THIS summer, the BBC will be reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas.
The Beeb have put together a line-up of 17 titles spanning six decades, combining both classic and contemporary favourites.
Acclaimed actors starring in the respective shows include Alan Davies, Amanda Redman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, John Simm and Kenneth Branagh.
Viewers will also get to see the likes of Peter Davison, Sue Johnston, Sarah Lancashire and Vicky McClure in their famous crime drama and detective roles.
The season launches Wednesday June 12 at 10pm on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer with new episodes weekly.
Meanwhile, many of the titles will be preceded with brand new introductions from key cast members and creatives involved in the programme.
These introductions are intended to offer fresh insights and fond memories of the fan-favourite shows.
Launching the season will be Death in Paradise, which is to be introduced by writer Tony Jordan and original cast member Don Warrington.
In addition, all 107 episodes of Death in Paradise are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Among the shows featured is the acclaimed drama Happy Valley, which aired from 2014 to 2023.
Former Coronation Street actress Sarah Lancashire played the lead role of divorced police sergeant Catherine Cawood, with James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce.
At the start of the show, Catherine is struggling to recover from the suicide of her daughter eight years previously.
Sarah, 59, won several awards for her performance as Catherine including two Baftas and three National Television Awards.
Meanwhile, Idris Elba swapped his criminal character in HBO’s The Wire to star as titular character DCI John Luther in Luther.
The crime drama, which aired from 2010 to 2019, follows Luther, a dedicated police officer who can be obsessive and sometimes violent.
A film continuation premiered on Netflix in March 2023.
Police procedural Line of Duty aired from 2012 to 2021, moving from BBC Two to BBC One during the show’s run.
BBC crime dramas
The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer. Here's a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.
- Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, a detective drama series adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and starring Peter Davison.
- Dalziel and Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.
- Death in Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.
- Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.
- Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.
- Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.
- Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a deviser of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.
- Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.
- Life on Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.
- Line of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.
- Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.
- New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.
- Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman’s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.
- Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.
- The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.
- Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.
- Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.
The show followed a fictional anti-corruption unit within the police, starring Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar.
Crime comedy drama Death In Paradise follows the police force on St Marie, a fictitious island in the Caribbean, who are usually led by a fish-out-of-water Detective Inspector from the UK.
Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and Ralf Little have played lead roles to date.
Former EastEnders actor Don Gilet has been announced as the show’s next star.
