Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha lead the cast of the high-stakes series, which follows two cash-strapped Liverpool casino workers who find themselves facing dangerous local gangsters and the police after skimming money from the casino safe.

© James Stack/BBC
Sheridan Smith stars as Leanne in The Cage

It’s no wonder fans are hooked on the show. Not only is the cast led by BAFTA-winner Sheridan, but its creator is the BAFTA-winning Tony Schumacher, a former Merseyside Police officer who created the acclaimed police drama The Responder. Plus, the series is produced by the award-winning production company behind Normal People and Oscar-winning film Poor Things.

Crime drama fans will not be disappointed by this gripping and gritty series. Keep reading to find out more…

What have viewers said about The Cage?

Viewers wasted no time getting stuck into the drama following its release on Sunday, with some binge-watching all five episodes in one sitting.

Taking to social media, one person penned: “Binged the whole series tonight. I really enjoyed it, proper good British drama and great cast/performances,” while another added: “Loved it!! was so good had me on the edge of my seat.”

© James Stack/BBC
Michael Socha plays Matty in the Liverpool-set drama

A third viewer penned: “Binged The Cage in one sitting, fantastic show! Well done all involved,” while another called for a second season, writing: “Michael and Sheridan were absolutely phenomenal, can’t wait for series 2?”

What have critics said about the show?

The series has received rave reviews from TV critics, with The Guardian awarding five stars to the “an astonishing, deeply moving state-of-the-nation thriller,” while The Telegraph hailed Sheridan’s performance as “superb” in the “gripping” show in its five-star review.

© James Stack/BBC
Sophie Mensah plays Detective Sergeant Ning

Meanwhile, The Times handed out four stars and The Independent gave three.

What is The Cage about?

Filmed in and around Liverpool and Merseyside, the story follows Leanne (Smith), a single mum and casino cashier who starts skimming cash from the safe to save her family home. But when she discovers her boss Matty (Socha), a gambling addict, is doing the same thing, both of their lives start to spiral out of control.

The pair form an unlikely partnership to keep their stealing a secret, but soon become entangled with local gangsters and the police.

© BBC / Element Pictures / James Stack
The series follows two casino workers who team up to skim cash from the safe

The synopsis reads: “Leanne is the charismatic cashier at an inner-city casino who finds herself threatened with losing the family home and starts skimming cash from the casino safe to secure her family’s future.

“When Leanne discovers her boss Matty is doing the same thing, their lives are set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police. As Leanne’s loyalties are pulled in different directions, Matty battles with his inner demons meaning the pair will have to play every hand perfectly.”

Leading star Sheridan described the series as “a lot of fun, but it’s also a very heavy story”.

© James Stack/BBC
The series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

“They’re not great at stealing,” she said of Leanne and Matty during an interview on ITV’s This Morning. “My character Leanne is much more organised but Matty is letting the side down, he’s not very reliable.”

All episodes of The Cage are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.