A decade ago, Suranne Jones and Jodie Comer’s hit thriller Doctor Foster landed on the BBC and with it, captured the nation.
The five-episode first season wowed fans, scoring an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, and easily securing itself as one of the most compelling thrillers of the past decade.
Not an easy feat when there’s a new one on the horizon every other week.
And it’s hardly surprising when you factor in the sheer talent fronting the show with the phenomenal Suranne (dominating the thriller genre with hits like Vigil) and effortlessly charismatic Jodie Comer, years before she became a household name with Killing Eve.
For those who need a recap, Doctor Foster follows a trusted local GP Gemma Foster, portrayed by the Gentleman Jack star, whose life is blown apart when she discovers her husband Simon (Bertie Carvel) has been having an affair with local Kate.
Whip-smart and fuelled by revenge, our titular character begins untangling the web of her marriage – and with it is driven to extreme action.
The show, created by Mark Bartlett, clearly had widespread appeal, drawing in 10 million viewers at the time. Not only that, but its popularity sustained into the second season, which aired in 2017.
Critics had nothing but praise at the time, with The Guardian calling it a ‘brilliant and gripping portrait of a marriage’.
The Times called Suranne ‘one of the most emotionally uninhibited actresses in television’ while The Independent quipped most people ‘probably lost a bit of sleep after watching this.’
Metro TV reporter shares why Doctor Foster still shines 10 years on
Doctor Foster reeled me in hook, line and sinker when it first came out in September 2015.
There is something completely enthralling and electric about the dynamic between Gemma and Kate, evocatively brought to life by two of Britain’s greatest screenstars (Suranne even won a Bafta for her performance!)
Those who love shows that build a delicious tension with an utterly compelling narrative, this is the one for you. It was fascinating delving into Gemma’s mind, and beyond satisfying to see her enact revenge on the man who took their marriage for granted.
In a TV industry littered with British thrillers, some better than others, I believe Doctor Foster joins the ilk of genre-defining shows alongside the likes of Broadchurch and Happy Valley.
The perfect rewatch (especially if you haven’t watched it in a while and may have forgtten the finer details, which the show thrives on) or if you have yet to get around to it, do yourself a favour and give it a binge.
Viewers echoed similar sentiments.
‘Over-the-top and intense, it’s a great show to lose yourself in,’ Google reviewer Leslie wrote.
‘Dr. Foster unfolds into a fascinating, unpredictable woman. She’s positively wild!’ Carlye Samatas echoed.
‘The first season [was] a binge-worthy program, full of surprises and not at all predictable. You get hooked on the cause and really feel for the characters,’ M H agreed.
The show launched a spin-off in 2020 called Life about ‘loneliness in big cities’ starring Victoria Hamilton.
At the time, Mike confirmed there would not be a third run of the original show.
Thrillers to watch after Doctor Foster
Metro readers shared their own suggestions for the best of the best when it came to TV thrillers.
Untamed: The thriller saw the long-awaited return of ‘underrated’ Hollywood star Eric Bana to the world of TV, playing a National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) special agent called Kyle Parker, who becomes involved in an investigation into a woman’s mysterious death.
Hostage: If you want to see more Suranne Jones in action, fear not. Her latest performance in Hostage saw her play a Prime Minister forced to grapple with the horror of her husband being kidnapped.
Mindhunter: Lauded as one of the best psychological crime thrillers on TV. The series follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), who conduct research into the minds of serial killers.
All three shows are available to stream on Netflix.
You can read the full article, with even more suggestions, here.
‘We’re definitely done and we’re all doing — certainly they are doing — amazing things.
‘Each of the two series feel like two different novels to me, so it’s not like there’s anything incomplete.
‘It would only come back if we had the right story to tell in the right way — and I don’t have a burning desire to find that story,’ he told The Sun.
Meanwhile, discussing the show with Marie Claire, Suranne shared exactly why she thought it had made a mark.
‘Maybe it’s the fear of knowing that could actually happen to you in real life. It’s not a thriller, it’s not a murder, it’s something that feels more tangible.
‘A lot of people have experienced a relationship betrayal, even if it was when they were 16 and with their first love.
‘It could also be the fear that your beautiful, happy marriage could break down at any point when someone else comes along and taps into things that people can’t control.’
Doctor Foster is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
