Looking for your next gripping TV binge? Netflix has got you covered. The true-crime drama, The Widower, which first aired on ITV in 2014, is climbing the streaming platform’s Top Ten TV chart.
The three-part series tells the true story of murderer Malcolm Webster, a nurse who was convicted of killing his first wife and attempting to murder his second for financial gain.
© ITVReece Shearsmith stars in The Widower
It’s no wonder the show has found renewed success on Netflix. The series is co-written by Jeff Pope, who knows what he’s doing when it comes to gripping true crime dramas, having previously written the BAFTA-winning 2006 drama See No Evil: The Moors Murders, based on the crimes of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady. Plus, the cast is led by BAFTA-winning actress Sheridan Smith, who plays Webster’s first wife Claire, and the brilliant Reece Shearsmith, best known for his work on Inside No.9 and The League of Gentlemen.
Fans of Inside No.9 will know that Reece has a talent for portraying sinister characters, having played a number of them in the BBC’s dark anthology series, and his acclaimed portrayal of killer Malcolm Webster is what will keep you glued to the screen throughout all three episodes.
WATCH: Have you seen Inside No.9?
What is The Widower about?
The series tells the true story of convicted murderer Malcolm Webster, a nurse who poisoned and killed his first wife and then attempted to do the same to his second.
ITV’s logline reads: “True crime drama based on the crimes of convicted murderer Malcolm Webster. The manipulative criminal woos a succession of women under false pretences.”
Webster murdered his first wife, Claire Morris, in a car fire, and tried to kill his second, Felicity Drumm, in another crash in New Zealand.
© ITVReece plays Malcolm Webster, a nurse who was convicted of killing his first wife and attempting to murder his secon
He was jailed for life for the crimes in May 2011, which were committed as part of a scheme to claim almost one million in life assurance money.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Bannatyne said Webster had committed “cold-blooded, brutal and callous” crimes for financial gain.
Who else stars in the series?
Sheridan and Reece are joined by Fiona O’Carroll (Mrs. Brown’s Boys) as Lucy, Kate Fleetwood (The Wheel of Time) as Felicity Drumm, Archie Panjabi (Shetland) as Simone Banerjee and John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral) as DI Charlie Henry.
Other cast members include James Laurenson as Brian Drumm, Juliet Alderice as Margaret Drumm and Fereday Holmes as Jane Drumm.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockSheridan Smith also stars
What have viewers and critics said about the show?
The series has been hailed as “brilliant” and “creepy” by viewers who left reviews on the online movie and TV database, IMDb. One person penned: “Excellent acting, Kate Fleetwood and Archie Panjabi are particularly good, but Shearsmith is outstanding, this is the best of him as far as I can see, he is so good. Well worth watching. 9/10,” while another added: “This really does grip you with how well it is written, the sinister nature to the story, and the dark sequences of plotting, it is indeed a brilliant drama. Very good!”
Meanwhile, critics were full of praise for Reece’s performance, including The Times, which described the actor’s turn as killer Malcom as “twitch-perfect”. Meanwhile, The Independent also praised Reece’s performance and said the true crime drama “conforms to all the best conventions of the genre, including the comforting certainty that the villain will eventually get his comeuppance”.
How to watch The Widower
All episodes of The Widower are available to stream on Netflix now. The drama is also available on ITVX.
