David Tennant’s record-breaking drama Des, about ‘one of UK’s most infamous killers’, gets new home

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David Tennant’s critically acclaimed drama Des now has a new home for UK viewers on Disney+. The series recounts the story of “one of the most infamous serial killers in UK history” and is available to stream now.

The series, made by Lewis Arnold and Luke Neal, is based on the true story of Dennis ‘Des’ Nilsen, a Scottish serial killer. He murdered at least 12 young men during a period of crimes lasting from 1978 to 1983.

Besides David Tennant, who received praise for his acting, the three-part series also features a strong ensemble cast including Daniel Mays, Jason Watkins, Barry Ward, and Laurie Kynaston.

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This drama first aired in 2020 on ITV. Now, it’s available to stream on Disney+ in the UK, so fans of true crime can watch all three episodes back-to-back.

The drama series was based on Brian Masters’s 1985 book, Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen. The filmmakers made a deliberate choice not to show the murders happening on screen, and this decision received a lot of positive feedback.

In a review of Des, Digital Spy gave the show positive feedback, stating: “The series successfully avoided a common pitfall of true-crime dramas – how to address sensitive subjects respectfully, without becoming overly sensationalized.”

I remember reading an interview with Des series writer Neal, and he explained why they made the choice not to show the murders themselves. He said they very early on decided they didn’t want to focus on the crimes, but instead tell a story about the human cost of what Dennis Nilsen did. It was all about the impact on the people affected, not the acts themselves.

What happens next? What occurs after he is apprehended? And what about the investigators-each working through the case in their own way-trying to understand what transpired over those five years and everything connected to it?

When it first came out, the series was a huge success for ITV, with 10.9 million people tuning in during its first week. This number includes viewers who watched the episode live, as well as those who saw it on repeat broadcasts or caught up with it on the ITVX streaming service.

In a 2020 interview with Digital Spy and other media outlets, Tennant discussed how they approached the story, explaining: “It’s important to tell the story respectfully and with sensitivity. You need to avoid sensationalizing it, as that would be simple to do but wouldn’t honor the experiences of those affected.”

Des is now streaming on Disney+.

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2025-10-04 02:49