If you’re a fan of dramas about someone vanishing, such as The Missing, and also love a sun-drenched Australian mystery (also involving missing people) like High Country, we’ve found a series that combines both in the best possible way. Riptide is Jo Joyner’s gripping thriller in which her husband, Sean (Peter O’Brien), suddenly vanishes at sea.
The thriller introduces us to Alison (Jo Joyner), who is basking in newlywed bliss in Melbourne. She has an idyllic beach house and is on the cusp of everything she ever dreamed of – that is, until her husband goes on a surfing trip and never returns. The bereft wife is left to unravel a web of domestic resentment, deceit and secrets.
With the series now available to watch on Channel 5, here’s everything you need to know about Riptide, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Riptide about?
The four episodes of Riptide, which first aired on Channel 5 in 2022, introduce us to a scene of domestic perfection. Newlyweds Alison (Jo Joyner) and Sean (Peter O’Brien) reside in an Australian beach home with their seemingly perfect blended family. But, when Sean goes out to surf and never returns, Alison is completely distraught. The verdict is that he drowned in a riptide, but she is adamant there is more to the story and what transpires is a whodunnit – with a twist.
From the offset, we learn darkness lingers beneath the newly joined family. An eventful dinner for Sean’s birthday shows underlying tensions between Alison and her stepson, Ethan (Ben Turland), who believes she is using his dad for his money and blackmails her with a revealing photo of her daughter, Hannah (Asher Yasbincek).
There are no shortage of suspects, from Alison’s ex-husband, Michael (Ciarán Griffiths), who clearly isn’t over her, to Sean’s ex-wife, Rachel. Then there’s Ethan’s boyfriend, Jesse (Benjamin Samaddar), who could have been seeking passionate vengeance on behalf of his lover.
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Outside of the unconventional family tree is the widowed next-door neighbour, Dan (David Berry), who becomes a comforting figure for Alison, but he’s harbouring a secret about his past. Unlike the usual whodunnit format, the killer is revealed before the end of the series. Suddenly, the drama evolves into a race against time to stop them from striking again, but will the family be spared from another tragedy?
Who’s in the cast of Riptide?
The cast of Riptide includes:
- Jo Joyner (EastEnders) as Alison Weston
- Peter O’Brien (Winter) as Sean Weston
- Ciarán Griffiths (The Mill) as Michael Lane
- David Berry (Outlander) as Dan Burrell
- Ben Turland (Heartbreak High) as Ethan Weston
- Asher Yasbincek (Heartbreak High) as Hannah Lane
- Ally Fowler (Wentworth) as Rachel Weston
- Yazeed Daher (The Heights) as Logan Williams
- Sonya Suares (Knowing) as Sergeant Bhomik
- Pia Miranda as Jenny Clarke
- Benjamin Samaddar as Jesse Patel
Is Riptide any good?
Yes – if you’re a fan of a twisty whodunnit and a bit of sunshine escapism, you’ll want to add Riptide to your watchlist. Soap opera royalty Jo Joyner is an enchanting lead; we really rooted for her to find solace and answers after the tragedy. We also enjoyed the fact it veered away from the classic tropes of a ‘whodunnit’ and transformed into a pacy chase. Overall, it’s an extremely watchable series you’ll want to binge in one go.
How can I watch Riptide?
You can watch Riptide on Channel 5 now.
What other thrillers can I watch now?
If you’re in the mood for something even darker, we’d recommend Channel 4’s The Marnow Murders. Set in the German city of Schwerin, the atmospheric drama sees detectives Lona Mendt (Petra Schmidt-Schaller) and Frank Elling (Sascha Alexander Geršak) team up to solve murder cases. You can watch The Marnow Murders now on Channel 4. If you fancy another thriller set abroad, we’d point you towards The Boy That Never Was, where a family’s trip to Morocco is quite literally torn apart in the aftermath of an earthquake that destroys the building their son is sleeping in. He is assumed dead but, three years later, his dad, Harry (Colin Morgan), spots something that changes everything. You can watch The Boy That Never Was now on U and Channel 4.
