New Mystery Series 'Ridley' Uncovers A PBS Premiere Date

The thing about a good police procedural is that it can go on forever because crime never ends. There are always cases to solve, mysteries to uncover, and a deep-seated hunger in the public psyche for the sense of justice and order that provides among the chaos of daily life. When a good series hits with an actor who can hang on long term with no concerns about it becoming a typecasting problem, like Brenda Blethyn on Vera, or Mark Williams on Father Brown, it can run for decades without fail. Paul Matthew Thompson, the man behind both those series, now has what looks like it could be his next winner, Ridley, with Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) in the title role.

Dunbar does not need to fear typecasting; one might argue taking the role of Ridley was merely leaning into it. For over a decade, Dunbar has played Ted Hastings, the head of A-12, the Line of Duty division investigating internal corruption. His righteous tirades against police abusing their power and at the system that lets them get away with it have made him a fan-favorite and a beacon of moral righteousness. His new role, as Alex Ridley, is not quite the same paragon of goodness, but he is a wise old fox, and you'll need to get up extra early to get something by him.

Dunbar's Ridley is a retired cop in this series, one that returns to the force to help those who are now on the job as a consultant. This was inspired by the real-life phenomenon of the past several years, as continued austerity measures have forced local cuts in police divisions, where retired detectives on pension find themselves called back to work as "consultants" to a force that is understaffed and overwhelmed. His partner, DI Carol Farman, played by Bronagh Waugh (Unforgotten), was once his protege and lobbies to bring him back to help her on cases.