'Shetland' Season 10 Adds 'Doctor Who' Companion to Cast

Now that the casting upheaval on Shetland has settled out, it's time to return to the Scottish highlands as the popular mystery series begins filming Season 10. But though the series has found a new groove with Ashley Jensen taking over the series lead role as DI Ruth Calder, paired up with Alison O’Donnell as DI Alison MacIntosh, there's still the normal casting turnover to deal with, as members of the supporting cast move on, and new actors in need of a steady gig hop on board.

It wasn't long ago that fans weren't even sure it would make ten seasons. When the original lead actor, Douglas Henshall, who played DI Jimmy Perez, announced he was leaving the series at the end of Season 7, many thought the show would end with him. After all, the Ann Cleaves novels the TV series are based on all focused on Perez. The series might not be named for him (unlike Cleaves' other hit, Vera), but viewers couldn't image it working without him. That is, until the BBC tapped former Agatha Raisin actor Jensen to step in, upending the show's dynamic and giving it a fresh start.

But the lead role isn't the only one that's turned over in the past few years. Since the show first introduced the local procurator fiscal (the Scottish title for a public prosecutor) in Season 2, Rhona Kelly (Julie Graham), that role has turned over steadily like clockwork every four years or so. Graham's character exited in Season 7 and was initially replaced by Harry Lamont (Tibu Fortes). Now, Fortes has exited the series and will be replaced by former Doctor Who companion Samuel Anderson.