If you love chilling crime series about serial killers, we’ve found your next TV obsession. The creepy ITV drama Cold Blood centres on a ruthless murderer who continues to play twisted mind games from inside his prison cell. Like Marcella (pictured above), what makes this show stand out is its focus on the killer’s psyche. Rather than straightforward, cut-and-dried cases, it’s a twisty thriller that’ll surprise you. And fans of Anna Friel’s hit will love it.
The series, which first aired on ITV in 2005, follows DS Eve Granger (Jemma Redgrave), who’s lured into a game of cat-and-mouse with serial killer Brian Wicklow (Matthew Kelly), who’s already locked up. To try to put a stop to Brian’s twisted taunts once and for all, Eve makes a very divisive call.
With the series available to watch now, here’s everything you need to know about Cold Blood, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.
What’s Cold Blood about?
The prison drama follows ruthless serial killer Brian Wicklow (Matthew Kelly), who drags DS Eve Granger (Jemma Redgrave) and her ex-lover Jake Osbourne (John Hannah) into a psychological game of cat-and-mouse. The series starts with Eve trying to find the whereabouts of a young girl called Emma Foley, who disappeared years before.
It’s believed Emma is the ninth and final victim of Wicklow, but the police haven’t been able to find her body. The killer continues taunting his victims and manipulates the investigation from inside his cell.
This is where Jake comes in, but he’s hardly an innocent old flame. He’s just come out of prison for killing his ex-wife, who happened to be a police officer, and her secret lover. He was Wicklow’s former cellmate and Eve believes he could provide crucial insight into Wicklow’s psychology, so she enlists him to help on the hunt.
It’s a controversial move and Eve’s colleagues are far from impressed that she’s liaising with a cop-killer. However, he turns out to be an essential asset to the investigation, while things get even more complicated when Eve’s old feelings resurface.
Who’s in the cast of Cold Blood?
The cast of Cold Blood includes:
- Matthew Kelly (Stars In Their Eyes) as Brian Wicklow
- Jemma Redgrave (Bramwell) as DS Eve Granger
- John Hannah (The Victim) as Jake Osbourne
- Ace Bhatti (Protection) as DC Ajay Roychowdury
- David Calder (Bramwell) as Professor Robert Kerr
- Pauline Quirke (Missing) as DC Hazel Norton
- Paul Gabriel (The Contract) as PC Neal Doyle
Is Cold Blood any good?
Yes, if you’re into dark and twisty detective dramas, you’ll be hooked on this series. Like Marcella, it’s not a straightforward police drama. It’s less about action-packed chases and shoot-outs, and more about how Eve gets inside the sadistic mind of Wicklow to try to finally put an end to his sinister game. Matthew Kelly was a surprise casting at the time, as he was better known for presenting Stars In Their Eyes and was a regular on the theatre circuit. He delivered an excellent performance as a scary killer, though a word of warning: it’s extremely creepy.
How can I watch Cold Blood?
Series 1 of Cold Blood is available to watch now on ITVX.
What other crime dramas can I watch now?
For another gritty (albeit less dark) watch, we’d recommend Jack Irish. The series takes us to Melbourne, where we meet the troubled yet charming private detective Jack Irish (Guy Pearce). His life is complicated: he’s haunted by the murder of his wife and his career takes an unexpected turn when a seemingly straightforward job pulls him into a mysterious case involving a religious group. You can watch Jack Irish now on Channel 4. For a tense thriller, try Out There. Martin Clunes is brilliant as Welsh farmer Nathan Williams, a father who ends up going head-to-head with gangsters when his son is lured into a county lines drug operation. Out There is available to watch now on ITVX.