The Midwich Cuckoos
The Midwich Cuckoos
Now Showing

The Midwich Cuckoos

6.6
Yr 2022
Rt 49m
Status Ended
Drama Sci-Fi & Fantasy Mystery
Your Verdict

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

A small fictional village in England is completely subdued by an alien presence for an entire day. Upon waking, it is discovered that numerous women in the town are pregnant.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 70 /100

The 2022 adaptation of John Wyndham's classic sci-fi novel received generally positive, though occasionally mixed, reviews from critics. Many reviewers found it to be a solid and unsettling reimagining that effectively brings the story into a modern context. Critics noted that while the show expands the setting's population compared to the original book, it successfully retains the claustrophobia of small-town life and grounds the otherworldly premise in genuine human drama.

“a solid, creepy and unnerving reimagining”

“after a mid-series slump, the show blossoms into a captivating conspiracy thriller with an enjoyably explosive finale”

“strives for genuine human drama within its otherworldly premise”

“Given the times we live in, it’s a hugely wasted opportunity”

Why fans love it

The Midwich Cuckoos approaches the infiltration trope with a deliberate focus on the domestic terror of loss of agency. By grounding the arrival of an alien life-form within the constrained geometry of a quiet English village, the series prioritizes the slow erosion of community trust over standard spectacle.

Keeley Hawes anchors the tension as the town grapples with the quiet implementation of mind control. The drama thrives on the unease of telepathy and the unnatural synchronization of the offspring, turning the concept of a growing family into a profound mystery. It treats its sci-fi premise as an intimate, unsettling study of manipulation.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 66
Regulars 10
Longest run 7 eps
Keeley Hawes
Keeley Hawes
as Susannah Zellaby
Max Beesley
Max Beesley
as Paul Haynes
Aisling Loftus
Aisling Loftus
as Zoe Moran
Ukweli Roach
Ukweli Roach
as Sam Clyde
Lara Rossi
Lara Rossi
as Jodie Blake
Synnøve Karlsen
Synnøve Karlsen
as Cassie Stone
Samuel West
Samuel West
as Bernard Westcott
Dexter Sol Ansell
Dexter Sol Ansell
as David Saunders
5 episodes
Show 58 more
Marshall Hawkes as Connor Colter 2 episodes Kimia Lamour as Olive Randall 2 episodes Georgia Thorne as Hannah Moran 2 episodes Indica Watson as Evie Stone 2 episodes Darcie Smith as Charlotte McLean 2 episodes Jade Harrison as Deborah Haynes 3 episodes Natalia Harris as Lily-Grace Phillips 3 episodes Aditi Pothuganti as Sunny Chohhan (Young) 3 episodes Evan Scott as Connor Colter (Young) 2 episodes Jude Muir as Joe Saunders 2 episodes Hannah Tointon as Rachel Saunders 7 episodes Laura Doddington as DS Mayes 4 episodes Anneika Rose as Amrita Chohhan 3 episodes Marianne Oldham as Jane Colter 6 episodes Cherrelle Skeete as Bryony Cummings 7 episodes Lewis Reeves as Curtis Saunders 6 episodes Adiel Magaji as Nathan Blake 2 episodes India Ria Amarteifio as Nora Randall 7 episodes Amy Cudden as Sarah McLean 7 episodes Rebekah Staton as Mary-Ann Phillips 6 episodes Mark Dexter as Stewart McLean 6 episodes Jiyan Kaur Deol as Sunny Chohhan 2 episodes John Hollingworth as Michael 1 episode Nasreen Hussain as Nurse Kate 1 episode Bohdan Poraj as Seymour 1 episode Kit Rakusen as George 1 episode George Potts as Barnaby 1 episode Alec Nicholls as Mitchell Fenner 1 episode Deeivya Meir as Reporter 1 episode Sienna Schneider as Horse Riding Girl 1 episode Nadia Shash as Traffic Police Officer 1 episode Daisy Ashford as Mum of Riding Girl 1 episode Carol Walton as Female Official 1 episode Alex Brockdorff as Lancaster 1 episode Crispin Letts as Dr Colin McAfferty 1 episode Christian Roe as Helicopter Pilot 1 episode Ram Gupta as Police Officer 1 episode Yasmine Holness-Dove as Doctor 1 episode Eve Webster as Nurse Freya 1 episode Amelie Bea Smith as Charlotte McLean 1 episode Wela Mbusi as Mo 1 episode Erin Ainsworth as Lily-Grace Phillips 2 episodes Caroline Ginty as Carol 3 episodes Scarlett Leigh as Hannah Moran 2 episodes Matthew Fraser-Holland as Steve 2 episodes Emily Stott as Hotel Receptionist 1 episode Tommy Sim'aan as NPAS Team Leader 2 episodes Thoren Ferguson as Jamie Travis 1 episode Abigail Davies as Geraldine 1 episode Billie Gadsdon as Evie Stone 3 episodes Kaylen Luke as Ezra 3 episodes Jude Ible-Thompson as Nathan Blake 3 episodes Jimmy Bone as Joe Saunders 3 episodes Kimara-Mai Petit as Olive Randall 2 episodes Melissa Lowe as Ward 300 Nurse 1 episode Georgia Burnell as Paramedic 1 episode Etta Edwards as Ellie 2 episodes Lauryn Redding as Mallory 1 episode
Production Board

Crew

Writer
Laura Lomas David Farr
Executive Producer
Rick Senat David Farr Marc Samuelson Robert Cheek Ruth Kenley-Letts
Director
Börkur Sigthorsson
Post Production Supervisor
Bea Arnold Jules Jackson
Makeup & Hair
Amy Stewart Hanane Dauki Alanna Sadler Nicola Springall Gemma Low Florence May Carter
Associate Producer
Sara Curran
Head of Production
Jess Cameron-Lewis
Creator
David Farr
Art Direction
Boadicea Shouls
Line Producer
Dianne Beatty
Casting Director
Jill Trevellick
Producer
Eliza Mellor Pat Karam
Production Manager
Anna Jancsó
Makeup Trainee
Rebecca Wheeler
Floor Runner
Chantelle Kirton
Novel
John Wyndham
Costume Design
Loulou Bontemps
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Chris Lyons
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Midwich Cuckoos overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book telepathy alien life-form mind control mind reading infiltration alien contact
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
June 02, 2022
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
49 minutes
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
88