‘Dark’ 6-part thriller hailed as ‘anxiety-inducing’ – and it’s such a hidden gem

Aisha Dee in a still from Watching You

 

Disney+ has plenty of binge-worthy shows for fans, and one of its best only released two months ago, but you totally missed it when it premiered

here’s nothing like settling in for a tense thriller, and Disney+ recently added Watching You, a six-part series that had viewers completely hooked.

If you missed it following its February release, the show follows Lina (Aisha Dee) as she has a passionate one-night affair in a rental property. However, Lina soon discovers that her tryst was secretly recorded by a hidden camera, and someone is threatening to release the footage and shatter her life.

The six-part series, which is based on the book The Last Guests by J. P. Pomare, was originally released in Australia back in 2025 before Disney+ and Hulu acquired the rights to broadcast the show.

The synopsis for Watching You reads: “Lina is happily engaged, but a chance encounter with a stranger culminates in a one-night stand. When the affair is secretly filmed and used to blackmail her, she hunts the voyeur, only to discover the danger is far closer than she could imagine.”

Who stars in Watching You?

The erotic thriller stars Aisha Dee (Apple Cider Vinegar) as Lina, while her on-screen fiancé, Cain, is played by Chai Hansen (Shadowhunters), and Dan, who she has an affair with is portrayed by Josh Helman (Mad Max: Fury Road).

A shirtless Chai Hansen embracing Aisha Dee in bed in a still from Watching You© Disney
The series is led by Aisha Dee and Chai Hansen

Completing the cast is Laura Gordon (Reckoning), Luke Cook (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Olivia Vasquez (Thor: Love and Thunder) and Sara Wiseman (A Place to Call Home).

Response to Watching You

Writing in Common Sense Media, Ty’Kira Smalls said: “Watching You is thrilling, dark, and anxiety-inducing. The high stakes (and the occasional fumbling character mistakes) are delivered well in performances by Dee, Hansen, and Helman.”

Meanwhile, Stephen A Russell compared the show to Netflix’s breakout hit Adolescence in a review for Flicks. He penned: “Packed with shocking twists, water-muddying red herrings and the claw marks of an increasingly anxious cat and mouse game, Watching You has a very real heart of horror for anyone who has experienced image-based abuse.

“It’s compelling television that, much like Adolescence, warns us about bad actors online, whose malicious digital footprints ruin innocent lives, which is exactly why the term ‘revenge’ porn isn’t useful.”

Aisha Dee staring at computer monitors in still image from Watching You© Disney
Fans and critics have been enjoying the tense thriller

One viewer said: “Overall it’s a messy, bingeable watch if you like psychological thrillers that live in your head after. It’s not trying to be cute about the topic, it’s uncomfortable on purpose but that’s why it works when it’s working. If you’re into shows that make you yell ‘turn the lights on!’ and ‘CALL SOMEONE!!’ at the TV, you’ll have fun.”

A second added: “I personally really enjoyed it! I’m honestly surprised more people aren’t talking about it. It had me on the edge of my seat!”