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The North Water: BBC viewers say they’re ‘hooked’ by ‘amazing’ new arctic-set drama

Viewers have lavished praise on The North Water, a star-studded new series which debuted last night (10 September) on BBC Two.

The five-part series follows the story of Patrick Sumner, a disgraced doctor who embarks on a whaling expedition to the arctic with a crew of sinister companions.

Jack O’Connell plays Sumner, while the cast also includes Colin Farrell, Stephen Graham, and Tom Courtenay.

While The North Water initially aired in the US on AMC earlier this year, its showing on BBC Two marks the first time it’s been available to watch in the UK.

In a four-star review for The Independent, Ed Cumming wrote: “The North Water has a great cast, an expensive boat, a dark and engaging story, and a sinister mood. It ought to be a point of pride.

“So why has the BBC abandoned it in the frozen wasteland of Friday night? Darkness this well wrought ought to be displayed for all to see.”

Viewers shared their reactions to the series on social media, with many comparing it favourably to the recent series The Terror.

The North Water should have been on Sunday night,” wrote one viewer. “What a show! The first episode was phenomenal and really filled a void in The Terror shaped hole that I was missing.”

Another described the series as “amazing”, claiming that Courtenay was a “legend”.

“Very powerful first episode of The North Water,” wrote a third person. “Echoes of #MobyDick, mentions of #Scoresby, also, I think, echoes of Master & Commander. Great television @BBCTwo.”

“The North Water has me “hooked” already. It definitely is going to be fantastic,” wrote someone else.

The series can be streamed in full now on BBC iPlayer.