8.860 minSeason 1 • Episode 6
LatestThe fractured events of Stevie's murder start to swim into focus for River.
Respected police officer John River, a gifted cop with a troubled mind, struggles to come to terms with the recent loss of a colleague, and chases a suspect across London - with tragic consequences. Now at odds with the authorities, River ends up in a precarious position as he seeks to bring closure to the mother of murdered teenager, who blames him for failing to keep his promise.
Acting
Skarsgård's thousand-yard stare should be studied.
Writing
Abi Morgan turns procedural into poetry.
Direction
Manifests as characters, not gimmicks — devastating.
Creator
Abi Morgan
Stellan Skarsgård
John River
Nicola Walker
Jackie 'Stevie' Stevenson
Adeel Akhtar
Ira King
Lesley Manville
Chrissie Read
Owen Teale
Marcus McDonald
Georgina Rich
Rosa Fallows
Eddie Marsan
Thomas Cream
Turlough Convery
Frankie Stevenson
Sorcha Cusack
Bridie Stevenson
Steve Nicolson
Jimmy Stevenson
Michael Maloney
Tom Read
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Stellan Skarsgård insisted on minimal makeup to show River's physical deterioration from insomnia.
The 'manifests' concept was inspired by real cases of trauma-induced hallucinations in frontline workers — Morgan interviewed Metropolitan Police officers for research.
GB
