How do anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and conspiracy theories pervade the minds of everyday people? A new psychological thriller miniseries titled Tip Toe seeks to answer that and more. The show was created and written by British TV veteran Russell T Davies; best known perhaps for showrunning Queer As Folk, It’s A Sin, and Doctor Who. It stars Alan Cumming, an icon of the screen and stage who has recently gained a new level of spotlight since he began hosting The Traitors.
The multi-time Emmy and Tony Award-winner Cumming stars as Leo, a gay bar owner in Manchester. His life is thrown into flux after he gives his neighbor Clive, played by David Morrissey, a spare key. The story unravels into a web of tensions, prejudice, and paranoia as Leo becomes socially intertwined with Clive and his family.
The miniseries received praise from the British press upon its domestic run this summer. It currently holds an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic. Tip Toe also proved to be an audience hit, garnering 2.5 million viewers in its Channel 4 premiere and sparking waves of conversation around the U.K. After Starz acquired it for distribution in the United States and Canada, it began airing weekly on the platform on October 2nd.
“Russell T Davies has created a gripping and deeply affecting series that speaks directly to the cultural tensions and anxieties shaping modern life,” stated Starz president Alison Hoffman. “Anchored by extraordinary performances from Alan Cumming and David Morrissey, Tip Toe examines identity, fear, and polarization in our society in a way that is at once funny, devastating and profoundly human. It’s exactly the type of daring and original storytelling that we’re dedicated and proud to champion at Starz.”
Since it has begun airing in the States, the American press has bestowed Tip Toe with wide praise as well. The Hollywood Reporter described it as a “cry of frustration that cuts right to the heart,” while Roger Ebert.com proclaimed it a “remarkable drama, anchored by two of the year’s best performances.”
Tip Toe is streaming now in the United States on Starz, with new episodes out weekly.
