Move over, Benson and Stabler. There's a new detective duo in town, and they're already making waves across the pond. Cooper & Fry, a four-part British crime series, has just landed on BritBox, and critics are buzzing about its central partnership.
Based on Stephen Booth's bestselling novels, the show introduces DC Ben Cooper (Rob James-Collier, Downton Abbey) and DC Diane Fry (Mandip Gill, Doctor Who). He's a friendly local who knows every inch of England's Peak District; she's a guarded city transplant with a mysterious past. Thrown together as reluctant partners, they must navigate their differences while solving grisly crimes in the rural community of Edendale.
Each of the four episodes adapts one of Booth's books—Black Dog, Dying to Sin, Blind to the Bones, and Dancing with the Virgins—and the cases are anything but ordinary. The premiere kicks off with a body missing its left hand, discovered during a farmhouse renovation. When a second corpse turns up without its head, Cooper and Fry dig into the farm's dark history. Other mysteries involve a missing teenager, a murder tied to a village redevelopment dispute, and a photographer's death at an ancient stone circle. Folklore, family secrets, and small-town tensions run deep throughout.
While the cases are compelling, the real draw is the dynamic between Cooper and Fry. Their mismatched personalities and complicated personal lives gradually unfold, adding depth to the procedural format. It's a partnership that The I Paper hailed as "TV's best new detective duo in years," praising the "two brilliant leads" for breaking new ground. The Times, however, was less convinced, noting that the show has a long way to go before it reaches the heights of ITV's Vera.
Despite mixed reviews, Cooper & Fry has already snagged a second season, currently in production. Season 2 will expand to eight episodes and adapt four more Booth novels: The Devil's Edge, Fall Down Dead, One Last Breath, and The Murder Road. James-Collier and Gill will return, joined by new cast members Pollyanna McIntosh-Goldthwait, Scott Graham, and Kathy Rose O'Brien. The official synopsis promises that Ben and Diane will tackle cases steeped in local folklore while confronting their conflicting investigation styles and personal demons.
If you're a fan of British crime dramas, Cooper & Fry is worth a watch. It joins a growing list of must-see detective shows on BritBox, like the gripping thriller The Tower. And for those who appreciate a good mismatched duo, it's a refreshing addition to the genre.
With its atmospheric setting, intricate mysteries, and a partnership that's just beginning to heat up, Cooper & Fry could become your next binge obsession. Stream it now on BritBox.
