Netflix’s latest unearthed gem, a 2013 three-part thriller revived on September 25, 2025, with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, catapults David Tennant into a vortex of legal peril as Will Burton, a barrister whose “never lost a case” streak crumbles when his biggest win—acquitting a rape suspect—spawns a stalker’s deadly obsession, threatening his family in a “mind-messing” manhunt. Directed by David Richards and penned by Spooks’ Rupert Walters, the series stars Tennant, 54, as Burton, whose courtroom charisma morphs into dread, with Sophie Okonedo as his wife Alice and Toby Kebbell as the chilling client Markland. “It’s Line of Duty’s edge with Broadchurch’s darkness,” Tennant told Radio Times, his “masterclass in menace” gripping 2.5 million premiere viewers, outpacing The Jetty. Filmed in London’s fogged alleys, it’s a “sharper” revival fans call “unputdownable.”
Episode 1, “The Acquittal,” thrusts Burton into chaos: his silver-tongued defense frees Markland, but the client’s “gratitude” twists into a grotesque fixation, stalking Alice and their son with sinister “gifts.” Tennant’s Burton is a “tour de force,” his wit warping to terror as he unravels a web where legal wins breed lethal losses. Okonedo’s Alice is a “vixen of vulnerability,” her resolve cracking under Markland’s creep. Kebbell’s “villain virtuoso” is “more unsettling than The Fall’s Spector,” per The Guardian, his menace a masterstroke. Co-stars shine: Ashley Jensen as a skeptical colleague, Tony Gardner as a shady solicitor. Walters’ script—“Justice is a gamble”—and Richards’ neon-noir visuals, with a throbbing score, amplify the “haunting” stakes.
Why the frenzy? A rarity: the series’ 2013 obscurity (BBC One, 5 million viewers) now surges with Netflix’s revival, its “pacy” probe outgunning The Sinner. The Independent praises Okonedo’s “icily glamorous” grit; Evening Standard lauds the “authentic” atmosphere. Skeptics note “mired in darkness,” but the 1-in-2 twist-to-tension ratio hooks, BARB metrics soaring past Vigil. The “head-messing” horror? Markland’s stalking—voicemails, shadowed streets—mirrors real-life cases, Burton’s “never lost” bravado breaking under paternal panic. Tennant’s “Doctor Who” charm curdles into dread, Okonedo’s fear a foil to his fraying.
The ripple is seismic: #TennantThriller racks 2.8 million posts, fans gasping “Slept worse after!” vs. “Better than Broadchurch!” Celebs rally: Billie Piper’s “David’s devastating!” tweet, Jodie Whittaker’s “Can’t look away.” The “buried gem”? A Netflix nuke, its revival a reminder that victories can venomize. Burton’s battle? Brutal. Markland’s malice? Malignant. September 25 isn’t a drop—it’s a detonation. Binge it; the wins wound, the chases chill. Tennant’s torment is captivating, Okonedo’s ordeal overwhelming. The obsession? Overnight, inescapable.
