The Doll Factory (TV series)

The Doll Factory is a period thriller television series based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Macneal, adapted by Charley Miles for Paramount+. The series premiered on 27 November 2023, with all episodes released on 1 December 2023.^[1]

The Doll Factory
Based on	The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal
Written by	Charley Miles
Directed by	Sacha Polak
Country of origin	United Kingdom Ireland
Original language	English
No. of episodes	6
Production
Executive producers	Anna Burns Elizabeth Macneal Charley Miles Richard Tulk-Hart Tony Wood
Production companies	Buccaneer Media Shinawil
Original release
Network	Paramount+
Release	27 November (2023-11-27) – 1 December 2023 (2023-12-01)

Cast

Main

• Esmé Creed-Miles as Iris Whittle, an aspiring artist who paints dolls for a living
• Éanna Hardwicke as Silas Reed, a taxidermist who runs the Shop of Curiosities Antique and New
• Mirren Mack as Rose Whittle, a seamstress and Iris' resentful twin sister, scarred by smallpox
• George Webster as Louis Frost, Pre-Raphaelite painter
• Pippa Haywood as Mrs Salter, who runs Mrs Salter's Doll Emporium
• Sharlene Whyte as Madame
• Reece Kenwyne-Mpudzi as Albie, street child who works for Silas
• Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Bluebell, a sex worker
• Laurie Kynaston as Millais, Pre-Raphaelite founder
• Jim Caesar as Hunt, Pre-Raphaelite founder
• Akshay Khanna as Rossetti, Pre-Raphaelite founder
• Freddy Carter as Gideon Fletcher, surgical student

Supporting

• Nell Hudson as Clarissa Frost, Louis' sister
• Aysha Kala as Ananya
• Liadán Dunlea as Flick, a past love of Silas'
• Hannah Onslow as Lizzie Siddal, Pre-Raphaelite model
• Nia Deacon as Evie, Albie's sister
• Alexandra Dowling as Sylvia, Louis' wife
• Mali Harries as Moll
• Charlotte Bate as Kathleen
• Shane Lennon as Charles

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date [2]
1	"Episode 1"	Sacha Polak	Unknown	November 27, 2023 (2023-11-27)
Iris works in a doll-making shop but dreams of becoming an artist. Her chance encounter with a pre-Raphaelite painter changes her life.
2	"Episode 2"	Sacha Polak	Unknown	November 27, 2023 (2023-11-27)
Iris leaves the doll shop and agrees to be Louis's muse, once he agrees to teach her to paint. When Silas learns of Iris's choice, he is devastated and the two men fight. As Iris breathes in her new freedom, a shocking crime takes place.
3	"Episode 3"	Sacha Polak	Unknown	November 28, 2023 (2023-11-28)
Iris grows closer to Louis but continues to meet with Silas, who warns her away from Louis; the Madame begins a search for the perpetrator of Bluebell's murder; Iris decides to enter her self-portrait into the Royal Academy exhibition.
4	"Episode 4"	Unknown	Unknown	November 29, 2023 (2023-11-29)
Iris attends The Royal Academy Exhibition with the PRB; Silas waits for Iris to visit the Great Exhibition, where his exhibits are finally on display; the Madame and Albie team up to discover who killed Bluebell.
5	"Episode 5"	Unknown	Unknown	November 30, 2023 (2023-11-30)
Iris discovers a shocking truth about Louis. Forced to leave The Factory, she returns to the doll shop once more to have an important conversation with her sister.
6	"Episode 6"	Unknown	Unknown	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
With the truth finally exposed, Iris finds herself trapped in a terrifying situation. She is forced to use her wits and strength to claw her way back to freedom.

Production

In July 2022, it was announced the UK and Ireland wing of Paramount+ had commissioned a six-part adaptation of Macneal's novel from Buccaneer Media, with Shinawil handling local production in Ireland. Charley Miles would adapt the novel, and Sacha Polak would direct the series.^[3]

The cast was announced in November 2022, with Esmé Creed-Miles set to lead the series alongside Éanna Hardwicke, Mirren Mack, and George Webster. Also joining the series were Pippa Haywood, Sharlene Whyte, Reece Kenwyne-Mpudzi, Freddy Carter, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Laurie Kynaston, Jim Caesar, Akshay Khanna, Aysha Kala, and Nell Hudson.^[4]

Principal photography was under way in and around Dublin as of November 2022. Filming was reported at Trinity College Dublin in January 2023, specifically in the Museum Building and the Physics Lecture Theatre.^[5]