If you’ve already worked your way through this month’s hit crime series, from The Blame to Winter, we’ve got your next obsession lined up. Charlie Brooker, the brains behind Black Mirror, is back with an unmissable new Netflix series – Blackmere (say it slowly and you’ll hear the resemblance). The “absurd comedy” promises to be a detective drama like no other, putting a fresh spin on the genre that’s sure to play on your mind.
The upcoming Netflix series will take aim at the procedural genre and stars acting legends such as MobLand’s Paddy Considine, The Diplomat’s Rory Kinnear and Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey. As for the premise, a dogged detective swaps his Northern hometown of Bleakford for London in pursuit of a wily serial killer – and he has a very personal motivation for tracking him down.
Tempted? Ahead of the series’ arrival, here’s everything you need to know about Blackmere, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.
What is Blackmere about?
The genius behind Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker, is swapping sci-fi for crime in this upcoming series – but, of course, we expect he’ll be bringing his own sardonic twist to the genre’s overdone tropes and has already hinted that the show ‘contains blood and frowning’.
The drama is described as ‘an absurd comedy disguised as an incredibly serious crime thriller’ and follows tormented Detective John Blackmere. What’s wrong with John? Well, he’s left his native Northern town of Bleakford for London to avenge his partner’s death and catch a ritualistic serial killer…
It isn’t the first time Charlie has tried his hand at sleuthing. The writer co-created the Sky satire A Touch Of Cloth, starring Scott & Bailey’s Suranne Jones, which hilariously spoofed the conventions of British crime dramas. John Hannah plays DCI Jack Cloth, ‘a maverick, alcoholic, widowed detective’ while Suranne is his trusty sidekick, DC Anne Oldman.
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In true Charlie Brooker form, he poked fun at the upcoming release when it was first announced last year. ‘I’m beyond thrilled to be saying these words for the press release,’ Brooker told Netflix.
‘I’ve dreamt of providing a quote ever since I was a young foetus, and now here I am doing it. I’d pinch myself, but like all of us, I’m terrified that if I do that, I might wake up and discover 2025 has all been a magical dream. Please watch my show. I am begging you,’ he added.
Who’s in the cast of Blackmere?
The cast of Blackmere includes:
- Paddy Considine (House Of The Dragon, MobLand)
- Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, The Watchers)
- Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones, The Abandons)
- Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat)
How can I watch Blackmere?
Netflix hasn’t yet shared a release date for Blackmere, but it’s now in production and expected to premiere globally in 2027. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we’ll update you here.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
For an atmospheric mystery, we’d recommend Passenger, which follows former city detective Riya Ajunwa (Wunmi Mosaku), who finds herself stuck policing in her ex-husband’s sleepy village. But when a local girl mysteriously vanishes, Riya soon realises Chadder Vale is hiding a dark web of secrets and the disappearance is just the tip of the iceberg. Passenger is available to watch now on ITVX. Love a classic murder mystery? We’d suggest Campion. The series follows gentleman sleuth Albert Campion (Peter Davison) and his ex-criminal manservant Magersfontein Lugg (Brian Glover) as they unravel a series of weird and wonderful murder mysteries across England's high society. Campion is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
