Ruth Wilson is 'The Woman in the Wall' in the Series' First Images

For those who grew up in Ireland in the mid-20th century, the stories of the Magdelene Laundries were things whispered about, terrifying accounts of what happened to girls who weren't virtuous or at least very careful. But in 1993, with the uncovering of a mass of unmarked graves of 155 women, the truth behind those whispers broke wide open as journalists and reporters dug deep to uncover the truth about these asylums that operated from the 18th century onward. The BBC Showtime co-production, The Woman in the Wall, will tell one of those stories, gothic thriller style.

The original Dublin Magdalen Asylum (sometimes called Magdalen Asylum for Penitent Females) was initially founded in was founded in 1765 by Lady Arabella Denny, meant to reform prostitutes, but quickly became a place where any pregnant-outside-of-marriage family member was sent. It started a series of country-wide Church of Ireland-run institutions, initially for Protestant women; however, Catholic-run Magdalene asylums quickly followed and lasted far longer, deep into the 20th century, forcing these women into slavery, with both quietly supported by the state.

The investigations into these places started with the discovery of the bodies. They lasted until 2013, when the Irish Government issued a formal state apology and a £50 million compensation scheme for survivors was set up. In the interim, films like The Magdalene Sisters and TV movies like Sinners have dramatized the story. The Woman in the Wall is the first TV series to tackle it.