PBS has just announced a new police procedural slated for Masterpiece, starring Richard Armitage. A regular collaborator with Netflix on Harlan Coben dramas (The Stranger, Missing You), Armitage plays Dr. Ethan Winter, a forensic pathologist who aids the police in solving their most difficult murder cases.
This is an interesting move for PBS, whose current murder mysteries tend toward the cozy crime genre with Grantchester, The Magpie Murders, and The Marlow Murder Club. Winter seems like it will be more action-packed and a bit more sinister than the current Masterpiece offerings. Given the success of Armitage on Netflix, PBS might be trying to follow in their footsteps with Winter.
What is Winter on PBS about?
The six-part drama is set in Bristol, England, where, according to PBS, “Dr. Ethan Winter, one of the most gifted pathologists of his generation...possesses an extraordinary analytical mind, capable of impeccable deductive reasoning”. DI Lauren Bell, played by Annabel Scholey (Rivals, The Sixth Commandment), is a meticulous detective who works with her team and is aided by Winter’s sharp insights and critical thinking.
Of course, not all is as it seems, as Dr. Winter apparently has some secrets from a past case that was never solved and still haunts him to this day. Despite no longer officially working on this case, he continues to pursue the murderer to exact justice. This personal story thread continues throughout the series and is a mystery to be solved in its own right.
According to PBS, Armitage says, “Ethan Winter is a compelling character treading the line between diligent professional and reckless maverick. He has a painful secret and a fatalistic self-destruct button over which his finger constantly hovers”.
For TV Insider, Scholey says, “Our characters’ tempestuous relationship will be a total thrill to explore, and I am excited to step into the wonderfully dry shoes of DI Lauren Bell.”
Personally, I can’t wait for this. Richard Armitage always brings an edge to his performances, starting with his early crime-drama days on MI-5 (Spooks, in the UK). His carefully crafted intensity (minus that horrifying pillow humping scene in Obsession), penetrating stare, and dreamy half-smile make his performances riveting to watch. I am sure in the case of Winter, if he brings a juicy mix of vigilante justice and maybe avenging a lost love, this show will be just the spark PBS needs, whose shows can be a tad fusty.
Winter is an adaptation of the French TV series Balthazar, which ran for five seasons. Hopefully, if it is good, this season of Winter will be the first of many more seasons to come.
When will Winter premiere in the US?
Filming on Winter is set to start in Bristol and Belgium in early 2026, which suggests a likely late 2026 or early 2027 premiere.
I really hope this is a successful move for PBS, because darker crime dramas are popular fodder on BritBox and Acorn. It seems like viewers can't get enough of them, and I would love to see Richard Armitage in Winter on for a few seasons!
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