The Stranger (British TV series)

The Stranger

Company type	Miniseries
Industry	Television
Founded	January 30, 2020 (2020-01-30)
Headquarters	Manchester, Stockport, Bolton, Bury , United Kingdom
Products	Mystery thriller television series

The Stranger is a British mystery thriller miniseries consisting of eight episodes, chiefly penned by Danny Brocklehurst, adapted from Harlan Coben’s 2015 novel bearing the same title. The show debuted on Netflix on 30 January 2020 and features performances by Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, and Hannah John-Kamen. Production was carried out in locations including Manchester, Stockport, Bolton, and Bury.

Premise

The plot centers on a young woman in her twenties, known only as the Stranger, who approaches Adam Price with a secret that sets off the disappearance of his wife. As events progress, it becomes clear that the Stranger is entwined with numerous hidden truths and criminal activities.

Main

• Richard Armitage portrays Adam Price, whose life spirals after the Stranger reveals that his wife Corinne fabricated her pregnancy. Corinne’s vanishing propels Adam into deeper involvement with the Stranger and the ensuing mysteries.
• Siobhán Finneran plays Detective Sergeant Johanna Griffin, initially tasked with investigating an unusual case involving a beheaded alpaca. Her inquiry expands to cover Corinne’s disappearance and the murder of Heidi Doyle, connecting these incidents to the Stranger.
• Jennifer Saunders appears as Heidi Doyle, a cake shop proprietor who becomes a victim of blackmail by the Stranger concerning her daughter’s secret. Her fatal encounter with Patrick Katz heightens the stakes of the investigation.
• Shaun Dooley is Doug Tripp, a close friend of Adam’s involved in local youth football and linked to Corinne’s activities.
• Paul Kaye acts as Patrick Katz, a police officer who pursues the Stranger and resorts to murder to hide his complicity.
• Dervla Kirwan plays Corinne Price, Adam’s wife whose false pregnancy revelation triggers her disappearance, becoming central to the storyline.
• Kadiff Kirwan portrays Detective Constable Wesley Ross, assisting Johanna Griffin in critical cases including the alpaca incident.
• Jacob Dudman is Thomas Price, the elder son of Adam and Corinne, who conceals secrets involving friends Daisy Hoy and Mike Tripp amid police investigation.
• Ella-Rae Smith plays Daisy Hoy, Thomas’s classmate and romantic interest involved in covering up matters related to her sister.
• Brandon Fellows appears as Mike Tripp, Thomas’s friend implicated in a drug-related event under police scrutiny.
• Misha Handley portrays Ryan Price, the younger son of Adam and Corinne, emotionally impacted by his mother’s disappearance while supporting family efforts to find her.
• Anthony Head acts as Edgar Price, Adam’s estranged father and property developer with complicated personal and business relationships.
• Hannah John-Kamen features as The Stranger, a young woman who exposes others’ secrets for financial profit. Her actions drive much of the series’ suspense as Adam and Johanna attempt to reveal her objectives.
• Stephen Rea plays Martin Killane, a retired police officer whom Adam represents in a legal dispute against a property developer.

Recurring

• Lily Loveless as Ingrid Prisby
• Kai Alexander as Dante Gunnarsson
• Callie Cooke as Kimberley Doyle
• Jade Harrison as Vicky Hoy
• Clinton Blake as Bob Baime
• Robert Ewens as Max Bonner
• Humera Syed as Olivia Katz
• Kim Vithana as Leila Katz
• Guy Oliver-Watts as Ian Doyle
• Don Gilet as Phillip Griffin
• Jemma Powell as Becca Tripp
• Chike Chan as Jason Yeong
• Sam Redford as Erik Gunnarsson
• India Brown portrays Ella Hoy, Daisy's younger sister; Daisy seeks vengeance after inappropriate photos of Ella are sent from her phone, suspected to be by Thomas's friend Mike.
• Matthew Douglas as Larry Powers
• Aretha Ayeh as Suzanne Hope
• Joey Ansah as Stuart Hope
• Tamica Greenaway as DC Marisa Desford
• Ace Bhatti as Parth Kuhalam
• Yinka Awoni as Peter Ince

Guest Cast

• Camilla Arfwedson portraying Sally Prentice
• Ritu Arya in the role of Michaela
• Pasha Bocarie as Dan Molino

Production

Netflix revealed in January 2019 that it was developing a miniseries inspired by Harlan Coben's 2015 novel, with Danny Brocklehurst handling the adaptation and Richard Armitage cast in the lead role. By March, the ensemble grew to feature Siobhan Finneran, Hannah John-Kamen, Jennifer Saunders, Anthony Head, and Stephen Rea.

Filming

Principal photography commenced in Manchester during March 2019, with further scenes filmed in Bury and Bolton throughout April, followed by additional shooting in Stockport in June.

Reception

The miniseries achieved an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 23 critics, praised for its compelling cast and gripping suspense, though it was noted that it did not entirely capture the addictive quality of the original novel. Metacritic assigned a score of 62 out of 100 based on five reviews, reflecting generally positive feedback.