“Engaging” British detective drama with “TV’s best new detective duo in years” jumps up UK chart

The British detective drama Cooper and Fry, featuring Mandip Gill (known from Doctor Who) and Robert James-Collier (Downton Abbey), has quickly become popular in the UK since its debut on Channel 5 last week. The series, about two very different detectives working in the Peak District, is currently number three on Channel 5’s list of most-watched shows.

The television show is based on the Cooper and Fry novels by Stephen Booth. It follows Ben Cooper, a local police officer played by James-Collier, as he teams up with Diane Fry, a new detective portrayed by Gill, to investigate unusual crimes.

The story follows detectives Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, who are an unlikely pair, as they team up to solve a string of strange cases in the Peak District.

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Even though Fry doesn’t believe in local legends, they’ll have to deal with both the complicated details of their current cases and the old, powerful beliefs that still influence people in the surrounding hills.

The new show, Cooper and Fry, premiered last week and the second episode will air tonight on Channel 5 at 8pm.

The show received a mixed reaction from viewers on IMDb, currently holding a rating of 6.6 out of 10 based on 120 reviews.

One viewer said they really enjoyed the story and the acting was good overall, and they plan to keep watching the series.

One viewer found the detective show refreshing and enjoyable, while another thought it was just okay – about on par with many other shows on television right now.

One viewer commented that the first episode explored interesting social and economic issues, something they hadn’t expected, and that the actors were all well-chosen.

Reviews of Cooper and Fry have been varied. The Times noted that the show, a rural police drama, differs significantly from Vera.

Gerard Gilbert of The i Paper praised the lead actors as the best new detective duo on television in years. He explained that the true measure of a new show is whether it makes you want to keep watching, given the many crime dramas available, and he confirmed that these two actors had hooked him.

Cooper and Fry airs at 8pm on 5.

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2025-11-25 19:20