Hollington Drive is a four part ITV television drama series that began broadcasting on 29 September 2021. Created and written by Sophie Petzal, the series follows two sisters and their families as they grapple with the potential crime of their children.[1][2]

Hollington Drive
GenreThriller
Created bySophie Petzal
Written bySophie Petzal
Directed byCarolina Giammetta
Starring
ComposerSarah Warne
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Sophie Petzal
  • Jonathan Fisher
ProducerCatrin Lewis Defis
CinematographyAdam Etherington
EditorMatthew Tabern
Running time60 minutes
Production companyWest Road Pictures
Original release
NetworkITV
Release29 September (2021-09-29) –
20 October 2021 (2021-10-20)

Synopsis

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Two sisters, café chain owner Theresa (Anna Maxwell Martin) and primary school headteacher Helen (Rachael Stirling), are inseparable, living side-by-side with their families in well-to-do suburban Hollington Drive. One summer evening, after their children go out to play, a local boy, Alex, goes missing. The mystery tears the families apart and tests the sisters' bond to the limit.

Cast

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  • Anna Maxwell Martin as Theresa Wescott
  • Rachael Stirling as Helen Bardwell, her sister
  • Peter McDonald as David Bardwell, Helen's husband
  • Rhashan Stone as Fraser, Theresa's partner
  • Jonas Armstrong as Gareth Boyd, Alex's father
  • Jodie McNee as Jean Boyd, Alex's mother
  • Ken Nwosu as Eddie, Fraser's brother
  • Jim Howick as Detective Sergeant Robin Parks
  • Amelie Bea Smith as Eva Bardwell, Helen and David's daughter
  • Fraser Holmes as Ben Wescott, Theresa's son
  • Tia May Watts as Georgina, Fraser's daughter

Episode list

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.K. viewers
(millions)
1"1.1"Carolina GiammettaSophie Petzal29 September 2021 (2021-09-29)5.22
2"1.2"Carolina GiammettaSophie Petzal6 October 2021 (2021-10-06)4.54
3"1.3"Carolina GiammettaSophie Petzal13 October 2021 (2021-10-13)4.25
4"1.4"Carolina GiammettaSophie Petzal20 October 2021 (2021-10-20)4.40

Production

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The fictitious upmarket 'Hollington Drive' where most of the filming was done is on Ardwyn Walk in Dinas Powys in southern Wales.[3] Other filming locations are the Hang Fire Southern Kitchen restaurant in Barry (Wales) and Sanatorium Park (Cardiff).

Reception

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Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the first episode three out of five stars, praising the leads and potential.[4] Ed Cumming of The Independent gave the first episode three out of five stars, questioning some of the tropes, but writing of Martin, "[she] is incapable of playing a scene without emotional intelligence, and brilliantly conveys a woman whose mind is racing to nightmarish conclusions while she maintains an appearance of calm", and Stirling, "a worthy foil to her, all patrician vowels and buttoned-up denial, in pronounced contrast to Theresa’s doom".[5] The Telegraph gave it four out of five stars, dubbing it, "layered and intriguing".[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Hollington Drive: start date and time, cast and latest news on ITV drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  2. ^ White, Peter (24 February 2020). "ITV Nabs Thriller 'Hollington Drive' From 'Blood' Creator Sophie Petzal & All3Media's West Road Pictures". Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. ^ Most, if not all websites inform erroneously that filming took place in housing estate "the Mill" in Cardiff. See eg. [1]
  4. ^ "Hollington Drive review – Anna Maxwell Martin radiates with rage in suburban hell". the Guardian. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Hollington Drive serves up the full English of middle-class parent terrors - review". The Independent. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  6. ^ Singh, Anita (29 September 2021). "Hollington Drive, episode 1 review: nothing middle of the road about this suburban thriller". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2021 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
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