Netflix's Newest Detective Series to Contain "Blood & Frowning"

If Netflix enthusiasts know the name Charlie Brooker, it's due to his futuristic horror series Black Mirror, which often hits far too close to home for comfort. The show aired on Channel 4 for a short time, was canceled just as it moved to Netflix in 2014, and became a worldwide sensation. Netflix rescued the series from the scrap pile and was rewarded with one of the more remarkable pieces of entertainment of our time.

However, though most people see Black Mirror as horror, it was initially a comedy commission, looking at our foibles through "a black mirror," and Brooker is a comedy writer, even though he's now mostly lumped in with dystopian fiction. Brooker himself hasn't always been up to carrying this label; he put Black Mirror on pause during the pandemic because the world was too bleak for it, and he was unable to find the humor.

Thankfully, while Season 8 remains a mystery (and may very well be put on the shelf for a bit again until the fascism isn't as fashy), Brooker has landed his new commission at Netflix, a comedy mystery in the vein of Only Murders in the Building, Ludwig, and Death Valley. With a cast that includes uniting two fantastic actors from HBO's various Westerosi series, it's the kind of thing Netflix will be talking about for the next year. 

There's just one minor issue: the show doesn't have a title yet.

Here is the synopsis:

The new series is a profoundly serious, stunningly original crime thriller in which a tormented detective from the Northern city of Bleakford ventures down to London on a mission to catch a ritualistic serial killer before they run out of people to kill. Contains blood and frowning.

If that reads a little odd, Brooker’s quote about the show will explain the wildly disparate tone: 

“I’m beyond thrilled to be saying these words for the press release. I’ve dreamt of providing a quote ever since I was a young foetus, and now here I am doing it. I’d pinch myself, but like all of us, I’m terrified that if I do that, I might wake up and discover 2025 has all been a magical dream. Please watch my show. I am begging you.”

The as-yet untitled four-part detective series will star Paddy Considine (House of the Dragon), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), and Georgina Campbell (Broadchurch), who worked with Brooker on Black Mirror’s “Hang the DJ” episode. More cast is expected to be announced when the series gets a title, or at least starts filming.

Series creator Brooker will pen episodes alongside an American-style writers' room, including Ben Caudell, Jason Hazeley, Emer Kenny, Daniel Maier, and Joel Morris, with additional material by Victoria Asare Archer. Al Campbell is set to direct all episodes; Richard Webb is the producer. Brooker is also executive producing alongside Mark Kinsella and Black Mirror EPs Annabel Jones & Jessica Rhoades. 

The new Netflix series, scheduled to be filmed in late 2025 or early 2026, is not expected to be released for some time.