Last night saw the highly anticipated Benedict Cumberbatch-starring drama The Child in Time. And it was by no means an easy watch.

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The BBC adaptation of Ian McEwan's book followed Stephen Lewis, a children’s author played by the Sherlock star, who must deal with his grief and guilt after his young daughter disappears. As you’d expect from the subject matter, The Child in Time took its emotional toll on viewers…

However, many were simply blown away by Cumberbatch’s performance as the mourning father...

...Alongside that of Kelly Macdonald, who played Stephen’s wife Julie.

Although, despite some powerful performances, The Child in Time's non-linear narrative left some viewers scratching their heads...

...But others said the time-hopping perfectly conveyed Stephen's grief...

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This article was originally published in September 2017

Authors

Thomas LingDigital editor, BBC Science Focus

Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.

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