London's railways are already a pretty stressful environment. The chaos of late and cancelled trains coupled with the overwhelming busyness is enough to spike anyone's anxiety. Now throw in a 'hackjacking' situation and you have the perfect setting for a stress-induced action-thriller.
The upcoming BBC drama Nightsleeper is one such thriller that transforms the overnight train service – the Heart of Britain – into a "guided missile" when hackers take control.
It's a commendable watch. Gangs of London star Joe Cole steps into the role of Joe Roag, one of the very few passengers left on the train when it takes off, its destination in the hands of cyber-terrorists.
The first thing the show gets right is the pacing. Nightsleeper immediately creates a sense of unease with the slow, tap, tap, tap of a singular piano key, the sound amplified by the spacious train station in Glasgow.
The intriguing start is followed by a breadcrumb trail of clues alluding to the fact that something is about to kick off. It isn't long before the anticipated events come to fruition, and the tension builds and builds in a hurried way before settling down into a nice rhythm.
Alas, this is all a clever game of misdirection on Nightsleeper's part, sucking us in with action while the real drama bubbles beneath the surface.
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The first episode culminates in a plot twist that will have you both sitting up in surprise whilst wondering how you didn't suspect such a thing in the first place. After all, the clues were there from the jump.
Again, misdirection.
So much happens throughout the show that your attention easily darts from one event to another, and then back again. It's all very purposeful as opposed to sloppy plotting. The flitting back and forth embodies the frantic nature of the 'hackjacking' situation at large. Like the cyberattack, you never know what is going to happen next.
That's the job of the acting technical director at the National Cyber Security Centre, Abigail 'Abby' Aysgarth, to figure out and thwart before things get out of hand.
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Bodies and Men Up star Alexandra Roach is engaging in the role, her double act with Peaky Blinders' Cole only just shy of being perfect.
Both are placed in similar positions where for one reason or another, they are forced to prove themselves and their capabilities in resolving the situation to their surrounding company. On the ground and on the tracks, they must work together.
Though Nightsleeper tries to initiate a kind of situational bond between the two, the chemistry needs some fine-tuning, as it doesn't feel authentic.
Away from that working relationship, Cole's depiction of Joe has you effortlessly rooting for him, however, despite his bevy of secrets. He portrays an air of guilty heroism, someone whose good deeds are marred by past mistakes.
Roach is equally good. Abby's outward insistence of her worth is eroded by her internal doubts, and it's intriguing to see her navigate those emotions in the midst of a crisis.
The ensemble cast is also well put together, with a notable mention going to Game of Thrones' James Cosmo and Leah MacRae, who have a bitter, heated kind of chemistry in their tense father and daughter-in-law dynamic.
There were a few moments that felt a little too cringe – "hijacking is so twentieth century" comes to mind – but they can be overlooked as the fast-paced plot is so engaging.
It's an interesting, though not overly deep, exploration of human nature and the choices we make when put under pressure.
Overall Nightsleeper is an absorbing watch that continues to build the tension with twist after twist in a 'whodunnit' fashion to keep the mystery chugging on throughout.
Nightsleeper will premiere on Sunday, September 15 at 6am on BBC iPlayer and 9pm on BBC One.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
