Carl Roberts 
Adapted from the book of the same name by Alice Hunter, The Serial Killer’s Wife is now streaming on Paramount+
Adapted and based on the book of the same name by Alice Hunter, The Serial Killer’s Wife is now playing on Paramount+ UK. The four-part series has been made under the Paramount Original UK Drama banner. It stars Annabel Scholey, Jack Farthing, Luke Treadaway. and Angela Griffin. Fans of the novel will be eager to see if the series can live up to their expectations. But is the drama a killer series to watch or should it have been killed off before it was made?
THE PREMISE
The Serial Killer’s Wife is set in a family home nestled in an idyllic English town, where Beth Fairchild has prepared a surprise birthday party for her husband Tom. With most of the village present, as Tom is the beloved local doctor, Beth’s world is turned upside down when the party is interrupted by the police and Tom is arrested for the murder of his former assistant.
Beth believes her husband has been wrongly accused but as cold cases re-open and more dead women are linked to Tom, Beth’s own past becomes headline news, leading her to seek help from Adam, her husband’s best friend. As Beth peels away the layers of her supposedly perfect life, she is forced to confront disturbing questions about herself and her marriage: has she ignored signs of her husband’s violence all along? And does she truly know the man she vowed to spend her life with? As she realises not everything in her supposedly idyllic life is as it seems.
THOUGHTS
Fans of the novel need not worry themselves. The series is a faithful adaptation that will have them, as well as the rest of the audience, rooted to their seats. The plot points, so prevalent in the book, are all here as they should be. Fans of the novel will know what I’m referring to. For those not familiar with the events they will see, it is a twisting and turning tale of marriage, infidelity, murder, and accusations. And is gripping from the very start.
Everywhere you turn, there is deceit, lies, shocking revelations, and a feeling of unease without end. Forget what you think you know, with every episode, something new and dramatic is revealed to the viewer. It will have you guessing at every turn. And it proves the old adage: no one is as innocent as they seem. Fans will know all the twists they will encounter along the way. It is edge-of-the-seat entertainment of the finest order for the rest of us.
THE CAST
The main cast plays their roles to perfection. Annabel Scholey as Beth Fairchild is wonderful. Her acting ability is brought to the fore here as the wife who thinks she has everything only to have her world torn apart. The sheer emotion she brings to her role has us eating out of her hand from the start. We feel for Beth as her seemingly perfect life is destroyed piece by piece. Is her husband really a cold-blooded killer? Has she been betrayed by him at every turn? What secrets will she discover on her quest to learn the truth? But does she also harbour some skeletons in her closet that have us changing our minds about her?
Jack Farthing as her husband, Tom Fairchild also gives a superb performance. We start by liking Tom as we meet him for the first time. He seems amiable, friendly, and debonair. But once he is arrested for murder, his true dark, devious nature comes out. From this point on, we are on decidedly shaky ground as we don’t know whether Tom is a killer or not. He comes across as manipulative, slimy, and someone we despise. But is he really a killer? Is he being blamed for something that he didn’t do, despite the evidence to the contrary? Or is he a murderer, hiding in plain sight while projecting an air of friendliness and civility?
LUKE TREADAWAY AND ANGELA GRIFFIN
Luke Treadaway as Adam Plummer gives us a typically polished performance. Adam recently lost his wife, something he is still grieving over. Now a single father, he also happens to be Tom’s best friend. Throughout the four episodes, Treadaway has us liking him and feeling for him at every turn. But are his good looks and charm deceiving? Is he really such a nice guy, one who is innocent and just a good friend to Beth? Or does he have his own agenda, and is a killer hiding in plain sight?
Angela Griffin as DI Aline Edgeworth also turns in a great performance. Edgeworth is investigating the murder of a young woman who is linked to Tom, making him the prime suspect in her death. Her single-mindedness to nail Tom for the killing seems to be clouding her judgment at times. She is frustrated at every turn by either a legal argument or the evidence and witness statements that destroy her theories. But is she concentrating on the wrong person? Is she so determined to jail Tom for the murder that she is ignoring the evidence and possibilities right under her nose?
VERDICT
The series is perfect entertainment for over the Christmas period and beyond. The twists and turns that come at us thick and fast un-nerve us as we desperately want to find out the truth. The resolution to all the unanswered questions will eventually present itself but before that, we are in for a rollercoaster of emotions. With Tom’s arrest, Beth’s friends begin to turn their backs on her. What once were people Beth could rely on, become turncoats, people who want to see Beth and Tom taken down a peg. They also know more about certain things than they let on. It has us on the edge of our seats as the mystery deepens.
With a screenplay by Suzanne Cowie and Ben Morris, sublime direction from Laura Way, and some beautiful shots of Kent thrown in, the series looks and feels wonderful. Fans of the novel will have a blast with what they will see on screen. With incredible and emotion-filled acting from the cast, no more so than Annabel Scholey, the series is one to watch late at night until the early hours of the morning. Grab yourself a large drink, sit back, have plenty of snacks to hand and allow the series to draw you in. It would be a crime to miss it.
The Serial Killer’s Wife is now available to stream in full on Paramount+ UK.
Trailer Source: Paramount Plus UK
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
