ITV has produced dozens of high-quality crime dramas over recent years, and one that totally flew under the radar back in 2023 was Redemption.
The six-part series, which is available in its entirety on ITVX, followed Colette Cunningham (Paula Malcomson) as she headed to Dublin to identify the body of her daughter, Stacey (Rachel O'Byrne). While there, she meets her grandchildren for the first time, and joins the local police force.
Although Stacey's death is initially written off as a suicide, Colette starts to come to the opinion that her daughter was murdered, and she will stop at nothing to get to the truth.
A synopsis for the first episode reads: "Liverpool-based DI Colette Cunningham uproots to Dublin when she learns that her estranged daughter, Stacey, has taken her own life. Once there, Colette meets her two teenage grandchildren for the first time. Despite having never known of their existence she's their named guardian.
"Determined to do right by her daughter in her death, Colette joins the local Dublin Police and cares for the kids. However, not everything about Stacey’s life is what it seems, Colette sets out to uncover the truth."
Fans who have loved Blue Lights over the years will find plenty to love with Redemption, owing to its gritty storyline and moral dilemmas. Read on to find out more…
What did fans make of Redemption?
Plenty of fans loved the Northern Irish crime drama, with one saying: "An excellent show with a good plot, great characters and outstanding acting. The show had a few good twists and turns. I would love to see a second season to allow some of the character relationships to develop further."
A second enthused: "This was a really enjoyable series. The police procedure was dodgy, had me yelling at the tv, but other than that minor issue, really well created characters, great story and a good ending (always important to get the payoff after 6 hours of time invested!)," while a third posted: "Amazing little series. Really hope we get another. The acting is brilliant, and it's great to see a story written around a woman in her fifties. The casting is inspired, everyone.is 100% believable, and the whole thing is surprisingly moving. I loved this show."
© ITVDespite calls for a second season, sadly the show was only a limited one-time series.
The praise also extended for critics, although some of the response was mixed. In the Evening Standard, Kate Rice said: "Redemption offers all the tropes of crime drama we know and love: a tortured soul with a dark backstory, trying to get to the bottom of something she knows should be left alone. While it is by no means revolutionary, it's a worthwhile contribution to the much loved genre."
Who stars in Redemption?
The series is led by Paula Malcomson (The Hunger Games) as Colette, with her teenage grandchildren, Cara and Liam, being played by Abby Fitz (The Woman in the Wall) and Evan O'Connor (Bodkin), respectively.
© ITVOther main cast members include Scott Graham (Vikings), Thaddea Graham (Sex Education), Ian Lloyd Anderson (Game of Thrones), Keith McErlean (Flyboys), Moe Dunford (Patrick's Day) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls).
Rounding out the cast are Patrick Martins (Baltimore), Sean Hughes (Haunted Harmony Mysteries), Jade Jordan (Blackshore), Sean Duggan (House of Guinness) and Rachel O'Byrne (Mammal).
