The Murder Line: ITV announces new police thriller with Minnie Driver as ‘ruthless’ crime boss
One star has even compared it to Ozark and Fargo
The Murder Line, a “dark and twisted” new crime thriller starring Minnie Driver, has been acquired by ITV – and it drops soon.
ITV has been off to a busy start with its drama offerings. People are still begging for After the Flood series 3 after the second season, Grantchester has been great, and that’s before we get to the ending of Betrayal.
However, the channel has even more to offer. After nabbing The Hunting Wives for ITVX (along with some amazing films that are free to stream), it’s bagged another drama from across the pond.
So, if you’re curious about The Murder Line and want to know more about who’s in the cast and what it’s about, read on.
What is The Murder Line about?
The Murder Line isn’t set in Britain: it takes place in the Thousand Islands, an archipelago in Canada.
The series follows Henry Roland, a local police officer who finds evidence linking a case of missing illegal substances to his childhood best friend, Tommy Hawley. However, they share a dark secret.
According to ITV, Henry “ventures beyond the line of duty to save a childhood friend, only to have everything unravel”.
“When his plan backfires, his carefully constructed life begins to collapse, thrusting him into a dangerous collision course with backstabbing criminals, suspicious colleagues, and vulnerable civilians who need him more than ever,” it adds.
This includes May Ferguson, the matriarch of a “ruthless” British crime family who – surprise, surprise – wants the drugs, too.
Does it have a release date?
The Murder Line will premiere on ITV “this Spring”, the broadcaster says.
However, we don’t have an exact release date. Given The Lady is set to air this weekend, and that could be followed by Eve Myles’ Gone, we could be waiting a few weeks before it’s out. April seems like a safe bet.
Who’s in The Murder Line cast?
Stephen Amell, who you may recognise from his time playing Green Arrow in DC TV shows, stars in The Murder Line as Henry.
Amell also starred in Suits LA, the ill-fated revival of the legal procedural that was cancelled after one season.
Speaking to The Star, the actor compared the story to Netflix’s Ozark. “As this story gets deeper and more twisted, Henry becomes more and more exposed and laid bare,” he said.
“And that was really fun for me. Also, it’s such a crazy story that it reminds me of Ozark or the first season of ‘Fargo,’ where these crimes are so out there that you have to imbue a sense of humour into the proceedings. Otherwise, the entire thing is just too dark.”
Hamza Haq also plays Tommy. The actor previously starred in Transplant.
Minnie Driver gets to play the show’s big bad, May. The actress has no shortage of beloved projects, whether it’s Good Will Hunting, Grosse Point Blank, or Tarzan.
Elsewhere in the cast, Corrie star Thomas Craig (who played Tommy Harris across nearly 130 episodes) makes an appearance.
Full cast and characters in The Murder Line
- Tamara Podemski (Outer Range) as Erica Ross
- Katia Edith Wood (8-Bit Christmas) as Ruby
- Thomas Craig (Coronation Street) as Gaz
- Kate Corbett (Fargo) as Liv
- Anna Douglas (Mrs America) as Julie Roland
- Jeremy Watson (SurrealEstate) as Miles
- Christopher Heyerdahl (Under the Banner of Heaven) as Charlie Penner
- Christian Lloyd (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Chaz
- Natalie Liconti (Star Trek: Discovery) as Bo
- Ashton Cressman (When Hope Calls) as Adam
- Jorja Cadence (Sex/Life) as Stacey
- Gage Arbuthnot (Murdoch Mysteries) as Young Henry
- Jason Weinberg (Molly’s Game) as Walt
- Qasim Khan (Riftwood Chronicles) as Silas
- Dylan Taylor (Station Eleven) as Wade
The Murder Line comes from creator Graeme Stewart, who worked on Burden of Truth and The Detail.
How to watch The Murder Line
The Murder Line will be exclusively available to watch on ITV1 and ITVX when it premieres in the UK.
It’s already airing in Canada – under a different name: The Borderline – Crave. Unfortunately, you’d need a VPN and a paid subscription to watch it early, so you’ll be better off waiting until it comes to ITV.
