I’ve just finished watching Waiting for the Out on BBC One and it’s one of those series that quietly sneaks up on you rather than making a big song and dance about itself.

It’s a six-part drama set mainly inside a British prison. The main character is Dan Stewer, played by Josh Finan, who teaches philosophy to inmates. That might sound a bit right on and worthy, but it really isn’t. It turns out philosophy is a pretty good way of getting people to talk about guilt, regret and whether they can actually change.

What I liked straight away is that it doesn’t fall into the usual prison drama traps. There’s no constant shouting or endless violence. Instead, it focuses on conversations and people. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, sometimes it’s quietly funny, and quite often it’s very moving, offering bottom lip wobbles.

Dan isn’t painted as some perfect, all-knowing teacher either. He’s dealing with a painful obsessive compulsive disorder and a complicated family past, and at times he looks just as fragile as the fucked up men he’s teaching. That makes him feel real, and it makes the whole thing land better in my opinion.

The prisoners are written as proper human beings rather than stereotypes. You get a sense of the weight they’re carrying and how hard it is to escape your past, whether you’re inside prison walls or not. A few scenes genuinely had me welling up, which to be fair isn’t that difficult these days, but still says something about how well it’s done.

It’s apparently been very well received and Josh Finan in particular is excellent. Nothing feels overacted or forced, he is a top actor. There’s a nice balance between serious moments and the odd bit of humour, which stops it becoming too heavy, although there were times when I started feeling distressed.

If you’re after fast-paced easy to follow drama, this probably isn’t it. But if you like something thoughtful, human and quietly powerful, Waiting for the Out is well worth watching. It’s one of those shows that stays with you long after the credits roll.

I’d say I enjoyed it but I’m not sure that’s the right word.