As the UK broadcasters shake up their TV schedules for a summer of sport, you might have missed some hidden gems that aired on Channel 5 earlier this year
It's been a bumper year for dramas, but with broadcasters rejigging their TV schedules for a monumental summer of sport, including the Euros 2024, Wimbledon, and the Paris Olympics, many drama enthusiasts will be on the hunt for new captivating thrillers to dive into.
Channel 5 has unveiled numerous gripping shows this year, such as the recent thriller The Night Caller, which featured Robert Glenister delivering a standout performance as a taxi driver harbouring a dark secret. Additionally, the series finale of The Cuckoo, starring Jill Halfpenny, in April had numerous viewers clamouring for a second series after the suspenseful finale concluded on a cliffhanger.
If you didn't catch either of the aforementioned series, fear not, you can still view them on Channel 5's streaming service My5, where you'll discover many hidden treasures, including 2024 hits like Jason Watkins' Coma and Love Rat featuring Sally Lindsay and Neil Morrissey.
Too Good To Be True, starring EastEnders actress Kara Tointo in the main role, is also accessible on the platform. Here's the lowdown on the hidden dramas available to watch on My5, reports Wales Online.
The Night Caller
Air date: July 24
Episodes: Four
The Night Caller is a gripping psychological drama that delves into the depths of loneliness and the extreme measures one might take to gain the attention they crave. The new thriller features Robert Glenister, Sean Pertwee, Suzanne Packer, and Stephen Walters, and revolves around taxi driver Tony and his "unhealthy obsession" with Lawrence, a late-night radio talk-show host.
The Cuckoo
Air date: April 2024
Episodes: Four
The drama boasts a star-studded cast, including Jill Halfpenny from The Holiday and Waterloo Road, Lee Ingleby from The Long Shadow, Claire Goose from The Coroner, and Freya Hannan-Mills from Whitstable Pearl.
The plot for The Cuckoo is summarised as follows: "Jessica, Nick, and their daughter, Alice, move to the countryside, hoping to escape financial woes and family conflicts. They take in a lodger, Sian, who quickly befriends Jessica and Alice but arouses Nick's suspicions."
"Sian immediately starts sowing discord within the family, leading to dark secrets being unearthed as Alice and Sian become closer. As their family reaches breaking point, Jessica and Nick discover the truth about Sian's troubled past. In a race against time, Jessica and Nick must find Sian before she can cause more harm to the family. But as Jessica confronts Sian, she mysteriously vanishes."
Coma
Air date: March 2024
Episodes: Four
Coma is a gripping drama centred around family man Simon (Jason Watkins), whose life takes a dramatic turn after his neighbourhood becomes plagued by a group of troublesome teenagers. The desperate father yearns to relocate his family, but finds himself pushed to breaking point by the gang's leader, Jordan, who seems intent on making Simon's life a misery.
Coma boasts an impressive cast, including Jason, renowned for his leading role in ITV's detective series McDonald and Dodds and his portrayal of Harold Wilson in The Crown.
The series also features Claire Skinner from Outnumbered and Jonas Armstrong, known for Line of Duty and After the Flood, as well as Harry Potter and Doctor Who star David Bradley.
Love Rat
Air date: March 2024
Episodes: Four
Channel 5's psychological thriller, Love Rat, hit screens in March, telling the tale of three women who band together to outsmart a serial love cheat and fraudster. The stellar cast includes Sally Lindsay as Emma ( Coronation Street, Still Open All Hours), Neil Morrissey as Pete (Men Behaving Badly, Line of Duty), Gerald Kyd as Niko (Casualty), Ramon Tikaram as George (EastEnders, Brassic) and Imogen King as Susie (Suspect).
Love Rat tells the tale of Emma, a recent divorcee who flees to Cyprus to distract herself from her bitter split with ex-husband Pete. However, she finds herself entangled in a passionate romance with the charming Niko, who promptly absconds with the £200,000 of her life savings that she lends him for a luxury property he's eyeing prompting Emma to seek Pete's assistance in seeking retribution.
Too Good To Be True
Air date: February 2024
Episodes: Four
The gripping thriller traces the journey of a young, single mother Rachel, and her little boy Liam.
Rachel is portrayed by EastEnders actress Kara Tointon, while Charlie Hodson-Prior, known for his role in Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, plays Liam. The star-studded cast also includes Downton Abbey's Allen Leech, Doctor Who's Sara Powell, and Line of Duty's Taj Atwal.
The synopsis states: "Single mother Rachel and her young son Liam are living on the breadline, but she works tirelessly as a cleaner to provide him with the best life possible. One day, she is approached by a businesswoman representing an extremely wealthy client named Elliot."
"Her client asks if Rachel can clean for him exclusively. Better pay, less hours it sounds too good to be true. Gradually Elliot's behaviour towards them becomes controlling. When suspicions are raised, Rachel starts to dig into his past, uncovering a dark and disturbing story. A nail-biting thriller ensues which asks the question: how far would you go to repair your past? ".
