“A family on the edge": Out There is the “must-see” crime thriller that’ll have you hooked from the start

Martin Clunes swaps the cosy world of Doc Martin for a far darker role in Out There, a must-see crime thriller about an ordinary farmer whose family is ripped apart by a county lines drug operation. It has all the ingredients of an addictive series: it’s tense, gritty and packed with unexpected twists that’ll have you hooked from the opening scene.

Written by Ed Whitmore (Steeltown Murders and Grace), the six-part drama first aired on ITV in 2025. The story follows Nathan Williams (played by Martin Clunes), who’s grieving the death of his wife and struggling with the endless demands of keeping his Welsh farm going in modern Britain. But when his son gets caught up in a criminal enterprise, property developers interested in his farm and rising costs become the least of his concerns as he's forced to take on ruthless gangsters.

With the series available to watch now, here's everything you need to know about Out There, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.

What is Out There about?

The six-part series is set in the Welsh countryside and follows farmer Nathan Williams (Martin Clunes), who has a lot on his plate. He’s trying to keep his farm afloat while raising his teenage son Johnny (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) after the death of his wife Sabine two years earlier.

However, things take an even more troublesome turn when Johnny agrees to hold a package for a friend, which puts him at the centre of a county lines drugs operation. The seemingly low-stakes favour spirals out of control, eventually leading to murder. Gangsters invade the family's countryside sanctuary, and Nathan must turn to violence to protect everything he's worked for.

In the trailer Nathan warns: “Sometimes in farming you have to kill a healthy animal for the betterment of the herd.” But will the father's extreme efforts pay off save his family? Louis previously teased the series’ unpredictable nature. "You just don’t know where the hell it’s going,” he told the Radio Times. “I think that’s great as a viewer. You don’t want to be able to predict, even if you try."

Who’s in the cast of Out There?

The cast of Out There includes:

• Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) as Nathan Williams
• Louis Ashbourne Serkis (No Return) as Johnny Williams
• Mark Lewis Jones (Keeping Faith, The Light in the Hall) as Caleb Williams
• Natalia Kostrzewa (Perfect Skin) as Eva Bartosz
• Carly-Sophia Davies (The Eternal Daughter) as Sadie Simpson
• Gerran Howell (Ludwig) as Rhys Simpson
• Michael Obiora (Hotel Babylon) as Scott Foley
• Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith) as PC Jane Crowther
• Jack Parry-Jones (House of the Dragon) as DCI Neil Anderson
• Michael Elwyn (Robin Hood) as Owen Thomas
• Sharon Morgan (The Magnificent Evans) as Gwen Thomas
• Marcin Zarzeczny (Supernova) as Pavel
• Silas Carson (Pond Life) as Ersin Turuk
• Cat Simmons (The Holiday) as Robyn

Is there a trailer for Out There?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for Out There below.

Is Out There any good?

Yes, while it’s wildly different to Martin Clunes' renowned Doc Martin, he’s every bit as compelling in this darker role as a farmer turned vigilante.

How can I watch Out There?

You can watch Out There now on ITVX.

What other thrillers can I watch now?

For a mind-bending series starring Line of Duty’s Martin Compston, we’d suggest The Nest. The series centres around wealthy couple Dan (Martin Compston) and Emily (Sophie Rundle), who are desperate for a baby. IVF isn’t working, but when an 18-year-old offers to be their surrogate - they think she could be the answer to their prayers. But it doesn't quite go to plan. You can watch The Nest now on BBC iPlayer. For something even more sinister, try The Girl Before. The drama follows Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who moves into a stunning ultra-minimalist home in London, with its own set of strict rules to abide by. Unnerved by her new digs, she starts to learn about its chilling past. The question is: will Jane get out before it’s too late? The Girl Before is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.