watch ITV’s new crime drama
ITV has long been the hotbed of serious crime dramas, with likes Marcella, unforgettable, the Pembrokeshire murders and WhitechapeI considered the must-haves of the genre.
But now, just in time for fall, comes another fascinating event (producers of Vigil, nothing less) to add to our list of must-haves: The long call.
Based on the bestselling novel of the same title by writer Ann Cleeves, creator of the iconic Vera and Shetland series, it follows the intriguing and flawed protagonist, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, who returned to live in a small community in North Devon with her husband, Jonathan after the death of his father. But when a man’s body is found on the beach near Matthew’s home, the investigation casts doubt on the entire community.
And we are already very intrigued.
Here’s everything we know about The long call until there.
What is the plot of The long call?
The atmospheric crime drama takes place on the beautiful but haunting North Devon coast, in a gated community that DI Matthew Venn (played by Chip bag and Our daughter actor Ben Aldridge) moved away 20 years ago, after being rejected by his family.
We first meet the reserved but intense Venn outside the local church as his father’s funeral is unfolding. After turning his back on the strict evangelical community he grew up in after becoming LGBTQ +, he moved away from his family.
But now he’s back, not only to mourn his father from a distance, but to take charge of his first major murder. A body was found on the beach near Matthew’s new home: a man with an albatross tattoo on his neck was stabbed to death.
Venn and her team must get to the bottom of an affair that brings with it old wounds and a deadly secret in order to expose the killer.
Who plays in The long call?
Aldridge is joined by a cast including Juliet Stevenson, as mother to Venn, Dorothy and Martin Shaw as spiritual leader of the Dennis Brothers.
Anita Dobson, Neil Morrissey, Dylan Edwards, Sarah Gordy, Amit Shah and Alan Williams will also add their talents to the series, alongside Pearl Mackie as her colleague and DC confidante Jen Rafferty.
Is there a trailer for The long call?
Sadly not yet, but with a release date slated for fall, we imagine it won’t be long before we get our first look at the series. In the meantime, ITV has released a promotional image of Aldridge and Mackie as the duo of Detective Venn and Rafferty.
What do people say about The long call?
Main actor Aldridge already told ITV: “I am delighted to play Matthew Venn, a brilliantly unorthodox sleuth who will see the public solve a gripping and complex case, while simultaneously overcoming a deeper and more personal mystery within himself.”
Aldridge called the series a “poignant and complex journey of self-discovery and sexual and religious identity, which navigates the tension between pride and shame.”
Where can i look The long call?
Although the four-part series was first announced in April 2021, it has been confirmed that it will hit our screens this fall. The show will be available on ITV Hub and ITV Studios will handle international distribution.