The Cuckoo Series Premiere, 8 April 2024, Channel 5

The Cuckoo, a gripping four-part domestic drama, makes its series premiere on Channel 5 on Monday, April 8, introducing viewers to a family’s descent into extreme jeopardy amid their hopeful relocation to the countryside. The intense story stars Jill Halfpenny, Lee Ingleby, and Claire Goose, exploring themes of financial struggles, family dynamics, and dark secrets.

In the first episode, we meet Jessica (Goose), Nick (Ingleby), and their daughter, Alice (Freya Hannan-Mills), a family seeking a fresh start away from financial woes and interpersonal conflicts. They decide to take in a lodger, Sian (Halfpenny), an artist who quickly befriends Jessica and Alice, but raises Nick’s suspicion.

Jessica, hoping to alleviate their financial strain, interviews potential lodgers at their farmhouse, which is undergoing renovation. Alice, who has a strained relationship with her mother, is reluctant to the idea. However, when Sian arrives, she not only offers to pay the deposit but also covers the family’s unpaid bills, easing their financial burden.

As Sian integrates into the family, she forms a close bond with Alice, encouraging her artistic talents. Meanwhile, Nick becomes increasingly suspicious of Sian, questioning her motives and even insinuating that she may be attracting his sexual interest. He discovers that one of her references is her aunt, Fay Calder (Marjorie Yates), further heightening his doubts.

The episode lays the foundation for a tense narrative, with hints of dark secrets and a looming sense of impending disaster. Nick’s own actions, including a desperate phone call for a loan and his access to a hidden safe containing valuable jewelry, suggest a layer of complexity to his character.

The Cuckoo captures the complexities of family dynamics, the weight of financial struggles, and the potential consequences of inviting a stranger into one’s home. As the story unfolds, viewers will be drawn into a race against time as Jessica and Nick fight to protect their family from an uncertain future.

The Cuckoo airs on Channel 5 at 9:00 PM on Monday, April 8, 2024, kicking off a four-night event.