If you’ve worked your way through Lesley Manville’s back catalogue and fancy a bit more of her on your screen, we’ve got you covered. While it might not be one of her best-known roles, Disclaimer is a very worth hidden gem that features a standout performance from the Sherwood star. Billed as "the best TV show of the year" when it first aired in 2024, the thriller tells the story of a journalist (played by Cate Blanchett) whose life unravels when she receives an anonymous novel - and it's exactly the sort of show you'll be hooked on for hours.
Based on Renée Knight's bestselling 2015 book of the same name, the thriller takes us on quite the rollercoaster when the novel, which contains the darkest secrets of journalist, Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett), lands on her desk. While Catherine has built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others, she's now the main character - and she has no idea who's behind the book, or why they want to expose her. With Lesley playing the mysterious author, the cast alone is enough to make it well worth a night in with.
With the series available to stream now, here's everything you need to know about Disclaimer before you watch it, including the plot, cast and how to tune in.
What is Disclaimer about?
The seven-part series introduces us to Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett), who has dedicated her career as a documentary journalist to exposing the corruption and the wrongdoings of others. However, two decades after a holiday to Italy, where her son Nicolas Ravenscroft (Kodi Smit-McPhee) nearly died at sea, a novel titled The Perfect Stranger revealing all her darkest secrets lands on her desk. But, how and why has her past returned to haunt her - and who's behind it?
We also meet Stephen Brigstocke (Kevin Kline), a widower grieving the deaths of both his wife, Nancy Brigstocke (Lesley Manville), who we see in flashbacks, and his son Jonathan Brigstocke (Louis Partridge). He blames the journalist for the death of his son who met Catherine that fateful summer 20 years ago. Catherine and Robert’s son, the troubled Nicholas Ravenscroft (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Jonathan got into trouble out at sea - but only Nicholas survived.
It later transpires that Stephen found the book in Nancy’s belongings alongside a collection of erotic photos of Catherine, and he's led to believe the two had a wild and passionate affair. To seek vengeance, he publishes the book and starts distributing it, putting Catherine's relationships with her husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) the owner of a corrupt non-profit, and with her estranged son, Nicholas, who struggles with addiction, in jeopardy.
Desperate to stop her life from unravelling before her eyes, Catherine must scramble to find out who's behind the plot and, as an audience, we're left to piece together through fragmented flashbacks and contradictory accounts from different narrators who is telling the truth. While we won't give any spoilers here, the series features quite the jaw-dropping twist, which we can almost guarantee you won't see coming!
Who’s in the cast of Disclaimer?
The cast of Disclaimer includes:
- Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as Catherine Ravenscroft
- Leila George (Love Story) as younger Catherine Ravenscroft
- Kevin Kline (Wild Wild West) as Stephen Brigstocke
- Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) as Robert Ravenscroft
- Lesley Manville (World on Fire) as Nancy Brigstocke
- Louis Partridge (House of Guinness) as Jonathan Brigstocke
- Indira Varma (The Other Bennet Sister) as Narrator
- Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) as Nicholas Ravenscroft
Is there a trailer for Disclaimer?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Disclaimer below.
Is Disclaimer any good?
Yes - it was called the best TV show of the year for good reason. Firstly, the cast is fantastic, with both Lesley and Cate pulling off impeccable performances. But the real power of the series is in the central twist, which would give Gone Girl a run for its money. If you’re into unpredictable, twist-filled dramas, Disclaimer is well worth a watch.
How can I watch Disclaimer?
You can stream all seven episodes of Disclaimer now on Apple TV.
What other Lesley Manville dramas can I watch now?
If you fancy something a little less gritty, we'd recommend Magpie Murders. Lesley is superb as editor-turned-sleuth Susan Ryeland who's on the hunt for the missing final chapter of author Alan Conway’s (Conleth Hill) novel. All six episodes of Magpie Murders are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. If you're after a period drama, we'd suggest World on Fire, which follows a collection of characters across Europe who are plunged into uncertainty with the onset of World War II. Lesley plays Robina Chase who's widowed and the epitome of the very posh end of Manchester. You can stream World on Fire now on Prime Video.
