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TV series
Poster for A Wanted Man

A Wanted Man

1989 · 1 season

A stark, talk-heavy chamber piece that grinds through interrogation and trial, leaving you unsettled and thinking about evil long after.

Created by
Malcolm McKay
Genres
Mystery, Crime, Drama
Tagline
A Wanted Man: Unpacking the interplay between culpability and formative trauma in the creation of a killer.
Overview
A Wanted Man is a groundbreaking three‐part British miniseries first shown on BBC2 in September 1989. Directed by Nicholas Renton and written by Malcolm McKay, it evolved from his earlier one‐off play “The Interrogation of John” into a daring trilogy. The series follows the capture, trial, and psychological unravelling of a serial killer, offering an in‐depth exploration of criminal behavior and the ethical dilemmas faced by the justice system. With deliberate pacing, stark realism, and an unflinching look at human darkness, it challenges conventional crime dramas and compels viewers to confront unsettling questions about responsibility, morality, and the nature of evil. Critically acclaimed and award‐winning, A Wanted Man remains essential viewing for anyone seeking a thought‐provoking, intense, and unforgettable drama experience that not only entertains but also forces a deep reflection on the fragility of human nature and the complexities of justice.
How it feels
Dark, bleak, tense and earnest. Slow-burning and demanding.
About
Crime, morality, guilt, trauma
Content
Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note
Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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In the USNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Created by
Malcolm McKay
Genres
Mystery, Crime, Drama
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown
Tone
Pacing
slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Places
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action1
Horror3
Humour1
Realism8
Romance0
Tension7
Darkness8
Complexity8
Emotional weight8

Cast

Where to watch in the US

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No streaming, rental or purchase options are known in the US.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
mystery, crime, drama
Created by
Malcolm McKay
Written by
Malcolm McKay
Starring
Michael Fitzgerald, David Fielder, Rupert Holliday-Evans, Denis Quilley
Length
1 seasons, 3 episodes, 59 min each
Network
BBC Two
Country
United Kingdom
Languages
English

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