{"id":43419,"date":"2024-01-10T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T09:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1954987"},"modified":"2024-01-10T10:25:44","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T09:25:44","slug":"after-the-flood-review-thoroughly-entertaining-watch-with-strong-mission-statement","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/after-the-flood-review-thoroughly-entertaining-watch-with-strong-mission-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"After the Flood review: Thoroughly entertaining watch with strong mission statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ITV drama boasts a compelling premise and a cast of British screen favourites. <\/p>

By Abby Robinson\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 10 January 2024 at 09:00 AM<\/p>

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<\/div> 4.0 out of 5 star rating<\/span> <\/span> <\/div> <\/div>

There will be people who tune into After the Flood<\/a>, a new ITV drama about a Yorkshire community dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic deluge, as their own homes have been hit by Storm Henk<\/a>. For many of those impacted by the UK\u2019s recent bad weather, it isn\u2019t their first rodeo, and the same can also be said for the characters in this particular town, where everyone knows everyone\u2019s business. But that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t secrets swirling beneath the surface.<\/p>\n

Writer Mick Ford, who has worked on a string of Harlan Coben adaptations for Netflix<\/a> \u2013 there\u2019s shades of that here \u2013 and is also known for his role in Scum alongside Ray Winstone, has delivered a compelling mystery thriller which revolves around the discovery of a dead body in the lift of an underground carpark. Initially, it\u2019s believed the man died after becoming trapped due to the flood water, but it wouldn\u2019t make for particularly compelling viewing if that was the case and across the episodes, it becomes clear that his death is linked to a moment of reckoning for the town as a whole, courtesy of a brilliantly engineered plot by Ford.<\/p>\n

You might need Jenny from Gogglebox\u2019s notepad to keep abreast of what\u2019s happening as the tangled web weaves ever tighter, with some of the more exposition-filled scenes a little clunky, but it won\u2019t detract from your enjoyment.<\/p>\n

Leading the charge to uncover the identity of the mystery man and what happened to him is Jo (Peaky Blinders and Gentleman Jack star Sophie Rundle), a heavily pregnant police officer who has her sights sets on becoming a detective, like her late father and her husband Pat (The Hunt for Raoul Moat\u2019s Matt Stokoe, who is also Rundle\u2019s real-life husband).<\/p>\n

Pat repeatedly urges her to slow down, concerned for both her health and their baby\u2019s, but many female viewers will likely read him as irritating, bordering on controlling. There\u2019s also rumblings of him not wanting Jo to muscle in on his territory as a detective, possibly because he\u2019s worried she\u2019ll outshine him \u2013 she certainly has the capacity to. It\u2019s a riveting dynamic and another feather in After the Flood\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n

\"Jo\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Jo and Pat in After the Flood.<\/span><\/figcaption> QUAYSTREET PRODUCTIONS FOR ITV\/ITVX<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

But before we reach the murder investigation, the series opens with a thrilling sequence in which we\u2019re first introduced to our lead. A baby is being swept down river at a ferocious pace after its banks burst and if action isn\u2019t taken immediately, the outcome will be fatal.<\/p>\n

The stakes are consistently high throughout After the Flood, although Ford never misses a moment to inject some comedy into proceedings when appropriate \u2013 Faye McKeever does a lot with a fairly limited role \u2013 which is highly enjoyable and crucial for releasing the pressure valve.<\/p>\n

Ford also isn\u2019t afraid to include some grisly moments, but it never tips into territory that\u2019s nauseating or alienating. This is a show that firmly understands what its audience wants.<\/p>