What would you do if you found out your sibling mysteriously vanished after boarding a plane you were also meant to be on? That's exactly what happens in Sheridan’s Smith’s superb mystery thriller, The Castaways, in which Erin (Celine Buckens) and Lori (played by Sheridan) enjoy a tropical getaway before a seemingly minor tiff alters the course of their lives. It’s a pacy, tension-filled adventure and, in our opinion, Sheridan’s most underrated drama.
The real genius of the series lies in what happens after the crash. While all the plane’s occupants are assumed dead, a purchase on Lori’s credit card several months later gives Erin hope her sister is still alive, as does CCTV footage of the plane’s pilot on the day everyone disappeared. Featuring a fantastic lead performance from Sheridan, a twisty plot and a glorious sun-soaked location (it was filmed in Fiji and Greece), it’s the sort of series weeknights were made for.
With all five episodes of The Castaways available to stream tonight (or now, if you fancy), here’s everything you need to know about the mystery thriller before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Castaways about?
Based on Lucy Clarke’s 2021 bestselling novel, the five-part series introduces us to Erin (Celine Buckens) and Lori (Sheridan Smith) who embark on the holiday of a lifetime in Fiji. After a huge fight, however, Erin never boards the flight to their resort - and the plane, with Lori on board, never arrives at its destination. It’s a nightmare scenario that forms the basis of a much bigger mystery.
While everyone is presumed dead, months later, with no plane or survivors having been found, Lori’s credit card is suddenly used in a corner shop in a remote village in Fiji. The purchase gives Erin fresh hope that her sister is still alive, and when Erin recognises the plane’s pilot on CCTV, she’s determined to find out what really happened, she sets out on a journey to find him – and her sister.
Jumping between the two sisters’ perspectives, Erin embarks on a perilous mission to uncover the truth of the crash, while we follow Lori’s struggle for survival among her fellow castaways. With twist after twist helping to reveal the truth about what happened to Lori and the other passengers, Erin’s mission to save her sister is only made harder by the fact that someone on the island is prepared to kill to keep what happened a secret.
Sheridan explained at a screening of the series how she conquered numerous fears for the role. “[Lori] starts off very much like a wallflower," she said. "She’s kind of brought up her younger sister. But as the story goes on, she toughens up somewhat.
“I was terrified of water and I’m in the water for most of the show. I’m scared of heights and I was up a tree and on a cliff so yes, it was a challenge. I like a challenge and I was in safe hands... I’m so glad I took it.”
Who’s in the cast of The Castaways?
The cast of The Castaways includes:
- Sheridan Smith (I Fought the Law) as Lori
- Celine Buckens (The Ex-Wife) as Erin
- Brendan Cowell (Plum) as Mike
- Lasarus Ratuere (The Brighton Miracle) as Felix
- Dominic Tighe (Insomnia) as Daniel Eldridge:
- Charlotte Vega (Wrong Turn) as Amber Gordon
- Celeste Dodwell (Call the Midwife) as Natasha
- Joseph Mydell (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry)as Jack
- Alice Barclay (A Spy Among Friends) as Alice
- Dugald Bruce-Lockhart (From Time to Time) as Steven
Is there a trailer for The Castaways?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Castaways below.
Is The Castaways any good?
Yes – if you’re after a series that offers a bit of escapism, you’ll definitely find it in The Castaways. While the plot, admittedly, isn’t the most realistic we’ve seen, it does make for compelling viewing and Sheridan Smith is, as we’ve come to expect, absolutely brilliant as Lori.
How can I watch The Castaways?
You can watch The Castaways now on Channel 5and Paramount+.
What other Sheridan Smith dramas can I watch now?
To see a slightly different side of Sheridan, we’d recommend her 2012 drama The Scapegoat. The doppelgänger drama tells the story of two very different men, John Standing and Johnny Spence (both played by Matthew Rhys), who share the same face. Sheridan plays scandalous role of Johnny’s brother's wife who also happens to be having an affair with Johnny himself – and she’s absolutely fantastic in it. You can watch The Scapegoat now on Prime Video. For a drama rooted in real-life, we’d suggest The Moorside. The two-part series tells the story of Shannon Matthews who was reported missing in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, when she was just nine years old, and Sheridan plays Julie Bushby, a local woman who organised daily search teams to find Shannon. The Moorside is available to watch on ITVX.
