It didn’t take long for Art Detectives to make an impression when it made its Acorn TV debut this past summer. The show’s mix of a no-nonsense procedural and the kind of nerdy appeal that comes with delving into rare antiques, Old Masters and the odd forgery made it an instant hit, in fact the most popular new series to ever come to the service.
For those who have been following the Heritage Crime Unit, there is good news: the series has been put on the table for a second season. Acorn TV has given the green light to a much-anticipated follow-up, one that will see the return of the team and a few other well-known names.
Work is already in full swing on the eight episodes, with some of the filming set to take place in and around Belfast. You will see Stephen Moyer once more as the art-hound D.I. Mick Palmer, though he is also back in his capacity as an executive producer. And he is not alone; Nina Singh is on hand to be the level-headed D.C. Shazia Malik, the partner that gives the program its heart and mind.
There are some familiar faces in the supporting cast as well. Larry Lamb, known to many from Gavin & Stacey and EastEnders, is back in the role of Ron Palmer. The art-forger and father of the chief is in for an interesting time in the coming season, having been put away in an open prison for his part in the theft of the Sickert at the end of season 1.
Paul Powell, co-creator and writer, is on record to say the show’s second season will not shy away from the very qualities that put the first run on the map as a breakout success. He intends for it to keep unmasking the cutthroat nature of the art world, a place where, in his words, “beautiful objects can make people do very ugly things.”
Acorn TV has seen to it that there is no need for an interminable wait. The network has put together a prompt and agreeable schedule: a two-part premiere event to get Season 2 underway in December, with the other six episodes to follow in quick succession over the course of 2027.
In a genre television environment that can be bogged down by a certain kind of grim uniformity, Art Detectives is something of a change of pace. With its intellectual curiosity and well-timed banter, it puts some colour back into the proceedings and demonstrates that tracking down stolen culture is every bit as compelling as a conventional manhunt.
The Appeal of the Intellectual Procedural
What allows Art Detectives to succeed when a procedural spin-off would otherwise come up short; the answer is texture. The series does not have its audience sitting passively but makes them feel like they are part of a high-stakes puzzle, all grounded in the hard history of forgery and cultural avarice. That the show has been given an expanded order for its sophomore year is testament to the fact that niche, intelligent writing still has the power to win over streamers.
Source: Deadline