Pros: actors who came to the series from famous projects; detective line; shooting quality; adaptation of the story to England Cons: the series has controversial plot twists; ending for an amateur “The Stranger” / The Stranger
Genre thriller, detective
Creator Danny Brocklehurst
Cast: Richard Armitage (Adam), Siobhan Finneran (Joanna), Jennifer Saunders (Heidi), Sean Dooley (Doug), Paul Kaye (Patrick), Hannah John-Kamen (Stranger), Dervla Kirwan (Corril), Stephen Rea (Martin) ), Anthony Head (Edgar), etc.
Netflix channel
Year of release 2020
Episode 8
Site IMDb
The series takes place in an unnamed English town. The father of the family, Adam, stayed behind to look after his sons while his wife was on a work trip. One day a stranger starts a conversation with him, who claims that she knows his wife’s big secret. Adam tries to ignore her words, but from that moment on, the revealed truth begins to destroy his life. At the same time, police detectives begin investigating strange incidents: a headless animal was found in the city center, and a teenager was found dying in the forest, having not returned home after a school party.
It’s likely that The Stranger will be a popular choice for detective fans – the series does have all the trappings of a complicated story, as well as a number of events that need to be properly explained. In addition, investigator Joanna, played by actress Siobhan Finneran (known for the TV series Happy Valley and Downton Abbey), is gradually approaching all the central characters, trying to find out what they are hiding. In this she is helped by a moderately ironic partner, who at first dilutes the atmosphere with brief remarks.
Otherwise, the events of the series become more serious and confusing with each episode, gradually gathering clouds over the residents of the area. But here you still can’t help but laugh – as is usually the case, residents of one locality are involved in a big case. Well, just like the “Purely English Murders” (aka Midsomer murders), only with different investigators.
In general, the script for “The Stranger” is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Harlan Coben. In the writer’s novel, the plot takes place in America, but the showrunners of the series decided to adapt the story to England, adding a certain aesthetic to it. It was this idea that received a suitable embodiment – if only because views of Manchester and Stockport flash in the frame, and the heroes constantly return to a beautiful and prosperous suburb.
The creators of the series also made sure that it attracted attention with familiar faces. “The Stranger” really brought together actors whom we have all already seen somewhere.
So, the troubled husband Adam, left alone with a dark family secret, is played by Richard Armitage – in the film trilogy “The Hobbit” he reincarnated as Thorin Oakenshield. The stranger who boldly intrudes into someone else’s life was played by Hannah John-Kamen. She previously appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp and Ready Player One, as well as the Game of Thrones series. Another actor came from there – Paul Kaye, who was previously recognized by his image of Thoros. In the new Netflix series, Kay became a police officer. And, finally, you can recognize the artist Anthony Head, who became famous thanks to the series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”.
In addition to the cast, the series “The Stranger” lures with intrigue, scattered across several storylines with different generations, including a group of teenagers. With each episode, more and more clues appear, but they only tease and achieve one result – to arouse the viewer’s curiosity, forcing him to turn on another episode. There is a suspicion that not everyone will like the ending of The Stranger, but you will still want to get to the final episode.
“The Stranger” really can’t be called the most elegant detective story. However, if you think about it this way, the series is perfect for days when you need to sit at home – episode after episode flies by unnoticed, which in its own way can be considered a plus. Also, viewing is facilitated by the good quality of filming and, what’s more, a collection of familiar actors.
Conclusion:
“The Stranger” is a detective story that will help you pass the evening. Yes, most likely, the idea of the series can evoke different emotions, but the viewing itself is quite captivating.
