Netflix Series 'Eric' Overview

Benedict Cumberbatch leads Eric, a six-episode limited mystery now available to stream on Netflix.

Written by Abi Morgan — the BAFTA- and Emmy-winning creator of The Hour, The Iron Lady and The Split — the series is a tense thriller set against 1980s New York.

Cumberbatch portrays a father haunted by his past who must navigate the city’s intoxicating, dangerous streets as he searches desperately for his missing son.

The show captures the era’s vivid atmosphere while mounting a race-against-time narrative through the city’s social undercurrents.

Cumberbatch says the heart of the story is about people trying to find where they belong — from a lost child to those on the margins, and to Eric himself.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Vincent, a celebrated New York puppeteer who created the children's TV program Good Day Sunshine.

His life collapses after his nine-year-old son, Edgar, vanishes while walking to school.

Haunted by guilt and grief, Vincent fixates on Edgar’s sketches of a tall blue puppet named Eric, believing that bringing the character to television could somehow reunite them.

As Vincent spirals, his anger and despair drive a wedge between him and his family, coworkers, and the detectives assigned to the case.

Eric — a seven-foot-tall blue monster who may exist more in Vincent’s mind than in reality — becomes his desperate companion and focal point.

Creator Morgan says the series sprang from the unusual image of a New York puppeteer on a quest for his missing child, and credits Netflix for embracing that vision.

Set against the grim backdrop of 1980s Manhattan, the story confronts rising crime, corruption, systemic racism, poverty, and the AIDS crisis, interrogating who the true monsters are.

The drama weaves together the perspectives of parents searching for answers, an overburdened detective, and a boy who might never come home.

And, as Morgan notes with a wry nod, there are a lot of puppets.

Vincent is a celebrated New York puppeteer and the driving creative force behind the hit children’s series Good Day Sunshine.

Brilliant and magnetic onstage, he is equally self-absorbed and volatile offstage, often putting his career ahead of his marriage to Cassie and his relationship with their son, Edgar.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who also serves as an executive producer, describes Vincent’s arc as an intense, compact odyssey compressed into six episodes — a man pushed to a breaking point.

Raised in a cold, unloving environment, Vincent has long leaned on his work for meaning; his professional success masks deep personal failings and a pattern of selfish behavior.

When Edgar disappears, Vincent’s grip on reality begins to fray: he clings to conflicting versions of what’s real while experiencing vivid, guilt-laden hallucinations of drawings that come to life to guide him.

Those visions — including manifestations of a figure named Eric — accelerate Vincent’s unraveling and force him to confront how his ego and neglect have harmed his family.

Co-star Morgan highlights Vincent’s abrasive charisma: rude, irreverent and frequently funny, a character whose likability is tangled with aggression.

Director Lucy Forbes pushed to make Vincent visually distinct from Cumberbatch’s earlier roles, altering his hair, adding facial hair and glasses to create a man viewers haven’t seen before.

Cumberbatch’s previous notable performances range from Sherlock and Patrick Melrose to roles in The Power of the Dog, The Imitation Game and several high-profile films in major franchises.

Many of those projects are available to stream on Netflix, offering a window into the actor’s range before watching him inhabit the darker, more fractured Vincent.

Benedict Cumberbatch mesmerizes audiences anew in the psychological thriller 'Eric',

transporting viewers to gritty 1980s New York where desperation and puppetry collide.

Vincent Anderson's quest to find his vanished son Edgar spirals into obsession,

manifesting through a blue monster puppet who becomes both confidant and compass.

Acclaimed screenwriter Abi Morgan weaves this six-episode exploration of fractured sanity,

juxtaposing urban decay with harrowing parental grief beneath towering skyscrapers.

Netflix exclusively streams this haunting narrative starting May 30th worldwide.

Cumberbatch's raw portrayal anchors the labyrinthine plot's emotional core,

while director Lucy Forbes crafts visually arresting scenes drenched in period atmosphere.

Supporting performances by Gaby Hoffmann and Dan Fogler amplify the tension,

transforming Vincent's journey through urban darkness into resonant allegory.

The series masterfully balances supernatural elements with profound human truths,

establishing 'Eric' as essential viewing for psychological drama enthusiasts.

