Time BBC1, 9pm

For Mark Cobden (Sean Bean), life has become a living nightmare. He was the consummate family man and a respected teacher until he accidentally killed an innocent victim. But now, taken away from all he holds dear, he must endure a four-year prison sentence.

In jail you wonder if he can survive the violent environs, though there is one trustworthy face – Eric McNally (Stephen Graham, far right with Bean), a prison officer who is harsh but fair with inmates. Yet both men find their good intentions tested by the dangerous environment, and matters soon come to boiling point.

A masterclass in controlled acting from the two leads lives up to the script from the superlative Jimmy McGovern. It’s a captivating, thought-provoking drama that is some of the best work that he, and the actors, have ever done.