Have you ever lived in a home that feels a bit spooky? Maybe you hear unexplained creaks at night or there’s a particularly loud neighbour who stomps upstairs. Well, BBC’s superb crime thriller The Girl Before makes the eeriest home you’ve encountered seem rather pleasant. The compulsive cat-and-mouse series, which was a huge hit when it first aired on the BBC in 2021, revolves around a house in London with an unsettling set of rules – and we'd highly recommend watching it this week.
The series, based on JP Delaney’s bestselling novel, unfolds across two overlapping timelines. First, couple Emma (Jessica Plummer) and Simon (Ben Hardy) are enticed by the seemingly spectacular One Folgate Street. Later, Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) moves into the property. The unusually low rent, impressive architecture and futuristic amenities initially seem too good to be true. Unsurprisingly, they come at a chilling cost…
Intrigued? With the series available to stream now, here’s everything you need to know about The Girl Before, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Girl Before about?
The four-part series follows Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who’s looking for somewhere to live in London after suffering a devastating loss. She comes across a stunning, ultra-minimalist house, One Folgate Street, designed by mysterious architect Edward (David Oyelowo), who also owns the property. The rent is unusually low, but there’s a catch: prospective tenants must pass his rigorous selection process and agree to follow strict rules. No children, no books, no rugs, no clutter – and practically nothing personal to make the house a home.
While Jane is initially thrilled to be chosen to move in, it isn’t long before she starts to feel unnerved by her new ‘perfect’ home. She makes a shocking discovery about her predecessor, Emma (Jessica Plummer), who lived there with her former partner Simon (Ben Hardy).
From the first episode, it’s evident both women are grappling with intense trauma and looking for some kind of escape within the walls of their new meticulous home. Both of them become fascinated by the enigmatic architect and learn their new environment isn’t what they’d expected. As Jane learns about what happened to Emma, she begins to wonder if she will share the same fate.
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Who’s in the cast of The Girl Before?
The cast of The Girl Before includes:
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show, Misbehaviour) as Jane
- David Oyelowo (Selma, Les Misérables) as Edward
- Jessica Plummer (Missing You, The Decameron) as Emma
- Ben Hardy (Love At First Sight) as Simon
Is there a trailer for The Girl Before?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Girl Before below.
Is The Girl Before any good?
Yes, The Girl Before is absolutely gripping and almost impossible to stop watching. The way the series flips so seamlessly between Jane and Emma keeps you constantly wondering how their stories connect, as each of their trajectories become increasingly disturbing. What sets this thriller apart is that the saga sensitively addresses how Jane and Emma’s past traumas have shaped their current lives, rooting the drama in something meaningful.
How can I watch The Girl Before?
You can watch The Girl Before on BBC iPlayer now.
What other thrillers can I watch now?
For an equally dark thriller, we’d point you towards No Time For Goodbye, a crime drama set in a secluded mountainous village where Sofia Legrand (Barbara Probst) attempts to track down her family who disappeared over two decades earlier. But, she soon uncovers a dark secret, which changes everything. No Time For Goodbye is available to watch now on Channel 4. For a more relatable thriller, we’d suggest Cold Call, which follows struggling single mum June Clarke (Sally Lindsay) whose life is torn apart when she falls victim to a telephone scam and loses all her money. She starts a quest for justice and revenge – how far will she go? Cold Call is available to watch now on Channel 5.
