When it comes to break-ups, they don’t come much more complicated than Zoe and Dan’s in new drama series Bite Club.
They were two cops, happily in love – until a shark attack changed their lives forever. Dan (Todd Lasance) lost a foot and Zoe (Ash Ricardo) lost Dan, whose inability to deal with the trauma saw him up and leave.
“They’re two people who have been put into a scenario that’s extremely rare,” Todd, 33, tells TV WEEK.
“Not many people would experience it, so their reactions are kind of relative to the trauma they’ve experienced.”
Dan (Todd Lasance) with Zoe (Ash Ricardo).
Fast-forward three years and Dan is back in town. A close friend, Amber, has also been attacked by a shark. Dan rushes to her side when he hears.
“Amber is a pro surfer and we find her in the hospital – that’s where we first meet her,” Marny Kennedy, who plays Amber, says.
“Amber is a little bit of a catalyst for his return, but we realise that it’s much, much more than that.”
Amber’s profile as a surfer sees her attack make national news and she catches the fancy of Police Senior Constable Stephen Langley (Dominic Monaghan).
At first he seems like an interested passer-by, but it soon becomes clear there may be more to his fascination with Amber than meets the eye.
“He takes a liking to her and at that point, Amber needs all the friends she can get,” Marny, 24, says.
Police Senior Constable Stephen Langley (Dominic Monaghan), with Zoe and Dan.
Meanwhile, Dan decides to return to the force from extended leave. But Zoe has risen through the ranks of her local command, making for an awkward working environment.
She’s unimpressed by his presence, more so when it seems he’s not the man he used to be – and not just because of his physical injuries.
“Dan goes through this life-altering traumatic experience that leads to all these different dynamics,” Todd says.
“He’s still struggling to cope with the changes to his body.”
Eventually, Zoe presses Dan as to why he’s really returned. He replies stoically, “Maybe I just missed my old life.”
It’s clear Zoe missed Dan too, but she’s moved on. She’s now dating police psychologist Dr Kristof Olsen (Damian Walshe-Howling).
Things become even more difficult when Dan finds himself drawn to her latest case.
A body has washed up on the beach. It’s a missing woman from years back, a case Zoe and Dan worked on together.
She’s turned up dead – and missing a tooth. While they try to piece together the puzzle, old feelings bubble to the surface.
Dan returns to work with Zoe.
Bit Club premieres Wednesday at 8:40pm on Nine Network.
