British Network Television & Radio

TV Review: “Red Eye”

Red Eye, a seriously compelling thriller, is heart-stopping all the way from London to Beijing

[embed]Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, respectively, play Dr Matthew Nolan and Detective Constable Hana Li.

Brilliantly well-executed is one way of looking at the six-part British thriller. Red Eye, seriously compelling thriller on numerous levels, mostly unfolds aboard an aircraft. The aircraft, a commercial flight, takes all-night to get from London and Beijing.

Aboard the flight, respectively played by Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, is Dr Matthew Nolan and Detective Constable Hana Li. The doctor is being extradited to China on suspicion of murder.

Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, respectively, play Dr Matthew Nolan and Detective Constable Hana Li.

Red Eye, further to Armitage and Lusi, features a large international cast. The series, appearing in varying degrees of prominence throughout the thriller. also stars Lesley Sharp, Jemma Moore, Dan Li, Cash Holland, Tai Yin Chan, Thomas Chaanhing, Mido Hamada, Aidan Cheng, Lucianne McEvoy, Jonathan Aris, Xiangyi Tan, Steph Lacey, Parker Sawyers, Daphne Cheung, and Elaine Tan.

Red Eye, created by Peter A Dowling, premiered on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday, 21 April 2024. The series, cow-written by Dowling and Jingan Young, is one of the most compelling thrillers to come to either ITV1 or ITVX.

Unpredictability, given the nature of the series, adds greatly to the feel of the story being told. There are numerous twists an turns throughout the six-episode run which viewers couldn’t possibly have seen coming.

Armitage and Lusi, with exceptional on screen chemistry, are captivating. Their approach to the characters, respectively Dr. Matthew Nolan and Detective Constable Hana Li, is extremely vivid. Nolan and Li, in no small part, feel complete. We’re not talking two-dimensional characters. There is a complexity to the characters, with a real definable depth, that can’t be faked. It is unlikely anyone else would have managed to craft such performances.

[embed]Richard Armitage and Jing Lusi, respectively, play Dr Matthew Nolan and Detective Constable Hana Li.

Politics, to a certain degree plays a huge part in what we see unfold. The British government, if it hadn’t agreed to China’s request, wouldn’t have allowed extradition of a Briton to China.

Curiously, whilst tensions between the two countries are kept to a minimum, there is more than a modicum of geopolitical intrigue. An underlying current, felt in each instalment, remains beneath the surface.

Adding greatly to the tension, with characters facing their own individual issues, much of the series revolves around deception, lies, and secrets. Many characters, even the detective constable, are harbouring hidden agendas.

Red Eye, unfolding mostly aboard a flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Beijing, is certainly must-watch television. There is nothing remotely substandard about the six-part thriller.

Armitage and Lusi, with real screen presence, does Red Eye a great service. The production value, a potentially award winning series, is readily apparent. Red Eye, a seriously compelling thriller, is heart-stopping all the way from London to Beijing.