Grace | |
---|---|
Genre | Crime drama |
Based on | Roy Grace by Peter James |
Written by | Russell Lewis |
Directed by | |
Starring |
|
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 4 |
No. of episodes | 12 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Kiaran Murray-Smith |
Running time | 90 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 14 March 2021 – present |
Grace is a British television crime drama series, based in the English city of Brighton and Hove, that stars John Simm in the title role of Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, a dogged detective who, haunted by the disappearance of his wife some years previously, solves a variety of cases. [1]
The series, based on the bestselling novels by novelist Peter James, [2] was adapted by acclaimed screenwriter Russell Lewis, with a pair of films, comprising the novels Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead, filmed in 2020 for broadcast in 2021. [3] [ failed verification ] "Dead Simple", broadcast in March 2021, attracted an estimated 7.2m viewers, which made it the fifth-most-watched programme for the week of 8–14 March, according to BARB. [4]
Following strong viewing figures for the opening episode, a second series of three films was then commissioned in 2021, with broadcasting beginning in May 2022. [5] A third series was subsequently commissioned in 2022, with filming beginning in August 2022 and broadcasting starting in March 2023. [6]
The first series was predominantly filmed in Brighton and Hove; however, location filming also took place elsewhere in Sussex, [7] particularly around the border between East and West Sussex. [8] The opening titles for each episode feature the shipping forecast read by Zeb Soanes. [9] The first episode, Dead Simple, was shifted forward in the schedules by a week, originally set to air on 21 March; [10] this was to avoid a clash with the launch of the sixth series of the BBC's Line of Duty . Subsequently, this led to the decision to postpone Looking Good Dead until a later date. [11] [12] [13] Subsequently, when the first series aired in the United States, it meant that Looking Good Dead was available to stream for more than a year before its British broadcast.
In May 2021, Grace was commissioned for a second series. Filming began in September 2021 in the West Sussex town of Burgess Hill. The second series adapts the next three novels in the Grace series, Not Dead Enough, Dead Man's Footsteps and Dead Tomorrow. Broadcasting of the second series commenced in the UK on 24 April 2022, with Looking Good Dead as the opening episode. [14]
A third series was subsequently commissioned in May 2022, adapted from the novels Dead Like You, Dead Man's Grip and Not Dead Yet. For this series, Russell Lewis stepped down as showrunner and principal writer, with former Whitechapel writers Ben Court & Caroline Ip penning two episodes, and prolific screenwriter Ed Whitmore penning the other. The series also features Sam Hoare as a new ACC, following the departure of Rakie Ayola at the end of series two. [15]
In April 2023, Simm confirmed via Instagram that Grace would return for a fourth series with four episodes in 2024, and in 2024 a fifth series, also of four episodes, was confirmed for airing in 2025.
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 1 | 14 March 2021 | 14 March 2021 | |
2 | 4 | 24 April 2022 | 22 May 2022 | |
3 | 3 | 19 March 2023 | 2 April 2023 | |
4 | 4 | 2 July 2024 | 23 July 2024 | |
5 | 4 | TBC 2025 | TBC 2025 |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [16] | UK viewers (millions) [17] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Dead Simple" | John Alexander | Russell Lewis | 14 March 2021 | 7.27 [18] (#5) | |
A group of friends on a stag night are involved in a road accident and are all killed except for the groom, a wealthy Brighton property developer who has vanished. Detective Superintendent Grace is called upon by colleague Detective Sergeant Branson to help. The search and investigation uncover lines of inquiry which involve his bride and his best friend and business partner. |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [16] | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Looking Good Dead" | Julia Ford | Russell Lewis | 4 May 2021 (United States) 24 April 2022 (United Kingdom) | 4.91 (#8) | |
When parts of a young woman's body are discovered on the Downs, Grace believes the murder is connected to two prior killings involving sex-drug overdoses. Meanwhile, a local businessman stumbles upon a memory stick containing an access key to a dark-Web snuff site, where he witnesses the woman's murder, and the shadowy operators of the site warn him not to go to the police, or his family will suffer. | ||||||
2 | "Not Dead Enough" | Brian Kelly | Russell Lewis | 1 May 2022 | 5.06 (#4) | |
When businesswoman Katya Bishop is brutally murdered, all the evidence points to her businessman husband, Kit (Arthur Darvill), especially when his girlfriend is also found dead in a similar manner. The only problem being, Kit has a solid alibi for both murders – so how could he possibly be in two places at once? Meanwhile, Grace becomes friendly with new forensic pathologist, Cleo Moray (Zoe Tapper), but their relationship gets off to a bumpy start when she becomes the latest target of a hitman following every moment of Grace and his team. Could Kit Bishop be connected? And if so, will Grace manage to stop him before he commits any further crimes? | ||||||
