Is it a case of mistaken identity or a shocking mystery? A riveting review of The Drowning.

The Dynevor dynasty is currently taking the world by storm. Sally Dynevor, otherwise known as Sally Webster from Coronation Street, has been playing her character since 1986 and has proved to be an iconic staple on our screens. One of my all-time favourite moments was when Sally visited Liz McDonald after her premature baby died and apologized for crying rather than comforting her when she saw the baby’s photograph. Of course, there was nothing more comforting than Sally crying for the mother’s loss. This happened in 1992 when Coronation Street knew how to portray its characters realistically, allowing them to shift from comedy to tragedy and back again.

Sally’s daughter, Phoebe Dynevor, has become a successful actor and is currently starring in Netflix’s most popular show to date, Bridgerton. Now, Tim Dynevor, Sally’s husband, Phoebe’s father, and writer of the well-known soap opera Emmerdale, is entering the entertainment scene with writing credits on Luke Watson and Francesca Brill’s gripping four-part drama, The Drowning, broadcasted on Channel 5.

The leading character, played by Jill Halfpenny, another Corrie star, is a grieving mother named Jodie Walsh. Jodie lost her four-year-old son, Tom, during a family outing nine years ago, and his body was never found. Jodie, while on her way to pitch her commission for her gardening business, spots a teenager who looks uncannily like her son, down to a half-moon scar beneath his eye. The premise may sound like a flimsy plot, but the story unfolds in a sensible, organic manner, and viewers cannot help but become captivated by what follows.

Jodie slowly integrates herself into the boy’s life, using her employee's contacts to obtain false documents that allow her to secure a job at the teenager’s school as a music teacher. The father, Mark (Rupert Penry-Jones), is highly protective of his son and skeptical of Jodie’s attempts to befriend him and offer him music lessons. The mystery of the show is compelling, and the plot twists keep you guessing until the end.

Despite the intense narrative, the show does not fall into the category of overly emotional melo-dramas. Instead, it provides an accurate depiction of the trauma of a bereaved parent's sorrow and guilt and how it manifests, making it an authentic, unmissable program to watch.

I admit I gave in to temptation and watched the second episode, and it did not disappoint. I am excited to see where this drama leads and follow the twists and turns of the well-developed plot. The Drowning, created by Luke Watson and Francesca Brill, is undoubtedly a compulsive and emotive watch.