If you’re longing for your next trip abroad but aren’t sure when you’ll board your next flight, we have some pure sunshine escapism to look forward to – and you don’t even have to leave your sofa. You might have already worked your way through sun-soaked crime dramas such as Death In Paradise and its Aussie spin-off, Return To Paradise, so we’re taking you back down under to Sydney for an exceptionally good crime drama, Sunny Nights – and it’s coming to ITV soon.
The upcoming series introduces us to brother and sister Martin (Will Forte) and Vicki Marvin (D’Arcy Carden) who move from America to Australia with a big entrepreneurial vision: a spray tan van operating out of Sydney. As you might expect, their million-making mission turns out to be quite the pipe dream. But their financial woes are the least of their problems when they get dragged into Sydney’s criminal underworld… And what unfolds is unmissable, escapist viewing – think Ludwig meets Deadloch.
With the series available to stream now, here’s everything you need to know about Sunny Nights, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Sunny Nights about?
The eight-part comedy crime drama, which first aired in Australia in 2025, introduces us to the very different Marvin siblings, strait-laced Martin (Will Forte) and firecracker Vicki (D’Arcy Carden). They move over to Sydney from America with dreams of making it big with their spray tan business. However, their hopes of turning their van operation into a profitable operation quickly fade (like fake tan) and they run out of money. Not only that, Martin is taking the news that his wife, Joyce (Ra Chapman), wants a divorce terribly.
Martin winds up having a night of passion with the alluring Susi (Jessica De Gouw), but his decision lands him at the centre of a blackmail plot and he’s threatened with secret recordings. The siblings are soon thrust into the city’s criminal underworld, where they come face-to-face with ruthless crime boss Mony (Rachel House). Will the pair be able to keep their business afloat, keep out of prison – and, most importantly, stay alive?
Well, you don’t have too long to wait to find out the Marvins’ fate since the sun-drenched series has been snapped up by ITV for its end-of-summer scheduling. ‘Sunny Nights is exactly the type of unique content that our audiences will enjoy; we can’t wait to introduce our viewers to this darkly funny series when it launches on ITVX,’ Darren Nartey, head of content acquisitions, told TV distributor Cineflix Rights.
Who’s in the cast of Sunny Nights?
The cast of Sunny Nights includes:
- Will Forte (The Four Seasons, Last Man On Earth, Bodkin) as Martin
- D’Arcy Carden (Nobody Wants This, The Good Place, Barry) as Vicki
- Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok, Heartbreak High, Foundation) as Mony
- Jessica De Gouw (The Couple Next Door, The Artful Dodger, Ladies In Black) as Susi
- Miritana Hughes (Wakefield, Preacher) as Kash
- Ra Chapman (White Fever, Wentworth) as Joyce
- Megan Wilding (Gold Diggers, Mystery Road: Origin) as Nova
- Patrick Brammall (Colin From Accounts, No Activity, The Letdown) as Brent
Is Sunny Nights any good?
Yes – if you’re into a sun-drenched cosy crime such as Deadloch and are waiting for the return of Ludwig, you’re going to want to add this delightful drama to your watchlist. We found the brother and sister double act to be formidable and their sparky back-and-forth, as well as their action-packed exploits as they come up against Sydney’s criminals, kept us hooked!
Is there a trailer for Sunny Nights?
Yes – you can watch the trailer for Sunny Nights below.
How can I watch Sunny Nights?
After the show’s success in Australia, it’s premiering in the UK on ITVX on Sunday 16 August.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you’re after something cosier, we’d point you towards Hudson & Rex. Detective Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) of the St John’s Major Crimes Unit and his impressive canine sidekick, German Shepherd Rex, team up to solve crimes – and they make quite the formidable duo. Hudson & Rex is available to stream now on Now TV. For another dose of escapism, try The Chelsea Detective, which follows Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) – who’s very different to the wealthy residents he helps — as he cracks puzzling cases across the upmarket west London borough. The Chelsea Detective is available to stream now on U.
