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Ordeal by Innocence

Ordeal by Innocence

A man died for a crime he didn't commit...and the murderer is still among them.

2018Miniseries1 season3 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

The black sheep of the Argyll family, Jack Argyll, was accused of murdering their matriarch a year ago, but now a man shows up on their doorstep claiming Jack’s innocence. The family must come to terms with this news and the fact that the real killer might still be among them.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ordeal by Innocence?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ordeal by Innocence streaming on BritBox via Prime Video and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about Ordeal by Innocence?

Ordeal by Innocence earns 5 badges, led by Visual feast and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Ordeal by Innocence worth watching?

Ordeal by Innocence's Midcredits score is the 59th percentile of all shows, from 14K ratings across 2 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

59th percentile

Better received than 59% of shows

53rd percentile among Crime57th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)65th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

52nd percentile of all shows

50th percentile among Crime49th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

77% liked it

65th percentile of all shows

55th percentile among Crime63rd percentile among 2010s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

89th percentile

14K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Crime89th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 9% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree this is a visually stunning but dramatically uneven adaptation of Christie's novel.

Fans praised

  • superb cast with standout performances from Bill Nighy, Matthew Goode, and Morven Christie
  • gorgeous cinematography, production design, and period atmosphere
  • engaging mystery with twists and a satisfying, darkly compelling finale

Detractors panned

  • unfaithful adaptation that changes characters, plot, and the murderer's identity
  • unlikable characters making it hard to care about the story
  • slow pacing with excessive flashbacks and bloated runtime

What stands out

Cinematography85

visually beautiful, lush period production design

ActingDivisive75

superb cast delivers strong performances

AtmosphereDivisive75

dark, moody, and suspenseful tone

EndingDivisive55

divisive finale with unexpected twist

Plot and storyDivisive50

divisive rewriting of Christie's original story

CharactersDivisive45

unlikable, unengaging characters with little depth

PacingDivisive35

slow and overlong with repetitive flashbacks

OriginalityDivisive30

unfaithful rewrite rather than creative adaptation

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 18 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2018 · 3 episodes · 7.9 average across 1 rated episode

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Apr 1, 201856 minTMDB rating 7.9
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Apr 8, 201859 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Apr 15, 201858 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Ordeal by Innocence like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.In medias res · under 1% of shows: Opens mid-action, then fills in how we got there.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series treats its murder mystery and family drama with a solemn, brooding seriousness, using period atmosphere to heighten tension.
The rideA brooding and suspenseful mystery that builds tension and sadness, culminating in a dramatic reveal near the end.
StructureThe story opens with the murder and uses flashbacks to reveal the family's past and the events leading up to the crime.
Episode formatThe three episodes form one continuous story from murder premise to resolution.
Season formatA single season limited series telling one complete mystery.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe revelation of the killer and the family's dark secrets leave a lingering unease.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA wealthy matriarch is murdered and her adopted son is convicted; when an alibi emerges, the family's dark secrets surface as everyone becomes a suspect.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 6% of showsJustice · 14% of showsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story revolves around a web of lies surrounding a murder, the failure of justice, and the fragile trust within a family.
StanceThe series questions the nature of truth and deception within a wealthy family, never settling on easy answers.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Stuart Earl
SettingA wealthy family estate in England during Christmas 1954.
MusicA classic, moody orchestral score that underpins the tense, dramatic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Ordeal by Innocence okay for kids?

TV-MA

Ordeal by Innocence is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (46/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (46/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). Overall it is heavier than 19% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UK15
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil12
  • Russia16+
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 49% of all showsHeavier than 19% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 39%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 47%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 41%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 31%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Ordeal by Innocence have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ordeal by Innocence?

Cast

Morven Christie
as Kirsten Lindstrom
Anthony Boyle
as Jack Argyll
Christian Cooke
as Mickey Argyll
Bill Nighy
as Leo Argyll
Matthew Goode
as Philip Durrant
Luke Treadaway
as Dr Arthur Calgary
Anna Chancellor
as Rachel Argyll
Ella Purnell
as Hester Argyll
Eleanor Tomlinson
as Mary Durrant
Crystal Clarke
as Tina Argyll

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Ordeal by Innocence?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Ordeal by Innocence include Agatha Christie's Marple (2004), If Tomorrow Comes (1986) and Dalziel and Pascoe (1996).

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