After the Flood is a six-part British television mystery thriller, not a feature film. It begins with a body discovered after a devastating flood and follows PC Jo Marshall as she questions the apparent accident—and the secrets her investigation uncovers in a close-knit town. The series has a strong setting and Sophie Rundle at its center, though its crowded plotting may be as much a drawback as a source of surprises.
What is After the Flood about?
In a town battered by flooding, an unidentified man is found dead in a lift in an underground car park. Police initially assume rising water trapped him. PC Joanna “Jo” Marshall, played by Sophie Rundle, becomes determined to establish what happened. A postmortem finding that the man died before the flood gives her reason to pursue the possibility of murder, as well as a mystery that reaches into the lives of the town’s residents.
The story is spoiler-light here: the investigation develops through revelations and episode-ending cliffhangers, rather than a single isolated case. ITV’s premise also puts the disaster’s impact on residents at the heart of the drama, with reputations, secrets and fortunes under pressure.
Does the mystery deliver surprises?
The series gives viewers the ingredients of a whodunit: an unexplained death, a determined investigator and a community with things to hide. Its reveals and cliffhangers provide momentum, but “brimming with surprises” is a matter of taste, not a guarantee that every turn feels new or fully earned. Critics have differed on whether its many threads make the story richer or overcomplicate it.
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![After the Flood (Series 1) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51FGARXNNHL._SL160_.jpg)
- After the Flood (Series 1)
- After the Flood (Series 1)
That tension is the most useful way to approach the show. If you enjoy mysteries that widen into family pressures, local relationships and civic concerns, the extra strands can make the town feel lived-in. If you want a tightly focused case, the accumulation of subplots may feel crowded, and some critics found the middle stretches less engaging.
What works best: the town and Sophie Rundle
Rundle anchors the investigation as Jo, and Rotten Tomatoes’ critic consensus describes her lead performance as steady. The Guardian’s review was particularly taken with the town and its relationships once the immediate disaster sequence gives way to the flood’s aftermath. The surrounding cast includes Philip Glenister, Lorraine Ashbourne, Nicholas Gleaves, Jonas Armstrong, Matt Stokoe, Jacqueline Boatswain and Anita Adam Gabay.
The flood is more than a dramatic opening device. The series connects the crime plot to community life and vulnerability after disaster. The Guardian reads the local failures depicted in the show as a reflection of wider climate inaction; that is the reviewer’s interpretation, rather than a claim that the series is a documentary account. This mix of crime and social drama gives the setting weight, although it also contributes to the number of competing storylines.
Is After the Flood worth watching?
It is a reasonable pick for viewers who want a character-led British crime thriller with a disaster aftermath woven into the mystery. Rundle’s central performance and the community portrait are its clearest strengths. The main reservation is balance: the shifting plot strands and pacing do not work equally well for every critic. Rotten Tomatoes displayed a 67% critic score from 12 reviews when accessed on 4 October 2026; that aggregate can change and is only a snapshot, not a measure of whether it will suit an individual viewer.
Rank #3
Series format, credits and production
After the Flood was commissioned for ITV1 and ITVX in the UK as six episodes of approximately 60 minutes. Manchester-based Quay Street Productions made it in association with ITV Studios, with BritBox International as co-production partner. Mick Ford created, wrote and executive-produced the series; Azhur Saleem directed and executive-produced it, and Juliet Charlesworth produced. Filming took place in and around Manchester, Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Teesside, according to ITV’s commissioning announcement.
What comes after the first series?
ITV announced a second six-part series. In the broadcaster’s December 2025 first-look announcement, Jo is a newly promoted detective investigating a new murder amid moorland-fire risks and the possibility of further flooding. The announced returning and new cast includes Rundle, Glenister, Ashbourne, Gleaves, Stokoe, Alun Armstrong, Jill Halfpenny, Ian Puleston-Davies and Matthew McNulty.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch After the Flood?
Availability depends on territory and can change. ITV announced UK broadcast availability on ITV and STV, with streaming on ITVX and STV Player for the second series. It also announced BritBox availability in North America in 2026. Earlier ITV material listed BritBox for the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Nordic markets. These are distribution announcements, not confirmation that either series is currently in a particular service’s catalogue; check the service in your region before subscribing.
Quick Recap
Sources
- ITV, After The Flood series media pack (15 December 2023)
- ITV, “ITV commissions six part mystery thriller, After the Flood” (16 February 2023)
- The Guardian, “After the Flood review – an unexpectedly riveting disaster drama” (10 January 2024)
- Rotten Tomatoes, After the Flood: Season 1 (accessed 4 October 2026)
- ITV, series-two announcement (November 2025)
- ITV, series-two first-look announcement (December 2025)
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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