Entertainment
HBO’s Forgotten 5-Part Mystery Series Is a Grim, Gripping Watch for Crime Drama Fans
Years before the BBC struck gold with the near-perfect crime series Broadchurch, there was another realistic drama that cut deep into the characters’ emotions. In 2007, the BBC, in conjunction with HBO, released a harrowing five-part series that had all the makings of a crime classic. Five Days follows five non-consecutive days of a crime that baffles police.
Hugh Bonneville, David Oyelowo, Rory Kinnear, and Penelope Wilton are just a few of the performers in the drama who went on to have impressive careers. Despite its grounded performances and gripping drama, Five Days is not a story that endured in the pop culture zeitgeist. Nevertheless, the grim telling of a classic missing person’s story deserves a second look.
‘Fives’ Is An Emotionally Devastating Crime Series Unlike Any Other
Crime dramas may seem like a dime a dozen, but there is something about English mysteries that cuts to the bone. Five Days isn’t just a typical case of a missing mother but an exploration of some of the darkest emotional experiences. The heartwrenching narrative follows a loving mother, Leanne (Christine Tremarco), who disappears while out with her seven and five-year-old children, Ethan (Lee Massey) and Rosie (Tyler Anthony).
The opening sequence is particularly brutal as it shows the disappearance from the perspective of the children. The audience is thrown into the terrified minds of two kids who feel the fear of seeing their mother one minute and disappearing the next. Abandoned at the side of a highway, Rosie and Ethan take their dog and walk by themselves to civilization. The story gets even more grueling when they themselves are kidnapped in a seemingly unrelated occurrence.
Five Days doesn’t shy away from these difficult subjects in a series that marries storylines of the family affected, the press, and the detectives. Like any good crime drama, this story isn’t just about the mystery at play but how these events unravel the characters. Shows like Broadchurch and Five Days work because these crimes are always personal.
Episode by episode, tensions increase as the crime escalates from a missing person to a murder. The children are thankfully found relatively fine, but Leanne’s death raises the stakes and hypes up the questions that surround the influx of clues. Five Days uses its unique structure and captivating performances to bring home a story that, in any other hands, could have been derivative.
Crime stories often use the mystique of the cheating husband or family secrets to set up twists. Even with these elements in rotation, Five Days sets up red herrings that drive the narrative forward. The five episodes of the series are the perfect length to tell a story with twists and turns and leave audiences guessing until the final moments.
The critical success of the mystery was undeniable, leading to a spin-off series following Hugh Bonneville’s character, DSI Iain Barclay, in the show Hunter, which aired on BBC One. Bonneville may be most recognizable for his work in Downton Abbey, but his early performance in the crime drama should not be missed. Viewers can experience all five episodes streaming on HBO Max.
- Release Date
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2007 – 2010-00-00
- Network
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BBC One
- Directors
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Otto Bathurst, Toby Haynes, Simon Curtis, Peter Hoar
- Writers
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Gwyneth Hughes
Cast
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Chris Fountain
PC Paul Tait
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Edward Woodward
Vic Marsham
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