Gritty Cop Dramas
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
If you’re on a seemingly never-ending quest for new TV shows to entertain yourself during this unprecedented time, dive into Acorn TV’s ever-expanding lineup of world-class, mouthwatering dramas, addictive mysteries and hilarious comedies. North America’s #1 streamer for British and international television is chockful of programming that cover all sub-genres from gritty cop thrillers to sweeping, atmospheric costume dramas to documentaries celebrating the British royals. Please keep Acorn TV on your radar and consider recommending our series and service. Press can access screeners of recent and most popular shows on the streaming service at http://acorn.tv/press. For media who would like access to the full service, complimentary codes are available upon demand. Please note that we continue to offer our extended 30-day free trial period (previously 7 days) for new and former subscribers to help accommodate the self-isolating – at http://signup.acorn.tv, the promo code is FREE30. HIGH-RES PHOTOS FOR SERIES: Click HERE to access GRITTY COP DRAMAS LINE OF DUTY “Binge-inducing television at its best… Suspensefully plotted and wickedly well acted” - The New York Times Written and created by Jed Mercurio (Bodyguard) and the 2020 Edgar Award winner for Best Teleplay, LINE OF DUTY is a cat-and-mouse thriller that takes a probing look into modern police corruption. One of the top five highest rated UK shows of the last decade, the electrifying BBC One and Acorn TV series stars award-winner Martin Compston (The Nest, Sweet Sixteen), Vicky McClure (Broadchurch), and Adrian Dunbar (Blood). Line of Duty features constant surprises and cliffhangers with renowned season-long guest stars, including The Walking Dead’s Lennie James (Season 1), Bodyguard’s Keeley Hawes (S2), Westworld’s Emmy winner Thandie Newton (S4), and Boardwalk Empire’s Stephen Graham (S5). All five seasons of Line of Duty are streaming on Acorn TV, with Season 5 as the exclusive home in the U.S. Trailer, Watch Press Screeners LONDON KILLS “Superb British crime series… wonderfully nuanced… refreshing break from…American counterparts.” - Los Angeles Times From three-time BAFTA Award nominee Paul Marquess (creator of Suspects), this fast-paced thriller stars Hugo Speer (The Full Monty, Father Brown, Britannia), Sharon Small (Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Murderland, Trust Me, About a Boy), Bailey Patrick (Bodyguard, Casualty, EastEnders), and newcomer Tori Allen-Martin as a team of top murder detectives investigating a variety of homicides in the world’s most recognizable city. Each five episode season focuses on a different murder each episode, following the detectives as they uncover the truth behind the killing and an ongoing story involving the lead detective’s missing wife. Seasons: 2 (10 episodes) Trailer Watch Press Screeners NO OFFENCE “An irresistible feast for all the senses” - The Telegraph A winner of the Best Drama Series from the Royal Television Society, Channel 4’s outrageous female-driven police procedural follows an unorthodox team of cops in Manchester. The critically- acclaimed dramedy stars BAFTA Award nominee Joanna Scanlan (Getting On, Requiem, The Thick of It, Notes on a Scandal) and nine-time Irish Film & TV Academy nominee Elaine Cassidy (Acceptable Risk, The Paradise, The Others). Seasons: 3 (21 episodes) Trailer, Watch Press Screeners TAKEN DOWN “A major step forward for Irish television drama…telling untapped stories of a Dublin limbo” - Irish Times “Taken Down is meticulously researched, showing a human side to a world unfamiliar to many” – Irish Independent In this gripping Irish crime drama, when a Nigerian girl is killed, Inspector Jen Rooney (Lynn Rafferty, Ripper Street) and her team investigate a refugee community, where young mother Abeni Bankole (Aïssa Maïga, Paris, je t'aime) may know more than she lets on. After another child disappears, can the cops find the missing girl before she becomes a casualty of Dublin's dangerous underground? Season: 1 (6 episodes) Trailer, Watch Press Screeners Bonus suggestions: Harry, Loch Ness FASCINATING PERIOD DRAMAS DEAD STILL (Acorn TV Original Series, Commissioned) – Premieres May 18, with weekly premieres through June 15 “Juicy costume drama”-Vanity Fair Set in 1880s Ireland during the Victorian era of “postmortem photography,” this dark comic murder mystery drama follows the strange adventures of Dublin’s most famed memorial photographers, Brock Blennerhasset (Michael Smiley, Luther, who played Benny “Deadhead” Silver) and Conall Molloy (Kerr Logan, Game of Thrones, Alias Grace), as they take professional portraits of the recently deceased for grieving families. Meanwhile, tenacious detective Frederick Regan (Aidan O’Hare, Jackie, Dublin Murders) investigates a series of local murders and eyes possible disturbing connections between them and Brock. With a killer on the loose and a black-market trade of illicit pictures growing ever more dangerous, will Brock save his job or end up like one of his subjects? This series also stars Eileen O’Higgins (Mary Queen of