If you’re a fan of Nicola Walker, you’ll know that she’s a master of bringing beautifully messy and complicated women to life. While she’s best known for playing Unforgotten’s tenacious detective Cassie Stuart, she has plenty of other characters you ought to get to know. We’ve had the pleasure of working our way through her entire back catalogue to bring you our pick of her best work.
From her best series since Unforgotten to a poignant marriage saga and a darkly humorous detective drama, there’s something for whatever mood you’re in. So, remotes at the ready, here are the 7 5-star Nicola Walker dramas to binge now on Netflix, ITV the BBC and more.
Alice And Steve
In her best series since Unforgotten, Nicola steals the show as a scorned woman. The self-professed “wrong com” tells the story of a friendship turned incredibly sour. Fashion designer Alice (Nicola Walker) and celebrity hair stylist Steve (Jemaine Clement) are lifelong best friends – until he starts dating her 26-year-old daughter, Izzy (Yali Topol Margalith). When Alice finds out, she’ll do anything in her power to stop it. Expect delicious scheming, wild outbursts – and a fiery cliffhanger. Alice And Steve is available to watch now on Disney+
Collateral
The shooting of a pizza delivery driver sends shockwaves through London. This political thriller takes one hateful act and analyses how it ripples through every level of society. Abdullah Asif (Sam Otto) is a Syrian refugee making a food delivery when he gets fatally shot. Over the next four days, a conspiracy involving drug dealers, smugglers and spies is untangled by DI Kip Glaspie (Carey Mulligan). Nicola plays a vicar who gets unwittingly caught up in the crime. How? She’s having an affair with a key witness to the killing. Available to watch now on Netflix.
The Split
A brilliantly messy drama. Hannah Defoe (Nicola Walker) is a high-powered divorce lawyer at her family’s firm. The series follows Hannah, her sisters Nina (Annabel Scholey) and Rose (Fiona Button) and their formidable mother Ruth (Deborah Findlay) as they navigate various personal crises while dominating the legal circuit. Then, their estranged father returns after 30 years of absence, and Hannah jumps ship to another law firm, all while her own marriage takes a turn for the worse. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
Annika
If you’ve already devoured Unforgotten, we’ve got another detective series that’s well worth a watch. Straight-tongued and deadpan DI Annika Strandhed (played by Nicola) heads up a new specialist Marine Homicide Unit (MHU) in Scotland. Annika must get to the bottom of the murders that wash ashore, while dealing with her daughter Morgan’s (Silvie Furneaux) teenage angst. It’s no ordinary procedural drama either. Nicola breaks the fourth wall to share her witty observations and inner monologues across the series – recruiting you as an unofficial partner on the case. Annika is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.
River
Eerie and dark – this is the perfect watch to get in the Halloween spirit. Detective Inspector John River (Stellan Skarsgård) investigates the murder of his close colleague, Detective Sergeant Jackie ‘Stevie’ Stevenson (Nicola Walker). But River continues to speak to Stevie after her death through ghostly apparitions, along with other figures connected to his cases. How will he cope when he uncovers the dark secrets she was hiding? Available to watch now on ITVX.
A Mother’s Son
What would you do if you thought your child had committed a heinous crime? This gripping drama makes you wonder. Parents Rosie (Hermione Norris) and Ben (Martin Clunes) have an idyllic family life with their son, but that all changes when Rosie suspects that her teenage son is responsible for the murder of a local schoolgirl. Investigating the murder are Nicola, who plays D.C. Sue Upton, and Charles Daish as D.C.I. Thomas McCleish. It’s thought-provoking and unsettling. Available to watch now on ITVX.
Marriage
One thing Nicola does best is play extremely relatable characters. Ian (Sean Bean) and Emma (Nicola) have been married for 30 years, but could they be nearing the end of the road? They both face big personal struggles. Ian has lost both his mother and his job, while Emma strives for a career change as she cares for her sick father. It’s a raw and honest depiction of mid-life love. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.