How would you feel if you were held legally responsible for a crime committed by your child? That’s the chillingly plausible situation that parents, Dione (Claire Skinner) and David Sinclair (Ben Miles) find themselves facing in Channel 5’s new Adolescence-like drama, The Trial – and it will make you seriously question your parenting.
You see, Dione and David’s daughter has committed a serious crime and under a radical new law, parents are held directly accountable for their child’s actions. It’s a scenario no parent would want to find themselves in and, to make things even worse, if they’re found guilty, Dione and David could face life in prison.
With the one-off drama set to arrive on our screens next week, here’s everything you need to know about the thought-provoking new show, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Trial about?
If you watched Netflix’s brilliant crime drama, Adolescence, which tells the story of how a family's world is upended when 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl, you’ll notice some similarities between that and the storyline of The Trial. The one-off drama focuses on a serious crime committed by troubled teenage daughter Teah Sinclair (India Fowler). Only, unlike in Adolescence, it’s Teah’s parents who find themselves having to defend themselves.
Set in the UK in a near-future (2035, to be precise) in which parents are held legally responsible for their children’s actions, Teah’s parents, Dione (Claire Skinner) and David (Ben Miles) Sinclair face relentless interrogation as every aspect of their parenting, lifestyle, and past decisions are scrutinised. Forced into a nightmare legal battle, if found “guilty”, they could face life behind bars.
It's a 60-minute drama that will raise the question: should a parent actually be held legally responsible for the crimes of their children? Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama at 5, says: "This marks an exciting new direction in our drama slate, embracing one-off, high-impact storytelling that sparks conversation. We’re excited to work with Adorable Media who have put together an exceptional team to tell this fascinating story."
Who's starring in The Trial?
The cast of The Trial includes:
- Claire Skinner (Outnumbered, Coma) as Dione Sinclair
- Ben Miles (Downton Abbey, Douglas is Cancelled) as David Sinclair
- Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls, The Doll Factory) as interrogator Sarah Willis
- Jaz Hutchins (Canary Black, The Return) as Lieutenant Simons
- India Fowler (The Agency, Insomnia) as Teah Sinclair
How can I watch The Trial?
Fortunately, we don’t have long to wait until we can watch The Trial. The one-off drama will air on Thursday 8th May at 9pm on Channel 5.