Dive into Benedict Cumberbatch’s transformative role as a puppeteer in Netflix’s gripping drama 'Eric'

Set against 1980s New York’s decaying backdrop

This psychological thriller unravels a father’s desperate quest for his vanished child

Blurring reality with a monstrous puppet creation

Directed by Emmy-winner Lucy Forbes

The series explores grief, mental health, and urban decay

With Cumberbatch delivering raw vulnerability beneath layers of grime

Expect six episodes of visceral storytelling

Where puppetry becomes a haunting metaphor for fractured minds

Join the hunt through subway tunnels and shattered dreams

When this limited series premieres exclusively on Netflix

Prepare for a tour de force performance

That redefines Cumberbatch’s chameleonic talents

Mark your viewing calendar immediately

This isn’t just television—it’s an emotional excavation

Ready to dominate your streaming queue

And haunt your imagination long after credits roll

Add to watchlist now

Ashton Belcher Shines as Detective Ledroit in "Eric"

Ashton Belcher portrays Detective Michael Ledroit, a 20-year police veteran who transitioned to the missing persons division after feeling called to assist the overwhelmed department. Belcher describes his character as someone constantly questioning how to position himself to create meaningful change in the world.

The actor explains that Ledroit's character arc centers on embracing his authentic power and refusing to accept conventional wisdom. "He's holding everyone to a higher standard—the NYPD, the system, society itself," Belcher notes, adding that there's tremendous strength in taking a stand and saying "no" to the status quo.

Set during the emergence of the AIDS crisis, the series explores Ledroit's complex double life as he conceals his sexuality and relationship with long-term partner William, played by Mark Gillis. This secrecy becomes increasingly problematic when it interferes with his professional responsibilities, forcing difficult choices between personal identity and professional duty.

Benedict Cumberbatch has praised Belcher's commanding screen presence, comparing it to Sidney Poitier's legendary gravitas. "He holds the screen in silence like all great film actors do," Cumberbatch remarked about his co-star's performance.

Series writer Peter Morgan found himself expanding Ledroit's role after witnessing Belcher's powerful portrayal, calling him "the thriller metronome that keeps the drive and purpose of the show going."

Viewers may recognize Belcher from his previous work in "One Piece," "Marriage Story," "Ozark," and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," among other notable productions.

Dark Psychological Thriller

Dive into the dark, captivating world of 'Eric,' where Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a raw and riveting performance as Vincent Anderson.

This emotionally charged Netflix limited series explores a father's desperate quest through 1980s New York City to find his missing son, Edgar.

Vincent's crumbling mental state manifests in the form of Eric, a blue puppet monster he believes holds the key to Edgar's whereabouts.

The show masterfully blends psychological drama with crime thriller elements, exposing societal fractures and personal demons.

Expect a visually arresting, atmospheric portrayal of a decaying metropolis, where wealth and poverty collide with devastating consequences.

Cumberbatch's portrayal of a flawed, frantic protagonist anchors this complex tale of loss, guilt, and the monstrous forms grief can take.

Prepare for a haunting journey into the depths of paternal despair and the flickering hope found in the unlikeliest of places.

Benedict Cumberbatch Returns to Television in Gripping New Drama 'Eric'

The acclaimed British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is making a highly anticipated return to the small screen in Netflix's psychological thriller 'Eric'. Set against the backdrop of 1980s New York City, the six-episode limited series follows Vincent, a puppeteer and creator of a popular children's television show, whose life unravels when his young son Edgar mysteriously disappears.

In a desperate attempt to find his missing child, Vincent becomes increasingly obsessed with Eric, a blue monster puppet character he created for his show. The psychological drama explores themes of grief, guilt, and the blurred lines between reality and imagination as Vincent navigates the dangerous streets of New York during one of its most turbulent eras.

The series features an impressive supporting cast including Gaby Hoffmann as Vincent's estranged wife, McKinley Belcher III as a detective working on the case, and Dan Fogler as Vincent's colleague. 'Eric' marks Cumberbatch's first major television role since his acclaimed performance in 'Patrick Melrose' and promises to showcase his remarkable range as an actor.

Created by Abi Morgan, known for 'The Hour' and 'The Iron Lady', 'Eric' combines elements of psychological thriller with family drama, offering viewers a haunting exploration of a father's desperate search for his son amid personal and professional collapse.

