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The Capture (TV series)

The Capture is a British conspiracy thriller television series created and written by Ben Chanan and produced by Heyday Television as part of Universal International Studios for the BBC. The series is centred on DI Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger), a fast-track Metropolitan Police detective drawn into a vast conspiracy involving real-time deepfake technology, mass surveillance and manipulated video evidence.

The narrative focuses on the dangers of a "post-truth" society, examining themes of political interference, state-sanctioned disinformation, and the ethical implications of covert intelligence operations. A central plot point is the practice of "Correction", a fictional programme used by intelligence agencies to edit live video feeds in real-time to create false "admissible" evidence and control public narratives.

The series premiered on BBC One on 3 September 2019, and has received positive reviews from critics throughout its run, who have praised its tense narrative and its exploration of surveillance and digital manipulation. A second series premiered on 28 August 2022, and a third series premiered on 8 March 2026.

Premise

Series 1

Former soldier Shaun Emery (Callum Turner) is released from prison after his conviction for a war crime in Afghanistan is overturned due to flawed video evidence. However, his return to civilian life is short-lived when CCTV footage implicates him in the assault and kidnapping of his barrister, Hannah Roberts (Laura Haddock). As Emery attempts to clear his name, DI Rachel Carey investigates and soon begins to uncover a wider conspiracy, calling into question the validity of the surveillance footage.

Series 2

Six months later, DCI Rachel Carey is now working in SO15, having seemingly joined the intelligence operation she once sought to expose. When rising politician and Security Minister Isaac Turner MP (Pappa Essiedu) is targeted through an advanced, real-time deepfake hack during a live television interview, Carey is drawn into a conspiracy involving "invisible" assassins and the manipulation of news feeds. Faced with technology that has evolved far beyond CCTV tampering, she must uncover the source of the interference while also challenging the boundary between digital fabrication and truth.

Series 3

One year after exposing the 'Correction' programme, Rachel Carey is now the Acting Commander of Counter Terrorism Command, preparing to launch Operation Veritas, a radical camera system designed to detect digital manipulation in real-time. When a brutal and well-coordinated terrorist attack strikes central London, Carey becomes the sole witness to a crime that her own technology cannot verify. Navigating a landscape of political interference and media manipulation, she must confront a conspiracy that is embedded within the security services, forcing her to question her senses and the costs of pursuing a truth that no one is willing to believe.

Cast and characters

Main cast

  • Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey, an ambitious detective driven by a strong moral compass and a search for the truth. When her idealism is tested by a vast conspiracy, she is forced to navigate a compromised system as her constant commitment to accountability places her at odds with the very institutions she serves.
  • Lia Williams as DSU Gemma Garland, an inscrutable and glacial senior intelligence official working within SO15. She is a pragmatic operative who prioritises national security over legal transparency, often utilising morally ambiguous methods to protect sensitive government interests.
  • Ron Perlman as Frank Napier, a powerful CIA Section Chief operating at the intersection of American and British intelligence. He often uses ruthless, clandestine tactics to protect American geopolitical interests and ensure the continued viability of covert state operations.
  • Ben Miles as Commander Danny Hart, Head of SO15 and Rachel Carey's mentor and former lover. He maintains a complex, manipulative bond with Carey, balancing his protective instincts against an internal ethical conflict between his personal conscience and loyalty to the state.
  • Ginny Holder as DS / DI Nadia Latif, a tenacious and grounded detective known for her persistence and strict adherence to police process. Working closely with Rachel Carey, she provides a principled contrast to the moral ambiguity of high-level intelligence operations.
  • Cavan Clerkin as DS Patrick Flynn (series 1–2), a seasoned detective and loyal ally to Rachel Carey. Despite early reservations regarding her fast-tracked career, he becomes a dependable partner who provides vital support and a grounded perspective during complex investigations.
  • Nigel Lindsay as DSI Tom Kendricks, an experienced senior SO15 official who oversees high-stakes security operations. He serves as a pragmatic bridge between field investigations and command, ensuring operational stability while navigating the intense pressures of investigations.
  • Daisy Waterstone as Abigail Carey, Rachel's younger half-sister who is her only personal connection outside of work.
  • Indira Varma as Khadija Khan (series 2–), a high-profile, sharp, and fierce BBC News presenter and investigative journalist. She is known for her uncompromising approach to official narratives, and becomes a powerful, public-facing challenger to the state’s control over information.
  • Tessa Wong as DC Chloe Tan (series 2–), a diligent and observant fast-track detective on the fast-track scheme who works alongside Rachel Carey. She provides key investigative support, navigating complex digital evidence and shifting leads with a focus on technical accuracy and procedural detail.

