Grace, ITV, March
This new crime drama series is based on the first two novels in the 16-book series by east Sussex author Peter James, featuring Brighton detective superintendent Roy Grace. It begins with Grace chasing leads in some very cold cases with his trademark unorthodox methods—while still dealing with the disappearance of his wife 10 years earlier. Few people do moody, angst-ridden men better than John Simm, who takes on the role of Grace. With so many books in hand, this series could run and run.
The Vanishing of Suzy Lamplugh, Channel 5, March
In July 1986, 25-year-old Fulham estate agent Suzy Lamplugh left her desk for an appointment with a man recorded in her work diary as “Mr Kipper.” She never returned, and her story has become one of Britain’s most notorious cold cases. This two-part documentary does a fine job of building a portrait of Lamplugh and her family, and digs into the evidence against the man that police consider to be their one and only suspect: convicted murderer John Cannan.
The One, Netflix, 12th March
The notion of a “one and only”—a soulmate you were “meant” to be with—is an abiding trope of romantic love, often reframed these days as finding “your person.” This ten-part science fiction series, based on the novel by British journalist John Marrs and written by Misfits creator Howard Overman, asks: what if the one you’re genetically predisposed to fall passionately in love with could be found through DNA matching? It’s set in the near future, in which a company has made that idea an explosive reality—but a sceptical detective starts sniffing around.
