Addictive drama better than Line of Duty is brilliant | UK News

Crime drama followers will love this “addictive” collection with heaps of twists and turns. Shetland is a beloved British collection that’s based on the novels of Ann Cleeves and tailored by David Kane. The show notably follows police detectives as they remedy murders in the distant, close-knit Shetland islands. Douglas Henshall starred as DI Jimmy Perez in the first seven collection, with Ashley Jensen taking over as DI Ruth Calder from season eight.

The homicide mysteries happen largely on the eponymous archipelago, although some of the filming takes place on the Scottish mainland. Last month, the BBC confirmed that filming has begun on the eleventh collection of Shetland, with Ashley returning as DI Calder, alongside Alison O’Donnell as DI Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh.

The new instalment will movie in areas around Scotland and on the Shetland Isles over the approaching months, with new episodes set to arrive on BBC One and iPlayer later this 12 months. This comes just months after season 10 concluded.

Joining the solid of the new six-part collection are Christine Bottomley, Kevin Harvey, Stella Gonet, Gregor Fisher, Gavin Mitchell, John Wark, Jude Bain, Robin Weaver, Beth Marshall, Daniel Boyd, Charlene Boyd, and Helen Mackay. Returning stars embody Steven Robertson, Lewis Howden, Samuel Anderson, Steven Miller, Anne Kidd, Angus Miller, Connor McCarry, and Eubha Akilade.

The upcoming collection will centre around a historic homicide which is set to “forever change the lives of all those connected in the present day”.

The official synopsis teases: “When a car is pulled from the water, a grim discovery is made – crammed in the boot are the decomposed, skeletal remains of an unknown male. The team’s search to uncover the victim’s identity begins with a hunt for the vehicle’s owner – a respected, local GP who left the Isles under a cloud of troubled rumours nine years ago.

“As Calder and Tosh dig deeper into the enigmatic GP’s state-of-mind and the lives of the family members he left behind, the investigation takes them to darkish and harmful locations in their quest for the reality.”

Ahead of the new episodes premiering, you can now immerse yourself in various Scottish murder investigations as the first ten seasons of Shetland are streaming on BBC iPlayer.

Shetland is loved by millions of fans, and was in the top five most watched BBC drama series of 2025. Meanwhile, it remained the number one BBC drama in Scotland, with many fans comparing the series to other BBC staples like Line of Duty and Blue Lights.

When one Reddit person requested for a comparable show to Line of Duty, a fan replied: “Shetland is a incredible show. Was a bit slow at first but actually will get going shortly and is addictive.”

Meanwhile, an IMDb user wrote: “Stunning, gripping, dynamic noir collection. Beautiful surroundings, laid back tempo but still a gripping collection with great characters.”

Another added: “We just began this collection and completely find it irresistible. It will get better as you go, we’re just now on Season 3 and cannot wait to see what’s next. Incredible actors, strong storyline. Worth the watch, just be affected person as you start!”

A 3rd said: “This is a very good collection that never disappoints. The writing is great and properly thought-out, one thing that is lacking in most reveals today. The tempo is wonderful. This collection may go on for dozens of seasons and would still maintain my curiosity. Add this to your must-have watch checklist,” with another similarly sharing: “Outstanding thriller collection. Absolutely good. The characters are likeable, the tales are compelling, the cinematography is beautiful.”

Shetland is out there to stream on BBC iPlayer