Best Channel 5 dramas — all the must-see TV shows to watch on My5

Sean Pertwee as Tony in Best Channel 5 dramas The Night Caller.
Sean Pertwee as Tony in The Night Caller. (Image credit: Channel 5)

Looking for the best Channel 5 dramas? The Night Caller, Coma, The Cuckoo and For Her Sins are just some of the shows available to watch on-demand. So you've got plenty of time to catch up on all that My5 has to offer.

We've put together a list of the best Channel 5 dramas to stream right now, including the number of seasons and episodes, synopsis and the average episode length. We also have guides on best BBC dramas, best ITV Dramas and best Channel 4 dramas if you need even more recommendations!

What are the best Channel 5 dramas on My5?

Coma

Jason Watkins as Simon and Joe Barber as Jordan in Coma

 Jason Watkins as Simon and Joe Barber as Jordan in Coma. (Image credit: Channel 5)

Coma sees Jason Watkins play Simon, a kind-hearted family man who tries to lie his way out of a crime after a split-second error in judgment. After being menaced by local teens, Simon punches 17-year-old Jordan Franklin (played by Joe Barber), but when he fails to get up and ends up in a coma, it looks like Simon's mistake is set to cost him everything he loves. Soon Simon's lies spiral out of control and he's caught up in a world far more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. 

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Night Caller

Robert Glenister as disgruntled cabbie Tony in psychological thriller The Night Caller

Robert Glenister as cabbie Tony in The Night Caller. (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Night Caller follows Tony (Robert Glenister), a 50-something, lonely Liverpudlian taxi driver who used to be a respected teacher but lost his job, his marriage, and his confidence. His only lifelines are Rosa, a café worker, and a late-night talk show he listens to as he drives his customers around. The show is fronted by DJ Lawrence (Sean Pertwee) and one day Tony finds the courage to call in. He becomes a ‘friend of the show’ which gives him a sense of identity for the first time in years. But eventually, he starts to interpret Lawrence’s views in dangerous ways and becomes obsessed with their relationship. Then, Tony realises Lawrence isn’t the man he pretends to be. 

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Cuckoo

Jill Halfpenny as Sian in The Cuckoo.

Jill Halfpenny as Sian in The Cuckoo. (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Cuckoo is a tense thriller starring Jill Halfpenny as a lodger who forces her way into the lives of her host family. She plays Sian, a beautiful but mysterious woman who moves in with hard-up couple Nick (Lee Ingleby) and Jessica (Claire Goose) and their adopted daughter. But as she oversteps the boundaries time and time again, Jessica starts to wonder if there’s more to Sian than meets the eye...

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

Too Good To Be True

Too Good To Be True on Channel 5 sees Kara Tointon plays a mum on the breadline offered a cleaning job by mysterious Elliot (Allen Leech).

Too Good To Be True sees Kara Tointon plays a mum on the breadline. (Image credit: Channel 5)

Too Good To Be True sees Kara Tointon playing Rachel, a cash-strapped single mother who works all hours as a cleaner to give her son Liam a better life. She’s thrilled when she lands a well-paid job for a wealthy client called Elliot, played by Downton Abbey star Allen Leech, but when Elliot’s behaviour becomes increasingly controlling, Rachel digs into his past and discovers some disturbing truths which very soon see her world spiral out of control. 

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Catch

The Catch.

The Catch stars Jason Watkins.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Catch follows a fisherman whose family life seems to spiral out of control when his daughter goes out with a shady new boyfriend. It also has a wonderful cast that includes Jason Watkins, Aneurin Barnard, Poppy Gilbert, Cathy Belton and Brenda Fricker. Set against the hauntingly beautiful coastline of the south-west of England, this suspense-driven drama revolves around the themes of toxic masculinity and grief. The emotionally complex story raises pertinent moral questions; should we be judged by the actions of our distant past and at what point do we have to stop blaming other people for the life we’ve led?

