The Walk-In

Available on: ITV Player

ITV’s track rate of delivering quality drama can be considered sporadic at best. This is, after all, the network that foisted Benidorm and Keith Lemon upon us. But every now and then, they serve up a hidden gem and Jeff Pope’s The Walk-In is certainly that.

Fronted by the ever-excellent Stephen Graham, the five-episode series recounts Matthew Collin’s infiltration of the British neo-nazi terrorist group National Action, who were linked to the tragic murder of Labour MP Jo Cox. Interestingly, Collins is a reformed racist who now works as an activist for the anti-fascism group Hope Not Hate, meaning his perspective on the show’s proceedings oscillates between unwavering commitment to his cause, remorse for his past actions, and empathy for the confused National Action member who he finds himself trying to help.

It is a hard-hitting show that is often uncomfortable to watch. Pope and director Paul Andrew Williams are unflinching in their depiction of the violence organisations such as National Action are willing to commit and are also unafraid to remind audiences that the warped views of its membership are still very prevalent in British society. After all, the events of The Walk-In are a recent (and depressing) memory.

Graham is as dependable and understated as ever as Collins, whose willingness to risk everything he has to help eradicate the plague of racism offers a stark reminder that not enough is being done to challenge the sort of prejudiced, ill-informed views that, if ignored once too often, can lead to events such as Cox’s tragic passing. For this reason, The Walk-In is both challenging and essential viewing.