Broadcasters and streamers have this autumn supplemented schedules with a selection of crime dramas that mix familiar faces with new creative voices, offering viewers a range of tones from procedural mystery to violent family sagas.
High-profile returns and new voices
Among the series attracting attention is a 10‑part drama on Paramount+ that reintroduces the character Harry da Souza, played by Tom Hardy, alongside Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren as the heads of a powerful criminal family. The programme examines the tensions within a fractured crime dynasty as rivals close in and internal loyalties are tested.
On the terrestrial side, ITV is promoting a six‑part thriller produced by Nicola Shindler and adapted from Charlotte Langley’s 2023 novel, which centres on two detectives – Michelle Keegan as DI Emma Crane and Douglas Booth as DI Tom Radley – who probe the death of a teenage figure skater in the small town of Wakestead. The broadcaster has scheduled the first episode for 9pm on Sunday 20 September, and the story promises elements of deception and concealed histories as the investigation unfolds.
True crime and anthology entries
Netflix has continued to expand its crime slate with an instalment of its Monster anthology series focusing on the long‑running and controversial Lizzie Borden case. The latest entry centres on the period leading up to the 1892 deaths of Borden’s parents and explores the social pressures within the household. The cast includes Ella Beatty in the title role and Vicky Krieps as the maid Bridget Sullivan, charting the fraught relationships and constraints that precede the crime.
- Mobland – Paramount+ (Tom Hardy; Pierce Brosnan; Helen Mirren)
- The Blame – ITV / ITVX (Michelle Keegan; Douglas Booth)
- Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story – Netflix (Ella Beatty; Vicky Krieps)
These titles sit alongside other contemporary examples of crime television that pair literary sources, star casting and established production companies to target both domestic audiences and international subscribers. The mixture of streaming exclusives and scheduled broadcasts underlines how crime drama continues to be a reliable draw for varying viewer habits: bingeing via on‑demand platforms or appointment viewing on linear channels.
What this means for the genre
Producers and commissioners appear to be banking on two linked strategies. First, attaching widely recognised actors helps a title stand out in an increasingly crowded market. Second, adapting novels or established true‑crime stories supplies narrative scaffolding that can be stretched into multi‑episode arcs, which suit both serialised television and subscriber retention models for streaming services.
For audiences, the result is a broad spectrum of approaches to crime storytelling: conventional detective work set against small‑town mores; family crime sagas driven by power struggles; and dramatised examinations of notorious historical offences. Each format caters to different tastes while reinforcing crime drama’s central place in contemporary British and international television.
| Title | Platform | Notable cast / creators |
|---|---|---|
| Mobland | Paramount+ | Tom Hardy; Pierce Brosnan; Helen Mirren |
| The Blame | ITV / ITVX | Michelle Keegan; Douglas Booth; Nicola Shindler (producer); adapted from Charlotte Langley novel |
| Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story | Netflix | Ella Beatty; Vicky Krieps |
Commissioners and creative teams will be watching audience response closely. Strong performances and compelling source material can drive critical conversation and viewing figures, but the variety now on offer also raises the bar for originality within a genre where certain tropes — secrets, lies and the slow uncovering of truth — remain constant.
As viewers decide whether to tune in week by week or to stream entire series in one sitting, the marketplace for crime drama shows no signs of slowing.
