It’s been a pretty good year for psychological thrillers, with The Rapture and Under Salt Marsh leading the pack, but it turns out an even more brilliant series has been hiding in plain sight. Introducing Paula, the Irish drama that recently made a return to BBC iPlayer and is one of the most superb psychological thrillers we’ve seen in a while.
The series, which originally aired in 2017, takes us into the world of chemistry teacher, Paula Denny (Denise Gough). At first, her biggest problem appears to be ending her affair with her colleague Philip (Edward MacLiam) – but when she has a one-night stand with handyman James (Tom Hughes), it’s the start of an entirely new - and increasingly terrifying - nightmare.
With all three episodes available to binge tonight, here’s everything you need to know about Paula before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Paula about?
The three-part series, which first aired on RTÉ One in 2017 in Ireland ahead of its arrival on the BBC, revolves around chemistry teacher, Paula Denny (Denise Gough), who's having an affair with married PE teacher, Philip (Edward MacLiam). While it's nothing out of the ordinary, her life is about to be turned upside down even further by an unexpected one-night stand.
When she meets handsome handyman, James Moorcroft (Tom Hughes), the pair have instant chemistry and spend the night together. But James isn’t exactly a straightforward man – he’s haunted by something from his past – and when Paula rejects the idea of anything further, James sets out on a path of obsession and revenge.
While we won’t share any spoilers here, what follows includes murder, an arson attack and what can only be described as mental torture. The chilling reality is that only one of the pair can survive, but their actions will take a terrifying toll on all those around them first.
Speaking about her character’s somewhat “unlikeable” nature, Denise Gough told Stylist: “I’ve been in [TV shows] with women getting mutilated and the guy who’s doing the killing, although unlikeable, is hot. I wanted to be part of a similar type of thing but with a woman in that position. The first reaction is always ‘she’s not very likeable’, and isn’t that funny; you wouldn’t say that about Jamie Dornan?”
Who’s in the cast of Paula?
The cast of Paula includes:
- Denise Gough (The Stolen Girl) as Paula
- Owen McDonnell (Spooks) as DI McArthur
- Edward MacLiam (Ordinary Lies) as Philip
- Tom Hughes (Victoria) as James
- Sean McGinley (The General) as Terry
- Jane Brennan (Brooklyn) as Gemma
- Siobhán Cullen (The Dry) as Morgan
- Aoibhinn McGinnity (Don’t Go) as Crystal
- Emily Taaffe (Little Disasters) as Ruth
- Jonny Holden (Dublin Murders) as Callum
- Amelie Metcalfe (Miss Scarlet) as Mary
- David Herlihy (Leap Year) as Hogan
- Aislín McGuckin (Joyride) as Diane
Is there a trailer for Paula?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Paula below.
Is Paula any good?
Yes – but do be warned that it gets pretty dark! Denise Gough gives an especially good performance as Paula, while Tom Hughes is deeply unsettling as a menacing handyman. If you’re up for a creepy relationship drama that involves blackmail, obsession and a rat-infested basement (we did say it was dark!), it’s safe to say you’ll be positively gripped. Our only advice would be to watch it with company.
How can I watch Paula?
Paula is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
What other psychological thrillers can I watch now?
For an unmissable performance from the brilliant Stephen Graham, we’d recommend A Patch of Fog. The Adolescence star is faultless as mentally unstable loner Robert Green who develops an infatuation of sorts with a popular TV star. You can watch A Patch of Fog now on Disney+. For something even creepier, we’d suggest Wayward. The series stars Toni Collette as a headmistress at a school in Oregon called Tall Pines. Only Tall Pines isn’t your typical school, it’s a "therapeutic" school for "troubled teens" that aims to solve the problem of adolescence. Wayward is available to watch on Netflix.
