

8.060 minSeason 1 • Episode 6
LatestFather Michael makes a confession and Chloe wreaks a devastating revenge.
Father Michael, a Catholic priest presiding over a Northern urban parish, who is modern, maverick, and reassuringly flawed, must be confidante, counselor and confessor to a congregation struggling to reconcile its beliefs with the challenges of daily life.
Acting
Bean's trembling humanity in every confessional.
Writing
Dialogue that sounds stolen from actual pub conversations.
Production
Manchester's grey skies as silent protagonist.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bean's sister actually died young; he channelled that grief into Michael's buried trauma.
Created post-Catholic Church abuse scandals, it was BBC's deliberate counter to 'forgiveness' narratives—written by a priest's daughter, Jimmy McGovern.