Shetland (BBC-1 2013, Douglas Henshall, Alison O’Donnell)

Crime drama series in which Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez investigates murder on Scotland’s Shetland Isles.

Based on novels by Ann Cleeves (like ITV series Vera), the series which is mostly not filmed on the Shetland Isles (but obviously does make great play of the amazing Isle scenery when it needs to) began life with a two part pilot broadcast 10-11 March 2013 before graduating to a six part series beginning 11 March 2014.

Season three departed from the format a little, instead of two part stories it was one six part story. It also wasn’t based on Ann Cleeves novels.

A fourth season has been commissioned to air in 2017.

Pilot and first season stories all based on novels by Cleeves, these were Red Bones, Raven Black, Dead Water and Blue Lightning.

production details
UK / BBC-1 – BBC Scotland / 8×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 10 March 2013 – 4 March 2016

Producers: Sue de Beauvoir (season 1), Peter Gallagher (Season 2), Eric Coulter (Season 3) / Novels: Ann Cleeves / Executive Producers: Christopher Aird, Elaine Collins, Kate Bartlett

cast
Douglas Henshall as Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez
Steven Robertson as Police Constable (later) Detective Constable Sandy Wilson
Alison O’Donnell as Detective Constable (later) Sergeant Alison ‘Tosh’ MacIntosh
Stewart Porter/Lewis Howden as Sgt Billy McBride (Seasons 1–2)
Lewis Howden as Sgt Billy McBride (Season 3)
Erin Armstrong as Cassie Perez
Mark Bonnar as Duncan Hunter
Anne Kidd as Cora McLean, forensic pathologist (from Season 2)
Julie Graham as Rhona Kelly, Procurator Fiscal (from Season 2)

THE EPISODES
PILOT – SEASON ONE 10 – 11 March 2013
1. RED BONES PART 1 (10 Mar 13)
2. RED BONES PART 2 (11 Mar 13)

SEASON TWO 11 March – 15 April 2014
1. RAVEN BLACK PART 1 (11 Mar 14)
2. RAVEN BLACK PART 2 (18 Mar 14)
3. DEAD WATER PART 1 (25 Mar 14)
4. DEAD WATER PART 2 (1 Apr 14)
5. BLUE LIGHTNING PART 1 (8 Apr 14)
6. BLUE LIGHTNING PART 2 (15 Apr 14)

SEASON THREE 15 January – 4 March 2016
Not based on Ann Cleeve’s novels and one single story across the six episodes. 
1. EPISODE ONE (15 Jan 16)
2. EPISODE TWO (22 Jan 16)
3. EPISODE THREE (5 Feb 16)
4. EPISODE FOUR (12 Feb 16)
5. EPISODE FIVE (19 Feb 16)
6. EPISODE SIX (4 Mar 16)