‘Star Trek’ star Kate Mulgrew leads RTÉ series 'The Yank'

Star Trek icon Kate Mulgrew headlines an Irish TV show about a tough New York detective in Ireland, brought to life by Blue Lights producer Two Cities Television.

Mulgrew, also recognised for her role as Red in Orange is the New Black, stars alongside Colm Meaney (Gangs of London) in The Yank for Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

Located on Ireland's west shore, the series follows veteran NYPD officer Nora Savage as she takes a breather from work after a traumatic incident, heading to her ancestral house.

\She hopes for some downtime but finds herself entangled in a murder investigation involving a female environmental activist. As the case builds to an intense climax, it drives Nora and her team into a gripping pursuit of the criminal.

The Yank marks writer Eithne Verling's television debut, tailored specifically for Mulgrew after the two met spontaneously in Galway during the actor's holiday.

John Connors (The Gentlemen, Irish Blood), India Mullen (Normal People, Under Salt Marsh), Cillian O’Sullivan (Daredevil: Born Again, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), and Jack Rowan (A Town Called Malice, Wreck) join Mulgrew and Meaney in the cast.

American characters in Ireland have long served as fertile ground for storytelling. Recently, Sky produced Small Town, Big Story about a Hollywood executive visiting Ireland, featuring Christina Hendricks and Paddy Considine.

Mulgrew shared: "The Yank arose from my deep affection for Ireland, coupled with the fortune and intuition I've had with identifying people who significantly impact me both personally and artistically. That individual is Eithne Verling, and together we constructed the character Nora Savage—a woman I see as an extension of myself had I faced sorrow, been endowed with raw bravery, and possessed a natural knack for chasing what devastates. The Yank recounts the compelling and unforeseen journey of a woman with nothing to lose and her fervent need to uncover what lies beneath.”

The Yank is a collaborative effort between STV Studios-supported Two Cities, which also produces the BBC’s Northern Ireland police series Blue Lights, Keeper Pictures, and AS I AM Productions, commissioned by RTÉ's Head of Drama, David Crean.

RTÉ’s executive producers are Crean and Dermot Horan (Director of Acquisitions and Co-productions). Executive producer for Screen Ireland is Kate McColgan.

The directors are Joe Lawler and Christine Molloy (Baltimore, Kin), with James Mather (These Sacred Vows, Kin) as Director of Photography.

The Yank is created for RTÉ in alliance with Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán and uFund; in association with ITV Studios, which handles distribution outside the Republic of Ireland.