I Wasn't Excited About This New Conspiracy Thriller—But Episode One (and That Twist) Totally Changed My Mind

It's from the creators of 'Slow Horses'

down cemetery road review emma thompson
Courtesy of Apple TV

With so many new shows and movies coming out (anyone else dying to see Bugonia?!), there just isn't enough time or energy to get excited about all of them. But now that I've caught the first episode of Apple TV's newest thriller Down Cemetery Road, I'm not only excited, but I've added the show to my weekly must-watch list.

Starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, this hidden gem has managed to fly under the radar. But believe me when I say, it's definitely worth the watch. And that twist at the end of episode one? No spoilers here, but come on.

Here, my honest review of Down Cemetery Road.

down cemetery road review
Courtesy of Apple TV

The new show follows Sarah (Wilson) who is minding her own business hosting a small dinner party when a massive explosion next door changes everything. Rushing to the scene of the blast, Sarah sees EMS workers rescue a little girl and put her into an ambulance. But when Sarah goes to deliver a get well card to the girl in the hospital, she's denied entry or information. She decides to investigate things a bit further and while a series of strange occurrences keeps her digging into the little girl's fate, things finally come to a head when she sees that the little girl has been erased from press photos of the blast. Who would have done this and why?

Enter Zoë (Thompson) and her business partner (maybe husband?) Joe (Adam Godley), a pair of private investigators. Joe takes on Sarah's case and it seems neither of them is prepared for just how deep the investigation, nay conspiracy, goes.

down cemetery road review 2
Courtesy of Apple TV

The first episode really does hook you in right from the very start. Sarah's refusal to let things go as police and others try to gaslight her only escalates when she runs into roadblock after roadblock. The quick escalation of the action and the fast pace of the episode kept me glued to my set.

Wilson is fabulous as our everyday heroine, embodying the underestimated underdog who is clearly about to break open a giant government conspiracy. And Thompson is super fun in this quirky investigator role. Though her part in the first episode isn't huge, something tells me she's about to be running the show pretty soon (again, no spoilers).

The show being as good as it is shouldn't be a massive surprise—it comes from the executive producers of the widely acclaimed Slow Horses. But in a world full of new thrillers (see: Netflix's entire top ten list), it's great to find a standout option that's genuinely worth the time investment.

The first two episodes of Down Cemetery Road are now available on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping on Wednesdays.

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