Smiths

BBC’s new crime drama starring Sheridan Smith has been a hit with viewers

BBC viewers are already hooked on the new crime drama starring Sheridan Smith.

The Cage recently made its debut onto our TV screens and a number of fans have already binge-watched all five episodes with many calling for another season.

It comes as no surprise that viewers are gripped on the show. Not only is the cast lead by BAFTA-winner Sheridan but its creator is the BAFTA-winning Tony Schumacher, who created the acclaimed police drama The Responder.

Alongside Sheridan, her co-star Michael Socha also leads the cast of the popular series, which follows two financially struggling Liverpool casino employees who end up confronting dangerous local criminals and the authorities after siphoning money from the casino safe.

Shot in and around Liverpool and Merseyside, the narrative centres on Leanne (Sheridan), a single mother and casino cashier who begins siphoning cash from the safe to rescue her family home.

However, when she discovers that her boss Matty (Muchael), a gambling addict, is engaged in the same activity, both of their lives begin to unravel.

The duo forge an unexpected alliance to conceal their theft, but quickly become entangled with local gangsters and the police.

The synopsis states: “Leanne is the charismatic cashier at an inner-city casino who finds herself threatened with losing the family home and starts skimming cash from the casino safe to secure her family’s future.

“When Leanne discovers her boss Matty is doing the same thing, their lives are set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police.

“As Leanne’s loyalties are pulled in different directions, Matty battles with his inner demons meaning the pair will have to play every hand perfectly.”

Viewers have wasted no time sharing their reaction as one viewer said: “I just finished watching it, so good. I hope they have a season 2.”

Another wrote: “#thecage Just finished binge watching this series and loved it. Great cast especially the performance of Michael Socha.Some great music in there as well.”

A third commented: “Binged The Cage in one sitting, fantastic show! Well done all involved.” Another said: “Binged the whole series tonight. I really enjoyed it, proper good British drama and great cast/performances,”

Meanwhile another added: “Loved it!! It was so good had me on the edge of my seat.” While another called for a second season, writing: “Michael and Sheridan were absolutely phenomenal, can’t wait for series 2?”

You can stream The Cage on BBC iPlayer

Freeze frame. There’s Dodgers catcher Will Smith’s follow-through as he watches the ball he just crushed travel toward the wall Saturday.

Now, split screen. Pull up an image of the bobblehead the Dodgers gave out before the game, commemorating Smith’s Game 7 World Series-winning home run. It’s a mirror image.

On his bobblehead night and 31st birthday, Smith delivered a two-run home run in the eighth inning as the Dodgers swept their season-opening series against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 3-2 victory Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Cue an aerial shot of the Hollywood sign.

“When you talk about big hits, clutch, Will’s right at the top of the list,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Roberts originally planned to sit Smith. The catcher played in the first two games of the series, and an off day on Sunday would have given him two straight days of rest early in a grueling season.

“We always talk about stuff,” Smith said. “He was going to give me the day off, I just kind of dropped the bobblehead card [for Saturday] and he let me in there.”

A key edit to the script.

Roberts made a few tweaks to the lineup ahead of the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter for the first time this season. Against Eduardo Rodriguez, Roberts swapped first baseman Freddie Freeman and Smith in the batting order; Smith hit fourth and Freeman fifth.

Santiago Espinal also made his Dodgers debut, starting at third base. Roberts said it wouldn’t be a platoon between Espinal and Max Muncy at third, but he wasn’t sure exactly how the playing-time split would play out.

For the first five innings, no one on the Dodgers did much on offense, except for Freeman.

Freeman went hitless in the first two games of the series despite making hard contact. But he had three hits in four at-bats Saturday, including a double in the sixth inning that drove in the Dodgers’ first run.

“Definitely nice to get off the barrel on the first one and hit a flare up the middle,” Freeman said. “And obviously once you get one, you can just kind of rest easy. And then they played the shift on my third hit, and that was nice, because then I was able to stay on the fastball and hit it to left field down the line.”

That hit cut the Diamondbacks’ lead to one run, thanks to a strong showing from the Dodgers’ pitching staff.

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers during the first inning against the Diamondbacks on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Tyler Glasnow turned in a quality start. Holding the Diamondbacks to two runs over six innings, Glasnow used his curveball as his putaway pitch against right-handed hitters, and two-strike sinkers kept left-handed batters off balance, especially deeper into his start. Glasnow recorded six strikeouts.

The Dodgers’ bullpen continued its scoreless streak for the series, as Alex Vesia, Will Klein and Edwin Díaz shut down the Diamondbacks through the last three innings.

For the second straight night, Díaz entered to a live rendition of Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco,” performed by trumpet player Tatiana Tate.

“When Edwin comes in the game, that means something good’s happening for the Dodgers,” Freeman said. “So I’m a fan.”

Although the Dodgers’ offense was quieter than in their other wins of the series, their lineup again proved to be pesky. In all three games, they fell behind 2-0. In all three, they won.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, celebrates with Tesocar Hernández after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday, Mookie Betts drew a walk. Then Smith worked a 2-2 count, fouling off three fastballs before he was right on time for one at the top of the strike zone.

“We never feel like we’re out of it,” Smith said. “We keep taking good at-bats, keep believing in each other, keep believing that someone’s going to come up with a big hit.”

On Saturday, it was destined to be Smith.

“Birthday and bobblehead day,” Glasnow said, “It was a magical night.”

Roll credits.

Injury updates

Dodgers utility players Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery recovery) and Kiké Hernández (left elbow surgery recovery) took early batting practice on the field Saturday afternoon.

Roberts has said he expected Edman, on the 10-day injured list, will be an option by at least the end of May. Hernández will be eligible to be activated off the 60-day IL around the same time.

“I’d be shocked if [Hernández] wasn’t ready when that time is up,” Roberts said. “Taking grounders, the way he’s moving, the way he’s throwing, catching, the swing, ball coming off the bat. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was in the lineup tonight.”