It is part of Netflix's anthology series Criminal. The first series consisted of three episodes, the same as three other series with unrelated stories set in three countries and filmed in local languages: Criminal: France, Criminal: Spain, and Criminal: Germany.[2][3]
The show is set within the confines of a police interrogation room (and its viewing quarters) where a specialised interrogative unit of the Metropolitan Police engage in intense games of psychological cat-and-mouse with their suspects to find the answers that they need to close the case.
Cast
Main cast
Katherine Kelly – Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Hobbs, the head of the special interrogative unit.
Lee Ingleby – Detective Inspector Tony Myerscough, Natalie's second-in-command and often the voice of reason, who nurses a secret crush on Natalie.
Rochenda Sandall – Detective Constable Vanessa Warren, an unambitious member of the team who prefers supporting background roles, as opposed to leading interviews.
Shubham Saraf – Detective Constable Kyle Petit, the junior-most member of the unit, ostensibly hired for a secret training programme.
Nicholas Pinnock – Detective Inspector Paul Ottager (series 1), a former member of the unit (and brief sexual partner of Natalie) who has now returned with a new rank.
Aymen Hamdouchi – Detective Sergeant Jamie Reiss (series 2), a new member of the unit, hired to replace Paul after his offscreen departure at the end of series 1.
Guest cast
David Tennant – Edgar Fallon, a doctor, accused of rape and murder (episode: "Edgar")
Kit Harington – Alex, a real estate sales manager, accused of rape (episode: "Alex")
Hayley Atwell – Stacey Doyle, an aggressive petty criminal, accused of murder (episode: "Stacey")
Kunal Nayyar – Sandeep Singh, a convicted killer, accused of an additional murder (episode: "Sandeep")
Sophie Okonedo – Julia Bryce, the long-suffering wife of a convicted murderer (episode: "Julia")
Sharon Horgan – Danielle Dunne, the head of a vigilante group targeting online pedophiles (episode: "Danielle")
Youssef Kerkour – Jamal "Jay" Muthassin, a truck driver accused of aiding human smuggling (episode: "Jay")
As time runs out, interrogators turn up the heat on a stone-faced doctor suspected of sexually assaulting and slaying his teenage stepdaughter.
2
2
"Stacey"
Jim Field Smith
George Kay
20 September 2019 (2019-09-20)
With a shadowy colleague looking on, the team starts poking holes in the evolving story of a combative suspect accused of poisoning her sister's partner.
3
3
"Jay"
Jim Field Smith
George Kay
20 September 2019 (2019-09-20)
The team badgers a stubborn truck driver to locate an abandoned trailer full of immigrants, but a new interrogator's poor decision jeopardizes it all.
Called in one by one on a Sunday, the team risks a legal entanglement when a routine interview with a convicted killer's wife takes a provocative turn.
5
2
"Alex"
Jim Field Smith
George Kay
16 September 2020 (2020-09-16)
With scarce evidence to guide them, the investigators question an arrogant businessman accused of rape by a woman who works for him.
6
3
"Danielle"
Jim Field Smith
George Kay
16 September 2020 (2020-09-16)
Asking increasingly pointed questions, the team tries to crack a zealous defence put forth by the head of an online group that unmasks sexual predators.
7
4
"Sandeep"
Jim Field Smith
George Kay
16 September 2020 (2020-09-16)
Confronted with a shrewd convicted killer wanting to cut a deal, the investigators gamble on calling in a disgraced former colleague to help.
Release
Criminal: UK was released on 20 September 2019 on Netflix streaming.[2] The second series was released on 16 September 2020.[1]
Reception
For series 1, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes compiled 39 reviews, identified 85% of them as positive, and found an average rating of 7.32/10. The website's critics consensus states, "Though a bit uneven, Criminal's claustrophobic stylings and constantly twisting narratives pair nicely with its visual experiments, creating a crime drama that's equal parts creepy and captivating".[7]
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