Chilling ’80s-set true-crime drama that’s one of the best in the genre is coming to Netflix

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The gripping true-crime drama Des, featuring David Tennant and Daniel Mays, will soon be available on another streaming service in the UK. It’s known for its powerful acting and unique take on the true-crime genre, making it a show you won’t want to miss.

This three-part drama stars David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen, a Scottish serial killer convicted of six murders in 1983. Investigations later revealed he had killed at least 12 men between 1978 and 1983.

The series, which stars Jason Watkins and Barry Ward alongside its main cast, first appeared on ITV in 2020. Now, all three episodes will be available on Netflix starting November 8th.

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If you’re eager to watch Des, you’re in luck! It’s also streaming on ITVX and Disney+, having been added to Disney+ earlier this month.

The drama, created by Lewis Arnold and Luke Neal, deliberately avoided showing any of Nilsen’s murders. As Luke Neal explained, they decided early on that depicting the crimes themselves wasn’t something they wanted to do.

We aimed to explore the aftermath of Dennis Nilsen’s capture, focusing on the personal impact on those who investigated his crimes. The story delves into how investigators grappled with understanding the full scope of his actions over the five years they occurred, and the toll it took on them.

In a review for Digital Spy, we praised the show’s approach, noting it successfully avoided the common pitfall of true crime dramas – being overly sensational or insensitive while tackling a difficult subject.

It’s important to portray events accurately without excusing the perpetrator’s actions, but also without sensationalizing violence or disturbing details just to shock the audience.

What I really appreciated about Des is that it never actually shows the murders. Instead, the whole series focuses on Nilsen – and David Tennant absolutely nails the performance – starting right when he’s taken into police custody. It’s a really clever way to tell the story.

This crime drama is just one of many great shows on Netflix, alongside the Nordic thriller The Asset and the popular detective series Foyle’s War.

Des is streaming now on ITVX and Disney+, and will come to Netflix on 8 November.

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2025-10-27 21:19