Series 1

  • Callum Turner as Shaun Emery, a former British Army Lance Corporal who is released from prison after a successful appeal against a war crime conviction. A determined and protective father, he soon finds himself at the centre of a new criminal investigation after incriminating CCTV footage appears to show him assaulting his barrister.
  • Laura Haddock as Hannah Roberts, a brilliant and principled human-rights barrister who successfully represents Shaun Emery during his appeal. Her sudden disappearance following the trial, and her apparent assault caught on CCTV, triggers a major police investigation.
  • Barry Ward as Charlie Hall, a solicitor and close colleague of Hannah Roberts who works to secure Shaun Emery's initial release. He is a member of the "Pilgrims of Justice," an activist group dedicated to exposing flaws in the surveillance state.
  • Sophia Brown as Karen Merville, Shaun’s former partner and the mother of his young daughter. She is wary of his release and remains deeply concerned for their daughter’s well-being as the legal and media scrutiny surrounding him intensifies.
  • Ralph Ineson as DCI Alec Boyd, an experienced detective who oversees the investigation into Hannah Roberts’ disappearance and manages the procedural pressures of a high-profile investigation.
  • Alexander Forsyth as Eli Jacobi, a CIA analyst working under Frank Napier in a covert London-based unit. A skilled digital expert, he becomes a key figure in the investigation when he appears to act as a whistleblower regarding the use of manipulated surveillance footage.
  • Alan Williams as Eddie Emery, Shaun’s grandfather who provides him with a place to stay and emotional stability following his release. He remains a steadfast believer in his grandson's innocence as the criminal investigation and media attention intensify.
  • Paul Ritter as Marcus Levy, an enthusiastic video engineer and surveillance expert who provides the technical evidence required to secure Shaun's initial release. He later assists Rachel Carey by theorising how CCTV footage could be manipulated through "delayed" transitions.
  • Famke Janssen as Jessica Mallory, a high-ranking official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Frank Napier's superior. She arrives in London to oversee American interests in the "Correction" programme and ensure the integrity of the operation remains intact.
  • Sharon Rooney as Becky, a local authority CCTV footage monitor who first spots the apparent assault of Hannah Roberts while on duty. Her report to the emergency services triggers the police's involvement and the subsequent manhunt for Shaun Emery.

Series 2

  • Charlie Murphy as Simone Turner, the wife of Isaac Turner who faces increasing strain as a result of the inflammatory public statements attributed to her husband. She struggles to protect her family’s privacy while navigating the resulting tensions and distrust within her marriage.
  • Natalie Dew as Aliza Clarke, a dedicated Special Adviser who manages the Minister's public profile and policy development. She attempts to navigate the chaotic media fallout from the controversial public statements attributed to Turner.
  • Harry Michell as Rhys Edwards, a Special Adviser who manages the Minister's strategic communications. A pragmatic and cynical tactician, he attempts to navigate the shifting public perception resulting from Isaac's controversial statements.
  • Andy Nyman as Sir Rowan Gill, the Home Secretary and Isaac's superior at the Home Office. A seasoned politician, he is one of the few officials with high-level knowledge of the "Correction" programme.
  • Joseph Arkley as Gregory Knox, the calculating and ambitious CEO of Truro Analytics, a powerful American data analytics firm that specialises in using advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence to influence public opinion.
  • Rob Yang as Yan Wanglei, the UK Head of the Chinese artificial intelligence company XANDA, who leads the firm's bid for a government contract to implement facial recognition technology at British borders.
  • Joshua Jo as Edison Yao, a computer scientist and Chinese dissident who acts as a key witness for the China Research Committee. His assassination serves as the catalyst for the investigation into a new form of digital manipulation.
  • Angus Wright as Anthony Reed, OBE, the BBC’s Security Correspondent who serves as a high-level contact for the intelligence services. He is called to manage sensitive information and coordinate the media's response to emerging national security crises.