3 | "Dead Man's Footsteps" | Brian Kelly | Russell Lewis | 8 May 2022 | 5.12 (#3) | |
The discovery of skeletal remains in a Brighton storm drain and a young girl being hunted by an armed hitman appear to be unconnected, until the two cases unexpectedly collide in the most unimaginable way. Meanwhile, a former colleague of Grace's from the Met, Cassian Pewe (James D'Arcy) has been sent down to assist the team, and immediately sets about re-opening the investigation into the disappearance of Grace's wife. As the two come to loggerheads, it soon becomes a battle of wills as old enemies must unite to save Abby Morton (Katie Clarkson-Hill) and her elderly mother from those desperate to recover a sheet of priceless stamps. | ||||||
4 | "Dead Tomorrow" | Kate Saxon | Russell Lewis | 22 May 2022 | 5.03 (#6) | |
When an unidentified Jane Doe is dredged up from the seabed of the English channel, Grace and his team are led into the murky world of an organised crime group masterminded by fixer Julia Giroux (Joséphine de La Baume) and corrupt quack Roger Gunnislake (Stephen Boxer), who are harvesting the organs of illegal immigrants for private sale. The disappearance of a local fishing trawler used in the dredging proves to be a vital clue in cracking the case. Privately, things appear to be going well for Grace, until he receives a call from a former colleague who claims to have information that appears to suggest that Sandy may still be alive. |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [16] | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Dead Like You" | John Alexander | Ben Court & Caroline Ip | 19 March 2023 | 5.63 (#4) | |
A chilling event at the Royal Edward Hotel on the night of ACC Vosper's leaving party forces Grace into a difficult position. | ||||||
2 | "Dead Man's Grip" | Isher Sahota | Ed Whitmore | 26 March 2023 | 5.77 (#4) | |
At the site of a tragic road traffic collision an unexpected discovery suggests more to the case than meets the eye. | ||||||
3 | "Not Dead Yet" | William Sinclair | Ben Court & Caroline Ip | 2 April 2023 | 5.38 (#4) | |
The team splits to investigate a shocking attack on the music scene and a gruesome discovery on a pig farm. |
The series was broadcast from 2 July 2024 on BritBox in the United States. It will be broadcast on ITV1 later on 1 September 2024.
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [16] | UK viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Dead Man's Time" | Brian Kelly | Ed Whitmore | 2 July 2024 (United States) 1 September 2024 (United Kingdom) | N/A |
2 | "Want You Dead" | Bille Eltringham | Ben Court & Caroline Ip | 9 July 2024 (United States) 8 September 2024 (United Kingdom) | N/A |
3 | "You Are Dead" | Dan Zeff | Tony Marchant & Russell Lewis | 16 July 2024 (United States) 15 September 2024 (United Kingdom) | N/A |
4 | "Love You Dead" | Kate Saxon | Russell Lewis & Jess Williams | 23 July 2024 (United States) 22 September 2024 (United Kingdom) | N/A |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [16] | UK viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Need You Dead" | TBD | TBD | 2025 | TBD |
2 | "Dead If You Don’t" | TBD | TBD | 2025 | TBD |
3 | "Dead At First Sight" | TBD | TBD | 2025 | TBD |
4 | "Find Them Dead" | TBD | TBD | 2025 | TBD |
Season | Region 2 | Region 4 |
---|---|---|
1 | — | 31 August 2022 [19] |
1–2 | 30 May 2022 [20] | — |
John Ronald Simm is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in Life on Mars, the Master in Doctor Who, and DS Roy Grace in Grace. His other television credits include State of Play, The Lakes, Crime and Punishment, Exile, Prey, and Cracker. His film roles include Wonderland, Everyday, Boston Kickout, Human Traffic and 24 Hour Party People. He has twice been nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
New Tricks is a British television police procedural comedy drama, created by Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, produced primarily by Wall to Wall, and broadcast on BBC One. The programme originally began with a pilot episode on 27 March 2003, before a full series was commissioned for 1 April 2004; New Tricks concluded after twelve series on 6 October 2015. The show had an ensemble cast, of which Dennis Waterman was the only constant over all twelve series; the cast variously included Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Amanda Redman, Denis Lawson, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tamzin Outhwaite, and Larry Lamb.
Chris Lang is a British screenwriter, producer and actor. Lang has written for many British television series but is best known as the writer, creator and executive producer of Unforgotten.
Lewis is a British television detective drama produced for ITV, first airing in 2006 (pilot) then 2007. It is a spin-off from Inspector Morse and, like that series, it is set in Oxford. Kevin Whately reprises his character Robert "Robbie" Lewis, who was Morse's sergeant in the original series. Lewis has now been promoted to detective inspector and is assisted by DS James Hathaway, portrayed by Laurence Fox, who was promoted to inspector before the eighth series. The series also stars Clare Holman as forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson, likewise reprising her role from Inspector Morse; and, from the eighth season, Angela Griffin as DS Lizzie Maddox.
Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television and radio. In 2023 Rakie Ayola was the 18th recipient of the prestigious BAFTA CymruSiân Phillips Award. At the same ceremony she also won the Bafta CymruBest Actress Award for her performance in BBC1 series The Pact Season 2 on which she was an Executive Producer. In 2021 Rakie Ayola won BAFTABest Supporting Actress for BBC1 film Anthony by Jimmy McGovern. Ayola has appeared in television shows including Kaos, The Pact Season 1, Grace, Shetland, No Offence, Midsomer Murders, Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Been So Long, Now Is Good, Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside, Dredd, and Sahara. She appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series.
Law & Order: UK is a British police procedural and legal television programme broadcast from 2009 to 2014 on ITV, adapted from the American series Law & Order. Financed by the production companies Kudos Film and Television, Wolf Films, and Universal Television, the series originally starred Bradley Walsh, Freema Agyeman, Jamie Bamber, Ben Daniels, Harriet Walter and Bill Paterson. Dominic Rowan, Georgia Taylor, Paul Nicholls, Ben Bailey Smith, Sharon Small, Peter Davison and Paterson Joseph joined the cast in later series. This is the first American drama television series to be adapted for British television, while the episodes are adapted from scripts and episodes of the parent series.
Peter J. James is a British writer of crime. He was born in Brighton, the son of Cornelia James, the former glovemaker to Queen Elizabeth II.
Russell Lewis is an English television writer and former actor. He created and wrote the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour (2012–2023), and the first two series of Grace (2021–2022).
Maisie Raine is a British television crime drama series, first broadcast on BBC One, that ran from 28 July 1998 to 9 July 1999. Pauline Quirke stars as the eponymous title character, an unorthodox detective whose hands on yet down-to-earth approach is not always appreciated by her superiors. Created by Stephen Bill, a total of twelve episodes were broadcast across two series. The first series features a running story arc involving Maisie's wayward brother Kelvin, and had a much lighter feel than the second, which featured grittier storylines including drug dealing, armed robbery, arson and murder.
DCI Banks is a British television crime drama series produced by Left Bank Pictures for the ITV network. Originally broadcast over five series in 2010–2016, the series was based on Peter Robinson's Inspector Alan Banks novels and stars Stephen Tompkinson as Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. In 2013, the series won in the drama category at the regional Royal Television Society Yorkshire Programme Awards.
Scott & Bailey is a British police procedural series that debuted on ITV on 29 May 2011 and concluded on 27 April 2016. The series stars Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller and Pippa Haywood. The show, mainly written by Sally Wainwright, revolves around the personal and professional lives of detectives Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey. Both characters are members of the Syndicate Nine Major Incident Team (MIT) of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police.
The Village is a BBC television series written by Peter Moffat. The drama is set in a Derbyshire village in the early 20th century. The first series of what Moffat hoped would become a 42-hour televised drama following an extended family through the 20th century, was broadcast in spring 2013 and covered the years 1914 to 1920. A second series was broadcast in autumn 2014, and continued the story into the 1920s. The programme did not return after the second series.
Shetland is a Scottish crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland. First broadcast on BBC One on 10 March 2013, it is originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves and adapted by David Kane. The first seven series starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, whilst Ashley Jensen stars as DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series. The cast also includes Alison O'Donnell as DS Alison "Tosh" McIntosh and Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, as well as Lewis Howden and Anne Kidd. Henshall won the 2016 BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor and the series received the award for Best TV Drama.
Prey is a television crime thriller first broadcast on ITV, 28 April 2014 at 9pm. ITV first announced the new commission on their official Twitter account on 23 August 2013. A second series was announced in April 2015 and began airing on 9 December 2015.
Grantchester is a British ITV detective drama set in the 1950s in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester. Its first series was broadcast in 2014. The first three series featured Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers ; subsequent series have featured vicar William Davenport. Each of them develops a sideline in sleuthing with the help of Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, played by Robson Green.
Unforgotten is a British crime drama television series, which initially aired on ITV on 8 October 2015. It was created and written by Chris Lang and directed by Andy Wilson. The programme follows a team of London detectives led by DCI Cassie Stuart, DCI Jessie James and DI Sunny Khan as they solve cold cases of disappearance and murder.
Strangers is a British television crime drama series, principally written and created by Mark Denton and Jonny Stockwood, that was first broadcast on ITV on 10 September 2018. Originally titled White Dragon, the series was principally filmed in Hong Kong and is notable for featuring the first English-speaking role for award-winning actor Anthony Wong.
The Pembrokeshire Murders is a Welsh three-part television drama miniseries based on the Pembrokeshire murders by Welsh serial killer John Cooper. In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins decided to reopen two unsolved 1980s murder cases linked with a string of burglaries. New advances in technology for forensic DNA analysis, witness reports and artists impressions of the suspect led to Dyfed-Powys Police reviewing a 1989 episode of Bullseye, which led to the serial killer finally being caught. It premiered on ITV on 11 January 2021.
The Pact is a British television drama series written and created by Pete McTighe and made and filmed in Wales. Produced by Little Door Productions, it began broadcasting on BBC One on 17 May 2021. On 6 April 2022, a second series was announced, focusing on a new cast and story, which premiered on 24 October 2022.