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June 6, 2024 - Bloodhound, a new seven-part coming-of-age suspense drama, is out today, June 6th, on Audible via the audio-first entertainment company Fresh Produce Media. Listen to the Audible Original HERE.
A punk-edged thriller that follows Jay Pulver, a trans college student who is recruited by the FBI when he discovers he has mysteriously acquired superhuman abilities, Bloodhound was created and co-written by screenwriter Todd Ellis Kessler (Nashville, The Good Wife), and the TV writer/producer and author Thomas Page McBee (Umbrella Academy, Tales of the City). It is the first-ever podcast production for both.
Elliot Fletcher (Shameless, The Sex Lives of College Girls) is an Executive Producer and leads the cast as Jay. The famed character actor Stephen Root (Office Space, Succession, Barry) co-stars as the eccentric FBI researcher Elvin Landesmann, Alice Kremelberg (Orange is the New Black, The Trial of the Chicago 7) voices Jay’s twin sister Dara, and the rest of the characters are played by a mostly-queer and trans cast of emerging voice talent. Award-winning podcast creator Lauren Shippen (The Bright Sessions) directed, and Marvel’s James Kim consulted on the show. Toronto and Los Angeles-based producer/songwriter Carmen Elle (they/them), whose credits include the Peabody-winning sitcom ‘Sort Of,’ composed and created the show’s punk-rock sound.
A twisty, cerebral take on the “superhero” genre that’s more M. Night Shyamalan and Stephen King than it is Superman, Bloodhound follows Jay as he learns to capitalize on his new-found abilities to sense and reflect extreme emotions. As he trains with the FBI to become a violence-detecting “Bloodhound” - on a mission to sniff out violent rage in order to prevent bombings from a domestic terrorist group targeting the US Capitol - he’s forced to confront his own family trauma, and a crucial secret left by his recently-passed veteran father. Like most men, Jay and his father had a complicated relationship, but it’s Jay’s relatively recent entry into the world of men (he’s only been on testosterone for a couple of years) that gives him a unique vantage point on toxic masculinity, and the resulting disenfranchisement that fuels the political threat facing the nation.
In a world where we’ve gone numb to violence and extremism, Bloodhoundbrings the listener along to see how young people, particularly men, can become “lost to the algorithm” of Incel threads, 8-Chan, and Q-Anon. Through Jay’s journey with his family and those around him, it tells a powerful story of how the bravest among us can combat the more toxic elements of traditional masculinity through empathy and connection.
Colin Moore and Jason Ross, Chief Content Officer and CEO of Fresh Produce Media, respectively, Executive Produced. Rachel Smalter Hall Executive Produced for Audible.
Colin Moore said "We are incredibly proud of Bloodhound and our partners, Thomas and Todd. They delivered an incredible script and worked with our production and post-production team day-in and day-out - that passion is evident when you listen. This series tackles huge, timely issues and yet lands on something beautiful. Getting to work with Todd and Thomas on a story that’s so personal to each of them was an honor.”
Thomas McBee added: “We’re deeply grateful to Audible and our team at Fresh Produce for giving us the creative support we needed to make Bloodhound. It was a joy and an honor for us to work with our incredible cast and crew to bring this story of a trans man grappling with his newfound power to light.”
And Todd Ellis Kessler concluded “We have rarely experienced the level of creative freedom and support that we have received from Audible in the making of Bloodhound. Exploring these complex issues of masculinity through a graphic novel lens was a thrilling tightrope walk we could not have achieved without so many extraordinary creative minds behind the production.”
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