Unforgotten writer Chris Lang is a safe pair of hands when it comes to TV series – so what are his top 5 dramas?
As well as the brilliant Unforgotten, currently airing on ITV on Monday nights, Chris has written multiple other compelling series.
All of which are worth a watch.
But what are the top 5 Chris Lang dramas you must binge if you love Unforgotten?
Here’s everything you need to know!
Top 5 Chris Lang dramas – Innocent series 1 and 2 on ITVX
Innocent series 1 aired in 2018 and was soon recommissioned for a second series, which subsequently aired in 2021.
For two series, Innocent worked around the concept of an ambiguous character who had been released from jail and was trying to clear their name.
In series one, it was Dave Collins (Lee Ingleby) who was acquitted after seven years in jail for killing his wife Tara.
Series two saw Sally Wright (Katherine Kelly) released from a five-year prison sentence after her guilty verdict for killing teenager Matty Taylor was overturned on appeal.
The dramas were complex, clever, and questioned the perception of right and wrong.
Writer Chris Lang has promised fans that a third series is on the cards.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Chris said: “I mean, that was always the intention, that this will be a returning series.
“And each time we told the new story; there’s lots of precedent for that at the moment.
“Lots of shows that really successfully come back [do so] with a completely new standard story.”
We’d love to see an actor like Suranne Jones at the forefront of Innocent 3, or dare we hope for Sarah Lancashire?
Unforgotten series 1 and series 2 are currently available to watch on ITVX.
The Thief, His Wife, and the Canoe on ITX
The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe first aired in 2022.
It told the extraordinary real life story of how John Darwin faked his own death to claim his life insurance.
The four-part drama showed how the conman came up with the hare-brained scheme to go missing whilst canoeing off the coast of Seaton Carew in Cleveland in 2002.
Speaking about the drama, Chris Lang said: “I am beyond delighted to be working with two of the finest actors of their generation.
“I have admired them both from afar for many years (not in a creepy way though) and cannot wait to see them bring Anne and John Darwin to life.”
He added: “If I’d tried to sell this project as an original story, it would never have got further than the pitch.
“It’s just too far-fetched.
“No-one would ever believe that any of that could actually have happened.
“Except it did. All of it.
“And I loved writing every single word.”
Ray Donovan star Eddie Marsan played John Darwin, opposite W1A’s Monica Dolan as long-suffering wife Anne
All four episodes of The Thief, His Wife, and the Canoe are currently available to watch on ITVX.
Top 5 Chris Lang dramas: A Mother’s Son on ITVX
A Mother’s Son, which was first released in 2012, had all the hallmarks of a brilliant drama.
The gripping plot centred around a mother who suspected her son could be the killer of a recently found dead girl.
It was every parents’ worst nightmare as she became caught in a torturous dilemma of whether to report him, or protect him and hide the act.
The ITV psychological thriller threw in plenty of false leads, dead ends and red herrings…
Which is exactly what we want from a TV drama!
The cast was dependable, led by Hermione Norris as torn mum Rosie.
Meanwhile Paul McGann portrayed Rosie’s ex-husband, Martin Clunes played Ben, and Alexander Arnold starred as the boy in question, Jamie.
Throw the fantastic Nicola Walker, Annabelle Apsion, and Ellie Bamber, and you know you’re onto a winner.
We could watch Nicola Walker watching paint dry and still be happy.
Both episodes of A Mother’s Son are available to watch on ITVX.
Undeniable on Amazon Prime
Chris Lang’s Undeniable was released in 2014, and starred two of the most popular TV actors at that time.
The plot followed Jane, who saw her mum murdered when she was just seven years old.
Twenty five years later, she’d managed to become a well-adjusted wife and mother herself.
However, when she visited a hospital for an examination, she became convinced a doctor was the man who killed her mum.
She reported him, but no one believed her – except one cop.
But were the scars of her trauma twisting her perception?
It was another twisty, turny thriller, and it kept viewers guessing until the end.
Claire Goose, who soon joins the cast of The Bay series 4, starred as Jane, opposite Spooks favourite Peter Firth as the suspected killer Andrew Rawlins.
Robert Pugh, Pippa Haywood, and Christine Bottomley also starred.
Undeniable is currently available to watch for free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Top 5 Chris Lang dramas: The Tunnel on Amazon Prime
Okay, so Chris Lang didn’t create The Tunnel, but he did write two episodes of the drama.
The series won plenty of awards, with good reason.
A remake of stylish Scandinavian crime drama The Bridge, we’d argue this is just as good as the original, which is a rare thing indeed.
The series, which first aired on Sky Atlantic, follows two mismatched police officers – blokey Brit Karl (played by Stephen Dillane), and super-serious French Elise, played by Clémence Poésy.
The pair teamed up when a prominent French politician was found dead on the border between the UK and France.
The two agents worked together on behalf of their respective countries to find the murderer.
It was brilliant, and had a shocking twist we did NOT see coming.
The Tunnel is currently available to purchase on Amazon Prime.
Who is Unforgotten writer Chris Lang?
Chris Lang, 61, is a former actor, turned writer and producer.
The dad-of-three actually trained at RADA and appeared in Drop the Dead Donkey among others.
He stopped acting in the mid-90s in order to fully concentrate on his writing career.
He’s written dozens of TV shows since then, including Innocent series 1 and 2.
Chris is undoubtedly best known as the writer, creator and executive producer of critically-acclaimed Unforgotten.
Unforgotten is probably his biggest success story.
The Sanjeev Bhaskar-led drama is currently on its fifth series.
However, he began his career writing comedy for Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith, as well as Gareth Hale and Norman Pace.
He went on to become a television writer with The Bill, and wrote episodes for shows including Casualty, Soldier Soldier, Primeval, Hustle and The Tunnel for Sky Atlantic.
In 2007, he co-formed TXTV through which he now makes much of his original drama.
It was through TXTV that he co-created, wrote and executive produced Innocent, a four-part thriller starring Lee Ingleby and Hermione Norris.
Read more: Sanjeev Bhaskar swaps Unforgotten for new BritBox series Inspector Singh
Unforgotten series 5 continues on Mondays at 9pm on ITV1.
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