The best Channel 5 dramas: A must-watch list

Best Channel 5 dramas

by Arabella Horspool |
Published on

Channel 5 dramas have made impressive strides in recent years with their original programmes and brand-new dramas, offering gripping narratives, strong character development, and compelling performances.

With a focus on creating homegrown British television that resonates with audiences, Channel 5’s dramas cover an array of genres, from crime thrillers and psychological mysteries, to historical pieces and heart-wrenching family dramas. Here's a look at some of the best Channel 5 dramas that should be on your watchlist.

New Channel 5 dramas

Here's a list of the best upcoming and new dramas on Channel 5 to get your eyes on:

Ellis

DCI Ellis (Sharon D. Clarke) ©Channel 5

Doctor Who, Holby City and Mr Loverman actress and three-time Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke plays the tenacious DCI Ellis, who takes over the investigation into the death of an 18-year-old. Her findings lead her to discover that the town's parents know very little about what their children are getting up to.

Cast:
Sharon D. Clarke as DCI Ellis
Andrew Gower as DS Chet Harper
Beau Gadsdon as Amy
Alison Harding as ACC Leighton
Daire Scully as Rowan Edwards

Genre: Detective drama

Watch Ellis on Channel 5 and My5 from the 4th of November 2024.

The Hardacres

The Hardacres cast ©Channel 5

Period drama The Hardacres was first broadcast in Autumn 2024. Set in Yorkshire in the 1890s, this family saga follows a working-class family as they move up the ranks of society and go from rags-to-riches.

Cast:
Claire Cooper as Mary Hardacre
Liam MacMahon as Sam Hardacre
Julie Graham as Ma Hardacre
Adam Little as Joe Hardacre
Zac Ford-Williams as Harry Hardacre
Shannon Lavelle as Liza Hardacre
Holly Sturton as Adella Fitzherbert
Cathy Belton as Ella Fitzherbert
Taheen Modak as Saunders
Ingrid Craigie as Mrs. Dryden
Sarah Agha as Betsy

Genre: Period drama

Watch The Hardacres on My5 now.

The Teacher (series 2)

Tim (Emmett J. Scanlan), Dani (Kara Tointon) and Jimmy (Will Mellor) ©Steffan Hill

After Sheridan Smith's performance in series 1, viewers were anticipating series 2 of The Teacher. This second series focuses on an illicit love affair between two secondary school teachers, Dani and Jimmy. Their affair lands them in deep water as the pair sneak off on a school trip for a spontaneous moment of passion just as one of the children goes missing.

Cast:

Kara Tointon as Dani
Will Mellor as Jimmy
Emmett J. Scanlan as Tim
Joni Morris as Sienna
Forrest Bothwell as Matt
Cal O'Driscoll as Zac
Ebby O'Toole-Acheampong as Chloe
Lila Coleman as Bel
Melanie Kilburn as Sophie Clarke
Gwynne McElveen as DI Calgetti
Niamh McCann as Nina
John Nayagam as Mr Caulfield

Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Crime Fiction

Watch The Teacher on My5 now.

The Wives

©Channel 5

In The Wives, a family is seemingly enjoying their time together on holiday when one of them is said to have fallen to their demise on a clifftop in Malta, although her body was never recovered. Lies come to light as three of the women work together (and sometimes against each other) to uncover the truth.

Cast:

 Angela Griffin as Natasha
 Jo Joyner as Beth
 Tamzin Outhwaite as Sylvie
 Christine Bottomley as Annabelle
 Jamie Bamber as Charlie
 Katie Clarkson-Hill as Jade
 Ben Willbond as Frankie Morgan, Beth's husband
 Jonathan Forbes as Sean Morgan, Natasha's husband
 Louis Boyer as Luca Vella, a local businessman
 Ajay Chhabra as Vinay Taneja, consulate official
Catorina Chandler as Sky

Genre: Mystery / Drama

Watch The Wives on My5 now.

The Night Caller

©Channel 5

Lonely cab driver Tony works in Liverpool and used to be a teacher. Fed up with his life and circumstances, he gets a twisted world-view and develops a dangerous obsession with a late-night radio host, Lawrence.