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

Cold Call

Cold Call star Sally Lindsay as June

(Image credit: Channel 5)

Imagine an anonymous cold caller stole your life’s savings in a single phone call. That’s exactly what happens to care worker June Clarke, played by Coronation Street legend Sally Lindsay, in the cat-and-mouse thriller, Cold Call. With the police and bank powerless to help, June despairs… until she meets old school pal Des (Daniel Ryan) who happens to know a thing or two about modern fraud. Having had a bellyful of being a victim June joins forces with Des against criminal mastermind Kirk (Paul Higgins), unintentionally embarking on a path of pure, cold revenge.

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

Finders Keepers

Finders Keepers on Channel 5 stars Neil Morrissey, Fay Ripley and James Buckley.

Finders Keepers stars Neil Morrissey, Fay Ripley and James Buckley. (Image credit: Channel 5)

Finders Keepers sees Neil Morrissey play family man Martin Stone, who discovers some buried Anglo-Saxon treasure while out with his metal detector. But soon the find turns his life upside down and he lands himself in a whole world of unwanted trouble. The four-part drama sees Fay Ripley star as Martin's long-suffering wife, while James Buckley plays his brash, wheeler-dealer future son-in-law, Ashley. Soon Martin and Ashley find themselves in a whole heap of drama thanks to their treasure stash that is worth millions, and not everyone will make it out of the ordeal alive... 

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Holiday

(L-R) Aidan McArdle as Alistair, Liv Mjönes as Jenny, Cat Simmons as Izzy, Jill Halfpenny as Kate, Owen McDonnell as Sean, Andrew Macklin as Russ, Siobhan Hewlett as Rowan in 'The Holiday'.

Jill Halfpenny stars in The Holiday.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Holiday follows Kate (Jill Halfpenny) on her dream family getaway in the Mediterranean, a holiday that swiftly becomes a nightmare after she discovers her husband has been having an affair with one of her close friends. Her four best friends are all on holiday with her, and Kate spends the rest of her time trying to get to the bottom of what happened. As she closes in on the truth, she realises far too late just how high the stakes are, as someone in the villa might be prepared to kill to keep the affair hidden!

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Good Ship Murder

Jack (Shayne Ward) and Kate (Catherine Tyldesley) sit at a table on board the ship analysing some clues. He is wearing a dark blue shirt and stone-coloured trousers, she is in her Officer's uniform of a short-sleeved white shirt with First Officer epaulettes and a black skirt

Jack (Shayne Ward) and Kate (Catherine Tyldesley) in action (Image credit: Channel 5)

Love Death in Paradise? Then The Good Ship Murder could be for you! The series follows former detective Jack Grayling (Shayne Ward) who is living his best life working as an entertainer on a cruise ship. There he meets First Officer Kate Woods (Catherine Tyldesley), a woman in a man's world, with plenty to prove. Life on the ship is exciting and glamorous but there are jealousies, rivalries and deep divides hidden below the surface and, as the ship docks at its first port of call, a passenger is found murdered. This tragedy is followed by more murders and unlikely duo Jack and Kate must join together to solve the mysteries. 

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 8
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

All Creatures Great and Small

Rachel Shenton in a red coat as Helen and Nicholas Ralph in a blue coat as James stand together outdoors in All Creatures Great and Small.

Helen and James are at the heart of All Creatures (Image credit: Channel 5)

All Creatures Great and Small is based on the best-selling books by real-life Yorkshire vet, Alf Wright, who wrote under the pen-name James Herriot. Actor Nicholas Ralph takes on the role of country vet James, stepping into the shoes of Christopher Timothy, who fans of the original series will remember played the legendary vet the first time around. The storyline follows newly-qualified vet James as he leaves his home in Glasgow during 1937 to start working for head vet Siegfried in the fictional Yorkshire village of Darrowby. He soon finds himself working as part of a trio of vets alongside Siegfried and his younger brother, Tristan. This Channel 5 original also stars Rachel Shenton, Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Diana Rigg, Matthew Lewis, and Callum Woodhouse.

