Dreamland review: Lily Allen and Freema Agyeman deliver the sunshine in Sky Atlantic comedy – a perfect Bank Holiday binge

Stream every episode of Dreamland on Sky Atlantic with NOW

A seaside comedy in Margate about four sisters, reunited but hiding dark secrets. From the creators of Motherland and Bad Sisters. You’ll no doubt agree with us, Dreamland sounds on paper like a must-watch.

And after a shaky first episode, which misses with a few gags and feels slightly inconsistent in tone, this series blossoms into a something as joyous and infectious as the first sunny day of a British summer.

It’s the perfect Easter Bank Holiday binge watch on Sky Atlantic. A sugar-rush of laughter and sisterly love, laced with dark British cynicism and secrets that threaten to tear a family apart.

The show throws a pair of curveballs with the casting of pop singer Lily Allen and a comedy debut from Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, New Amsterdam) as the show’s two leads – sisters Mel and Trish.

We're delighted to report that the pair knock it out of the park as the squabbling duo – capturing a mix of simmering resentment and enduring love that all siblings will recognise.

And if Allen doesn't want to return to the recording studio, she's more than got the chops for impressive acting career, managing to balance Mel being simultaneously an utter mess and intensely likable.

Dreamland cast: Meet the stars of the Sky Atlantic comedy

Alongside Allen and Agyeman,  Gabby Best and Aimee-Ffion Edwards play the other siblings. The pair steal most of the best lines as aspiring writer and dependable Clare and the naive, vibrant youngest sibling Leila.

Throw in Frances Barber as their bohemian mum Cheryl and the iconic Sheila Reid at her most iconic as Nan ("What do you need confidence for? You’re not Bradley Walsh!") and you’ve got a formidable and endearing cast.

Stick with the show into its second and third episodes and suddenly it finds its rhythm, with slick timing, sharp gags and an addictive blend of dark truths and belly laughs.

The show’s Margate setting perfectly matches the comedic blend of light and shade. The stunning sun, blue seas and garish British seaside colours contrast to the grime of an inflatable phallus, greasy kebabs and used condoms.

It all feels highly appropriate for a show that explores the light and shade of family life and the dark secrets that can lay bubbling under the surface of happy families.

Stream every episode of Dreamland on Sky Atlantic with NOW.

All six episodes are available now.

BT.com review rating