Watch The Fear

The Fear is a gripping psychological thriller from the BBC that first aired in 2012. The show stars Peter Mullan as the lead character, Richie Beckett, a retired gangster who is struggling to come to terms with his violent past and maintain his position of power in the criminal underworld.

The show opens with a brutal murder that sets the tone for the rest of the series: the victim is a young girl who has been tortured and left in a public park to die. Richie is immediately thrown into the center of the investigation, as the evidence suggests that he may be responsible for the crime.

As the story unfolds, we learn more about Richie and the people around him. His wife, Joanne (played by Anastasia Hille), is a woman who is equally conflicted about the choices she has made in life. She is fiercely loyal to Richie, but also feels trapped by his criminal lifestyle and the constant danger that it brings into their lives.

The couple's two sons, Matty (played by Harry Lloyd) and Michael (played by Paul Nicholls), are also deeply affected by their father's dark past. Matty is a drug addict who often gets drawn into his father's business, while Michael is a policeman who is torn between his duty to uphold the law and his loyalty to his family.

The Fear is not just a crime drama, however. It is also a character study of a man who is struggling to come to terms with his own mortality and the legacy he will leave behind. Richie is haunted by his past and the terrible things he has done, but he is also desperate to hold onto his power and status, even as his body begins to fail him.

The performances in The Fear are top-notch, particularly from Peter Mullan who manages to make Richie both sympathetic and terrifying at the same time. Anastasia Hille is also fantastic as Joanne, conveying the conflicted emotions of a woman who loves her husband but also fears him.

The show is beautifully shot, with a desaturated color palette and moody lighting that perfectly captures the bleakness of Richie's world. The music is also excellent, with a haunting score that adds to the sense of unease and tension.

Overall, The Fear is a gripping and emotionally powerful drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. It is a dark and intense study of the criminal underworld and the toll that a life of violence and crime can take on a man and his family. If you're a fan of gritty crime dramas with complex characters and a strong sense of atmosphere, this is definitely a show worth checking out.