When it comes to detective dramas, they don’t get much better than Shetland… or so we thought. Long before Douglas Henshall stepped into the shoes of DI Jimmy Perez, he played a detective of a different kind in ITV’s exceptionally-written detective drama, Collision – and, we’ll say it, it’s even more binge-worthy than Shetland.

The five-part series takes us to the scene of a tragic road accident and DI John Tolin (played by Douglas) is given the testing task of investigating. And while DI Tolin has only just returned to work following a tragedy of his own, the lives and stories of the many people involved provide more of a distraction than even he could have imagined.

With Collision available to watch on ITV tonight, here’s everything you need to know about the detective drama before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Collision about?

emergency response scene at a car accident
UKTV

Created and co-written by author Anthony Horowitz, the five-part series tells the story of a serious road accident and the repercussions it has on the lives of a group of people who have never met before the incident. It’s a huge multi-vehicle accident on a British motorway, which results in two people tragically losing their lives.

DI John Tolin (Douglas Henshall) is in charge of investigating the accident and, as he does so, he finds himself drawn into the worlds of everyone involved - and the secrets within them. Over the course of his investigation, we meet a series of morally dubious characters, including Danny Rampton (Dean Lennox Kelly), the driver of a white van, and a series of revelations slowly emerge, from government cover-ups and smuggling to murder.

editorial use only mandatory credit: photo by itv/shutterstock (1082135hu) pictured : (paul mcgann) richard reeves. collision tv drama
ITV/Shutterstock

What makes the series even more compelling is DI John Tolin’s backstory, which is gradually revealed throughout the five episodes. DI Tolin has a daughter in a wheelchair and we soon learn about the events that led to her situation, as well as the loss of Tolin’s wife. Actor Douglas Henshall explained in an interview with CheshireLive: “His wife was killed and his daughter was crippled in a car crash, they got hit by a drunk driver and that's why he's not been at work for nine months and the first day he comes in, he has to deal with a car crash.

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"I suppose like most men of a certain age or a certain type, therapy or counselling wouldn't be something that he'd enter into, most men try and find some kind of meaning in the job they do, so he becomes quite obsessed by the people who are involved in this car crash as a means of trying to work out what happened to him. So they become like a surrogate family for him, I think."

Who’s in the cast of Collision?

editorial use only mandatory credit: photo by itv/shutterstock (1082135a) pictured: (douglas henshall) di john tolin and (kate ashfield) ann stallwood. collision tv drama
ITV/Shutterstock

The cast of Collision includes:

  • Douglas Henshall (Shetland) as DI John Tolin
  • Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead) as Inspector Ann Stallwood
  • Christopher Fulford (The Grey Man) as DCI Stephen Maitland
  • Jo Woodcock (Torn) as Jodie Tolin
  • Dean Lennox Kelly (Maryland) as Danny Rampton
  • Zoe Telford (Absolute Power) as Sandra Rampton
  • Craig Kelly (Trick or Treat) as Jeffrey Rampton
  • Phil Davis (High Hopes) as Brian Edwards
  • Jan Francis (Dracula) as Christine Edwards
  • Lucy Griffiths (Robin Hood) as Jane Tarrant
  • Paul McGann (Doctor Who) as Richard Reeves
  • Sylvia Syms (The Queen) as Joyce Thompson
  • Claire Rushbrook (Rivals) as Karen Donnelly
  • David Bamber (What Remains) as Sidney Norris
  • Victoria Wicks (Sherlock)as Angela Reeves

Is Collision any good?

editorial use only mandatory credit: photo by itv/shutterstock (1082135hz) pictured: (kate ashfield) ann stallwood. collision tv drama
ITV/Shutterstock

Yes – it’s a fantastic series that has an original premise, but it also feels entirely believable. Unlike many detective dramas, the series has a real emotional core as it presents us with several flawed characters brought together by a moment of sheer chaos. Whether you’re a Shetland fan or are looking for a brilliant series that will hold your attention throughout, Collision is well worth a watch.

How can I watch Collision?

You can watch all five episodes of Collision now on ITVX.

What other detective dramas can I watch now?

crime(c) buccaneer media and off grid film and tvpictured: dougray scott as ray lennox and joanna vanderham as amanda drummondphotographer: jed knightnote to editors: usage rights:for britbox related editorial use only.if you use reproduce this image, you must specifically mention the programme in editorial copy and not reproduce simply to promote britbox as a platform. this is due to agreed usage rights by copyright owners.this image is under copyright and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes in your print or online publication. this image cannot be syndicated to any other third party.britbox press picture publicity enquiries to iwona.karbowska@itv.com
ITV

Another series Shetland fans will enjoy is Irvine Welsh’s Crime. The drama stars Dougray Scott as bruised detective, DI Ray Lennox, who isn’t content with simply solving crimes, he wants to root out evil wherever he senses it. You can watch Irvine Welsh’s Crime now on ITVX. For something equally gripping, we’d suggest Redemption. The series introduces us to 50-something detective Colette Cunningham (Paula Malcomson) who finds herself facing every parent's worst nightmare: her own daughter’s death. Redemption is also available to watch now on ITVX.