Acorn TV's Dalgliesh: Your First Look at New Series Based on P.D. James Novels!

Mystery fans, rejoice!!

There's a new Acorn TV Original right around the corner, and it's very, very good.

P.D. James wrote 14 novels based on detective and poet Adam Dalgliesh, and the new series simply goes by the title Dalgliesh.

Bertie Carvel is bringing the enigmatic yet emotionally intelligent and empathetic Dalgliesh to life in a season set in 1970s England.

Dalgliesh specializes in solving unusual murders. The cases may sound relatively benign, but they unfold unusually and strike a chord with the viewer.

We'll first meet Dalgliesh looking into the murder of a nursing student poisoned to death during a live training demonstration (it's a death that sticks with you!).

Another investigation will involve the murders of a homeless man and a recently resigned Tory MP whose throats were slit in a London church.

Dalgliesh will also be called upon to solve a series of suspicious deaths at a home for the disabled.

As if knowing Dalgliesh comes from heralded author James, the lead writer for the series is award-winning screenwriter and playwright Helen Edmundson (Mary Magdalene, An Inspector Calls, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher).

She's joined by a bevy of talent behind the scenes, including writer Stephen Greenhorn (Doctor Who).

Lead director Jill Robertson (Trainspotting) is joined by Andy and Ryan Tohill (The Dig) and Lisa Clarke (Sanditon).

Producers include Georgie Fallon (Criminal: UK), Martin Mahon (Game of Thrones), and Emily Russell (Murder in Mind), and Executive Producer is Elaine Pyke for New Pictures.

Guest stars for Season 1 include Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), Natasha Little (War of the Worlds), and Mirren Mack (Sex Education).

Making its world premiere on Monday, November 1, 2021, exclusively on Acorn TV, AMC Networks’ acclaimed streaming service specializing in British and International television, we've got your exclusive first look right here.

We also have your first look at episode titles and premiere dates of each story, which will span a two-episode arc.

Episode Synopses

Shroud for a Nightingale | Episode One (November 1): DCI Adam Dalgliesh is sent to a nursing school to investigate the death of Heather Pearce, a student poisoned during a demonstration. But as he uncovers the secrets that infect the school, can Dalgliesh identify the killer before they strike again?

Directed by: Jill Robertson
Written and Created for TV by: Helen Edmundson
Produced by: Emily Russell, Martin J. Mahon

Shroud for a Nightingale | Episode Two (November 1): After the death of another student nurse at Nightingale House, Dalgliesh’s hunt for the murderer intensifies. A private patient who died at the on-site hospital might hold the answer, but Dalgliesh’s curiosity puts his own life in danger…

Directed by: Jill Robertson
Written and Created for TV by: Helen Edmundson
Produced by: Emily Russell, Martin J. Mahon

Forthcoming

The Black Tower | Episode One (November 8)

The Black Tower | Episode Two (November 8)

A Taste for Death | Episode One (November 15)

A Taste for Death | Episode Two (November 15)

If you're an anglophile or familiar with the P.D. James series following Detective Adam Dalgliesh, this should most definitely be on your radar.

For those of you who don't fit that description but enjoy a good mystery or drama, now is the time to jump on board to find out what all the fuss is about!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.