Series 3

Episodes

Series 1 (2019)

Series 2 (2022)

Series 3 (2026)

Music

All tracks are composed by Ian Arber and Dave Rowntree.

Series 1 Original Soundtrack

Series 2 Original Soundtrack

Production

Production filmed interior scenes at Canterbury Prison, Kent, England doubling as HMP Gladstone, London for episode one. Lead character Shaun Emery (Callum Turner) is released from prison wearing a soldier's uniform. He later is rearrested and returns to the prison. Other interior scenes were filmed at the Printworks venue in Rotherhithe, and The Shard.

Release

The series premiered on BBC One on 3 September 2019, and on Peacock in the US on 15 July 2020.

The second series premiered on BBC One on 28 August 2022, and on Peacock in the US on 3 November 2022.

The third series is set to premiere on BBC One on 8 March 2026, with the Peacock premiere in the US yet to be announced.

Reception

Critical response

Series 1

The first series was reviewed positively by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 92% with an average rating of 8.1/10, based on reviews from 39 critics. The site's critical consensus said, "Gripping to the very end, The Capture<nowiki/>'s well-built tension culminates in a riveting revitalization of a tired genre". On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, it received a score of 72 out of 100 based on 20 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The Telegraph awarded the episode four stars, labelling the series as "riveting", and The Independent also awarded it four stars, designating it an "intriguing, but rather flawed, sort of Big Brother thriller set in our contemporary world of digital snooping". In his review in The Times, James Jackson referred to the drama as a "neatly structured thriller... clearly out to interrogate surveillance culture", also awarding four stars. The Guardian was less enthusiastic, concluding it to be a "twisty if lacklustre drama", giving the opening episode only three stars out of five.

Reviews improved over the course of the series, and the finale was highly praised by critics, with many drawing positive comparisons with the BBC's similar series Bodyguard which was broadcast around the same time the previous year. The Telegraph described it as a "highly satisfying series finale", whilst The Times critic James Jackson referred to the series as 'the thinking man's' Bodyguard:

Sarah Hughes echoed these sentiments in her review of the finale in The Guardian, commenting that "if there were any justice, everyone would be talking about The Capture right now". She heralded the show as "nuanced and complex" and "one of the most cleverly plotted dramas of recent years", and the final episode as "a refreshingly grownup hour of television".

Series 2

The second series was also reviewed positively by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the second series received an approval rating of 100% with an average rating of 7.8/10, based on 12 critics. The site's critical consensus said, "Deftly melding contemporary concerns with outlandish internal logic, The Capture<nowiki/>'s sophomore season is brainy camp that will detain your attention." On Metacritic, it received an average score of 70 out of 100, based on four critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The Telegraph awarded it four stars, labelling the series as "slick and well-written", and The Independent awarded it three stars, writing that "At its best, The Capture feels like the closest thing Britain has to Homeland". In her review in The Times, Carol Midgely awarded it five stars, writing that even though the finale was "implausible, elaborate, daft and had more twists than a cheap garden hose...It was also fabulously entertaining". The Guardian awarded it three stars, writing that "Despite the manifold sillinesses, the opening scene in James Kent’s directed episode of Ben Chanan’s drama is done effectively".

Viewership

The Capture was the most requested new show in 2019 on BBC iPlayer, with more than 20 million requests for series 1. It was also the eighth most requested series overall in 2019.

Accolades

For his performance in the first series, Callum Turner received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.

References

External links