It's been a big year for TV drama with the highly-anticipated series finale of Happy Valley kicking 2023 off in January, followed by the long-awaited series five of Unforgotten in February. Meanwhile, March bid a teary farewell to Endeavour, and The Bay made its return to screens.
There have also been some incredible new dramas, including BBC's The Gold and Better, Channel 5's The Catch, and Desperate Measures, the Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise, ITV's Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? and Netflix's Josephine Hart adaptation, Obsession, starring Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy, you can read more about the limited series here.
But with many firm favourites wrapping up, fans of dramas and thrillers will be pleased to know there are plenty more nail-biting programmes on the way. While the BBC has shared a first look at Steeltown Murders, a crime drama based on a real-life Port Talbot case, and Ten Pound Poms, starring Michelle Keegan, release dates are yet to be announced.
Read more: Obsession on Netflix plot, cast list, filming locations and how many episodes
So what is coming to screens this spring? Here are all the dramas set to air over April and May 2023.
The Hunt for Raoul Moat - ITV1
Release date: Sunday, April 16
The Hunt For Raoul Moat shines a light on the human tragedies that lay behind Britain’s biggest manhunt, told through the eyes of those who sought to bring a violent killer to justice.
A synopsis reads: "The drama focuses on the innocent victims of Moat’s crimes - Christopher Brown, Samantha Stobbart and PC David Rathband; the police officers who put themselves in the firing line in their quest to apprehend Moat; and the local journalist who sought to tell Moat’s real story in a landscape of sensationalist reporting and social media provocation."
The three-part series, which stars Lee Ingleby in the lead role of senior Northumbria police officer Neil Adamson, will air over three consecutive nights on Sunday, April 16, Monday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 18.
Malpractice - ITV1
Release date: Sunday, April 23
The Virtues star Niamh Algar stars in this new medical thriller alongside James Purefoy, Brian Bovell, Helen Behan, Jordan Kouamé and Lorne MacFadyen. The drama, which is from the team behind Line of Duty and Vigil, tells the story of one doctor caught up in a dangerous conspiracy.
It follows Dr Lucinda Edwards, a smart, battle-hardened doctor, who viewers meet on a nightmare shift that ends in the death of an opioid overdose victim, Edith Owusu. Despite the support of her medical supervisor, Dr Leo Harris, played by James Purefoy (A Discovery of Witches, Pennyworth, Sex Education), Edith’s grieving father Sir Anthony Owusu, played by Brian Bovell (Crime, Strike), demands an enquiry into Lucinda’s actions on the fateful night.
Dalgliesh (S2) - Channel 5
Release date: Thursday, April 27
The highly anticipated second series of Channel 5's Dalgliesh will air this month. The series, which is an adaptation of P.D. James' international best-selling and much-loved Dalgliesh Mysteries, will see Bertie Carvel return to the role of Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh.
A synopsis reads: "Death of an Expert Witness begins with a senior forensic biologist being found dead in his Lab. Dalgliesh is called to East Anglia, where the murderer is lying in wait to strike again."
Tom Jones - ITVX
Release date: Thursday, May 4
A synopsis reads: "A reimagining of The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling based on Henry Fielding's classic novel. A picaresque story of the title character's complicated journey to find real love, Tom Jones has delighted and scandalised readers since it was originally published in 1749."
Solly McLeod (The Rising) stars as the hero Tom, alongside Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me) as the heroine Sophia Western. Tom Jones is written by Gwyneth Hughes (Vanity Fair, Miss Austen Regrets), who commented: "Tom Jones is the mother of all romcoms and isn't that just what we all need after the last couple of years of misery? It's a story where the sun barely stops shining, where love conquers all, and at its warm heart stand a pair of young sweethearts everyone can root for.
"Henry Fielding's 18th-century novel is sexy and fun; it's also a dramatic rollercoaster, addressing so many modern concerns around consent, sexual equality and the pursuit of happiness. Tom and Sophia overcome enormous obstacles before finding their way home and to each other."
Crime - ITVX
Release date: Thursday, May 11
Crime is the highly acclaimed original crime thriller adapted from the best-selling novel by Irvine Welsh. It first aired on BritBox in November 2021, but will be made available on ITVX in May.
Set in Edinburgh, the six-episode series stars BAFTA and International Emmy award-winning Dougray Scott as Detective Inspector Ray Lennox, who is investigating the disappearance of a schoolgirl while battling his own personal demons. The series also stars Joanna Vanderham as DS Amanda Drummond, Angela Griffin as Trudi Lowe, Ken Stott as Chief Superintendent Bob Toal and Jamie Sives as Detective Inspector Dougie Gillman.
A second series of Crime has already been recommissioned for ITV's streaming service. Irvine Welsh said of the news: "I loved working on the first season of Crime, and Dean Cavanagh and myself are already having a blast developing scripts for the second series. It was wonderful to work with such a talented cast and we hope to push those memorable characters further this time. No more Mister Nice Guy from Dean and I."
To Catch a Killer - Sky
Release date: Saturday, May 27
This Sky Original will available to watch on Sky Cinema from May 27. It is an adrenaline-fuelled thriller starring Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn.
A synopsis reads: "Eleanor (Shailene Woodley) is a talented but troubled rookie detective wrestling with the demons of her past, when she is called to the scene of a brutal mass shooting - the work of a new and terrifying murderer. The police and FBI launch a nationwide manhunt but are thwarted at every turn by the killer's enigmatic and unprecedented behaviour. Eleanor must stop at nothing to bring this elusive murderer to justice."
Maryland - ITV1
Release date: May
Maryland is a brand new three-part drama starring Suranne Jones, known for Gentleman Jack, Save Me, Vigil and many more, acclaimed actor Eve Best and Oscar-nominated Stockard Channing.
The series focuses on the relationship between two sisters, down-to-earth mother of two Becca and disciplined high-flyer Rosaline who have been driven apart by complex family dynamics. But when the body of an older woman is discovered at sunrise on Laxey Beach in the Isle of Man, it brings devastating news for the sisters.
Becca and Rosaline travel to the Isle of Man to repatriate the body of their mother, Mary, leaving their father Richardat home in Manchester. Confined on the island, they discover shocking information about their mother and find it impossible to escape the ripple effect of her secrets and lies. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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