The Nest: 3 reasons why we’re excited for Acorn TV’s new thriller

The Nest premieres on Acorn TV this Monday, July 13.

The Nest is coming into TV crime drama fans’ homes on Monday, as the BBC One drama arrives on Acorn TV. Skillfully combining a domestic storyline with a crime story, it’s a series that viewers will want to settle in for.

Nicole Taylor’s series stars Martin Compston (from the superlative Line of Duty) and Sophie Rundle (from the nail-biting Bodyguard) as a Scottish couple who have everything except a child. But how far will they go to start a family—and will the new surrogate they’ve brought into their home end up destroying their lives?

Here’s why we’re excited for the premiere of The Nest, and why you need to be watching when the first two episodes arrive.

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1. Martin Compston

Acorn TV viewers will immediately recognize Martin Compston from his long-running role as Steve Arnott on the hit TV crime drama Line of Duty. As well you should, because he’s brilliant in it, and he’s equally good here.

Compston is an actor with incredible range—when he steps into another character it’s about as far afield as he can go. When you watch him as Dan Docherty, you won’t be thinking about Steve whatsoever. And the way that he portrays Dan, as somebody who has everything and yet is still incredibly relatable, is a joy to watch. He takes a character who could have been over-simplified and gives him these layers that, in turn, add depth to The Nest overall.

And, just like when Adrian Dunbar‘s series Blood dropped on Acorn TV earlier this year, it’s fun to see Martin Compston outside of Line of Duty. At least on this show he’s not likely to be ambushed and tortured, or get thrown down a stairwell and suffer a serious head injury.

2. It’s not a normal crime drama

The mere phrase “crime drama” makes most people think of procedurals, or at least expect a certain type of show where a pair of cops investigate the crime of the week. But not all shows in the genre follow that formula, and The Nest is one of them. None of the main characters—Dan, his wife Emily (Rundle), and their surrogate Kaya (Mirren Mack, Sex Education)—are cops. This is not a whodunit.

But it’s still a crime show. There are some shady dealings happening here, and characters are going to figure things out and uncover secrets, and there is a mystery that gets resolved by the end of the five episodes. The way that The Nest weaves that into its domestic drama is quite interesting; sharp-eyed viewers will be trying to put the pieces together before Emily and Dan’s perfect world implodes. While there’s no case to close, there’s still something to fight for.

3. It’s surprisingly timely

Given current events, The Nest has taken on an air of timeliness. Home is incredibly precious to everyone right now; it’s where many of us have been stuck for months, and the one place where we are safe. We’ve all been thinking about our families over this difficult time. Now there’s this series where the Dochertys bring someone into their home, and all kinds of themes emerge from that.

Make no mistake: this isn’t a psychodrama like a Lifetime TV-movie might be. There are things to say here not only about home and marriage and family, but identity and legacy. Taylor’s scripts are full of ideas to chew on, and watching Compston and Rundle go through them is some gripping drama. You end up feeling like you’re part of Dan and Emily’s world.

Whether you’re a Line of Duty or Bodyguard fan, or just looking for something new to sink your teeth into, The Nest will keep you hooked.

The first two episodes of The Nest premiere Monday, with a new episode arriving each Monday afterward, exclusively on Acorn TV. Watch now with a 7-day free trial.