TV series
Respected police officer John River, a gifted cop with a troubled mind, struggles to come to terms with the recent loss of a colleague, and chases a suspect across London - with tragic consequences. Now at odds with the authorities, River ends up in a precarious position as he seeks to bring closure to the mother of murdered teenager, who blames him for failing to keep his promise.
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Checked Jul 22, 2026
Respected police officer John River, a gifted cop with a troubled mind, struggles to come to terms with the recent loss of a colleague, and chases a suspect across London - with tragic consequences. Now at odds with the authorities, River ends up in a precarious position as he seeks to bring closure to the mother of murdered teenager, who blames him for failing to keep his promise.
Cast, crew and production details
Stellan SkarsgårdJohn River
Nicola WalkerJackie 'Stevie' Stevenson
Franz DramehBruno Marconi
Adeel AkhtarIra King
Lesley ManvilleChrissie Read
Owen TealeMarcus McDonald
Georgina RichRosa Fallows
Eddie MarsanThomas Cream
BBC OneUnited Kingdom
KudosUnited KingdomWatch options above are for the show and may vary by season or episode.
Episode 1
Under intense scrutiny, River must battle to keep his fragile mental state in check.
Directed by Richard LaxtonWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Franz Drameh, Scott Hunt, Josef Altin, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Shannon Tarbet, Steve Edwin, Fady Elsayed, Jacqueline Boatswain
Where to watch River
Episode 2
River begins to suspect that the man he chased to his death was innocent.
Directed by Richard LaxtonWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Franz Drameh, Josef Altin, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Steve Munroe, Roy Martin Thorn, Jane Jeffrey, Youssef Berouain, Soo Drouet
Where to watch River
Episode 3
Unlocking her voicemails throws suspicion on somebody close to Stevie.
Directed by Tim FywellWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Steve Munroe, Roy Martin Thorn, Andrei Zayats, Andrew Byron, Amelia Lowdell, Julian Lewis Jones, Alec Utgoff, Stefan Kalipha
Where to watch River
Episode 4
CCTV footage causes the investigation into Stevie's murder to change direction.
Directed by Tim FywellWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Steve Munroe, Roy Martin Thorn, Stefan Kalipha, Jim Norton, Peter Bankolé, Souleiman Bock, Louis Mahoney, Mark Brennan
Where to watch River
Episode 5
River and Ira uncover what Stevie was investigating before her murder.
Directed by Jessica HobbsWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Steve Munroe, Roy Martin Thorn, Andrew Byron, Jim Norton, Peter Bankolé, Billie Cartier, Anamaria Marinca, Adjoa Andoh
Where to watch River
Episode 6
The fractured events of Stevie's murder start to swim into focus for River.
Directed by Jessica HobbsWritten by Abi MorganGuest stars Josef Altin, Shannon Tarbet, Steve Munroe, Roy Martin Thorn, Jim Norton, Ali Craig, Stacha Hicks, Lydia Leonard
Where to watch RiverEpisode information updated Jul 22, 2026
