Patience (TV series)
| Patience | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Created by | Matt Baker |
| Based on | Astrid et Raphaëlle by Alexandre de Seguins and Laurent Burtin |
| Written by | Matt Baker Stephen Brady Sarah Freethy Daniella DeVinter |
| Directed by | Maarten Moerkerke |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Hannes De Maeyer Ruben De Gheselle |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom Belgium |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Jo McGrath Walter Iuzzolino Dries Vos |
| Producer | Alison Kee |
| Cinematography | Konrad Widelski |
| Editor | Lieven Billiet |
| Camera setup | Arri Alexa Mini LF |
| Running time | 47 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS Channel 4 |
| Release | 8 January 2025 – present |
Patience is a British–Belgian detective drama television series starring Laura Fraser as Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf, and Ella Maisy Purvis as police archivist Patience Evans, who has autism. The series is set in York, England, but most of the filming took place in Belgium. It is adapted from the Franco-Belgian television series Astrid et Raphaëlle. The series premiered in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 on 8 January 2025. Filming on a second series, with eight episodes, took place in May 2025.
Premise
[edit]A detective forms an alliance with a brilliant, self-taught criminologist who has been working in the criminal records department of the City of York police and is autistic.[1]
Cast
[edit]Main
[edit]- Laura Fraser as DI Bea Metcalf
- Ella Maisy Purvis as Patience Evans
- Ava-Grace Cook as 11-year-old Patience
- Oona Van Harneveldt as 6-year-old Patience
- Nathan Welsh as DS Jake Hunter
- Mark Benton as Calvin Baxter
- Ali Ariaie as DC Will Akbari
- Adrian Rawlins as Douglas Gilmour
Recurring
[edit]- Tom Lewis as Elliot Scott
- Liza Sadovy as Dr. Loretta Parsons
- Jamie Maclachlan as George Evans
- Lotte Lauren as Mathilde Evans
- Connor Curren as Billy Thompson
- Maxwell Whitelock as Alfie Metcalf-Haynes
- Eddie Elks as David Haynes
Production
[edit]The project was announced in February 2024 from Eagle Eye Drama, PBS Distribution and Beta Film. The series is produced in association with Belgium's Happy Duck Films and has support from the Belgian Tax Shelter. Maarten Moerkerke is directing the series, which is adapted from the original Franco-Belgian series Astrid and Raphaelle. Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino are executive producers for Eagle Eye. The writing team on the series was led by Matt Baker and also included Stephen Brady, Sarah Freethy, and Daniella DeVinter.[2]
Filming took place in York from 23 to 29 April 2024.[3][4] Locations included Precentor's Court, opposite York Minster, as well as Monkgate, The Shambles, Gillygate and Micklegate.[5] However other than some exterior sequences to place the stories in York, most of the scenes were filmed in Belgium in 2024.[6][7]
The series features a character with autism, played by Ella Maisy Purvis, who has autism.[8][9]
The series was renewed for a second series, with filming taking place in May 2025 and Jessica Hynes added to the cast.[10][11]
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Paper Mountain Girl: Part 1" | Maarten Moerkerke | Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
| 2 | "Paper Mountain Girl: Part 2" | Maarten Moerkerke | Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
| 3 | "The Missing Link" | Maarten Moerkerke | Stephen Brady and Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
| 4 | "The Locked Room" | Maarten Moerkerke | Stephen Brady and Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
| 5 | "My Brother's Keeper" | Maarten Moerkerke | Stephen Brady and Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
| 6 | "Pandora's Box" | Maarten Moerkerke | Daniella DeVinter and Matt Baker | 8 January 2025 | |
|
The team is called in after a worker at a meat processor passes away while on a bus. Dr. Parsons initially suspects tuberculosis, but Patience recognizes symptoms of anthrax infection, which is confirmed by tests. The victim is revealed to be a member of an eco-terrorist group targeting meat processors. The team suspects that the group sought to infect the plant where he worked to sow distrust in the meat industry, but counter-terrorism takes over the operation and freezes Bea out. Bea continues to investigate, particularly after links to a prior arson attack committed by the same group are found. At the same time, she begins suffering the effects of anthrax infection. Bea is suspended for interfering with counter-terrorism, but Patience and Jake persist, with Dr. Parsons's reluctant assistance. The two eventually determine that the victim was a former undercover police officer who turned rogue and helped commit the arson. The lead counter-terrorism agent is revealed to be his wife, who used a sample of anthrax from prior evidence collected to infect the victim because he had a child with another member of the terrorist group. | |||||
Broadcast
[edit]The first episode was broadcast at 9pm on 8 January 2025, in the United Kingdom on Channel 4.[12] All episodes were immediately made available on Channel 4's digital streaming platform.[13]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Distinguished by Ella Maisy Purvis' terrific performance, Patience brings a fresh angle to the detective genre through character rather than plotting."[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[15]
Critics' reviews have been mixed.[needs update?] In a three-star review for The Telegraph, Chris Bennion summarised it as "a worthwhile addition to the crime drama ranks, but one that fits into, rather than breaking the mould."[9] However, in a two-star review for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan described the plot as "preposterous", the dialogue as "terrible", and the drama overall as "deeply uninspired" and "embarrassingly clunky".[16] Carol Midgely in The Times said that Purvis does not "overact" the character's condition, "showing it in overt and subtle ways".[17]
References
[edit]- ^ Connell, Dylan (22 April 2024). "York: Film crews arrive in Union Terrace to shoot Patience drama". The Press. York. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (27 February 2024). "Laura Fraser & Ella Maisy Purvis Team For Cop Drama Series 'Patience' From Eagle Eye, PBS & Beta Film". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Major film drama to be shot across York – closing streets for six days". YorkMix. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Lewis, Haydn (20 April 2024). "New detective drama Patience set to be filmed in York". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Lewis, Haydn (23 April 2024). "Filming in Precentor's Court near York Minster for Patience". The Press. York. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Laura Fraser & Ella Maisy Purvis Team For Cop Drama Series 'Patience' From Eagle Eye, PBS & Beta Film". Ground News. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Craig, David (8 January 2025). "Where is Patience filmed? Location guide for Channel 4 drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ Parker, Robin (7 January 2025). "Patience star: 'It's common for dramas to infantilise autistic women'". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ a b Bennion, Chris (8 January 2025). "Patience, Channel 4, review: latest 'autistic detective' drama hardly breaks the mould". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Sayce, Rebecca (15 May 2025). "York-set crime show that's 'Channel 4's biggest drama of 2025' confirms new detective for second season". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ "Patience to return to Channel 4 for a second series". Channel 4. Channel Four Television Corporation. 15 May 2025.
- ^ "The Couple Next Door producers announce new crime drama Patience". Radio Times. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ Watch Patience. Channel 4. Channel Four Television Corporation. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ "Patience: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "Patience: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Mangan, Lucy (8 January 2025). "Patience review – this clunky depiction of autism just isn't good enough". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Midgely, Carol (8 January 2025). "Patience review — the latest crime-solving duo have just a twist of difference". The Times. Retrieved 9 January 2025.