Once upon a time, said Sean O’Grady in The Independent, TV announcers “would introduce a series such as ‘Wolf’ with a sombre warning that it wasn’t suitable ‘for viewers of a nervous disposition’”. That sounds a bit antique now, but I really do think the BBC should find a way of cautioning its licence-payers about what they are about to endure: “Wolf” is easily “the most harrowing thing I’ve had to watch” in years.
Based on the book by Mo Hayder, the drama centres around Jack Caffery (Ukweli Roach), a young detective haunted by his brother’s abduction when they were children. As he tries to get to the bottom of what happened, he gets entangled in the kidnap and torture of a well-off family at their Welsh holiday home (with Juliet Stevenson “in excellent form” as the mother). “Appalling violence of an apparently motiveless kind is a leitmotif”, but the series is worth sticking with – provided “you’ve the stomach for a fright”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
North Korea (sort of) welcomes tourists againUnder the Radar 'Hermit kingdom' allows foreign visitors for the first time since 2020 – but only in limited areas
-
Today's political cartoons - February 23, 2025Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - loser's game, unexpected consequences, and more
-
5 slow on the draw cartoons about Democrats' response to TrumpCartoons Artists take on taking a stand, staying still as a statue, and more
-
A road trip through ZimbabweThe Week Recommends The country is 'friendly and relaxed', with plenty to see for those who wish to explore
-
Tash Aw picks his favourite booksThe Week Recommends From Baldwin to Chekhov, the Malaysian writer shares his top picks
-
Properties of the week: flats and houses in university townsThe Week Recommends Featuring homes in York, Durham and Bath
-
The Years at the Harold Pinter Theatre: an 'unmissable' eveningThe Week Recommends Eline Arbo's 'spellbinding' adaptation of Annie Ernaux's memoir transfers to the West End
-
The White Lotus: a delicious third helping of Mike White's toxic feastThe Week Recommends 'Wickedly funny' comedy-drama stars Jason Isaacs, Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood
-
6 spa-like homes with fabulous bathroomsFeature Featuring a freestanding soaking tub in California and a digital shower system in Illinois
-
Tessa Bailey's 6 favorite books for hopeless romanticsFeature The best-selling author recommends works by Lyla Sage, Sally Thorne, and more
-
Mountains and monasteries in ArmeniaThe Week Recommends An e-bike adventure through the 'rare beauty' of the West Asian nation
