The BBC’s best thriller has never been stronger – it’s being let down
The BBC’s best thriller has never been stronger – it’s being let down
Recently, I’ve found myself fielding frequent questions about what I’m currently watching. For the past three weeks, my answer has been The Capture – a show I’ve spilled over with excitement for, assuming my friends would share the same fervor. Yet, it seems their enthusiasm has remained muted.
When The Capture debuted in 2019, it gradually gained traction, eventually drawing over five million viewers – an impressive figure for a new series of suspense.
It also propelled Callum Turner, the rising star often touted as the next James Bond, into the spotlight. His performance earned a BAFTA nomination, solidifying the show’s place in the UK’s television landscape.
Despite its quality, The Capture has not fully captured the public imagination. With the same promotional buzz given to series like Line of Duty or the recent return of The Night Manager, it could have become a water-cooler hit, sparking discussions across cultures and industries.
But instead, it remains overlooked, maintaining a dedicated but dwindling audience. This is striking, especially as its premise has become eerily relevant in today’s digital age.
Starring Holliday Grainger as the relentless detective Rachel Carey, the series explores a chilling concept: a world where technology can alter CCTV and digital evidence so convincingly that truth is no longer a certainty. Seven years ago, this idea seemed far-fetched, dismissed by some as implausible. Today, however, deepfakes and manipulated videos are commonplace, making the show’s narrative feel unsettlingly prescient.
When it felt like The Capture had exhausted its story potential, its second season took the concept further, introducing falsified live broadcasts that shape public opinion and influence elections. Now, in its third season, airing Sundays on BBC One, the series is at its peak, delivering a gripping experience that has never been more compelling.
The first episode of this latest season featured a shocking twist: a man Carey witnessed shooting a victim later became her co-worker. This twist left me disoriented, a feeling I haven’t had since the early days of modern thrillers.
Yet, the show’s overnight ratings have fallen short. The debut episode attracted just 1.84 million viewers, a number that, while growing through iPlayer streams, still lags behind the 16 million average for Line of Duty’s final series in 2021.
It’s not the show’s writing, acting, or ambition that’s losing traction – it’s the way it’s being promoted. Each new episode is quietly released on iPlayer before the main broadcast at 9pm on Sundays, a strategy that feels out of sync with the drama’s impact.
Had it followed a Netflix-style rollout, the audience would have had a chance to engage with its twists and themes collectively. But the BBC’s approach has kept it from becoming a cultural talking point, even as its relevance grows.
Last night’s episode marked a milestone for long-time fans. Still, the online reaction has been minimal, with few dissecting the jaw-dropping climax. This is surprising, given the show’s ability to mirror real-world anxieties about technology and truth.
Meanwhile, the BBC launched another acclaimed series earlier this year, Lord of the Flies by Jack Thorne, which was a triumph. However, like The Capture, its episodes premiered on iPlayer early, allowing little time for the narrative to resonate beyond the initial viewing.
More than ever, The Capture deserves to dominate conversations. It should be dissected on morning shows, debated in Parliament, and shine at award ceremonies. But instead, it’s fading into the background, waiting to be cut as ratings continue to decline.
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