Gugu Mbatha-Raw is headed back to the BBC—this time at the center of an ambitious new sci-fi drama that blends space exploration with a grounded, character-driven mystery.
The network has officially announced Sutherland, a six-part thriller set in the near future, unfolding between a high-stakes space mission and a series of unexplained events in the far north of Scotland.
Mbatha-Raw stars as Mirren, a flight director at the fictional Paravel Space Hub, overseeing the UK’s first crewed mission into deep space. But what begins as a landmark moment for space travel quickly unravels when strange and seemingly connected incidents erupt back on Earth—threatening both the mission and everything Mirren has worked toward.
As the mystery deepens, a decades-old conspiracy begins to surface, pulling local detective Logan, played by Stuart Martin, into Mirren’s orbit. Their paths collide as they’re forced to work together, uncovering secrets that could change the trajectory of both their lives. Iain De Caestecker also stars, with additional casting still to be announced.
The series comes from writer James Smythe, known for All Her Fault, who describes Sutherland as “a love story, a story of loss, a story of discovery”—one that explores humanity’s pull toward the unknown, both in space and closer to home.
Produced by World Productions, the team behind Vigil, the drama continues the BBC’s push into large-scale, genre-driven storytelling rooted in distinct locations.
Filming is set to begin in Scotland later this year, with Sutherland slated to premiere on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Scotland. A release date has not yet been announced.