Scots) as Brock’s estranged, imaginative niece, Nancy Vickers. Season: 1 (6 episodes) Trailer, Watch Press Screeners POLDARK “Sweeping, swashbuckling, exotic” – Washington Post This epic saga created a sensation when it first aired on Masterpiece Theatre in 1975, drawing comparisons to Gone with the Wind. Set in 18th-century Cornwall after America's War for Independence, Robin Ellis stars as Captain Ross Poldark, a young hero who returns home to find his estate in ruins, his inheritance gone, and his beloved Elizabeth (Jill Townsend) engaged to another man. Seasons: 2 (29 episodes) Trailer, Watch Now WAR AND PEACE “A lavish adaptation of the Tolstoy classic” —The Guardian (U.K.) This magnificent adaptation of Tolstoy's classic was filmed in six European countries by Oscar- nominated director Robert Dornhelm. Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange), Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Little Voice), Clemence Poesy (The Tunnel), and Ken Duken (Inglourious Basterds) star in this sumptuous adaptation of one of the world's greatest novels. Season: 1 (4 episodes) Trailer, Watch Now THE TRENCH "Tense and original" --The Daily Telegraph (UK) Daniel Craig (Skyfall) stars in this riveting drama about a group of young British soldiers stationed on the western front during World War I. Featuring an outstanding cast including James D'Arcy (Dunkirk), Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders), and Ben Whishaw (Spectre, The Danish Girl), The Trench is set on the eve of the devastating Battle of the Somme. Movie. Trailer, Watch Now BRITISH ROYALS A ROYAL TOUR OF THE 20TH CENTURY (NEW PREMIERE STARTING MAY 4, 2020) The British monarchy has been at the center of the 20th century's most iconic moments: two world wars, the end of empires, coronations, weddings, and scandals. This docuseries follows the official tours and state visits of the British royal family, revealing stories of far-flung places, glimpses into royal life, and the fascinating history of the destinations the royals visited. Events featured include Queen Elizabeth’s first tour of the Commonwealth in 1953/4, her 1995 visit to South Africa at the end of apartheid, as well as Princess Diana’s trip to Angola to raise awareness of landmines. Season: 1 (4 episodes) Trailer, Watch Now SHE-WOLVES: ENGLAND’S EARLIEST QUEENS “Captivating twists and shocking betrayals” – Radio Times Hosted by Dr. Helen Castor and filmed on location in England and France, this captivating BBC series explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce and fiery reactions they provoked, and whether, in fact, much has changed. Season: 1 (3 episodes) Trailer, Watch Now BRITAIN’S BLOODY CROWN “Quite simply brilliant” – Express Presented by acclaimed historian Dan Jones (Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty), this four-part documentary reveals the true history of the Wars of the Roses like never before. Scripted reenactments combine with Jones's unique storytelling to bring to life a tale of human frailties, rivalries, forced hands, and sheer luck that changed Britain and the monarchy forever. Season: 1 (4 episodes) Trailer, Watch Now Bonus suggestions: Elizabeth I And Her Enemies, King Arthur’s Britain TRUE CRIME MANHUNT (Acorn TV Original) "[Martin] Clunes is excellent in a crisp, moving drama" – The New York Times In 2019, this series earned the highest ratings for a new ITV drama than any in the six years prior (since Broadchurch) and 9 million UK viewers. This UK crime drama stars Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) as former London Metropolitan police detective DCI Colin Sutton who determinedly and tenaciously pursued serial killer Levi Bellfield. Manhunt is the real-life story of how the murder of French National, Amelie Delagrange, on Twickenham Green in August 2004 was eventually linked to two other murders. With no forensics, motive or witnesses, DCI Sutton’s painstaking approach and the diligence of his fellow officers gradually led to breakthroughs in the case and to suspected serial killer Levi Bellfield. But now the hunt is on for enough evidence to arrest him and make sure he’s found guilty at trial. Season: 1 (3 episodes) Trailer, Watch Press Screeners ART OF THE HEIST "Illuminating" - The Observer This thrilling documentary series give a crook's-eye view of history's most notorious art thefts--from nabbing the Mona Lisa out of the Louvre in broad daylight to the still-unsolved blockbuster heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Vivid reenactments show how cunning break-ins, scams, and forgeries netted millions of dollars and became front-page news. Seasons: 2 (14 episodes). Trailer, Watch Now DEAR MURDERER “Entertaining look at practicing law on a tightrope “- TV Worth Watching This raucous drama tells the true story of New Zealand's most controversial lawyer, Mike Bungay (Mark Mitchinson, The Hobbit films, Spartacus). In a high-profile career that spans decades, he successfully defends alleged murderers, spies, and gang members. But no matter how many legal victories he wins, Bungay can't quit his self-destructive habits and escape his own inner demons.