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THE CUCKOO - mon to thur ch5 9pm - TV PACE. NO SPOILERS

216 replies

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/04/2024 22:09

Another new drama wirh good old ch5

50/50 if will be good or cheese 😂

The Cuckoo is a four-part series will start on Channel 5 at 9pm on Monday April 8 2024, with episodes running across the week from Monday to Thursday April 11 at the same time.

Episodes will also arrive on streaming service My5 (https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/best-channel-5-dramas-all-the-must-see-tv-shows-to-watch-on-my5)

The Cuckoo kicks off with married couple Nick (Lee Ingleby) and Jessica (Claire Goose) having just bought the house of their dreams, a grand doer-upper in the country town where Jessica grew up.

But as the financial crisis hits, the couple fall on hard times and risk losing their beautiful home. With no other choice, they take in lodger Sian (Jill Halfpenny), who very quickly begins to start trouble in the family, flirting with Nick, borrowing Jessica’s clothes and building an inappropriate rapport with their adopted daughter Alice.

Jessica soon realises something dark and twisted is going on, and before long the pair must fight for one another and to save their own lives.

The Cuckoo is a tense Channel 5 thriller series starring Jill Halfpenny as a lodger who forces her way into the lives of her host family.

She plays Sian, a beautiful but mysterious woman who moves in with hard-up couple Nick (Lee Ingleby) and Jessica (Claire Goose) and their adopted daughter.

But as she oversteps the boundaries time and time again, Jessica starts to wonder if there’s more to Sian than meets the eye...

Jill Halfpenny says: "Viewers will know quite quickly what Sian wants, but I think the show then becomes about whether she manages to succeed — that’s the thrill of it.

Nick and Jessica have already made their worst move letting Sian into the house. The minute she’s inside, she can start messing with their minds. People will be shouting at the telly!"

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 00:18

Alice is 16 not 14

Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 00:27

I actually enjoyed it and look forward to watching the next two episodes. I adopted my ds over 20 years ago and it was all open adoptions even then, you had to agree to tell your child their history as part of the adoption process. They obviously adopted Alice more recently, so they'd have had to agree to the same thing! I, also, think Sian's baby died and that's what Auntie was getting at. Sian was no youngster when she had her baby, as she appears to be mid forties and Alice is only meant to be about 14, so why put her up for adoption? Finally, I'm intrigued by that necklace Sian always wears, is it a locket containing a photo of her baby? I'll be tuning in again tomorrow night!

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 00:29

No, Alice is 16!

Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 00:35

Jill Halfpenny is 48 so if the character is about the same age, then, even if Alice is 16, she was no youngster when she gave her up. Also, a 16 year old would definitely have been adopted after open adoptions had been brought in.

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 00:36

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 00:18

Alice is 16 not 14

Oh. Where did I get 14 from. But still actress is 4yrs older and doesn't look a teen

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 00:37

Yes it's not like she gave her baby up as a young teen mum

Agree I think sains baby is dead

OP posts:
Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 00:41

Sian looked really annoyed when Claire Goose's character was explaining to Alice that her birth mother hadn't looked after her properly, maybe the baby was removed from her care against her will for some reason?

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 03:40

Guess she will have mh issues

OP posts:
Mairzydotes · 10/04/2024 06:53

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/04/2024 03:40

Guess she will have mh issues

Or the baby was born in prison?

I'm sure the date of birth was 2009 . I took her to be 15 , year 11.

It seems.like a familiar story , reminds me a bit of The Drowning and a bit of The woman in the wall.

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 07:17

The reason I said she was 16 is because it literally told us that in the programme

London22 · 10/04/2024 10:32

Just started watching this, it sounds very similar in plot (with a few details changed), to a book I read years ago called "The Cuckoo." So I have a fairly good idea how this may pan out. But I like channel 5 dramas, they're easy watching.

the80sweregreat · 10/04/2024 11:47

I once read a book called 'the cuckoo ' and I thought this was the same one , but it is a different storyline. The women in that book were old friends and one came to stay with the other one.

the80sweregreat · 10/04/2024 13:28

It feels as if they trying to make JH character look younger
I'd be questioning why she isn't at work.
What does the husband do for a living ? He seemed to want investors, but nobody was biting. The wife isn't at work , but maybe she was before the move ?
The house looks like it would he a lot to upkeep
Maybe he lost his job after they moved in?

Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 13:46

I think the Sian character is meant to be a full time artist but how she makes a living from it when she never does any painting is a mystery. Apparently, they bought the house to "flip it" but because the husband lost his job they are stuck there and I don't know what the wife does for a living. I think the husband was only phoning around for investors to get hold of 3k so he could pay Sian back her rent money and get her out of the house. As a previous poster said its just easy watching which, for me, is very welcome at the end of a hectic day!

Inkanta · 10/04/2024 14:01

Yes it's easy watching. I'm fascinated how Sian manages to hold her ground and stay in the house and what's she gonna do next.😊

the80sweregreat · 10/04/2024 14:03

She is very intimidating
I wonder what she said to the bullies ?
Cant believe the lady plumber wanted 3k and he had to fix the shower himself and horrible water in the kitchen etc

NavyTiger · 10/04/2024 14:42

Did anyone watch coma that was good on c5

Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 14:45

@NavyTiger yes I watched Coma, it was gripping. I do love these ch5 dramas shown over 4 consecutive nights, nothing worse than having to wait a week for another episode!

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 14:47

I actually would prefer it to be on each week

givebeesachance · 10/04/2024 14:57

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 14:47

I actually would prefer it to be on each week

Personally I’ve just started a new job, have no headspace for more complex TV and this is the perfect mental popcorn so I’m glad it’s on in across week

butterpuffed · 10/04/2024 15:31

We all think Alice is different ages ! I thought she was 15 because in the first episode she asked her father if she could drive and he said something like 'not till you're 16/you're not 16 yet' .

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 15:45

No it said 'you're not 17 just yet' 🤣

Smokeysgirl · 10/04/2024 17:00

I feel sorry for Alice, she looks really miserable and her clothes are so Ill fitting, all bunched up at the top when she was sat in the car. Maybe she'll be better off with Jill Halfpenny!

butterpuffed · 10/04/2024 17:18

purpleme12 · 10/04/2024 15:45

No it said 'you're not 17 just yet' 🤣

Oh !! 😂

the80sweregreat · 10/04/2024 18:03

Maybe she would be better off with JH ( Sian ) than her mum who looks miserable/ stressed all the time ! Mind you , they now have a car claim that probably won't pay out unless they lie about who was driving the car