In television dramas, when characters face dire circumstances, the storyline often diverges significantly from what might transpire in the real world.

For instance, viewers are unlikely to see a heating engineer arriving to service a boiler mere moments after a character has suffered a fatal wound in the kitchen.

Including such mundane events could not only diminish the suspense but might also shift the show into a completely different category, such as dark comedy or a sitcom.

It’s clear that drama thrives on intensity and high stakes.

Screenwriters frequently distill narratives to their core elements, as few shows are daring enough to flesh out protagonists with the array of friends, extended family, colleagues, neighbors, pets, hobbies, or the personal background that are staples of everyday life.

You’ll notice TV families are much smaller these days, too.

All Her Fault has been praised for hitting the ground running in the first 90 seconds with its portrayal of every parent’s worst nightmare

All Her Fault, stars the fabulous Sarah Snook (Succession’s Shiv) and excellent Jake Lacy (The White Lotus) as Marissa and Peter, the parents of abducted five-year-old Milo

The show is said to but evolve into a tale of such intensely complex twistiness, insightfulness and unexpected emotional range

Child actors can work only a few hours daily and require on-set chaperones, so unless you’re remaking Harry Potter, tightly cast plots avoid adding expensive extra bodies – living or dead.  

Which brings me to All Her Fault, starring the fabulous Sarah Snook (Succession’s Shiv) and excellent Jake Lacy (The White Lotus) as Marissa and Peter, the parents of abducted five-year-old Milo.

Its supporting cast includes Michael Peña and Dakota Fanning (both exceptional) who are all at the top of their ­collective game.

Not only does the plot hit the ground running in the first 90 seconds, but it evolves into a tale of such intensely ­complex twistiness, insightfulness and unexpected ­emotional range.

It also tackles issues including work-life imbalance, the wealthy versus the breadliners, ­living with disability, the inequality of domestic labour, neurodiversity.

As well as this, it tackles the monumental guilt women ­invariably heap on themselves while spinning their plates throughout – I ended up bingeing all eight ­episodes in one sitting.

Wealthy Marissa (Snook) and the detective seeking answers (Peña) are the moral heartbeat, but you’ll care about many more characters.

The whole thing is so spectacularly smart and entertaining that – drumroll… ta-da! – All Her Fault is probably my favourite show of 2025 so far.

Sarah Snook’s new show wilk glue viewers to seats and give awards judges plenty to chew on – she is pictured here at the 2025 Met Gala back in May

The actress is best known for her role as Siobhan Roy in Succession (pictured here in season one)

Surprising, given it was adapted (from Andrea Mara’s novel) by screenwriter Megan Gallagher, who was responsible for the risibly over-wrought Wolf (BBC iPlayer), which I loathed in 2023. 

Perhaps the better source material, stellar acting talent, big budget and great direction have helped elevate this, yet Gallagher’s screenplay still sings on its own terms.

When a line such as, ‘You don’t want to help the people around you, you want the people around you to need your help!’ is said by a supporting actor, you know you’re on a rodeo ride.

And look out for the long scene in which five members of the ‘family’ ensemble give it their considerable all; it will glue viewers to seats and give awards judges plenty to chew on. Don’t miss.

All Her Fault airs Fridays on Sky Atlantic and is available to stream on NOW.