Entertainment

David Tennant's New 3-Part Crime Thriller Series Debuts To Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Nairavoice · Nov 6, 2026 · 3 min read

David Tennant‘s new crime series is wowing audiences, as well as critics.

It’s a busy time for the Doctor Who icon. Just a few of Tennant’s upcoming projects include Rivals season 3, continuing the raunchy drama’s successful run on Hulu. He’ll also guest star on another Hulu hit, Only Murders in the Building season 6, and join the cast of The Four Seasons, sharing the screen with the likes of Tina Fey and Colman Domingo.

Time is available to watch on BritBox in the U.S.

A significantly more somber series, the BBC One anthology Time, recently returned for its third installment and features Tennant in the co-lead role of Bobby Bailey, a Custodial Manager working at what’s described as a young offenders institution. But over three episodes, it becomes clear that what the young offenders and their loved ones go through isn’t nearly as simple or as formal.

Time season 3 has debuted to an impressive 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. That number is based on fewer than 50 user-submitted ratings, so it could change as more viewers catch up on the drama’s return. The positive audience sentiment aligns with critics’ assessment of season 3. It has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 8 reviews.

Two-time BAFTA nominee Tennant appears alongside fellow nominee Siobhan Finneran, who reprises her role as Marie-Louise O’Dell, the prison chaplain, from the anthology’s first two seasons. In particular, Time season 3 focuses on Marie-Louise beginning at the young offenders institute, where she has a crisis of faith after everything she’s seen.

Series creator Jimmy McGovern and Samuel Bailey wrote Season 3, with Paul Whittington directing. Previous cast members include Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), Stephen Graham (Adolescence), Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), and Tamara Lawrance (The Silent Twins).

Things worsen when a tragedy strikes, putting Marie-Louise in direct conflict with Tennant’s character. He also faces a crisis of conscience, which steadily manifests as guilt. Time season 3 likewise examines Peter and James, two teenage offenders, as they struggle with their incarceration.

The show asks questions of whether James can ever face his broken parents after an unforgivable act of violence, and whether Peter can face the truth about an innocent’s death over family loyalty. The friendship between Peter and James is also a major focus, with the BBC One Original also starring Daniel Ryan as Freddie Jennings, Jo Joyner as Nicola, Vinette Robinson as Erica, Louis McCartney as James, Ollie McNulty as Peter, and Chukwubuikem Molokwu as Christopher.

Choose the movie with the higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Overall, Rotten Tomatoes users find Time season 3 largely compelling,praising its strong performances, realistic storytelling, and emotionally intense subject matter. But while the general consensus is that the three-episode saga is powerful and moving, some reviews argue that its consistently bleak tone makes it hard to connect with the characters.