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Jericho

2005Miniseries1 season4 episodes~120 min/epMotif score: 65th percentile of all shows

Jericho is an ITV British crime drama series which was transmitted in 2005. It was created and written by Stewart Harcourt and starred Robert Lindsay as Detective Inspector Michael Jericho, who is loved by the public but who is embarrassed by his status as a hero. The series was set in London in 1958.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Jericho?

As of October 24, 2026, Motif lists Jericho streaming on Prime Video, Shout! TV via Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Highlights

What stands out about Jericho?

Jericho earns 4 badges, led by Atmospheric and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Jericho worth watching?

Jericho's Motif score is the 65th percentile of all shows, from 683 ratings across 2 sources. 76% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Motif score

How well it was received

65th percentile

Better received than 65% of shows

61st percentile among Crime57th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)65th
Approval (how many liked it)62nd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

74 /100

65th percentile of all shows

68th percentile among Crime57th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

76% liked it

62nd percentile of all shows

53rd percentile among Crime56th percentile among 2000s
76% rated it 7–1024% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

43rd percentile

677 ratings across platforms

23rd percentile among Crime36th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a stylish, atmospheric 1950s period detective drama with strong production values and a focus on noir-ish tone.

Fans praised

  • Robert Lindsay's commanding, brooding performance
  • Atmospheric 1950s Soho London period detail
  • Superb supporting cast including David Troughton and Peter Bowles

Detractors panned

  • Overbearing, distracting musical score
  • Muddled characterization of Jericho—torn between maverick and neurotic
  • Convoluted plots that fail to deliver a satisfying resolution

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive90

Superb 1950s London period immersion and noir tone

ActingDivisive85

Robert Lindsay's performance praised as commanding, but detractors find him miscast or lost

Cinematography80

Gorgeous neo-noir visual style, but color undermines film noir attempt

CharactersDivisive65

Supporting cast strong but Jericho's character inconsistently written

Plot and storyDivisive60

Intriguing premises but convoluted, with unsatisfying resolutions

OriginalityDivisive55

Familiar detective tropes, but unique 1950s Soho setting adds freshness

Sound and musicDivisive50

Divisive score—some love the LA Confidential-esque theme, others find it distracting

PacingDivisive40

Rushed, choppy editing criticized; some find it too slow

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2005 · 4 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    A Pair of Ragged Claws

    Oct 16, 2005120 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    The Killing of Johnny Swann

    Oct 23, 2005120 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    To Murder and Create

    Oct 30, 2005120 min
  • S1E4
    S1E4

    The Hollow Men

    Nov 6, 2005120 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Jericho like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

Themes

  • Purpose
  • Justice
  • Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

Story

  • Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.

Feelings

  • Tense
  • Contemplative

What it asks of you

  • Even-paced
  • Full focus
  • Affecting
  • Open-ended

How it leaves you

  • Thought-provoking
  • Haunting

Setting

  • Mid 20th century
  • Realistic
  • Urban
  • Institutional

Style

  • Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
  • Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
exact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: throughoutDry humor
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its period crime drama straight, with a moody, atmospheric seriousness.
The rideA detective drama with high-profile murders sustains a tense, watchful atmosphere, balanced by the introspective weight of the protagonist's moral code.
StructureThe synopsis and reviews indicate each episode follows a conventional investigation-from-crime-to-resolution structure.
Episode formatEach episode likely presents a self-contained murder case (procedural element), but the synopsis's focus on Jericho as a 'forward thinking' detective suggests a personal arc that could span episodes, making the hybrid structure most likely.
Season formatWith only four episodes and the series being concluded, it functions as a single, short season telling one continuous story, even if presented as individual cases.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer pondering the social issues of postwar London while the dark atmosphere and unresolved personal demons linger.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe typical episode follows DCI Jericho investigating a high-profile murder in 1950s London, driven by uncovering the truth behind the crime.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

PurposeJustice · 14% of showsObsession · 2% of shows: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe show centers on a detective's relentless drive for justice, which borders on obsession—his commitment to solving murders defines his purpose in a corrupt, morally complex world.
StanceThe show likely interrogates the cost of uncompromising dedication to justice in a morally grey world, focusing on Jericho's personal struggle.

The world

Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingScotland Yard and the mean streets of 1950s London
MusicDominik Scherrer's score likely provides a moody, period-appropriate backdrop.

Content guide

Is Jericho okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Motif content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Canada18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (9 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Motif content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Jericho have?

Motif's classifier found 1 depicted content warning in Jericho: Gore or body horror (mild). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes or plot synopsis; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Screened from limited information, so some warnings may be missing.

MildGore or body horror

Cast and crew

Who is in Jericho?

Cast

David Troughton
as Sgt. Clive Harvey
Robert Lindsay
as D.I. Michael Jericho
Ciarán McMenamin
as DC John Caldicott
Nicholas Jones
as AC Graham Cherry
Lydia Leonard
as Angela
Kellie Bright
as WPC Penny Collins
Lee Ross
as Louis
Eve Matheson
as Rita Harvey
Aurélie Bargème
as Juliette
Brendan Coyle
as Christie

Crew

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