David Tennant has tackled his fair share of complex roles, but none quite like Harry Watling. In Steven Moffat's four-part thriller Inside Man, the former Time Lord swaps the TARDIS for a quaint English vicarage, where a single poor decision turns his ordinary life into a waking nightmare. It's the kind of story that makes you wonder how much chaos one well-meaning person can unleash while trying to fix everything.
The series originally aired on BBC One in September 2022 before landing on Netflix in the US the following month. It boasts an irresistible cast: Tennant is joined by Stanley Tucci as an American death row inmate with a knack for solving crimes. Their worlds seem galaxies apart, but Moffat—the mind behind Sherlock and Doctor Who—weaves them together in a mystery that's impossible to look away from. If you're a fan of HBO thrillers that never miss, this one belongs on your radar.
What Is Inside Man About?
At its core, Inside Man follows four people whose lives collide in increasingly disastrous ways. Harry Watling (Tennant) is a beloved village vicar with a loving wife, Mary (Lyndsey Marshal), and a teenage son, Ben (Louis Oliver). His life is unremarkable—which makes the ensuing horror all the more shocking.
Harry's troubles begin when he agrees to hold a USB drive for Edgar (Mark Quartley), a troubled young man from his congregation. When the drive ends up in the hands of Janice Fife (Dolly Wells), a mathematics tutor, its contents spark a misunderstanding with devastating consequences. Convinced Harry's son is responsible, Janice threatens to call the police. Desperate to protect his family, Harry makes a fateful choice: he locks her in his basement.
Meanwhile, in an Arizona prison, Jefferson Grieff (Tucci) awaits execution for murdering his wife. A former criminology professor, Grieff has turned his cell into a makeshift detective agency, solving cold cases for those he deems morally worthy. His assistant is Dillon Kempton (Atkins Estimond), a serial killer with a photographic memory who serves as Grieff's unlikely sounding board.
The fourth piece of the puzzle is Beth Davenport (Lydia West), an investigative journalist who meets Janice before traveling to America to interview Grieff. When Janice vanishes, Beth seeks Grieff's help, setting off a race to uncover the truth as two seemingly separate storylines converge.
Tennant and Tucci Are Magnetic
The premise alone is gripping, but Inside Man soars thanks to its lead performances. Tennant's Harry is a man whose intentions start out noble but whose actions become increasingly indefensible. Tennant plays him with a mix of genuine conviction and dark humor that grows more unsettling as the situation spirals. Tucci, meanwhile, relishes the role of Grieff, a brilliant detective and convicted murderer who exudes calm superiority. Comparisons to Hannibal Lecter and Sherlock Holmes are inevitable, but Tucci makes Grieff entirely his own.
Wells is a standout as Janice, whose vulnerability masks a more complex personality, while West gives Beth a compelling moral dimension as her professional ambitions clash with her concern for Janice. Estimond's Dillon provides some of the show's most unexpected laughs.
Moffat's Twisted Exploration of Human Nature
If you've seen Sherlock or Moffat's era of Doctor Who, you'll recognize his appetite for elaborate mysteries and morally ambiguous characters. Inside Man leans into those instincts, asking a darker question: How far would a decent person go when pushed to the brink? Grieff's belief that almost anyone could become a murderer under the right circumstances becomes eerily relevant as Harry's predicament worsens. Moffat has described the series as a sitcom gone horribly wrong, and that's apt—the chain of misunderstandings and desperate cover-ups has an absurd quality, even as the consequences turn genuinely disturbing. The humor doesn't always land, and some plot twists require a generous suspension of disbelief, but the tonal unpredictability is part of its strange charm.
Critical response was mixed, with praise for the performances—especially Tennant and Tucci—while some questioned whether the convoluted plot could sustain its central premise. Still, for fans of twisty thrillers, Inside Man is essential viewing. It's the kind of series that rewards a second watch, revealing new layers once you know how it all ends. If you're looking for more binge-worthy miniseries, check out these eight Netflix miniseries you can devour in a weekend.
Ultimately, Inside Man stands as one of David Tennant's finest small-screen outings—a gripping, unsettling, and darkly funny thriller that showcases his remarkable range. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to his work, this is one Netflix series you won't want to miss.
