Upcoming British Detectives, 2015

This is an older post - for the most up to date news, check here.

2015 will get off to a great start with the U.K. premiere of a second season of Broadchurch. The first season (my review) was, by a long stretch, the best TV show I’ve viewed this year. The plot centered on the murder of a young boy, Danny Latimer. As the whodunit played out, we witnessed the town disintegrate into suspicion and betrayal. The media’s arrival, accompanied by incendiary headlines and invasive paparazzi, only exacerbated problems caused by a lengthy investigation. But while the conclusion was devastating, it was not untempered by hope from an unexpected (but appropriate) corner.

Is that...a Neck-Beard of Sorrow??

For the most part, Broadchurch was perfectly self-contained, so I find the necessity of a second season questionable. On the other hand, I definitely wanted more closure between certain characters, and I’m hoping this season will provide it. 

A trailer has been aired, and the first episode will release in the U.K. on January 5 and in the U.S. on February 4. We know that certain characters will be returning (apparently, though she's not in the trailer, we should look for a return for Simone Macaulay as well).

(IF YOU'RE IN THE U.S., view the trailer here.)

Next up is Foyle’s War, series 8 (or season 9) which has a U.K. release on January 4th. It will be antedating its U.S. release with by premiering exclusively at Acorn TV on February 2, 9, and 16. There will be three episodes. The first, High Castle, focuses on war profiteers - and yes, you guessed it, they're American. In Trespass Foyle tackles matters in Palestine. Hopefully, the politics will ebb in episode 3, Elise, in which Foyle must track down a traitor in the ranks and investigate how bad Britain was during the war. The West really does have a self-hate complex.

Here's a brief interview with Michael Kitchen.

Post by Acorn Online.

A new season of George Gently has finished filming, and I guess it will be released late spring/early summer.  There will be four episodes. 


Summaries:

The first film, Do Not Go Gently, finds Gently investigating a rape of a prostitute. Unravelling how rape is handled within the force and how many recent cases had actually resulted in charges being laid, the team have to deal with animosity from their colleagues. 

In the second film, Breathe The Air, an investigation into a GP’s suspected suicide, see Rachel Coles (MCGRILLIS) returning to the small village community that she grew up in, which stirs up tragic memories – and the “white snow” they used to play in as children.

Episode three has the Wildcat riots as its backdrop, where rubbish is piling on the streets and a man is found dead. The victim was in a lot of debt – but who killed him and why? Episode four finds Gently furious that guns are so easily accessible - and following an armed robbery he seeks to find the armed gang and bring them to justice, before more innocent t people are shot.

I see from this pic that Bacchus refuses to chuck those atrocious sideburns.

And that's a wrap on George Gently. — Lee Ingleby (@leeingleby) December 5, 2014

Endeavour, the prequel to Inspector Morse, has been confirmed for a third season, and as far as we know, filming in March, for a January 2016 release.

Endeavour '67... Pepper – Piper – Purple Haze... As 'Oxford's finest' encounter friends and foes both old and new, our next quartet of mysteries will take the audience on a psychedelic Summer of Love fairground ride, filled with twists and turns, shrieks and scares. For something wicked this way comes... 

My reviews of Endeavour:

Endeavour - Season 1 -      
Episode 1 - Girl     
Episode 2 - Fugue     
Episode 3 - Rocket     
Episode 4 - Home   

Season 2 -     
Episode 1 - Trove     
Episode 2 - Nocturne     
Episode 3 - Sway     
Episode 4 - Neverland

We're now having our first look of the remake of Partners in Crime, a series of light mystery novels written by Agatha Christie featuring detective couple Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.

The original starred Francesca Annis and James Warwick. They are replaced, respectively, by Jessica Raines and David Walliams. While I think the two look very classy, I'm not entirely enthusiastic with the choice. Walliams looks quite stodgy, and Raines has not shown the sort of charisma that Francesca Annis exuded.

A six-part series is planned for release in 2015.

As for everything else, Sherlock is in pre-production, and Father Brown was filming in August, so it's probably in post now. Grantchester, which wasn't really worth watching, has been renewed for a second season.

Want something good to watch? Check out my full list of good detective shows.

Longish