Culprits
"They did a bad thing."
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Overview
Family man Joe Petrus is living the American dream with his fiancé and step-kids. However, unbeknownst to them, Joe was involved in a mysterious crime three years ago and now his dangerous past is about to catch up with him. When a killer starts targeting the crew behind the crime, Joe realizes it's only a matter of time before his family is targeted. He returns to London to track down his old gang and find out who is coming after them.
What critics are saying
Culprits received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its slick style, energetic pacing, and entertaining spin on the traditional heist caper. Many reviewers enjoyed creator J Blakeson's structure, which kicks off post-heist and plays with timelines to keep the suspense high. Lead actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and supporting cast members like Gemma Arterton earned frequent praise for their engaging performances, helping elevate the series beyond standard genre conventions.
Positive assessments highlighted the show's dark humor, tense action sequences, and high-end production values. Critics described it as an entertaining and stylish binge, with several outlets noting that despite sticking to familiar caper tropes, the show delivers enough twists, heart, and suspenseful storytelling to keep viewers hooked.
However, the consensus was somewhat tempered by complaints about the narrative's conclusion and script quality. Critics from outlets like Radio Times and The Hollywood Reporter argued that the final episodes lost steam and failed to deliver a satisfying payoff. Others took issue with melodramatic moments and dialogue that felt underdeveloped when compared to classic crime influences.
“absolutely gripping TV, very much a spiritual TV successor to Sexy Beast”
“it is highly stylised and whips along at a pace; it looks great and the cast is fantastic”
“a morbidly fascinating series that keeps viewers hooked with its suspenseful storytelling and unreliable narrator”
“engaging TV that knows how to please”
Where to Watch
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Culprits maps the slow collapse of a quiet suburban life after a heist settles into an inescapable reality. The series tracks Joe Petrus as he trades a domestic routine for a hunt across London to identify a killer systematically eliminating his former partners. Unlike narratives that focus strictly on the mechanics of a robbery, the tension here rests entirely on the aftermath and the fraying nerves of those who thought they had successfully outrun their own criminal history.
The narrative utilizes sharp shifts between the present stakes and the murky history of the initial operation. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett anchors the story, portraying a man caught between the safety of his current family and the inevitable reach of his past acquaintances. The cast acts as a collective of survivors rather than allies, creating a paranoid atmosphere where friends and enemies are increasingly difficult to distinguish as the group faces a targeted threat.
Cast
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Crew
Similarity
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Keywords
Details
- First Aired
- November 08, 2023
- Status
- Ended
- Origin
- GB
- TMDB Votes
- 63