Fans of gripping and moving dramas are in for a real treat as the BBC prison drama, Waiting for the Out, is streaming for free on iPlayer and is currently one of the platform's most popular shows.
Adapted from Andy West's acclaimed memoir, The Life Inside, by award-winning writer Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Matilda The Musical), the six-part series follows an academic who starts teaching a beginner philosophy class at a British prison.
© CREDIT LINE:BBC Studios/Sister Pictures/Kerry SpicerThe series comes from the award-winning production company SISTER, which is behind TV hits such as Black Doves, This Is Going to Hurt and Chernobyl.
Boasting a flawless Rotten Tomatoes rating and glowing critical reception, this series is guaranteed to be a captivating watch. Read on to find out more.
What is Waiting for the Out about?
The series follows Dan, a philosopher who begins teaching philosophy to a class of men in prison. But through his work, Dan begins to reflect on his own past – growing up with a father, brother and uncle who all ended up behind bars.
© CREDIT LINE:BBC Studios/Sister Pictures/Kerry SpicerThe synopsis continues: "Dan's life has taken him down a different path and his time working in prison begins to make him worry, obsessively, that he belongs behind bars just like his father. As Dan's personal crisis deepens his actions begin to threaten both his own future and his family's."
What have viewers and critics said about the show?
The show has garnered significant acclaim from viewers, who have described it as "gripping" and "extraordinary" television.
One social media user praised the series for reviving their "faith in TV drama". They added: "Quietly devastating, powerful, thought-provoking, gently asking questions of us all. Writing, direction, performances are all brilliant and Josh Finan proves to be an incredible and subtle actor. Outstanding."
© BBC/Sister Pictures/Jessica SansomA second viewer hailed the show as a tear-jerking and "fascinatingly beautiful story".
Critics were equally impressed. In a five-star review, The Guardian lauded the drama as "moving, gripping and almost painfully vulnerable," while The Times also awarded it five stars, praising it as a "beautifully understated and profound" look at the realities of prison life.
Who stars in Waiting for the Out?
BAFTA nominee Josh Finan (The Responder, Baby Reindeer) leads the cast as Dan.
He's joined by Gerard Kearns (The Last Kingdom, The Smoke) as Dan's father, Stephen Wight (Screw, Bergerac) as Lee and Phil Daniels (House of the Dragon) as uncle Frank.
© CREDIT LINE:BBC Studios/Sister Pictures/Jessica SansomSamantha Spiro (Sex Education) also stars in the series as Dan's mother, alongside Sophia Brown (The Capture, Witcher: Blood Origin), Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (Rain Dogs), Neal Barry (Rain Dogs) and Jude Mack (Such Brave Girls).
Other cast members include Alex Ferns (Andor), Francis Lovehall (A Thousand Blows), Josef Altin (Top Boy), Steven Meo (House of the Dragon), Ric Renton (One Off), Tom Moutchi (Gladiator II), Nima Taleghani (Heartstopper), Sule Rimi (The Day of the Jackal) and Charlie Rix (Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power).
Waiting for the Out is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
