Benedict Cumberbatch's latest project Eric is arguably his most challenging – and certainly his most singular – work to date.
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The six-part Netflix drama, which was written by The Split's Abi Morgan, sees the Marvel and Sherlock star play Vincent, a puppeteer and creator of a once-popular children's TV show whose son Edgar (Ivan Morris Howe) vanishes while en route to school.
In a desperate attempt to bring his child home, Vincent turns to Eric, a blue monster puppet created by Edgar – who is also voiced by Cumberbatch.
If he can get Eric onto the nation's TV screens, Vincent believes his son will return to him.
"To voice him was just a joy, to just play with it in post [production] as much as we could. Experiment with how present he is, how much of a shadow or shadow-self he is, for want of a better term. You know, just out of shot, a voice or a presence," Cumberbatch told RadioTimes.com.
"And it was one of the biggest draws to doing the character, to doing the role, to being part of this drama.
"But also, it still fills me with fear. I don't know how people are going to respond to it. It's nice to roll the dice on something new."
Gaby Hoffmann as Cassie and Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent in Eric. Netflix
But audience response aside, the creator of the show was thrilled with her leading man's performance.
"I always love to write with actors in mind, and often they're an amalgam, they're a strange love child of equity meets SAG," said Morgan.
"There was something brilliant for me when Benedict did come on, because I do think he is that weird fusion, he can do that transatlantic thing.
"We've seen him in Doctor Strange do that very vivid magical stuff, but he can do The Imitation Game or The Power of the Dog or the other 1 million wonderful things he's done.
"Or Patrick Melrose, where I saw him really break down. The Grinch. He can do most things, actually.
"We were all kind of blown away by the dynamism, and I understand why those actors get the big bucks. They just get on stage and there’s kind of an alchemy."
Director Lucy Forbes echoed Morgan's comments.
"He completely absorbed himself in it," she said. "He gave absolutely everything he could and really cared, really wanted to dissect everything, and he just did it so beautifully. It feels so effortless, but he worked so unbelievably hard."
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
