Like Lost but creepier: Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is the “world-class” mystery drama coming to the BBC

Remember when Lost was the series that had us all quite literally glued to our TV screens, wide-eyed with anticipation for what was coming next? Well, there’s a new series that’s well, more than a little bit similar, heading our way. Introducing Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, the gripping mystery drama that’s been acquired by the BBC and that viewers called “world-class” when it aired in the US in March. Think Lost but creepier.

The drama revolves around a plane that crashes, not on a mysterious island like in Lost, but in the Mexican jungly. Tragically, everyone dies, but it turns out that not everyone lost their lives as a result of their injuries. Only one of them did, in fact. The others, it seems, were murdered and the question is: by who? Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, has called the series “an ingenious, original and suspenseful murder mystery multiplied by nine”, and says it’s “absolutely guaranteed to keep viewers riveted to their screens until the very end.”

So, if you're as intrigued to watch it as we are, here's everything you need to know about Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue ahead of its arrival on our screens this autumn, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.

What is Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue about?

Created and written by bestselling crime writer Anthony Horowitz, as we mentioned, the six-part mystery thriller revolves around a plane crash. The plane in question is carrying a small group of passengers when it crashes in the Mexican jungle and all the bodies are recovered and placed in a morgue – only it turns out that only one of them died in the crash.

The other passengers were murdered afterwards - each one of them in a unique way. But who did it? And why? The story unfolds in flashback, introducing us to the survivors as they grapple with the heat, a shortage of supplies, the dangers of the jungle – and, of course, each other.

The official synopsis continues: “The setting becomes increasingly tense and claustrophobic as, one by one, they are dispatched with a series of shocks that bring us ever closer to the truth and – at the very end – a jaw-dropping reveal.” No spoilers, but jaw-dropping it is indeed.

The series is produced by Eleventh Hour Films (Rebus, Moonflower Murders) for MGM+ in the US, Head of MGM+ Michael Wright has described it as “a clever and wildly entertaining addition to MGM+’s growing slate of cinematic, edge-of-your-seat thrillers.” He continued: “Anthony Horowitz has spun a masterfully inventive web of deception and intrigue that keeps audiences guessing until the very last axe falls.”

Who's in the cast of Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue?

The cast of Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue includes:

• Eric McCormack (Will & Grace, Perception)
• David Ajala (Star Trek: Discovery) as Zack
• Lydia Wilson (The Swarm) as Sonja
• Peter Gadiot (Yellowjackets) as Carlos
• Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) as Lisa
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (The Tourist) as Travis
• Adam Long (Happy Valley) as Dan
• Jan Le (The Capture) as Amy

Jill Green, CEO of Eleventh Hour Films, has shared her thoughts on the cast. “Our story has a universality which makes it perfect for the BBC,” she says. “We are thrilled to have assembled a global cast that will bring total authenticity to this original drama.”

Is Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue any good?

Yes – or, at least, according to US audiences it is. When the series premiered on MGM+ in the US in March, it received high praise, with critics and viewers calling it “world-class”, a “gem of a psychological drama” and “a really fun whodunnit”.

How can I watch Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue?

The BBC hasn't yet shared an exact release date for Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, but we're expecting it to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we'll update you here.

What other dramas can I watch on the BBC?

If you haven’t yet watched BBC One’s This City is Ours, it’s still available to stream on BBC iPlayer and we’d recommend doing so immediately. The series sees Sean Bean step into the shoes of ruthless gang leader Ronnie Phelan, whose impending retirement sets off a series of catastrophic events. Crime drama fans will also love the BBC’s Death Valley, which plunges viewers into a murder mystery, with two "unlikely" individuals, John Chapel (Timothy Spall) and DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) teaming up to form a cosy crime-detecting duo. And it might just be a match made in crime-solving heaven…