If you’ve worked your way through all the current selection of crime shows on the TV and streaming services, and are on the hunt for a new challenging case for this month – we bring good news. We’ve scoured all the schedules and found the very best dramas you’re going to want to sink your teeth into.
From the new Midsomer Murders, to the return of Anna Maxwell Martin in the hit BBC detective drama, Ludwig, and a frightening Netflix thriller starring Robert De Niro – there’s an option for whatever mood you might be in. So, dust off those detective notebooks, here are 7 superb new crime dramas to watch this August on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
Ludwig
Our favourite puzzle-solver is back – John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (David Mitchell) will return to our screens but this time, he’s hired as an official consultant for the Cambridgeshire Police. For those who missed the first series, it follows the introverted Ludwig in the aftermath of the disappearance of his identical twin brother, the high-flying DCI James who led a major crimes team in Cambridge. Ludwig assumes the identity of his twin to solve the biggest puzzle he’s ever encountered, with the help of his brother’s wife, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin). While masquerading as his brother, he becomes embroiled in solving other cases for the police force. But, in this series, his brother is still missing, and now he can’t use any of the policing resources to try and track him. Series 2 will premiere on BBC One at 9pm on Thursday 20 August, with all six episodes available on BBC iPlayer on the same date.
Van der Valk
Based on the eponymous novels by Nicolas Freeling, Van Der Valk was a hit TV series from 1972 to 1992 and was rebooted three decades later by ITV. The show follows Commissioner Piet van der Valk (Marc Warren) who investigates a string of complex cases in Amsterdam. The three-part series 4 will kick off with Warren trying to protect a whistleblower so they can take down a criminal empire in court. Later, he’s flummoxed when the culprit behind a murder appears to be a missing famous singer, and in the final episode he must reunite with a former flame to catch the killer of a scientist who’d been researching a groundbreaking cancer treatment. Van der Valk series 4 premiered on ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 2 August at 8pm, and the following episodes will come out each Sunday at the same time.
Hit Point
The upcoming six-part drama follows detectives Leo (Nick Blood) and Bella (Saffron Hocking) as they’re pulled into a dangerous West London underworld to investigate their latest case. The series promises a twisty and adrenaline-charged ride, as the boundaries between personal and professional blur, with secrets unearthed, a sizzling romance and loyalties tested in this exciting drama… Hit Point will premiere on U and U&Dave on Thursday 13 August.
Professor T
This unconventional crime drama, which first aired in 2021, follows the genius Professor Jasper Tempest (Ben Miller), a criminologist from Cambridge University, he suffers with OCD and also lives with his overbearing mother, Adelaide (Frances de la Tour), all while helping the police solve a slew of compelling cases. Series 4 picks off after series 3’s shocking finale (no spoilers), and the force must pick up the pieces whilst navigating a death to tackle a new assortment of crimes. Meanwhile, Professor T has a new musical endeavour – and personal and professional boundaries become blurred with his therapist, Helena Goldberg (Juliet Stevenson)…Series 4 is coming to ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Wednesday 19 August.
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You’re Killing Me
Now we’re travelling across the pond to a picturesque town in New England where novelist Allie (Brooke Fields) forms an alliance with an aspiring writer and podcaster, Andi (Amalia Williamson) to track down who killed their close friend. They’re also joined by a local detective called Jack (Tom Cavanagh) who’s trying to adjust to small town life after moving in from the big city. But will they be successful in unravelling this mystery? We can’t wait to find out! You’re Killing Me will premiere on U&Drama on Friday 21 August at 8pm.
The Whisper Man
This upcoming abduction drama, based on Alex North’s 2019 novel of the same name, is set in a sleepy town, where recently widowed crime writer Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott) and his son Jake, eight, have just moved for a fresh start. However, the town has a dark secret: 20 years ago, a serial killer called The Whisper Man murdered five young boys, after luring them from their windows at night. He was caught and imprisoned, but boys start disappearing shortly after the dad and son arrive in town – and Jake suddenly vanishes. Tom turns to his estranged father, Peter Willis (Robert De Niro), a retired police officer, for help. But, if The Whisper Man is behind bars, who abducted Jake – and will Peter and Tom be able to save Jake and stop the culprit from striking again? The Whisper Man is coming to Netflix on Friday 28 August.
My Life Is Murder
The next Midsomer Murders, which first aired in Australia in 2019, is back with another much-anticipated chapter. For those who don't know, the long-running mystery series follows the detective turned private investigator, Alexa Crowe (Lucy Lawless), as she helps her former colleague Detective Inspector Kieran Hussey (Bernard Curry) to crack complexes cases. And, she has an unconventional method to help her process all the information – she loves to bake bread. It’s brilliantly cosy and compelling! Series 5 is coming to U&Alibi on Monday 10 August at 8pm.
