How do we love thee, Daisy May Cooper? Let us count the ways.

We’ve made no secret of our fondness for This Country’s Cooper, so believe us when we say we’ve been counting down the days until her new BBC series, Rain Dogs, drops on the 4 April.

Written and produced by the brilliant Cash Carraway, whose memoir Skint Estate recounts her life as a working-class, single mother living in poverty during the 2010s, this dark comedy promises to spin an “unconventional love story” (more on that later) for everyone watching at home.

What is the plot of Rain Dogs?

According to the BBC, Rain Dogs tells the story of a “dysfunctional family on the fringes of society, attempting to go straight in a crooked world”.

That dysfunctional family is made up of four key members: 

• Costello Jones, a writer and single mother with a rock and roll swagger
• Selby, a privileged gay man educated on Brett Easton Ellis and Godard
• Iris, Costello’s 10-year-old daughter (who is, essentially, a pint-sized hustler)
• Gloria, Iris’s chaotic, directionless and utterly glorious godmother

The BBC promises that Rain Dogs will spin a “wild and punky tale of a mother’s love for her daughter, of deep-rooted and passionate friendships, and of brilliance thwarted by poverty and prejudice”. 

We’re in!

Watch the trailer for Rain Dogs below:

The first trailer introduces us to Costello, who is struggling financially and constantly moving from place to place, and her daughter, Iris. Costello, though, is convinced that she can “write [her] way out of here” with her current project, which we get a brief glimpse of in the clip.

Her friend, the privileged Selby, has recently returned from prison, and the unlikely trio set up a home together – although Costello seems concerned that Iris is growing up surrounded by total chaos.

This unconventional family, it seems, is full of topsy-turvy wisdom, with Iris telling us “it’s completely normal to have the people you love”, and Costello admitting that she lies to her daughter because she loves her so much.

Who stars in Rain Dogs?

The eight-episode series stars Cooper (This Country, Am I Being Unreasonable, Witchfinder) as Costello Jones; Jack Farthing (Spencer, The Lost Daughter, Chloe) as Selby; Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (Alex Rider, Chevalier, Doctor Who) as Gloria Duke; and Fleur Tashjian in her debut role as Iris Jones.” 

As per the BBC: “They are our four glorious Rain Dogs; a makeshift swaggerous family fed on defiance and chaos, and a deep but complicated love.”

Who is making Rain Dogs?

The BBC also shared details about the characters in the series, which was filmed in Bristol and is co-produced by Sid Gentle Films, the production company behind Killing Eve and The Durrells.

What are people saying about Rain Dogs?

“We are so delighted to be working with the extraordinarily talented Cash on this highly original tale of friendship, love and creativity,” said executive producer of Sid Gentle Films, Sally Woodward Gentle, when the show was announced. 

“It’s thrilling to be working with Daisy, Jack, Ronkẹ and Fleur. Our four remarkable Rain Dogs.”

And Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO Programming, said: “Along with the BBC and Sid Gentle Films, we are thrilled to be collaborating with Cash Carraway, Daisy May Cooper and everyone involved in this series about intense friendship, intense circumstances, and the intense love of a mother for her daughter.”

When will Rain Dogs be available to watch on the BBC?

Rain Dogs is set to premiere on BBC on 4 April.

Will you be watching?

Images: BBC; Gemma Day; Getty