The Cuckoo - Key Art. Sian (JILL HALFPENNY)

Twisty thriller series filmed in Ireland rockets to the top of Netflix's TV charts

The gripping drama has shot to the top of Netflix most-watched charts after landing on the streaming site last weekend

17 Oct 2024, 12:34 by Ruairi Scott Byrne · Irish Mirror

A psychological thriller series which was filmed in Ireland has soared to the top of Netflix's most-watched charts after being added to the streaming platform just days ago.

The Cuckoo first aired on Channel back in April to little fanfare but the drama has found a new lease of life after landing on the streaming site on October 12.

The four-part series was created by British actor-writer-producer Barunka O'Shaughnessy, whose father hails from Ireland, and is described as an 'intense drama of secrets and deception'.

The gripping drama boasts a star-studded cast, including Jill Halfpenny (Waterloo Road), Lee Ingleby (Inspector George Gently), Claire Goose (Casualty) and Freya Hannan-Mills (Whitstable Pearl).

In the series, couple Jessica (played by Goose) and Nick (Ingleby) move into a beautiful home in the countryside with their daughter Alice (Hannan-Mills). When financial trouble hits, they take in a lodger, Sian, portrayed by Halfpenny. While the lodger helps them dodge money troubles, she soon starts brewing problems within the family. She starts flirting with Nick and planting seeds of discord within the family.

The Cuckoo is now streaming on Netflix

As the tale unfolds, Jessica and Nick discover the truth about Sian's past and set out to confront the lodger, leading to the family fighting for their lives.

The series is made up of four episodes, each with a runtime of one hour so viewers can binge the entire show in one sitting.

Irish Netflix subscribers might spot a few familiar locations as the series was shot in the scenic mountains and valleys of Co Wicklow.

Speaking about the location, Halfpenny said: “We were in a huge farmhouse for most of the shoot – it was so big, you only see a tiny bit of it on screen!

“It’s in County Wicklow, which is a gorgeous part of Ireland. If I’d filmed there in my 20s, I would have spent all my time exploring the area, but in my 40s, I spent my breaks trying to get in touch with my son’s school, or booking a dentist appointment – the boring logistics of life!”

The series was met with mixed reviews following its debut on Channel 5 back in April. Some viewers were frustrated by the drama, taking to social media to share their disappointment.

The Cuckoo follows the story of Sian, a lodger who is taken in by married couple Nick and Jessica

On X, formerly Twitter, one viewer voiced out: "There's 4 hrs I'll never get back, you'd think with such a great cast it would be good, utter s***." A second agreed and wrote: "What absolute life sapping drivel #TheCuckoo is. Jesus Wept."

However, others were full of praise for the drama highly, with one fan writing on social media: "Fingers crossed for a second series of #TheCuckoo, the first series was absolutely brilliant. And #JillHalfpenny's acting was absolutely amazing [...]"

And another said: "Just finished #TheCuckoo. Possibly the best drama I've seen on Channel 5 so far. Great Performance from Claire Goose and Jill Halfpenny, nice twist at the end [...]".

The Cuckoo is now streaming on Netflix

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