Deep Background
SUSPENSE / THRILLER MYSTERY DETECTIVE CRIME POLITICAL SUSPENSE/THRILLER
Contemporary
Rick Treon
Logline
True Detective meets Sharp Objects. When reporter Levi Cole returns to his rural Texas hometown to help a colleague and married ex-girlfriend report on a ritualistic murder, he finds out he’s caught in a deep conspiracy that will force him to examine the nature of power and justice.
Genre
Suspense / Thriller, Mystery, Detective, Crime, Political,,Suspense/Thriller
Short Summary
Political reporter Levi Cole is forced out of his cushy job in Dallas by anonymous tipsters who highlight fabrications in his old stories. He returns home to regroup and win back a married ex-coworker, Kat Hallaway, by helping her cover the grisly murder of a girl in his rural Texas hometown.
After Kat is kidnapped by a murderous psychopath and killed during a gunfight in a ghost town, Levi turns dark and begins plotting his revenge by teaming up with a corrupt local U.S. congressman in a plot to reach the Governor's mansion in Austin.
Setting
The Texas Panhandle and Dallas
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain,,Tragedy
Plot - Other Elements
Twist,,Philosophical Questions
Mature Audience Themes
Extreme Violence, Incest, Language/Profanity, Nudity, Sexual Abuse, Substance Abuse,Sexual Abuse, Language/Profanity,Incest
Main Character Details
Name: Levi Cole
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Secretive, Charming, Complex, Confident, Desperate, Engaging, Manipulative, Narcissistic,Seductive,Desperate,Confident
Additional Character Details
Name: Kat Hallaway
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Role: Emotional
Key Traits: Badass, Beautiful, Desperate, Sarcastic, Outspoken, Seductive, Sexy, Aggressive, Blunt, Complex, Educated, Engaging, Unapologetic,Aggressive,Sarcastic,Funny,Skillful,Sexy
Additional Character Details
Name: Ace Anderson
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Secretive, Charming, Confident, Funny, Leader, Masculine, Narcissistic,Masculine,Charming,Confident,Decisive,Leader,Manipulative,Skillful,Narcisstic,Villainous
Additional Character Details
Name: Shawn Nichols
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Uneducated, Aggressive, Complex, Skillful, Narcissistic, Secretive, Unapologetic, Villainous, Crazy, Criminal, Manipulative
Development Pitch
This story is a perfect blend of True Detective (first and third seasons) and Sharp Objects: a southwestern noir with complex, flawed characters examining a ritualistic murder in a small town. Deep Background is also a timely look at political corruption and how it can manifest at a local level. It would also fill the void that's been left by Gillain Flynn adaptations. Like the aforementioned titles, this story is screaming to be adapted into a limited series on a paid or streaming service. The ending provides a twist that could lead to a second season but also works as it's own version of journalism winning out.