The Baby on Sky Atlantic: what is 2022 TV series about, trailer, show cast with Michelle De Swarte, Isy Suttie

The Baby, an HBO Max horror/comedy series about a violent baby, is coming to Sky and NOW TV in the UK from Thursday 7 July.

The series stars Michelle de Swarte as Natasha Williams, a 38-year-old woman who’s always avoided making long term plans – and is very suddenly stuck with a very spooky baby.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Baby.

What is The Baby about?

The Baby is about a scary, violent, and manipulative child that suddenly appears in Natasha’s life. She wants nothing to do with it – but the baby doesn’t care what she wants.

The official synopsis for the series explains that “when 38-year-old Natasha is unexpectedly landed with a baby, her life of doing what she wants, when she wants, dramatically implodes. Controlling, manipulative and with violent powers, the baby twists Natasha’s life into a horror show.”

“Where does it come from? What does it want? And what lengths will Natasha have to go to in order to get her life back? She doesn’t want a baby. The baby wants her.”

Who stars in The Baby?

Michelle de Swarte plays Natasha, the woman suddenly stuck with The Baby. De Swarte is probably best known as a model, presenter, and journalist, but as an actor you might previously have seen her in Katherine Ryan’s semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy The Duchess.

Amira Ghazalla plays Natasha’s enigmatic elderly neighbour. Ghazallas is best-known for appearing in Sense8 and The Last Jedi, as well as the film My Brother the Devil (worth checking out, Fady Elsayad is very good in it).

Amber Grappy plays Natasha’s younger sister Bobby. The Baby is her first screen role, though she can later be seen in Wrecked, a BBC Three comedy drama with Thaddea Graham.

They’re joined by Sinéad Cusack (Marcella), Isy Suttie (Peep Show), Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education), Karl Davies (Emmerdale), and Divian Ladwa (Ant-Man and the Wasp) amongst others.

Albie Hills and Arthur Hills make their screen debut as The Baby.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

Who writes and directs The Baby?

The Baby was created by Lucy Gaymer and Siân Robins-Grace. The Baby is Lucy Gaymer’s first creator credit, having previously worked as a production manager on Liar and The Witchfinder, while Robins-Grace has worked as a producer on Sex Education and the Netflix series Kaos.

Robins-Grace wrote or co-wrote four of The Baby’s eight episodes, with Sophie Goodhart (My Blind Brother, Sex Education), Susan Soon He Stanton (Succession, Conversations with Friends), Kara Smith (Anansi Boys), and Anchuli Felicia King (White Pearl) credited on the remaining episodes.

Nicole Kassell (The Leftovers, Watchmen), Stacey Gregg (Here Before), Faraz Shariat (Druck), and Ella Jones (Back to Life) each directed episodes of The Baby.

When and how can I watch The Baby?

The Baby will begin in the UK on Sky and NOW TV on Thursday 7 July, with new episodes airing weekly thereafter. The finale will air on Thursday 25 August.

Every episode will also be available at launch as a boxset.

Internationally, you can watch The Baby on HBO Max.

How many episodes are in The Baby?

The Baby is eight episodes in total, each around 30 minutes or so in length.

Will there be a second season of The Baby?

At the moment, there’s been no official news about a second series of The Baby. However, it has been described by HBO as a limited series – meaning it’s a one and done kind of situation – which suggests that it won’t return for more.

(Not, in fairness, that that’s always a guarantee. Big Little Lies was a limited series until they decided they wanted to make a second series, after all.)

Why should I watch The Baby?

You’d want to check out The Baby if you’re into horror comedy type pieces, particularly those with a slightly metaphorical bent.