The British drama The Rip has captured worldwide attention, and its Rotten Tomatoes rating reflects just how strongly it has resonated with both critics and viewers. Over the past year, this psychological crime series has quietly grown into one of the most-discussed international thrillers available to stream in the United States.
With emotional storytelling, strong performances, and a haunting atmosphere, The Rip has carved out a distinct space among modern crime dramas. The interest surrounding The Rip Rotten Tomatoes score only continues to rise as more audiences discover the series through Paramount+ and other platforms.
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Overview of The Rip
The Rip premiered in December 2023 on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom and became available for U.S. streaming through Paramount+ in 2024. The six-part psychological thriller was created by Mike Benson and co-written with Kris Mrksa, who is known for his work on Requiem and The Slap.
The show stars Jo Joyner as Alison, a woman whose seemingly stable life begins to fall apart after a devastating family tragedy. Her husband Sean, played by Peter O’Brien, becomes entangled in a web of deception, secrets, and emotional collapse. The story is told through shifting timelines that gradually reveal the truth behind a mysterious disappearance that threatens to destroy their family.
Set against the backdrop of England’s rugged coastline, the series combines personal trauma with psychological suspense. Instead of focusing on police investigations or courtroom drama, The Rip delves into how ordinary people unravel when faced with extraordinary pain and guilt.
The Rip Rotten Tomatoes Score and Critical Response
The series earned an average 78% critics’ score and an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of early 2026. That balance between professional reviews and public reaction highlights how The Rip managed to impress both casual viewers and seasoned critics.
Many reviewers praised the show for its emotional honesty and subtle pacing. Rather than relying on sensational twists, it builds tension through believable characters and grounded storytelling. The writing focuses on grief, mistrust, and human frailty — themes that resonate long after the final episode.
Critics highlighted several strengths:
- Emotional realism: The show’s handling of loss and trauma feels authentic, avoiding clichés common in crime dramas.
- Performance quality: Jo Joyner’s portrayal of Alison was described as both vulnerable and quietly powerful.
- Cinematic presentation: The direction and cinematography create a moody, atmospheric tone that deepens the sense of unease.
A few reviewers noted that the pacing in the early episodes is deliberately slow, but most agreed that the emotional depth and payoff in the final chapters make the journey worthwhile.
Audience Reception and Global Impact
The audience response to The Rip has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly among U.S. viewers who discovered the show through streaming. Word-of-mouth on social media helped the series gain traction months after its initial U.K. release.
Viewers appreciated its departure from formulaic crime storytelling. Instead of focusing on detectives or villains, The Rip examines how tragedy fractures families from the inside. Discussions on online forums describe the show as “raw,” “beautifully acted,” and “heartbreakingly real.”
Streaming data from 2025 placed The Rip among Paramount+’s most-watched international dramas in North America for three consecutive months. It also maintained strong viewership on Channel 5’s digital platform in the U.K., cementing its cross-market appeal.
The combination of critical approval and sustained viewer engagement has made The Rip Rotten Tomatoes score an ongoing topic of discussion among fans of British television.
Performances That Drive the Story
At the heart of The Rip are two deeply human performances.
Jo Joyner brings layered emotion to Alison, portraying a woman caught between guilt, confusion, and the need for truth. Her understated performance gives the show its emotional anchor. Audiences connect with her vulnerability, which contrasts with her quiet determination to uncover what really happened within her family.
Peter O’Brien, as Sean, plays a man haunted by secrets. His performance balances charm with menace, creating constant tension. The chemistry between Joyner and O’Brien fuels the series’ psychological edge — their every conversation feels like a confrontation waiting to explode.
Supporting actors, including Ciarán Griffiths, Amelia Flanagan, and David Kirkbride, add authenticity to the ensemble. Each brings nuance to their roles, reinforcing the show’s emphasis on emotional truth rather than plot-driven spectacle.
Direction and Cinematic Craft
Directed by Justin Molotnikov, The Rip achieves a cinematic quality rarely seen in television thrillers. Filmed across Cornwall and Devon, the series uses the natural beauty of the British coastline as a visual metaphor for emotional turbulence. Wide shots of crashing waves and isolated cliffs mirror the characters’ internal chaos.
Molotnikov’s approach favors atmosphere over exposition. He uses silence, natural light, and restrained camera work to let performances breathe. This visual style complements the show’s introspective writing, emphasizing feeling over dialogue.
The editing and score also enhance the emotional impact. Composer Samuel Sim provides a haunting soundtrack that blends piano and strings with ambient sounds of the sea. The result is a world that feels immersive, intimate, and quietly devastating.
Themes and Emotional Resonance
At its core, The Rip is less about solving a mystery and more about confronting personal truth. It explores how people deal with grief, guilt, and broken trust — themes that resonate universally.
Throughout the series, viewers watch Alison grapple with questions of memory and morality. Each episode pulls back another layer, revealing not just what happened, but why it happened. This emotional complexity distinguishes The Rip from traditional procedural dramas.
The writing also tackles the idea of emotional “rip currents” — forces that pull people under when they least expect it. The title itself reflects this concept: how trauma can sweep through lives quietly but powerfully, leaving lasting damage.
For many fans, this focus on emotion over investigation makes The Rip a standout in the crowded field of crime television.
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Comparisons with Other British Thrillers
The success of The Rip has drawn comparisons to acclaimed British dramas like Broadchurch, Happy Valley, and The Bay. Yet it stands apart in tone and structure.
Where Broadchurch examined community fallout after a crime, The Rip zeroes in on the intimate aftermath within a single household. The series also avoids the familiar detective-centered framework, choosing instead to show ordinary people struggling with extraordinary events.
For U.S. viewers accustomed to fast-paced crime series, The Rip offers a refreshing alternative — one grounded in realism and empathy. Its high Rotten Tomatoes score shows how storytelling rooted in emotion can cross cultural boundaries.
Rotten Tomatoes Breakdown and Viewer Trends
The Rotten Tomatoes data for The Rip reflects steady growth in audience approval over time. When it first premiered, the show’s critics’ score hovered in the mid-70s. By late 2025, as international audiences discovered it, the audience score climbed to 84%, with many reviews emphasizing how the show “feels more like a novel than a typical TV thriller.”
The most common compliments mention:
- Strong pacing in the second half of the series.
- Emotional writing that lingers after viewing.
- A conclusion that feels both shocking and satisfying.
Negative feedback has been minimal and mostly centered around the slow start. Yet even those reviews often acknowledge the depth of character development as the show progresses.
The Rotten Tomatoes data now serves as proof of the show’s staying power, especially for a limited series with no confirmed continuation.
Legacy and Continued Popularity
Although The Rip was conceived as a single-season story, its success has sparked ongoing discussion about British television’s growing influence on global streaming platforms. Viewers in the U.S. increasingly seek out international titles that balance realism with emotional complexity — and The Rip fits that demand perfectly.
The show’s themes of loss, redemption, and resilience continue to resonate long after its finale. Its Rotten Tomatoes score has helped keep it visible among new releases, drawing in audiences who might have otherwise overlooked it.
With The Rip maintaining popularity through 2026, its creative team has gained recognition for producing one of Channel 5’s most successful dramas in recent years. The combination of audience passion and critical respect ensures that the show’s legacy will endure well beyond its limited run.
The Rip Rotten Tomatoes rating represents more than just numbers — it reflects how audiences connect with authentic storytelling. With its powerful performances, emotional depth, and cinematic beauty, The Rip has proven that thoughtful television can still capture hearts and minds worldwide. If you haven’t experienced this gripping drama yet, it’s the perfect time to see why so many viewers are still talking about it.
