BBC Wolf Hall icon’s ‘bingeworthy’ new thriller about ‘dark secrets’ is almost here
The new psychological thriller about small-town secrets is coming sooner than you think.
A brand new small town drama boasting an impressive cast is landing on streaming tomorrow. The psychological thriller, which stars The White Lotus actress Morgana O'Reilly as Joni Gray, will soon drop on Paramount Plus.
The six-part series, titled Playing Gracie Darling, follows the story of a teenager who went missing under mysterious circumstances. Critics have been responding positively to the “gripping” series, while Australian viewers have described it as “captivating” and “bingeworthy”.
Acting legend Dame Harriet Walter, who appeared as Lady Margaret Pole in BBC One’s Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light last year, has also joined the cast as Joni Gray. BBC fans might also recognise Dame Harriet for her roles in shows like Call the Midwife, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and Killing Eve.
The Paramount Plus synopsis for Playing Gracie Darling reads: “When Joni was fourteen, her best friend Gracie Darling disappeared during a séance.
“Twenty-seven years later, local teens still get their kicks ‘Playing Gracie Darling,’ a spooky game named after the girl who vanished.
“But when another young girl disappears under eerily similar circumstances, Joni is forced to confront her past and the secrets that never stayed buried.”
The series, which also stars Celia Pacquola, Annie Maynard, Rudi Dharmalingam and Dan Spielman, is produced by Curio Pictures.
Critics have shared positive reviews of the show, with Good Housekeeping calling the premise “gripping” and adding: “we can almost guarantee you’ll be halting your nightly doomscroll and ignoring your phone.”

Telly fans can get seven days of free access to Paramount+ shows like Tulsa King and Dexter: Original Sin by signing up for a free trial via Amazon Prime's Paramount+ channel.
Meanwhile, the Sydney Morning Herald described the show as “Mare of Easttown with ghosts”, comparing it to the award-winning series.
The Guardian was not impressed, however, claiming the “derivative occult mystery series fails to cast a spell”.
Nevertheless, Australian viewers have been enthusiastically recommending the show, with one writing on IMDb: “Gripping series! I really enjoyed watching this series. Well written and directed. Great acting, especially the young new actors.
“The series had me on the edge of my seat, every episode left me wanting to continue watching, kind of wished it was more than 6 episodes! I hope season 2 comes out sooner than later. Such a wonderful young cast that made it really enjoyable to watch.”
“Enjoyed it very much! Bingeworthy Aussie show,” another penned, adding: “From start to finish, it was such a captivating experience, and I found myself completely drawn into the story.
“The plot was gripping and kept me on the edge of my seat, with so many unexpected twists and turns that I genuinely didn't see coming. Each episode seemed to introduce a new layer of intrigue, and I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
“Even though I often have a pretty strong sense of predicting plotlines in thrillers, this one completely blew me away.”
One more commented: “I decided to watch this show after seeing it advertised. Midway through episode 1, I was well and truly hooked. I just couldn't stop watching it, so I watched the entire season on a lazy Sunday.
“I've since posted about it on my social media and recommended to my friends. The cast is awesome, the story is well written and I am hoping there is a season 2 very soon.”
Playing Gracie Darling season 1 will be available to stream on Paramount Plus from Thursday, September 11.