'The Brokenwood Mysteries' Season 12 Trailer Brings in New Cases
'The Brokenwood Mysteries' returnfor another six case-of-the-weeks for Season 12.
One of the pleasures of long-running cozy crime series is watching them adjust as societal mores around them shift. This has been especially true for shows that debuted in the early 2010s, as the radical realignment of what's considered acceptable in public has swung towards progressivism and diversity. I'm not just talking American shows either– this shift has occurred globally, which is one reason why those attempting to stand athwart history yelling stop have failed.
The Brokenwood Mysteries is a perfect example of a show that's slowly shifted with the times without making massive waves as these changes happened. Unlike Grantchester or Death in Paradise, which have used their running cast turnover to help course correct their all-white worlds, The Brokenwood Mysteries has remained stable, with Neill Rea as DSS Mike Shepherd and Fern Sutherland as Detective Kristin Sims still leading the show over a decade on. Moreover, the series has always had Māori characters, since it's set in New Zealand.
However, the show's inherent biases centering its white characters have slowly shifted in the last couple of seasons, with Jarod Rawiri, who has played DC Daniel Chalmers since Season 7, now given equal billing in the key art and the trailer. It's a nice reminder that, as some people in the world continue to make everyone's lives harder, some tides cannot be turned back.
Here's the Season 12 synopsis:
The quirky mystery follows DI Mike Shepherd and DC Kristin Sims, who investigate crimes in the sleepy and secret-filled town of Brokenwood, New Zealand. As Brokenwood's murder rate continues to rise, and strange conspiracies and deadly secrets begin to emerge, Detective Shepherd and his team use unconventional methods to unravel the town's most bizarre and chilling murder investigations yet.
And here are the episode titles:
- Season 12, Episode 1 “They're Out There Alright”
- Season 12, Episode 2 “Angels and Demons”
- Season 12, Episode 3 “Midnight in the Garden”
- Season 12, Episode 4 “No Return Ticket”
- Season 12, Episode 5 “Death Has Four Strings”
- Season 12, Episode 6 “Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend”
Longtime stalwarts Rea and Sutherland are joined by Rawiri and Cristina Ionda as Dr. Gina Kadinsky. Supporting cast includes Jason Hoyte as Ray Neilson, Shane Cortese as Dennis Buchanan, Karl Willetts as Frodo Oades, Colin Moy as Simon Hughes, Tracy Lee Gray as Trudy Neilson, Zara Cormack as Kimberly Mason, Cameron Rhodes as Dr. Roger Plummer, and Roy Ward as Rev. Lucas Greene.
Writer and director Mike Smith will return for Season 12, with Jacqueline Nairn, Katie Wolfe, and Awanui Simich-Pene expected to return to helm episodes.
The Brokenwood Mysteries Season 12 debuts on Acorn TV on Monday, April 6, 2026, followed by weekly episodes on Mondays through mid-May.
The Brokenwood Mysteries
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