Line of Duty fans who are chomping at the bit in anticipation of the show's return should absolutely pass the time by tuning into Martin Compston's wickedly delicious, dark comedy thriller The Revenge Club.
Sweet revenge soon turns bitter when six scorned exes' plan to get back at their former partners goes too far.
Compston plays Callum, one of six betrayed strangers who attend a divorce support group in hopes of dealing with their emotional baggage.
There, along with the others, he finds catharsis in an unexpected way. That is until the group's aspiration to seek retribution grows bolder and more daring and their fun spins dangerously out of control.
Compston's Callum is worlds away from Line of Duty's buttoned-up, rigid Steve, which is incredibly appealing to watch. The shift from stickler to rageful ex twisted by bitterness and regret is evident with every profanity and angry tantrum.
The actor revels in the raw-nerve role as Callum bulldozes through every feeling and disrupts order, all to mask his fear and frustration. It makes the moments of softness he shows all the more poignant.
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Still, he isn't the only draw of the six-part Paramount+ series.
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It's rare to have a show with such perfect casting, but the main group are flawless in what they bring to the table, starting with Meera Syal's Rita, who is intriguingly layered.
Her composed nature gives way to subtle little outbursts that portray what the expression in the eyes can't hide. She is moments away from snapping, all she needs is permission – which this group of wounded people is about to give her.
Sharon Rooney, on the other hand, brings a bubbly, effervescent personality to her character Rachel, but her bright light is nothing more than a shield, blinding others from a dark truth she wishes to cover up.
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It's Slow Horses' Aimée-Ffion Edwards as Emily who really grabs your attention. Her betrayal is so severe that it has crashed through the foundations of her world, which makes her instability empathetic.
So much so that you not only forgive the group's misdemeanours in their fevered attempt to right those wrongs, but you champion them, and that is where the show's triumph lies.
The Revenge Club successfully makes you rationalise the group's crazy actions and relate to them despite some characters' bristly nature – and most especially when you meet their exes.
They vary in levels of vindictiveness, from callousness and apathy to intentional cruelty, and in that Niamh Walsh, Eoin Duffy and Payal Mistry do an exceedingly good job.
Though a minor part, it would be criminal to overlook Amit Shah, who plays divorce counsellor Malcolm. Shah works in the detail of the bleak, sometimes volatile, darkness of the group and uses it to bring comic relief to the role.
The Revenge Club takes dark humour and pushes it into thriller territory, building intrigue along the way.
The first three episodes have set the pace for an epic finale with grave consequences (it wouldn't be surprising if even Malcom became enveloped in the madness – he looks the type to crack).
The series constantly encourages you to explore your own moral compass even as the characters hurtle towards more disaster, as it asks the question: "Is revenge ever worth it?" And: "When is enough enough?"
This collection of broken souls will no doubt have found the answer to those questions by the time the series wraps, but will it bring healing or more damage? Now that is a good question.
All episodes of The Revenge Club are available to stream on exclusively on Paramount+ today.
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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.
