The Rook
The Rook
The London-set series centers on a young woman pursued by shadowy paranormal adversaries while grappling with extraordinary abilities of her own. After waking in a park with total amnesia surrounded by dead bodies, she must fight to uncover her past, and resume her position at the head of Britain's most secret (supernatural) service before the traitors who stole her memory can finish what they started.
Callum reviewedNovember 5, 2025
⭐⭐⭐½ – The Rook – Shadows, Secrets, and the Supernatural
The Rook opens like a classic British spy thriller: a woman wakes up surrounded by bodies, in the rain, with no memory of who she is — only a letter from herself, written in case this very thing happened. From there, the mystery deepens into a world of secret agencies, mind-bending powers, and the sort of dry British wit that cuts sharper than any knife.
It’s a fascinating premise — the stiff-upper-lip world of espionage colliding with the unexplainable. As Myfanwy Thomas slowly uncovers her past, she also discovers her own abilities, and that knowledge is as much curse as salvation. The show plays its cards deliberately, revealing its twists like classified files stamped Top Secret and opened only when absolutely necessary.
There’s something deliciously British about it all — the measured tone, the restrained emotion, the quiet menace that hangs in every hallway conversation. Fans of Orphan Black, The Night Manager, or The Nevers will find familiar DNA here: conspiracies laced with character, mystery tempered by moral ambiguity. It never fully escapes its genre trappings, but it delivers them with a dry charm and a touch of the uncanny.
And while American viewers may not recognise every face, those familiar with British television will spot half the cast from MI5 briefings, period dramas, and BBC staples. It’s a show that rewards that recognition — understated, clever, and a little odd around the edges, just as it should be.
☕️ Pairing: A cup of strong Earl Grey — dignified and slightly bitter, perfect for a tale where memory, identity, and loyalty are never quite what they seem.