This week brings two highly anticipated crime dramas, taking viewers to the streets of Belfast and Bristol. With the return of Blue Lights and the arrival of new forensic crime series Winter, there’s plenty of intrigue, police procedural and dark secrets to keep crime drama fans hooked.

Blue Lights – Series 4 (BBC One and BBC iPlayer, 29 September 2026)

Acclaimed Belfast police drama Blue Lights returns for its fourth season, with all six episodes available as a box set on BBC iPlayer from 6am, ahead of the opening episode airing on BBC One at 9pm. Three years into their roles as response officers, Siân Brooke, Nathan Braniff and Katherine Devlin return as Grace Ellis, Tommy Foster and Annie Conlon, who face an overwhelming new threat on the streets of Belfast. A high-stakes murder trial surrounding the death of Gerry Cliff exposes long-buried secrets, creating turmoil within the PSNI and the criminal underworld. Richard Dormer is also set to make a special appearance as Gerry Cliff in flashbacks, alongside returning cast members Martin McCann and Frank Blake.

Winter (ITV1 and ITVX, 30 September 2026)

The Split’s Annabel Scholey and Richard Armitage star in this new six-part crime drama, a British adaptation of the popular French series Balthazar. Set in Bristol, the series follows meticulous detective DI Lauren Bell, played by Scholey, and unconventional forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter, portrayed by Armitage, as they combine traditional police work with forensic expertise to investigate a different murder in each episode. Alongside solving individual cases, Dr Winter secretly pursues the truth behind the unsolved murder of someone close to him. Winter premieres on ITV1 at 9pm, with all six episodes available to stream on ITVX. The series will also air in the United States on PBS MASTERPIECE, although an exact release date has not yet been announced.