Unforgotten fans may have missed Nicola Walker in A Mother's Son, a "brilliant" and "heartwrenching" crime drama now streaming on Netflix. The ITV series, which first aired in 2012, follows a close-knit community left in shock after a teenage girl goes missing and is later found brutally stabbed to death.
Walker, best known for playing DCI Cassie Stewart in ITV's Unforgotten, takes on the role of DS Sue Upton, the detective tasked with investigating the murder. She is also recognised for her performances in BBC legal drama The Split, spy series Spooks, and crime drama Annika, where she plays another detective.
A Mother's Moral Dilemma
As DS Upton hunts for the killer, mum Rosie, played by Hermione Norris, faces a devastating choice. Her teenage son begins acting suspiciously and lying about his whereabouts on the evening of the killing. When Rosie uncovers a pair of blood-soaked trainers he has concealed, she must decide whether to hand him over to the police or protect him at any cost.
The cast includes Cold Feet star Hermione Norris as Rosie, Doc Martin favourite Martin Clunes as her husband Ben, and Call the Midwife's Annabelle Apsion as a concerned member of the community. A Mother's Son was created by Chris Lang, the same writer behind Unforgotten.
Viewer Reactions and Comparisons
Viewers have taken to IMDb to praise the drama. One wrote: "There is excellent directing and first rate performances both from the lead actors and the young actors who play the family...we would absolutely recommend this!"
A second added: "Great to have a sparse, lean and pacy drama that only runs for two hours. No padding, no stupid red herrings, no plot lines full of holes. Excellent characters and acting." Another called it "Heartwrenching show. Well played. Hard to know how it would play in real life. Really, really, hard, and heartwrenching."
Some compared it to the award-winning ITV drama Broadchurch. One fan said: "At first I wondered if it was trying to be another Broadchurch as it's set in a seaside town and it's got some big name British actors featured but it was more straightforward and less convoluted." Another agreed: "I'm not sure if anyone else did, but I got a Broadchurch vibe, particularly in the early stages: the small gripe I had was the involvement of the Police, they were there one minute.."
A Mother's Son is available to watch on Netflix.
