When Martyn (Martin Compston) and Rebecca (Anjli Mohindra) move their family into a historic four-story house in Glasgow, they think they have it made... then they meet their downstairs neighbour Jan (Solly McLeod). Fear, a three-part psychological thriller series, follows the couple as their worst nightmare comes true. What starts with inappropriate advances from Jan escalates when Rebecca refuses him, and he sends a letter to the police accusing the couple of sexually abusing their two young children. To make matters worse, Jan is the stereotype of a basement-dwelling tech wiz and hacks into his neighbours’ wifi, allowing him to watch and listen to them on all their devices.

Fear is almost a compendium of modern paranoias: false accusations, technology, and even our own neighbours. The series exploits these often-baseless anxieties, but does so to very great effect. Much of this is down to McLeod’s performance as the awkward and perpetually uncomfortable Jan. Even before he hits on Rebecca, his presence summons an instant knot in the stomach, leaving you to wonder how he’s going to inevitably sour the situation. 

Fear is a stressful watch not only because of Jan himself, but also it’s so easy to root for Martyn and Rebecca. They’re in awe and truly appreciative of their new home’s splendour; they’re fun, caring parents and they clearly love each other to death. When the accusations threaten to push them into the arms of Martyn’s violent, gun-toting father (James Cosmo), we are just as tempted as them to abandon morality and do whatever it takes to make a problem go away.

Fear is available to watch now on Prime Video.