“This Netflix crime drama is a must-see. Perfection!” It’s so good that viewers are watching it all in one night!

It begins with a sound that chills every doctor — the flatline of a dying patient.

A surgeon’s trembling hands.

A desperate decision made in the shadows of London’s Underground.

Then, a single rule whispered in the dark: “Cash only.

No questions.”.

That’s the heartbeat of Temple — the crime-medical thriller now dominating Netflix’s global charts and turning insomniacs into binge-watchers.

Originally a Sky One series from 2019, Temple was rediscovered by Netflix in September 2025, instantly rocketing into the Top 10 across the UK and U.S.

Within days, it became a word-of-mouth sensation — a gritty mix of morality, crime, and medicine that viewers couldn’t stop watching.

The Plot That Cuts Deep

At its center is Dr.

Daniel Milton (Mark Strong), a top London surgeon whose wife, Beth (Catherine McCormack), is dying from a rare degenerative disease.

When the system fails them — insurance denies, the NHS can’t help — Daniel builds his own underground clinic beneath Temple Tube station.

There, in a bunker lit by flickering bulbs and humming machines, he performs illegal surgeries for anyone who can pay — criminals, corrupt cops, desperate outcasts.

His unlikely partner, Lee (Daniel Mays), is a paranoid prepper who owns the tunnels and provides the muscle and madness that keep the operation running.

What begins as one man’s attempt to save his wife spirals into a descent through moral darkness.

Daniel’s scalpel becomes his weapon, and the line between healing and harm blurs beyond repair.

A Dark Gem Reborn

Temple is based on the 2017 Norwegian series Valkyrien, which asked the question: what if the world’s most ethical man became an outlaw to save someone he loved?

Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe (Boy A, Intermission) saw potential for something deeper — a London-set version that blended British realism with cinematic tension.

He moved the story underground, literally, filming in real abandoned Tube stations like Aldwych, closed since 1994.

The result is haunting: a city’s veins turned into an illegal hospital.

Sky’s version was acclaimed but niche.

Netflix’s re-release changed everything.

With global reach and binge-ready accessibility, it became one of the platform’s surprise hits of 2025.

The Descent and the Fall

Over two gripping seasons, Temple charts Daniel’s moral collapse.

In Season 1, we watch him build his underground empire and treat criminals under impossible conditions.

The finale leaves audiences reeling — a coma patient awakens, and the miracle drug that could save her is stolen.

Season 2 raises the stakes.

Beth recovers, only to fall into addiction.

Lee’s unstable brother (Rhys Ifans) returns, bringing chaos.

Police close in.

A virus outbreak traps everyone underground.

The final episode? A masterclass in suspense: the clinic burns, Daniel is arrested, and Beth disappears with a message that could upend everything.

“If you’re listening, Daniel… I’m not done yet.”.

Fans called it “the best ending of the decade.” Netflix called it “unfinished business.”.

The Cast That Bleeds Real

Mark Strong anchors the show with an intensity that’s both cold and heartbreaking.

His Daniel Milton is a man unraveling — equal parts genius, husband, and criminal.

Daniel Mays brings manic energy as Lee, a man obsessed with the apocalypse but afraid of losing his friend.

Carice van Houten (Game of Thrones) shines as Anna, a surgeon with questionable ethics and an even murkier past.

Every performance drips with realism.

Every line lands like a confession.

“I save lives,” Daniel says, staring into the dark.

“I don’t judge them.”.

Critical and Audience Frenzy

Critics called Temple “Tarantino meets the NHS.”.

The Evening Standard praised its “claustrophobic brilliance.” The Times called it “a small but clever piece of programming.”

On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts a 92% audience score and a 75% critic rating.

IMDb users rate it 7.5/10, while Netflix watchers rank it among the “Top 5 crime dramas to watch before bed — if you dare sleep afterward.”

Social media reaction has been explosive.

TikTok’s #TempleNetflix tag has over 1.8 million posts.

Reddit threads dissect its symbolism.

And one viral tweet reads: “Started at 9 PM. Finished both seasons by 4 AM. Cried. Shook. Need therapy.”.

Behind the Scenes: Real Tunnels, Real Fear

Filming underground wasn’t just an aesthetic choice — it was an endurance test.

Cast and crew spent hours in cramped tunnels with no ventilation, simulating the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the story.

Director Lisa Mulcahy revealed: “We wanted the audience to feel trapped — like the walls were closing in.”

That realism pays off.

Every surgery scene feels suffocatingly real — blood, sweat, flickering lights, the hum of machinery echoing like a heartbeat.

Season 3: Hope or Damnation?

As of late 2025, writer Mark O’Rowe has reportedly finished three scripts for Season 3.

Negotiations between Netflix and Sky are ongoing.

Rumors suggest it may explore new underground clinics across Europe — a “medical underworld” that connects desperate doctors, patients, and criminals through a shadow network.

Mark Strong teased fans: “Daniel’s story isn’t over.

He’s still paying for what he built — and what he destroyed.”

If greenlit, Season 3 could hit Netflix by late 2026, potentially exploring Beth’s disappearance and the mysterious USB labeled Temple 2.0.

A Story About Us All

Beneath its crime-thriller surface, Temple is about human desperation — how far love will drive us, and what lines we’ll cross when the system fails.

It forces viewers to ask:

Would you break the law to save someone you love?

Is morality absolute, or does survival justify sin?

In the end, Temple isn’t about a doctor saving lives.

It’s about a man losing himself to save one.

Final Verdict: A Must-Watch Thriller

If you love Breaking Bad, Ozark, or Bodyguard, Temple will grip you from the first heartbeat.

It’s smart, brutal, emotional, and beautifully acted — a crime story that cuts deeper than most medical dramas dare.

Every episode feels like emergency surgery — fast, precise, and painfully human.

As one fan perfectly summed it up: “It’s not just a show.

It’s a moral autopsy.”.

And when that final flatline sounds, you’ll find yourself whispering, “Please, Netflix… bring it back to life.”.