'Irish Blood' Will Run for a Second Season

Thirty years after Alicia Silverstone became famous in Clueless, bringing an updated version of Jane Austen's classic Emma to the middle school masses, she once again conquered the heart of Anglophiles everywhere with her hit series Irish Blood. A proper cozy crime series set in the beautiful landscapes of Ireland, Silverstone stars as Fiona, a Los Angeles lawyer whose Irish father disappeared when she was a child. Her adventure begins when she hears from him for the first time in decades, only to discover his disappearance wasn't him abandoning their family at all. Her adventures will continue, too, as Acorn TV announces the show is renewed for Season 2.

Coming on the heels of a new season of Harry Wild, followed by Stephen Moyer's critically adored new series Art Detectives, Irish Blood was already in a good position to capitalize on momentum. However, it received a perfectly timed boost of marketing via Silverstone herself, who relentlessly championed the project during every media appearance this summer during Paramount's celebration of Clueless' 30th anniversary re-release. 

It was a level of cultural awareness Acorn TV had never received before, and it's paying dividends. Irish Blood is officially the #1 series in Acorn TV history, cementing Silverstone as Acorn TV's newest leading lady of mystery alongside Harry Wild's Jane Seymour and Lucy Lawless of My Life Is Murder. She'll be returning alongside new seasons of both series in 2026.

There's no Season 2 synopsis yet, since this is a fast turnaround greenlight. Here's the Season 1 synopsis, the conclusion of which is now streaming:

A six-part murder mystery, Season 1 of Irish Blood focuses on Fiona Fox, whose path in life is earmarked by her father, who seemingly abandoned her and her mother on her tenth birthday. After years of channeling anger toward him, to the benefit of her litigious clients, a message from her father sends her to Ireland. There she learns key truths about her father as well as a family that doesn’t know she exists, and, moreover, that the story of abandonment that has shaped her entire life – was a lie. A lie intended to protect her and her mother from her father’s shady business dealings. Fiona resolves to uncover the full truth about her father and reconnect with the parent she only thought she knew.

Silverstone is set to return for the show's second season; in the press release, she stated, “It means so much to continue this journey with a character I love. Thank you to everyone who’s watched and supported, and to the phenomenal Irish crew and actors who made working there such a joy, and to the entire team across this series. We’re so happy to have found a captive audience who enjoyed the ride from beginning to end.” 

The rest of the series cast in Season 1 includes Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars), Wendy Crewson (The Nest), Dearbhla Molly (Hullraisers), Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials), Ruth Codd (Small Town, Big Story), and Leonardo Taiwo (Liaison). Though none were listed in the Season 2 announcement, it's a good bet most will be back.

Season 2 will once again be filmed in Ireland and run six episodes. Writers Christina Ray, Aaron Martin, Mike O’Leary, and John Krizanc penned the first season, and at least some are expected to be back for Season 2, if not the whole quartet. Director Molly McGlynn helmed all six installments of Season 1; it is not clear if they'll stick with her for Season 2 or if this will become a rotating situation like Slow Horses. 

Silverstone continues as an executive producer alongside Ray, Martin, and McGlynn, as well as Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Paul Donovan, and Ailish McElmeel. Paige Haight and Catherine McGee produce. The series is produced by Shaftesbury and Deadpan Pictures, in association with AMC Studios and with the support of incentives for the Irish Film Industry provided by the government of Ireland, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and Ontario Creates.

Hopefully, audiences will stick around until the end of the month to check out the next shows on the roster, the Eve Myles-led The Crow Girl and the Matthew Lewis-starring Murder Before Evensong. I'd love to see Acorn nail a hat trick. 

All six episodes of Irish Blood Season 1 are streaming on Acorn TV.