The gripping new ITV dramas you need to watch in 2024 featuring Doc Martin and Happy Valley stars
TV FANS can get excited to sink their teeth into some gripping new dramas featuring Doc Martin and Happy Valley stars this winter.
ITV has revealed its much anticipated festive television line up and there are a host of dramas to look forward to.
Out There
Martin Clunes stars as a farmer confronted with dark forces sweeping into his rural community.
County lines drug-dealing and an escalating and insidious crime wave sweeping the British countryside are the subject of this drama.
These urban gangs move drugs and money between their inner-city hubs and provincial areas
The farmer’s livelihood, homestead and family life are threatened by them leading to devastating consequences.
Playing Nice
A psychological thriller adapted from the best-selling novel by British thriller author JP Delaney.
Set against a sweeping Cornish landscape, two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth in a hospital mix-up.
They face a horrifying dilemma: do they keep the sons they have raised and loved or reclaim their biological child?
Living a waking nightmare, Pete (James Norton) and Maddie (Niamh Algar) are jettisoned into the world of the other couple Miles (James McArdle) and Lucy (Jessica Brown Findlay).
At first it seems all four are agreed on a solution, but it soon becomes clear that hidden motives are at play.
As Pete and Maddie are stretched to breaking point, they realise that they will stop at nothing to keep their family together.
Archie
A four-part drama depicting the life of Cary Grant, Hollywood’s greatest leading man, and starring Jason Isaacs in the leading role.
In 1961 the legendary actor was breaking all box office records. But he was desperately unhappy in his private life.
With two failed marriages behind him, he began to woo a young actress he’d seen on a TV show called Dyan Cannon.
Dyan didn’t initially fall for his charms turning down his attempts to meet because she didn’t feel they could ever be a match.
But Cary continued to pursue her, with introductions to his famous friends, until they eventually wed in Las Vegas in 1965
Culprits
This crime thriller centres on family man Joe Petrus, who is living the American dream with his fiancé and step kids.
However, Joe was involved in a mysterious crime three years ago and his dangerous past is about to catch up with him.
When a killer starts targeting the crew behind the crime, Joe realises that it’s only a matter of time before his family is targeted.
He returns to London to track down his old gang, and finds out who is coming after them.
And returning shows…
Brenda Blethyn OBE makes an emotional return for the 14th and final series of ITV’s popular crime drama Vera.
There will be two epic feature-length episodes where viewers will be given the opportunity to say farewell to the beloved Detective.
A whole host of famous faces signed up to co-star in the programmes with Brenda.
One of those familiar faces who will be seen on screens is ex-Corrie star Shobna Gulati.
Meanwhile, The Dry is also returning with a second series.
Roisin Gallagher returns as recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan, alongside regular cast members from the first series.
The storyline picks up seven months on and we now meet the Sheridans in their new normal – to all outward appearances it seems like the family is relatively content.
Shiv’s been sober, celibate and solvent for six months, Ant has hung onto his job at the estate agent and his relationship with Max, and Caroline’s making up for a lost time by having sex with everyone she meets on Tinder. So far, so normal… or is it?
Crime dramas on ITVX
Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.
- Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
- The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
- Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
- The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
- Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.