Believe Me [2026]

May 21, 2026

Miniseries – 4 Episodes (45 minutes) – Drama/True Crime

Why the fuck isn’t this miniseries more popular? I haven’t seen anyone talking about it. It’s like somehow it’s slipping through the cracks before our very eyes, only days after its release. We’ll talk about that a bit later because I want to tell you all about it first. Believe Me is a gripping 4-part British miniseries based on true events surrounding the most prolific serial rapist in British history. It is absolutely harrowing, infuriating, and perplexing all at the same time. And, it is a most definite must-watch. Right away, I have to tell you that this will be hard to watch. Not because of the graphic scenes or the disgusting crimes this poor excuse of a man committed. It will be hard to watch because of the stuff that happened after the attacks.

There’s a slight hint at this in the title, as you probably already surmised. The story starts back in 2003 when Sarah Adams decides to go out with friends for the first time after having her baby. That night will change her life forever. I don’t want to reveal too much because I want you to have the same experience I had. An experience that further solidified my belief that we’re alone in this. That you should not count on the police or the judicial system to be not just fair but also working. And I don’t know what we can do about this. Just a couple of weeks ago, I watched another British miniseries based on true events. As its title suggests, Mr Bates vs. the Post Office does not deal with the same type of crimes. However, it does feature the same structure and atmosphere.

It was absolutely infuriating watching Believe Me lay bare all the issues in our society when it comes to women. I was actually initially reluctant to even watch the miniseries because I didn’t know if I was in the mood for something like that. And knowing that this is an ITV production with all the bells and whistles, I knew it was going to be good. Good, heavy, and impactful. To quote one of my favorite movies, Dune, and indomitable Gurney Halleck: “What’s mood got to do with it?” After watching all four episodes in one sitting, I can honestly say that their approach was perfectly balanced. There wasn’t a hint of emotional milking or any of the other, very ugly commercial practices. Character development was just flawless.

Especially when you consider the fact that they were hiding the identity of most of the survivors. You have to make them feel relatable and real, so the story hits even harder, shining light on these issues we can’t seem to get around. The consequences of such a brutal and inhumane act reverberate for decades to come, affecting dozens and dozens of individuals. And the society treats them harshly, especially if it’s not the picture-perfect case they had in their mind. The cast, led by Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Aasiya Shah, was excellent. I also have to mention the performance of Daniel Mays, who plays the rapist John Worboys. It was stellar, and I think it can provide invaluable lessons to all women out there.

I urge you not to read about the character he plays here until you’ve seen the series. With that being said, after doing a bit of research on John Worboys, I’m surprised this didn’t turn into a much bigger show. There’s material here for at least two seasons, something that will surely happen in the future. Perhaps the decision was made to focus on the survivors and not the bastard himself. And it’s a legitimate one. However, as an amateur psychologist, I was quite interested in how someone becomes as depraved as this. I will just tell you one little tidbit from his life: he was a stripper. Just to be perfectly clear, the stuff we will see in Believe Me regarding his behavior and crimes is just as baffling.

It’s quite hard to comprehend why someone would think they’re going to get away with this. And even more baffling is the fact that he fucking got away with it. I also just want to add that it was also infuriating to watch the police treat alcohol consumption like a “you did to yourself” card. Or even nothing happened, in some of the cases. And if you, Satanforbid, add drugs to the mix, you’re basically holding a sign that says do whatever you want to me without any consequences. Finally, if you’re looking for shows like Believe Me, do check out Unbelievable, The Long Shadow, and I Fought The Law.