Cast:
Robert Glenister as Tony
Sean Pertwee as Lawrence
Suzanne Packer as Rosa
Stephan Walters as Rob
Anthony Brophy as Stephen
James Keating as Joe Hall
Gráinne Keenan as DS Marshall
Anthony Brophy as Stephen
Stephan Walters as Rob
Sophie Mensah as Meena Xing

Genre: Drama / Thriller / Crime Fiction

Watch The Night Caller on My5 now.

The best Channel 5 dramas

Now that you've seen the new shows, here are some of the all-time best Channel 5 dramas that are perfect for a binge-watch:

All Creatures Great and Small

©Channel 5

Set in the stunning Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, this is one of Channel 5's most popular, heart-warming dramas that brings to life the beloved stories of veterinary surgeon James Herriot. Originally based on Herriot’s real-life experiences and written by Alf Wight, the show captures the charms and challenges of rural veterinary life. Not only does it deliver moments of humour and warmth, but it also addresses deeper themes such as love, friendship, and the impact of industrialisation on rural communities.

Cast:
• Nicolas Ralph as James Herriot
Rachel Shenton as Helen Anderson
Anna Madeley as Mrs Hall
Callum Woodhouse as Tristan Famon
Cleo Sylvestre as Anne Chapman
Diana Rigg as Mrs Pumphrey
Imogen Clawson as Jenny Alderson
Matthew Lewis as Hugh Hulton

Genre: Family Drama / Period Drama

Watch All Creatures Great and Small on My5 now.

The Cuckoo

Sian (Jill Halfpenny) ©Channel 5

Married couple Jessica and Nick have recently moved to the countryside with their teenage daughter Alice and are hunting for a lodger when the enigmatic Sian turns up on their doorstep. Wedging herself between everyone, their lives as they know it are slowly torn apart.

Cast:
Jill Halfpenny as Sian
Lee Ingleby as Nick
Claire Goose as Jessica
Freya Hannan-Mills as Alice
Marjorie Yates as Aunt Fay
Emily Healy as Roisín

Genre: Thriller

Watch The Cuckoo on My5 now.

Cold Call

©Channel 5

This four-part drama reunites Mount Pleasant stars Sally Lindsay and Daniel Ryan. It follows June, an older woman who falls victim to a scam, losing her savings in the process. Driven to seek justice and uncover the people behind the scam, June embarks on a journey of revenge and self-discovery. Cold Call stands out for its focus on relatable, everyday issues and how people are affected by financial scams.

Cast:
Sally Lindsay as June Clarke
Daniel Ryan as Des Grigsby
Taj Atwal as Hana Clarke
Samantha Power as Laura Wiley
Elizabeth Counsell as Elisabeth Wiley
Katie Redford as Lizzie Wiley
Paul Higgins as Kirk Wiley
Dan Renton Skinner as Aubrey
Rayna Campbell as Ally
Melanie Kilburn as Sophie Clarke
Geofrey McGivern as Simon Zima
Chris Hannon as Chris
Graeme Hawley as Joe

Genre: Crime Drama / Thriller

Watch Cold Call on My5 now.

Dalgliesh

©Channel 5

Doctor Foster star Bertie Carvel plays detective Adam Dalgliesh in this adaptation from Based on P.D. James’s famous detective novels.

Cast:

Bertie Carvel as Adam Dalgliesh
Carlyss Peer as DS Kate Miskin
Jeremy Irvine as Charles Masterson
Alistair Brammer as DS Daniel Tarrant

Genre: Crime / Detective Fiction / Mystery

Watch Dalgliesh on My5 now.

The Drowning

This four-part miniseries follows Jodie, a grieving mother who believes she has found her missing son after nine years. When she encounters a boy who resembles her son, Jodie becomes convinced he is her child and begins an obsessive pursuit that leads her into dangerous territory. The plot thickens with twists and turns that leave audiences questioning Jodie's motives and mental stability.

©Channel 5

Cast:
Jill Halfpenny as Jodie Walsh
Jonas Armstrong as Jason Walsh
Cody Molko as Daniel Tanner
Rupert Penry-Jones as Mark Tanner
Deborah Findlay as Lynn Walsh
• Jade Anouka as Yasmin
Dara Devaney as Ben Gilmore
Babs Olusanmokun as Ade
Deirdre Mullins as Kate Gilmore

Genre: Drama

Watch The Drowning on My5 now.

Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.

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