‘Midwinter of the Spirit’ Is the ‘Creepy’ British Crime Drama Series Currently Topping Netflix’s Top 10!

Amid a deluge of glossy true-crime reboots and festive fluff, a long-forgotten gem has clawed its way to the top of Netflix’s charts, proving that sometimes the scariest stories are the ones that linger in the shadows. Midwinter of the Spirit, the 2015 ITV miniseries adapted from Phil Rickman’s acclaimed Merrily Watkins novels, has surged to No. 1 in the UK and No. 3 globally after quietly landing on the platform in late October. What was expected to be a niche supernatural thriller has detonated into a binge-worthy obsession, with viewers warning each other: “Prepare your nerves—this one’s exceptionally creepy.” Starring Anna Maxwell Martin as a widowed vicar turned exorcist, the three-part series blends gritty crime procedural with occult dread in a way that’s “surprisingly faithful” to the source material and “at times truly scary,” as The Guardian raved upon its original airing.

At its core, Midwinter of the Spirit follows Merrily Watkins (Martin), a single mother and one of the UK’s few female priests doubling as an exorcist-in-training. Newly arrived in Hereford with her teenage daughter Jane (Sally Messham), Merrily hopes for a fresh start after her husband’s fatal car crash. But the ancient city’s spiritual undercurrents quickly pull her under. When Satanist Paul Sayer (Denzil Joy, played by David Threlfall) is crucified in a grisly ritual, DCI Annie Howe (Kate Dickie) enlists Merrily’s expertise, thrusting her into a web of demonic possession, pagan cults, and personal hauntings. As Merrily grapples with her own faith and the male-dominated church’s skepticism, the lines between psychological torment and genuine supernatural evil blur, culminating in a finale that dives “straight into the spirit world” with chilling conviction.

Martin, fresh from Line of the Body and MotherFatherSon, delivers a tour de force as Merrily—a woman whose quiet strength masks profound vulnerability. “Merrily’s not neurotic; she’s navigating the unseen with grit,” Martin told Radio Times in 2015. Her chemistry with Threlfall’s enigmatic Joy— a dying man whose “evil spirit” Merrily must confront—crackles with unease, while Dickie’s Howe provides a no-nonsense foil, grounding the occult in procedural realism. Supporting turns shine: Nicholas Pinnock as Merrily’s mentor Huw Edwards, a seasoned exorcist with his own demons; and Ania Marson as the enigmatic Mrs. Joy, whose pagan rituals add layers of folk horror.

Adapted by Stephen Volk (Ghostwatch), the series honors Rickman’s novels—Midwinter of the Spirit is the second in his 16-book Merrily Watkins series—without theatrical excess. Directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan (The Body in the Library), it’s a masterclass in atmospheric restraint: misty Hereford cathedrals, fog-shrouded graveyards, and candlelit exorcisms filmed with claustrophobic intimacy. No head-spinning or levitations—just the creeping dread of doubt, where every creak might be the devil’s whisper. The score, by Debbie Wiseman, throbs with dissonant strings that mimic a racing pulse, amplifying the “gripping” tension The Telegraph praised as “exceptionally creepy.”

Originally airing in 2015 to solid reviews (6.2/10 IMDb, 80% Rotten Tomatoes critics), the series faded into obscurity until Netflix’s algorithm resurrected it. Now, it’s a cosy-season sensation: 35 million hours viewed in three weeks, outpacing The Perfect Couple. TikTok is flooded with “POV: you’re Merrily during an exorcism” edits, and Reddit’s r/PeriodDramas calls it “the underrated horror gem.” Viewers rave: “Chilling without being gimmicky—10/10 binge” and “Anna Maxwell Martin is terrifyingly brilliant.”

Midwinter of the Spirit arrives perfectly for autumn chills, reminding us that true horror isn’t supernatural—it’s the fragility of faith in a world of shadows. Stream the three episodes now on Netflix. But dim the lights at your own risk; Merrily’s ghosts might just follow you home.