to the self he has fought so hard to discover.
The boarding school setting felt like the perfect place to tell that story. Schools are where identities are formed, where hierarchies are established, and where old wounds often begin. By forcing Tanner back to the place he swore never to return to, the series places him in direct confrontation with the trauma, relationships and secrets that shaped him.
I was also interested in going back to my roots, creating a mystery series grounded in contemporary Ireland. Ireland occupies a fascinating position in the modern world – small but globally connected, influenced by technology, geopolitics, migration and shifting cultural identities. These tensions provide fertile ground for stories that are both intimate and international in scope.