TV fans haven't been short of gripping crime dramas over the last few months – and it looks like another unmissable watch is heading to our screens very soon.
5's upcoming one-off drama, The Trial, explores a chillingly plausible near-future where parents are held legally responsible for their children's crimes. Intrigued? Keep reading for all you need to know.
© 5 Broadcasting Limited / Adorable MediaWhat is The Trial about?
Set in Britain in 2035, the single drama follows Dione and David Sinclair, a couple who are thrust into a harrowing legal battle after their teenage daughter, Teah, commits a grave crime. Under a radical new law, Milligan's Law, the parents are held criminally responsible for the actions of their children – and Dione and David could face life behind bars if found guilty.
The synopsis continues: "The Sinclairs are brought to a repurposed magistrates' court, which is now a tribunal exclusively used to prosecute guardians as accessories to juvenile crimes. There, they come face to face with Judicial Inquisitor Sarah Willis, a relentless enforcer of the law who is determined to uncover every flaw in their parenting. No detail of their past is off-limits.
"With no legal counsel, no jury, and no margin for error, Dione and David must defend their integrity before a single, unwavering authority. As the trial unfolds, the line between justice and persecution blurs."
It concludes: "If found guilty, the consequences are devastating: a life sentence for crimes they didn’t commit but may still be deemed responsible for."
© 5 Broadcasting Limited / Adorable Media CopyrightWho stars in The Trial?
Claire Skinner (Outnumbered, Coma) and Ben Miles (Andor, The Capture) lead the cast as Dione and David Sinclair, while Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls, The Doll Factory) plays their relentless interrogator, Sarah Willis.
Rounding out the main cast are Jaz Hutchins (Canary Black, The Return) as Lieutenant Simons, and India Fowler (The Agency, Insomnia) in the role of troubled teenage daughter, Teah Sinclair.
© 5 Broadcasting Limited / Adorable MediaThe Trial release date
The Trial airs on Thursday, 8 May at 9pm on 5.
© UNAI MATEO / Clapperboard Studios / Channel 5More 5 dramas to look forward to
5 has some exciting new series in the works, including the upcoming cat-and-mouse thriller, The Game, which stars Robson Green and Jason Watkins. The four-parter follows retired detective Huw Miller, who is still haunted by a serial killer he never brought to justice. But when a new neighbour, Patrick, moves in, Huw is convinced he's finally caught his man.
Viewers can also look forward to 5's upcoming period drama, The Forsytes, which is based on John Galsworthy's hugely popular novel series, The Forsyte Saga. Find out more.