Cassie embodies the quiet unraveling of a life built on compromise

Hoffmann portrays her as a mother fiercely tethered to a marriage that suffocates her spirit

Privileged roots in upstate New York couldn't shield her from adulthood's harsh realities

Her youthful passion with Vincent at art college curdled into exhaustion

Witnessing his volatility daily, she remains a devoted anchor for their son Edgar

Yet Hoffmann reveals Cassie's core conflict: staying trapped for perceived familial stability

Every scene pulses with her desperate internal struggle toward self-liberation

This isn't merely discontent - it's the scream of an artist silenced

The child absorbs the toxicity beneath their beautiful facade

Edgar's disappearance becomes the violent catalyst for necessary transformation

Hoffmann's raw, intuitive performance captures Cassie's fraying sanity

Cumberbatch describes acting opposite her as confronting pure, unfiltered truth

Hoffmann channels her own New York upbringing into the role's authenticity

Her acclaimed history in projects like Transparent and Girls

Informs Cassie's complex journey from dissolution to desperate resolve

Dan Fogler plays Lennie Wilson.

Lennie is Vincent’s closest friend and creative partner — a masterful puppeteer and craftsman who runs the workshop Good Day Sunshine.

A confirmed bachelor, he shares a deep, tender friendship with Edgar, who frequently drops by the workshop.

Show producer Morgan has long admired Fogler’s physical comic talent, first noticed in his turn as Francis Ford Coppola on The Offer. She describes him as a quietly funny counterpoint to Vincent and says some of his scenes in Eric carry surprising emotional weight.

Notable previous roles: the Fantastic Beasts films; The Offer; The Walking Dead; Balls of Fury; Good Luck Chuck; The Goldbergs; Secrets and Lies.

Follow Dan Fogler.

Edgar is a nine-year-old dreamer — highly creative but often quietly withdrawn from those around him.

Growing up with a father who hosts the hit children's puppet show Good Day Sunshine, he becomes captivated by the puppets and dreams of making one of his own.

His art is an escape, a private way of expressing himself while he keeps a distance from the wider world.

Benedict Cumberbatch called Ivan Howe “just adorable,” saying he felt protective and affectionate toward the boy and was struck by how naturally the camera captured his performances.

This part is Ivan Howe’s first on-screen role.

Follow Ivan Howe

Bamar Kane steps into the role of 'Yuusuf' for Netflix's compelling new streaming series.

He portrays a deeply empathetic soul residing within the city's intricate underground network, forging an unexpected bond with a young boy named Edgar.

Their connection blossoms particularly over Yuusuf's distinctive graffiti artistry, represented by his unique tag.

The actor's diverse filmography includes notable appearances in 'Father & Soldier', 'Reign Supreme', 'Io Capitano', 'Le Monde D’Après', and 'Josep'.

Series Character and Production Highlights

ludovic robert/netflix

George Lovett is the building superintendent where Edgar lives — a warm, unassuming neighbor who owns very little but values what he does have.

Although his children have grown distant, George formed a bond with Edgar, often letting the boy play in his apartment when Edgar’s parents were at odds.

Benedict Cumberbatch has high praise for Clarke Peters, saying he “adores” him; the two have collaborated before and frequently appear together at Letters Live, reflecting a long-standing creative rapport.

Belcher also has a history with Clarke Peters. The two shared the stage in 2017 at Lincoln Center in The Royale, a play inspired by the life of boxer Jack Johnson.

Belcher recalls not realizing Peters would be part of the series until arriving in Budapest, where much of the show was filmed, and describes being thrilled to work alongside him. He compliments Peters’s grounded presence and gravitas, calling him one of his favorite people and praising his energy.

Previous credits among the cast include The Wire, Treme, Da 5 Bloods, Testament: The Story of Moses, Harriet, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, John Wick, and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Available to stream on Netflix.

Play nowAdded to your queue

Benedict Cumberbatch, Hoffmann, and Belcher III are featured in the new trailer, which pairs tense family drama with an eerie take on ABBA’s “S.O.S.”

The footage follows desperate parents racing to find their missing son, Edgar, and captures their mounting fear and determination.

Cumberbatch’s character, Vincent, works as a puppeteer on a children’s program and sews hope into a puppet modeled on Edgar’s own drawings.

He believes that putting the puppet on the show will draw Edgar back — a visible signal that might lead him home.

Detective Ledroit and his team join the hunt, pushing the search forward with urgent resolve.

The trailer closes on a raw, urgent plea to bring the child back, underscoring the emotional stakes of the investigation.

Abi Morgan's vision for this gripping new drama sparked instant excitement among producers.

