Looking for a crime drama binge? ‘Addictive’ series Smother has found a new UK streaming home

The three-season thriller follows Val (played by True Detective‘s Dervla Kirwan), whose successful businessman husband Denis (Stuart Graham) is found dead at the foot of a cliff the morning after a family party. Determined to uncover the truth, Val finds herself faced with not only her own loss but also a “series of uncomfortable truths about who he really was, and the reality behind his relationships with those who supposedly love him the most,” according to the synopsis. 

In season three, which recently arrived on U, Val attempts to put her life back together following the tragic events of the last few years and finds herself in the arms of a new man.

While some viewers commented on the slow start, most said the show was worth sticking with. One person hailed the drama as “beautiful”. “Some people saying that this is so boring and slow-paced is such a sign of the times,” they penned in an online review. “Everything has to be fast, full of action and solved within a 30-minute episode. This isn’t that. This takes time to percolate, to show different sides, to reveal memories, to cleverly create many suspects, to show beautiful scenery in all kinds of weather, to build characters. Very, very atmospheric, well-acted and beautiful.”

Meanwhile, a second viewer described seasons one and two as “brilliant”, adding: “Gripping and addictive. Loved it,” while another wrote: “I really enjoyed the twists n turns in this, well written, well acted.”

The show received mixed reviews from TV critics, with The Guardian describing the series as “entirely addictive” in its four-star review, while The Times described the show as more of a soap than a thriller following the release of season two. 

Meanwhile, the i Paper gave the thriller three stars, noting that despite its “riveting opening”, it “quickly lost momentum”. 

As of 13 December, season three is now available to stream on U. Seasons one and two are also available to stream on the platform.