'Vera's Christmas Special First Look Brings "The Rising Tide"

Some British shows get Christmas specials right out of the gate, a sign of just how strong the ratings are with the general public and the series' popularity. The Doctor Who reboot, for example, Call The Midwife, and All Creatures Great & Small all come to mind. Then there are those who build up to being popular enough after a season or two, like Downton Abbey (which started getting them after its second season), Grantchester (which notably only ever did the one), and The Great British Baking Show, which has done different versions, starting with Masterclasses in Season 5 to actual Holiday editions after moving to Channel4. But Vera took its sweet time, going a dozen seasons before finally landing a Yuletide mystery.

Vera's also taken its time in gaining popularity in the U.S. Unlike some of her detective counterparts, she was not picked up by Masterpiece or national distribution by PBS, contenting herself with appearing on local PBS stations since the series debuted in 2011. Based on the novels by Ann Cleeves and starring Brenda Blethyn (Pride & Prejudice) as DCI Vera Stanhope, the four episodes-a-season show has been airing every year almost like clockwork (save for the single pandemic delayed Season 11). With PBS not interested, Acorn TV swooped in and, for a while, had exclusive rights to the series during Seasons 4-7, streaming alongside Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and helping raise its popularity over here.

In 2017, BritBox scooped up Vera as one of its early gets, and while they may have halted the show's growth for a bit as BritBox's audience growth built from scratch, in the end, it's the reason the show now has a Christmas special. With BritBox in the business of commissioning Festive episodes for the shows it airs with ITV and BBC, like Sister Boniface Mysteries and Beyond Paradise, Vera was a natural choice to get one too.