Jane Featherstone and Lucy Dyke describe being moved by the initial pitch, calling it "an extraordinary piece of writing" that gave them goosebumps.

Drawing inspiration from Morgan's own experiences, the series plunges viewers into New York City during the turbulent mid-1980s.

This era is depicted as a metropolis fundamentally corrupted, yet poised on the brink of significant transformation.

At its core, the story explores a powerful collision between elements we adore and those we deeply fear.

Morgan identifies this tension as constantly revolving around "where the monsters are."

One manifestation is Eric, the puppet character, born from the imagination of Vincent's young son.

Intriguingly, this creation embodies traits the child observes in his own father.

Simultaneously, the narrative forces New York City itself to confront its monstrous underbelly.

Lucy Forbes, known for her work on This Is Going To Hurt and The End of the F*ing World, directs the series.

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Vincent and executive produces alongside Morgan and Forbes.

Featherstone and Dyke also serve as executive producers, joined by Holly Pullinger as producer.

Sister (Chernobyl, This Is Going To Hurt) produces, with Little Chick (The Split) co-producing.

In the heart of New York City during the late 1980s, a creative vision was born that would later evolve into the captivating children's puppet show featured in the new series. The concept emerged from personal experiences, drawing inspiration from the distinct boundaries between reality and the magical world of television production.

The puppet show within the series serves as more than mere entertainment—it functions as a powerful educational tool while revealing the complex personalities behind the scenes. Despite their personal struggles, the show's creators maintain an authentic dedication to storytelling and connecting with young audiences, demonstrating how adults can preserve and channel their childlike imagination.

Creating the puppet characters required careful consideration to establish a unique aesthetic. The design team deliberately moved away from familiar puppet archetypes while remaining mindful of potential copyright concerns. They utilized period-appropriate materials from the '80s to maintain authenticity, incorporating distinctive features and accessories for each character—from custom-made clothing to specialized headwear and varying facial characteristics.

Some puppets received special treatment, including one adorned with tartan fabric as a tribute to the director. The production also featured whimsical singing food puppets that utilized traditional techniques like flocking to achieve their distinctive texture.

Preparing the cast for puppeteering involved extensive training sessions. A professional puppet captain conducted initial Zoom sessions followed by in-person rehearsals, focusing on fundamental skills like lip synchronization and character development. The physical demands of puppeteering presented significant challenges, requiring actors to master coordination while maintaining sustainable character voices.

For particularly complex puppet sequences, professional puppeteers served as doubles when only the puppets appeared on screen. The physical strain of puppetry—holding arms aloft for extended periods—is notoriously difficult, yet the medium allows for unique expressiveness that actors embraced despite the learning curve.

Music plays a crucial role in establishing the show's atmosphere. The production team meticulously researched 1980s New York radio playlists and club scenes to create an authentic sonic landscape. They considered what records characters would own and how music could reveal aspects of their personalities. The director even created character-specific playlists to help actors develop their roles, demonstrating how music can communicate emotional nuances that dialogue alone cannot capture.

The series concludes each puppet show with a specially composed theme song emphasizing positive values—an uplifting message wrapped in period-appropriate musical styling that reflects both the fictional show's decade-long history and its evolution through the changing cultural landscape.Benedict Cumberbatch's new series features a powerful music moment that resonated deeply with the cast and crew. During a pivotal scene in the third episode, a character finds herself alone in her apartment and spontaneously dances to a classic track.

The music selection wasn't random - it came from shared appreciation among the creative team. The director revealed that the emotional scene was captured with remarkable efficiency.

"We had just a bit of time left in our shooting day, and I suggested we simply play the song and let the actor express themselves naturally," the director explained. "I wanted to showcase the character's vulnerability and humanity beneath their troubled exterior."

What makes the moment particularly special is how quickly it came together. "It only took two takes, and everyone on set was moved to tears," the director noted. "Those unguarded moments of someone finding brief joy amid their struggles often create the most authentic and touching scenes."

New Netflix Thriller Premiere

Benedict Cumberbatch's latest venture into television drama arrives this spring as "Eric" makes its debut exclusively on Netflix on May 30th.

The highly anticipated series promises to reveal the hidden forces and manipulations behind the scenes, offering viewers a compelling narrative that explores power dynamics and control.

Mark your calendars for this must-watch psychological thriller, which industry insiders are already buzzing about following advanced screenings.

Special thanks to contributing journalist Drew Tewksbury for background research on this production.

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