Scripted series · ITV1
The Bletchley Circle
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Rachael Stirling
Millie
7 eps
Julie Graham
Jean
7 eps
Sophie Rundle
Lucy
7 eps
Anna Maxwell Martin
Susan
5 eps
Nick Blood
Ben Gladstone
4 eps
Ed Birch
Harry
3 eps
Michael Gould
Deputy Commissioner Wainwright
3 eps
Mark Dexter
Timothy
5 eps
Elliot Kerley
Sam
3 eps
Jocelyn Macnab
Claire
3 eps
Steven Robertson
Crowley
3 eps
Hattie Morahan
Alice
4 eps
Faye Marsay
Lizzie
4 eps
Alexander Perkins
Policeman
1 eps
Simon Chandler
Solicitor
2 eps
Paul Ritter
Masters
2 eps
Tim Pigott-Smith
Colonel
1 eps
Simon Darwen
Official
1 eps
Matthew Cullum
Constable Barry
2 eps
John Lightbody
Sergeant George
2 eps
Claire Rafferty
Emily Dixon
1 eps
Thomasin Rand
Mary
2 eps
James Bowers
Cafe Owner
1 eps
Kieran Bew
Clerk on Train
2 eps
Joanna Brookes
Mrs. Cross
1 eps
Angela Curran
Woman
1 eps
Sarah Finigan
Mrs. Casterwell
1 eps
Jamie Glassman
Vicar
1 eps
Anastasia Hille
Angela
2 eps
Simon Sherlock
DCI Compton
1 eps
Simon Williams
Cavendish
2 eps
James Puddephatt
Policeman
1 eps
Paul McGann
John Richards
1 eps
Jonathan McGuinness
Technician
1 eps
Joanne Adams
Guard
2 eps
Victoria Carling
Headmistress
1 eps
Mabel Watson
Claire
2 eps
Freddie Anness-Lorenz
Sam
2 eps
Jane Guernier
Florist
1 eps
James Weaver
Soldier
2 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The Bletchley Circle actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The Bletchley Circle reads strongest on Tension, Character Depth and Bingeability.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
The Bletchley Circle follows the journey of four ordinary women with extraordinary skills that helped to end World War II. Set in 1952, Susan, Millie, Lucy and Jean have returned to their normal lives, modestly setting aside the part they played in producing crucial intelligence, which helped the Allies to victory and shortened the war. When Susan discovers a hidden code behind an unsolved murder she is met by skepticism from the police. She quickly realises she can only begin to crack the murders and bring the culprit to justice with her former friends. The Bletchley Circle paints a vivid portrait of post-war Britain in this fictional tale of unsung heroes.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E02
Cracking a Killer's Code (2)
As Susan and the other Bletchley women close in on the murderer of the five girls, a shocking discovery calls their theories into question and forces them to set a dangerous trap - a trap that puts one of them in even greater danger.
- Directed by Andy de Emmony
- Written by Guy Burt
S01E03
Cracking a Killer's Code (3)
Thrown into a chilling confrontation with the murderer they have so brilliantly tracked down, Susan and the other Bletchley women become locked into a ever more dangerous game of cat and mouse that leads to a seemingly inescapable conclusion.
- Directed by Andy de Emmony
- Written by Guy Burt
S02E01
Blood on Their Hands (1)
Former Bletchley Park worker Alice Merren is in prison awaiting trial for the murder of the eminent scientist John Richards. Driven by her belief in Alice's innocence and that she is hiding the truth about John's death, Jean attempts to regroup the circle in order to help establish the innocence of one of their own.
- Directed by Jamie Payne
- Written by Guy Burt
S01E01
Cracking a Killer's Code (1)
When Susan Gray spots a hidden pattern in a series of murders, she tries to inform the police. But when they and her husband insist she forget her theory Susan enlists her wartime friends to try and track down the murderer.
- Directed by Andy de Emmony
- Written by Guy Burt
S02E03
Uncustomed Goods (1)
Spirited Millie is earning a bit of money selling odds and ends on the black market. But Millie stumbles across a seam of post-Second World War unwholesomeness when she annoys some very dangerous people and gets into trouble. Soon, the other Bletchley girls must rally to her aid.
- Written by Guy Burt
S02E04
Uncustomed Goods (2)
Lack of action by the police leaves the women to conclude there must be corruption within the vice squad and that catching the gang red-handed is their only option. Plotting to infiltrate the crime ring to find out the location of the hotel being used as a base, they visit Marta in her restaurant, pretending Jean is a potential new client. This leads to an opportunity for Lucy to memorise the businesswoman's ledger, which may hold the key to the whole operation.
- Directed by Sarah Harding
- Written by Guy Burt
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S02E04
Uncustomed Goods (2)
- Directed by Sarah Harding
- Written by Guy Burt
S02E02
Blood on Their Hands (2)
- Directed by Jamie Payne
- Written by Guy Burt
S02E01
Blood on Their Hands (1)
- Directed by Jamie Payne
- Written by Guy Burt
S01E03
Cracking a Killer's Code (3)
- Directed by Andy de Emmony
- Written by Guy Burt
S01E02
Cracking a Killer's Code (2)
- Directed by Andy de Emmony
- Written by Guy Burt
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Trevor HopkinsProducer
Writing
- Guy BurtWriter
Direction
- Sarah HardingDirector
- Andy de EmmonyDirector
- Jamie PayneDirector
Cinematography
- Jake PolonskyDirector of Photography
- John PardueDirector of Photography
- Adam SuschitzkyDirector of Photography
Music
- Nick GreenOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Peacock PremiumStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Britbox Apple TV Channel Streaming
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- BritBoxStreaming
- BritBox Amazon ChannelStreaming
- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
- Peacock Premium PlusStreaming
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Vera
2011
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Sherlock
2010
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Happy Valley
2014
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Grantchester
2014
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Lewis
2007
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Liar
2017
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
American Crime Story
2016
Moral complexity · Similar storytelling style
Designated Survivor
2016
Character-driven drama · Similar storytelling style
Down Cemetery Road
2025
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Spider-Noir
2026
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Rainmarks
2026
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Imperfect Women
2026
Moral complexity · Slow-burn mystery
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
Peaky Blinders
2013
Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
Dexter
2006
Watch this next if you like protagonists you can't quite defend.
Chicago P.D.
2014
A crime story told with the patience of a novel.
Midsomer Murders
1997
Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
Chicago Fire
2012
A natural next watch: same ambition, different world.
Yellowstone
2018
Where our editors would send you after the credits roll.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation