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Reckless

A rollercoaster journey of passion and pain...

1997Miniseries1 season6 episodes~310 min/epMidcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

Reckless is a British television serial written by Paul Abbott. Produced by Granada Television for ITV, it aired in six parts from 6 February to 13 March 1997. Owen Springer is a Junior Doctor who falls for the sophisticated and glamorous Anna Fairley. Little does he know that she is married to his boss, consultant Richard Crane.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Reckless?

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

Highlights

What stands out about Reckless?

Reckless earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Bittersweet.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Reckless worth watching?

Reckless' Midcredits score is the 81st percentile of all shows, from 672 ratings across 2 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

81st percentile

Better received than 81% of shows

82nd percentile among Drama71st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)74th
Approval (how many liked it)83rd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

76 /100

74th percentile of all shows

76th percentile among Drama64th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

85% liked it

83rd percentile of all shows

83rd percentile among Drama76th percentile among 1990s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

38th percentile

666 ratings across platforms

27th percentile among Drama20th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 59% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A romantic miniseries about a younger man falling for an older woman, featuring a love triangle in a hospital setting with strong supporting performances.

Fans praised

  • Superior acting from the trio of leads, particularly Robson Green and Francesca Annis
  • Well-written script balancing humor with serious themes like age bias and infidelity
  • Entertaining and emotionally engaging love story with strong chemistry

Detractors panned

  • Unbelievable love triangle with no chemistry or passion among leads
  • Slow, drawn-out pacing that becomes boring over six episodes
  • Unlikable selfish characters lacking integrity or depth

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Praised as superb and committed by fans; detractors find some overacting and lack of chemistry

Humor70

Laugh-out-loud moments and comic undertones appreciated by fans

Dialogue65

Pithy and witty, blending humor with serious observations

Plot and storyDivisive55

Familiar love triangle with some improbable moments; detractors see it as trite and nonsensical

Emotional impactDivisive55

Fans find it emotionally engaging and compelling; detractors feel no real passion

CharactersDivisive50

Fans enjoy sharply drawn roles; detractors find them unrelatable and smug

Sound and musicDivisive50

Quirky guitar music praised by fans; detractors call it awful and jarring

PacingDivisive45

Fans find it well-paced for a miniseries; detractors call it a six-hour bore

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 1997 · 6 episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Feb 6, 199755 min
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Feb 13, 199755 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Feb 20, 199755 min
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Feb 27, 199755 min
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    Mar 6, 199755 min
  • S1E6

    Episode 6

    Mar 13, 199755 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Reckless like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — a slow-burn watch that leaves you bittersweet.

Setting

  • Contemporary
  • Realistic
  • Urban
  • Domestic

Style

  • Romantic
  • Wry: Amused and slightly dry about it.

Feelings

  • Romantic
  • Tense

What it asks of you

  • Slow burn
  • Casual
  • Affecting
  • Resolved

Themes

  • Romantic love
  • Class
  • Aging

How it leaves you

  • Bittersweet
  • Feel-good

Story

  • Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.
exact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: late
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 3% of shows: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.SerializedSingle-season story
TonePlays the romantic melodrama straight with sincere emotion, but leavens it with wry humour and self-aware wit, never undercutting its own stakes.
The rideThe romantic tension builds over the series, with the emotional payoff likely concentrated in the final episodes.
StructureThe series follows a conventional three-act structure with a framing device (the narrator's introduction), though the plot is unfolded largely chronologically.
Episode formatA six-episode miniseries with a continuous romantic arc fits serialized structure.
Season formatA single-season concluded story, typical of limited series.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with the ache of forbidden love requited at a cost, yet also the warm satisfaction of a well-wrought romance that entertains more than it devastates.
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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% (this title) · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

4% of shows fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeOwen's reckless pursuit of his boss's wife despite warnings follows a tragic arc of obsession, while the series arc hints at rebirth through the possibility of redemption or healing.

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% (this title): Romantic love 10% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% (this title) · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% (this title) · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · 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%

Bonds

Romantic love · 10% of showsClass · 4% of showsAging · under 1% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the intensity and consequences of a love that defies age, marital status, and class boundaries.
StanceThe series focuses on Owen's personal dilemma, presenting the forbidden love without strong judgment.

The world

Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Christopher Gunning
Settinglate-1990s Manchester, England; hospital and domestic life
MusicCo-composed by Hal Lindes and Christopher Gunning, typical of emotional 90s British TV drama scores.

Cast and crew

Who is in Reckless?

Cast

Francesca Annis
as Anna Fairley
Michael Kitchen
as Richard Crane
Robson Green
as Owen Springer
Conor Mullen
as John McGinley
Julian Rhind-Tutt
as Danny Glassman
David Bradley
as Arnold Springer
Daniela Nardini
as Viv Reid
Debra Stephenson
as Michelle
Kathryn Hunt
as Irma
Margery Mason
as Myrtle Fairley

Crew

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What other shows share a tag with Reckless?

253 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: love triangle. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.