It can be incredibly hard to figure out what to watch on Netflix these days, however, it looks like a lot of people are currently binge-watching a series called The Cuckoo, and I wanted to figure out why. I was a bit surprised, personally, since I’d never heard of the show beforehand. That said, after binge-watching it, I can understand why people have become so obsessed with this creepy thriller on Netflix called The Cuckoo.
So, first off, let’s talk about what this series is all about. It stars Jill Halfpenny as Sian. She’s quite a mysterious individual. She moves in with a couple, Nick (played by Lee Ingleby) and Jessica (played by Claire Goose) and their 14-year-old daughter Alice (played by Freya Hannan-Mills). However, in this creepy and captivating thriller, Sian keeps on doing things that make Jessica wonder whether there’s something behind her actions. Could this woman be dangerous, and is she putting her family at risk by having her in her home?
Is The Cuckoo worth streaming on Netflix?
Credit: Channel 5
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This series was first shown on Channel 5 in the UK this year, and it’s now available to stream on Netflix worldwide, which has introduced this new series to a huge new audience. The Cuckoo is now quickly becoming one of the most-watched new TV shows of 2024 on the streaming platform. People cannot get enough of this dark and twisty thriller.
It’s a four-part series, technically making it a miniseries. If you’re familiar with British shows, you’ll already know that they only tend to make four episodes per season. The Cuckoo is no different. It also results in a very focused series. That’s something that I like about British TV shows. They don’t overstay their welcome and offer you all the drama that an eight- or ten-part series does.
One of the main questions I’m sure many of you will have is: is The Cuckoo worth watching? As far as I’m concerned, the answer has to be yes. If you like dark and twisty shows that will keep you guessing until the end, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this series. The fact that it’s also only four episodes long helps. It doesn’t take very long to binge-watch, and when I was done, I didn’t feel I had wasted time watching it. That’s not always the case with many shows I watch these days.
Who was behind The Cuckoo on Netflix?
Credit: Channel 5
The series was made by the same people who created the 2022 Channel 5 series, The Teacher, which also starred Lee Ingleby and Claire Goose. That show also captured the attention of many viewers in the UK.
However, it didn’t achieve the worldwide interest that their latest effort, The Cuckoo, has achieved. I would argue that the show’s availability to stream on Netflix is one of the main reasons why more people are talking about and watching it now.
What has the cast said about The Cuckoo?
Credit: Channel 5
What’s interesting is hearing what the people involved in the show have had to say about The Cuckoo and whether viewers will like it. Jill Halfpenny had to say on the series during a recent interview: “Viewers will know quite quickly what Sian wants, but I think the show then becomes about whether she manages to succeed — that’s the thrill of it.”
Viewers will know quite quickly what Sian wants, but I think the show then becomes about whether she manages to succeed — that’s the thrill of it.
She added: “Nick and Jessica have already made their worst move letting Sian into the house. The minute she’s inside, she can start messing with their minds. People will be shouting at the telly!”
Jill continued: “She sees they’re in a sticky situation, finds their Achilles heel and just twists the knife. She’s quite quick in winning around Jessica, but she definitely struggles with Nick.”
The actress concluded: “I thought it was important that not everybody was fully taken in by her — you’ve got to have a bit of a struggle, and it’s more interesting if Sian has to try harder. She’s on the back foot with Nick quite a lot of the time.”
Is The Cuckoo based on a true story?
Credit: Channel 5
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I have seen many people ask whether The Cuckoo is based on a true story. The short answer is no, it’s not. However, it is inspired by older thrillers that have been released in the past. I personally see a bit of Daphne du Maurier’s classic Gothic Rebecca in The Cuckoo. They’re both dark, twisty, and creepy.
During another interview, Jill Halfpenny revealed what made her sign on to the project in the first place. “Initially, the series was just an idea that was floating around, and I talked to Mike Benson at Clapperboard about it, along with the creator, Barunka O’Shaughnessy,” she said.
Jill added: “They said they wanted to make something with a bit of a nod to those old 1990s movies like Single White Female, which I thought was cool, and then we had this idea of a story about a woman who infiltrates a family.”
Why did Jill Halfpenny want to do the dark thriller?
Credit: Channel 5
She continued: “It was funny because in the initial chats, they were thinking that I would be playing Jessica, the person on the receiving end of this drama, but it was me who said, ‘Actually, can I play Sian? Can I be the person doing all this stuff, because that seems like more fun!'”
The actress then admitted: “I was attracted to playing somebody who was doing these things, rather than having them happening to her. It was really interesting being involved in conversations so early on in the project. The hard work was being done by other people, but it was great to knock around ideas and think about how the story would play out.”
She concluded the interview by saying: “I was very flattered that the production company wanted me to be involved in that way.”
You can stream all episodes of The Cuckoo on Netflix around the world right now.
