The fog rolls in, the past unravels, and a family’s fragile bonds are tested in ways that will leave you breathless. The BBC has unleashed the first trailer for California Avenue, a six-part drama that’s already being hailed as one of the most devastating stories ever to grace the screen. Premiering in spring 2026 on BBC One and iPlayer, this “fractured family drama” stars acting titans Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter as parents haunted by their choices, alongside Erin Doherty as their daughter on the run. Set against the lush yet isolating backdrop of a 1970s English caravan park, California Avenue weaves a tapestry of secrets, survival, and shattered love that’s got fans and critics buzzing with anticipation. Directed by BAFTA-winner Hugo Blick, this series promises to break hearts and mend them in equal measure. Welcome to a story where the past is never truly buried, and love is both a lifeline and a wound.
A Haunting Tale of Family and Redemption
California Avenue isn’t just another period drama—it’s a raw, emotional gut-punch that dives deep into the complexities of family ties. Set in a secluded canal-side caravan park in 1970s rural England, the series follows Lela (Erin Doherty), a young mother fleeing a dire situation with her 11-year-old daughter. Seeking refuge, she arrives at the park, a seemingly idyllic haven of wildflowers and weathered caravans, only to confront the ghosts of her past—her estranged parents, Jerry (Bill Nighy) and Eddie (Helena Bonham Carter). What unfolds is a story “brimming with humour and love,” as the BBC describes it, but laced with a darkness that threatens to unravel them all. The trailer, dropped on August 18, 2025, at the Edinburgh TV Festival, is a masterclass in tension, blending wistful nostalgia with a creeping sense of dread.
The footage opens with a sweeping shot of Hertfordshire’s green expanse, the canal glinting under a hazy sun. Lela, her face etched with desperation, clutches her daughter’s hand as they stumble into the park. “We’re safe now,” she whispers, but the camera lingers on a shadow moving in the fog. Nighy’s Jerry, a wiry figure with a weathered smile, greets them with cautious warmth, while Bonham Carter’s Eddie, her eyes haunted, watches from a distance. The trailer teases a web of secrets: a locked box under a caravan bed, a whispered argument about “what happened back then,” and a chilling glimpse of Tom Burke’s Cooper, a “showman outcast” whose charm hides a dangerous edge. “You can’t outrun what you’ve done,” Cooper murmurs, as the screen cuts to Lela’s anguished scream. Fans on social media are already calling it “a heartbreak you can’t look away from.”
A Stellar Cast Anchors the Drama
The casting alone is enough to make California Avenue a must-watch. Bill Nighy, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Living, brings his signature blend of gravitas and vulnerability to Jerry, a father grappling with guilt and the weight of unspoken truths. Helena Bonham Carter, known for her electric performances in The Crown and Nolly, infuses Eddie with a fragile intensity, her every glance hinting at a past she can’t escape. Erin Doherty, who stole hearts as Princess Anne in The Crown and shone in Netflix’s Adolescence, is Lela, a role that demands both fierce resilience and raw fragility. The trailer showcases Doherty’s ability to convey a mother’s desperation, particularly in a scene where she shields her daughter from an unseen threat, her voice breaking as she says, “I won’t let them take you.”
Tom Burke, of Furiosa and Strike fame, rounds out the core cast as Cooper, a charismatic drifter whose motives are as murky as the canal waters. The trailer hints at his pivotal role, showing him leading a late-night gathering that feels more like a cult than a community. Additional casting is still under wraps, but the BBC has promised more names, with rumors swirling of a cameo from a The Honourable Woman alum. The ensemble’s chemistry, glimpsed in fleeting trailer moments—like Jerry and Eddie’s tense reunion with Lela—promises a dynamic interplay of love, betrayal, and redemption.
Hugo Blick’s Visionary Touch
At the helm is Hugo Blick, the BAFTA-winning writer-director behind The Honourable Woman, The English, and Black Earth Rising. Known for his ability to weave complex narratives with emotional depth, Blick crafts California Avenue as a meditation on family, memory, and the cost of survival. “Over the past few decades, I’ve looked to explore what television fiction can be,” Blick said at a BBC press event. “California Avenue is about the people who inspired me to tell stories—flawed, beautiful, and fighting to hold on.” His signature style—lush visuals, sharp dialogue, and a knack for blending humor with tragedy—is evident in the trailer’s painterly shots of the caravan park, where sunlight filters through fog and every creak feels like a warning.
Produced by Drama Republic, the team behind One Day and Doctor Foster, the series is a visual feast, shot on location in Hertfordshire. The trailer’s cinematography, by The English alum Balazs Bolygo, captures the 1970s with a gritty yet nostalgic lens—think faded denim, retro caravans, and a soundtrack laced with folk ballads and eerie strings. Executive producer Greg Brenman calls it “a world of precious relationships and unexpected revelations, delivered with a big, big heart and generous humour.” Lindsay Salt, BBC’s Director of Drama, promises viewers “the journey of a lifetime,” and early reactions suggest she’s not exaggerating.
Why It’s Already Breaking Hearts
Social media is alight with fans calling California Avenue a masterpiece in the making. “This trailer broke me,” one X user posted, sharing a clip of Doherty’s tear-streaked face. “Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter as parents? I’m not surviving this.” Another tweeted, “It’s like This Is Us met The Honourable Woman in the 70s—my heart’s in pieces.” The series’ blend of humor and heartbreak resonates, with Nighy’s dry wit—seen in a trailer quip about “caravan cuisine”—balancing Bonham Carter’s raw intensity. Fans are particularly moved by Doherty’s Lela, whose desperate flight with her daughter echoes universal fears of losing what matters most.
The 1970s setting adds a layer of authenticity, capturing an era of economic hardship and social change. The caravan park, with its quirky residents and hidden dangers, feels like a microcosm of a fractured society. The trailer hints at a mystery tied to Jerry and Eddie’s past—perhaps a tragedy that drove Lela away—and Cooper’s role as a catalyst for chaos. “It’s not just a family drama,” one Reddit user speculated. “There’s a dark secret at the core, and I bet it’s tied to the park itself.” The show’s exploration of survival, both physical and emotional, has struck a chord, with fans praising its unflinching look at love’s cost.
A Must-Watch for 2026
With filming completed in Hertfordshire and post-production underway, California Avenue is set to be a flagship BBC drama. Its six hour-long episodes will air weekly, with all episodes available on iPlayer at premiere, catering to binge-watchers. The series joins a stellar 2026 lineup, including King & Conqueror and Miss Austen Returns, but its star power and emotional heft make it a standout. Mediawan Rights and Entourage Ventures will distribute globally, ensuring the world feels its impact.
For fans of Nighy, Bonham Carter, and Doherty, California Avenue is a dream come true—a chance to see legends tackle a story that’s as intimate as it is epic. For those craving a drama that blends laughter, tears, and suspense, it’s a journey into the heart of a family fighting to heal. As one X post put it, “This is gonna wreck me, and I’m ready for it.” So, mark your calendars for spring 2026, grab a tissue, and step into the fog of California Avenue. In this devastating tale, love may shatter, but it also endures—and that’s a story worth watching.