All Creatures Great and Small season 4 is the most recent series and the show has become Channel 5's biggest hit with All Creatures Great and Small season 5 airing later this year. 

  • Number of seasons: 4
  • Episodes: 28 (including Christmas specials)
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Inheritance

The Inheritance key art

The Inheritance cast (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Inheritance follows siblings Daniel (Robert James-Collier), Sian (Gaynor Faye) and Chloe (Jemima Rooper) who are part of a seemingly close and loving family. The trio are left reeling after the sudden death of their father, Dennis (Larry Lamb) and are later devastated to discover they have not been left their expected inheritance in his will. This leads them to question whether he really did die in an accident, as they were told, or if he was murdered. Their investigation takes them down a dangerous path and sees secrets unravel, relationships ripped apart and lives lost...

Number of seasons: 1

Episodes: 4

Average episode length: 60 minutes

For Her Sins

The For Her Sins key art, showing Laura (Jo Joyner) and Emily (Rachel Shenton) standing side by side in front of a multicoloured gradient background of rainbow-style colours. Laura is looking over her shoulder at Emily, while Emily is looking straight into the camera.

Laura (Jo Joyner) and Emily (Rachel Shenton)  (Image credit: Paramount/Channel 5)

As a high-flying lawyer, Laura Conroy (Jo Joyner) is used to being the one in control — but since becoming a mother to two young children, she's found herself losing her self-assurance, particularly with her husband Rob often away on business, leaving Laura to raise their children largely on her own. When Laura loses sight of her daughter Eliza in the park one day, she finds her with Emily (Rachel Shenton), a kindly stranger — and then the two meet again at the school gates when Emily steps in to save Laura from one of Eliza's tantrums. Laura and Emily soon become firm friends, and Laura is relieved to finally have someone to talk to about her anxieties around motherhood — but what she doesn't realise is that she and Emily are connected by an event in their past, and Emily's arrival in her life was no accident...

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

Heat

Danny Dyer in Channel 5 Drama Heat

(Image credit: Channel 5)

Ex-EastEnders star Danny Dyer headlines this four-part action thriller, set in Australia, which sees two families holidaying together during bushfire season. But instead of rest and relaxation, secrets and lies start to unravel — and not everyone will make it out alive… "Heat has a really powerful dark script and a strong Australian cast and crew. Let’s have it!" says Danny.

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

Lie With Me

Lie With Me

Phoebe Roberts (Becky Hart), Charlie Brooks (Anna Fallmont) and Brett Tucker (Jake Fallmont) (Image credit: Ben King / FremantleMedia)

Lie With Me sees soap legend Charlie Brooks taking centre stage as a married woman trying to saving her marriage by moving halfway around the world to Australia, along with her family. The decision came after their happy marriage was rocked by Jake's affair, prompting a drastic move from London all the way to Australia. However it's far from plain sailing, as a young and attractive live-in nanny comes to work with the Fallmont family, and tensions soon build. If that wasn't bad enough, the events of this mini-series soon leads to murder...

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes

The Drowning

Jill Halfpenny heads the cast of The Drowning

The Drowning cast (Image credit: Channel 5)

In thriller The Drowning, Jill Halfpenny plays Jodie, a woman whose life is shattered following the disappearance of her beloved four-year-old son, Daniel. However, ten years later, the grieving mother thinks she's finally found her missing child, and embarks on a journey to discover the truth about him. But has she really just found the son she has been missing for so long? Joining Halfpenny is Jonas Armstrong, Cody Molko, Rupert Penry-Jones, Deborah Findlay and Jade Anouka.

  • Number of seasons: 1
  • Episodes: 4
  • Average episode length: 60 minutes
CATEGORIES
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.