Contains a mild After the Flood spoiler.
Sophie Rundle, probably best known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and Gentleman Jack, is now starring in ITV's brand-new crime drama, After the Flood.
On paper, the show appears to be something of a procedural-by-numbers: unidentified body, mysterious circumstances that don't quite fit, a clanger of an episode-one cliffhanger — check, check, check.
But the central whodunnit – or whoisit? – of the series (written by BAFTA-nominated Mick Ford, whose other credits include episodes of Netflix's Stay Close and The Stranger) plays out against the backdrop of a Yorkshire town hit by a horrendous flood.
While this separates it somewhat (giving the ITV show its own USP, if you will), After the Flood spends half an episode setting that scene before getting to the nitty-gritty of what a traditional crime-drama audience will really start to care about.
After the Flood is, alas, incredibly heavy-handed. In the opening scene, Rundle's character, PC Joanna Marshall, is involved in saving a baby. This, paired with more than one exaggerated touch of her lower abdomen, sets the scene for her own pregnancy.
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In this vein, the show is a little clumsy in its attempts at a message about climate change.
It's commendable to acknowledge this on screen, and it's sure to be relatable for many who have experienced such personal devastation firsthand (the local residents are evacuated from their homes due to severe water damage).
To its credit, the series is neither preachy nor alienating, but this thread is treated like a C plot — a background narrative that acts as a device for the crime element while also throwing in some family tension for the show's protagonist.
The dialogue is clunky at times, too, beating you over the head with exposition that labours plot points and prioritizes background information to the point of deflating tension.
There are enough questions hanging over the characters to intrigue you, but there are also some OTT nods to past events that you just know are going to crop up again later.
All of that being said, by the time the credits roll on episode one, you'll probably want to keep watching to discover who the dead "lift man" is and whether or not Joanna finally ditches her incredibly annoying and toxic husband.
Joanna Marshall is a likeable, headstrong central character who you end up rooting for (even if her motivations aren't always clear, and her often ludicrous decision-making will have you shouting at the screen). Rundle's casting is one of After the Flood's best decisions, and her on-screen mother, played by Lorraine Ashbourne, is also there to prove that it's women who get shit done.
If you don't take it all too seriously and are prepared not to overthink some of the more far-fetched directions that After the Flood tries to take you in, there's enjoyment to be found.
There's a time and place for most shows, and we love a trashy binge-watch that can keep us guessing as much as the next person. But following the recent heights of Mr Bates vs The Post Office and The Long Shadow, After the Flood isn't up there with the best of ITV drama.
After the Flood premieres on ITV1 at 9pm on January 10. All episodes will be available on ITVX immediately afterwards.
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
