Keeley Hawes's "masterful performance" in "darkly comic" Finding Alice is now on Netflix
Did you miss this one the first time around?
Netflix has added celebrated Keeley Hawes drama series Finding Alice to its ever-growing line-up, in which the British actor plays a grieving widow uncovering closely guarded secrets about her late husband.
The story begins shortly after Alice (Hawes) and husband Harry (Jason Merrells) move into a strikingly modern home with their daughter, Charlotte (Isabella Pappas), marking what should be the start of a wonderful new chapter.
Alas, things quickly devolve into a "nightmare" when Alice finds Harry "dead at the bottom of the stairs" in their so-called 'smart house', which has state-of-the-art technology incorporated into every corner.
The synopsis, courtesy of ITV, describes the home as "weird and wonderful, and one more disorientation for Alice on top of her sense of loss and abandonment".
Later, she learns of Harry's unpaid debts – and yet more secrets he'd been keeping.
At the time of its premiere in January 2021, RadioTimes.com hailed Hawes's character as "a wonderful creation, refusing to fit neatly into the 'grieving widow' box and disconcerting everyone around her with dark jokes and erratic behaviour".
Our review added that Hawes is "not the only standout" in the Finding Alice cast, with Joanna Lumley and Nigel Havers also impressing as her character's feuding parents, Sarah and Roger.
The series was a major ratings hit for ITV, averaging 7 million viewers per episode across all devices, leading the broadcaster to renew it for a second season. Unfortunately, this was later scrapped due to scheduling conflicts (via TV Zone).
Absolutely Fabulous and Amandaland star Lumley said: "I thought Finding Alice was enthralling from the very beginning. Something completely different. Funny, but quite tragic without being self-pitying.
"Keeley was a big part of the creation of this along with [her series co-creators] Roger Goldby and Simon Nye, constructing a really complex central character.
"So all of the people linked to her – her daughter, parents, partners' parents, the friends she makes – are all rounded people," continued Lumley. "All of these characters seem to have reasons for why they behave as they do."
Of her co-star, the screen legend added: "Keeley has that extraordinary quality of just becoming a different person. You can still tell it is her, but she doesn't bring any mannerisms or tried practices with her.
"She seems just to become the person and you can't really see how it's done. It's the alchemy of acting."
If you missed Finding Alice when it first aired, the series is now available to binge in full on Netflix. Alternatively, it remains accessible on the free ad-supported streaming platform ITVX.
Finding Alice is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
