Irvine Welsh’s Crime Is The Gritty ITV Detective Drama That Could Rival Shetland, With Two Gripping Series To Binge

Some detective dramas deserve far more attention than they receive, and Irvine Welsh’s Crime is a compelling example. Created from the imagination of the Trainspotting author, this dark ITV thriller follows a troubled Edinburgh detective whose determination to expose the truth threatens to consume him.

Starring Dougray Scott as Detective Inspector Ray Lennox, the series combines disturbing criminal investigations with a deeply personal story about addiction, childhood trauma and the lasting effects of abuse. With John Simm playing a formidable adversary, Crime offers the kind of tense, character-driven storytelling that fans of Shetland may find hard to resist.

Both series are available to stream on ITVX, making this an ideal choice for viewers looking for a detective drama with complex characters, unsettling mysteries and plenty to discuss after the final episode.

What Is Irvine Welsh’s Crime About?

Adapted from Irvine Welsh’s 2008 novel of the same name, Crime takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, where DI Ray Lennox investigates the abduction and murder of a young girl named Britney Hamil.

The case leads him towards a serial killer known as Mr. Confectioner, a man whose crimes have already had devastating consequences. Lennox believes the killer is responsible for previous offences wrongly attributed to an innocent man, and he becomes determined to establish the truth.

For Lennox, solving the case is about more than collecting evidence and bringing a criminal to justice. He has an almost relentless need to confront evil wherever he encounters it, a fixation that frequently damages his relationships and puts him at odds with those around him.

As the investigation intensifies, the detective finds himself facing an opponent who understands his vulnerabilities. When Lennox comes face to face with Mr. Confectioner, the killer recognises that the detective is battling serious personal demons of his own.

The confrontation turns the investigation into something far more dangerous. As the killer gains the psychological upper hand, Lennox begins to spiral, forcing him to confront the experiences and trauma he has spent years trying to manage.

Can he overcome his own struggles, prove the killer’s guilt and protect the people who need him? The series builds its tension around that question, weaving together a disturbing murder investigation and the fragile state of the man leading it.

The second series, which premiered in 2023, returns to Lennox after he has recovered from the toll of his previous investigation.

His return to police work takes a dark turn when a high-ranking member of the establishment is discovered dead in a warehouse in Leith. What initially appears to be another investigation soon points towards a serial killer, and the growing number of victims suggests that the crimes are connected by a deeper motive.

As the investigation develops, Lennox must piece together the pattern behind the killings and identify a solitary murderer with a personal grievance.

Why Ray Lennox Is Such A Compelling Detective

One of the series’ defining strengths is its central character. Lennox is not a conventional television detective who methodically follows the rules and keeps his personal life separate from his work.

His determination to protect vulnerable people is closely tied to his own childhood experiences. Those experiences have shaped both his sense of justice and the impulsive decisions that can make him difficult to work with.

Speaking to ITV about the character, Dougray Scott described Lennox as a rough but fragile figure driven by a desire to defend people who struggle to make their voices heard.

“I think you would call him some sort of very rough, fragile, avenging angel who is determined to give a voice to those people who don’t have a voice in society, and to protect the vulnerable,” Scott explained.

He also connected Lennox’s decision to become a police officer with what happened to him as a child, explaining that the detective saw the job as a way to seek justice for those experiences.

Scott highlighted the contradiction at the heart of Lennox’s personality: the instincts that make him effective at solving crimes can also make him a difficult officer.

“What makes him a great copper also makes him a bad copper: he’s impetuous, he works off the cuff, he works on instinct,” the actor said.

Lennox is willing to pursue unconventional leads and explore possibilities that other detectives might overlook. Sometimes his instincts pay off; at other times, they lead him into trouble. What remains constant is his deep commitment to his work.

That combination of compassion, recklessness and unresolved pain gives the series much of its emotional weight. Lennox is a detective trying to help others while struggling to come to terms with his own past, and his personal battles are inseparable from the cases he investigates.

Who Stars In Irvine Welsh’s Crime?

The drama features an ensemble cast of familiar British television faces, led by Dougray Scott and supported by actors whose characters help bring Edinburgh’s criminal investigations and police force to life.

The principal cast includes:

• Dougray Scott (My Oxford Year) as DI Ray Lennox
• Joanna Vanderham (The Paradise) as DS Amanda Drummond
• Angela Griffin (Waterloo Road) as Trudi Love
• Jamie Sives (Guilt) as DI Dougie Gillman
• Ken Stott (Rebus) as Chief Superintendent Bob Toal
• John Simm (Grace) as Gareth Horsborough
• Michael Abubakar (Trust Me) as DC Stuart McCorkel
• Gordon Kennedy (The Borderlands) as DI Eddie Rogers
• Derek Riddell (Payback) as Richie Gulliver
• Jonathan Kerrigan (In the Club) as Mark McKendrick
• Stuart Martin (In Flight) as Stuart Lennox
• Ellie Haddington (Motherland) as Avril Lennox
• Ewan Stewart (The Advocates) as John Lennox
• Laura Fraser (Mint) as Sally Hart

Scott anchors the drama as the damaged but determined Lennox, while Simm’s portrayal of Gareth Horsborough adds another significant presence to the story. Together with the wider ensemble, the performances help ground the series’ darker material in believable human conflict.

Watch The Trailer For Irvine Welsh’s Crime

Viewers who want a preview of the series can watch the official Irvine Welsh’s Crime trailer, released as an exclusive for BritBox.

The trailer offers a glimpse of the show’s dark atmosphere and the troubled detective at its centre.

Is Irvine Welsh’s Crime Worth Watching?

For viewers who enjoy detective dramas, Crime offers a familiar starting point but takes its characters into particularly difficult territory.

The series explores the psychological consequences of addiction, abuse and childhood trauma, connecting these themes to the realities faced by police officers investigating disturbing crimes. Lennox’s past repeatedly resurfaces, affecting his judgment and threatening to undermine his attempts to bring dangerous criminals to justice.

That emotional dimension helps distinguish the drama from a conventional mystery built around identifying a suspect and closing a case. The investigation matters, but so does the effect it has on the people caught up in it, particularly the detective whose personal history mirrors some of the darkness he is trying to confront.

The subject matter can make for uncomfortable viewing, especially when the story deals with abuse and the long-term consequences of trauma. However, the series’ strong performances and intense character development give those themes considerable weight.

Fans of darker British crime dramas may find that Crime stays with them well beyond the final episode. Its combination of unsettling investigations, flawed characters and difficult moral questions makes it a worthwhile option for anyone searching for a more psychologically driven detective series.

How To Watch Irvine Welsh’s Crime

Both series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime are available to stream on ITVX in the UK.

With two series to explore, viewers can follow Lennox through investigations that challenge his professional instincts while forcing him to confront the personal struggles beneath the surface.

What Other Detective Dramas Should You Watch Next?

If Crime appeals to you because of its atmospheric setting, emotionally complicated cases and imperfect but compassionate lead character, two other British crime dramas are worth considering.

Case Histories

Starring Jason Isaacs, Case Histories follows Jackson Brodie, a former police officer who becomes involved in mysteries rooted in the past.

As people approach him seeking answers about unresolved events, Brodie finds himself drawn into their lives and often feels compelled to help. The series combines investigations with personal stories, making it a natural choice for viewers who enjoy crime dramas that give equal attention to their characters and their cases.

Chasing Shadows

For viewers drawn to the serial-killer investigations in Crime, Chasing Shadows offers another dark procedural drama.

Reece Shearsmith stars as DS Sean Stone, who works alongside his professional partner, Ruth Hattersley, played by Alex Kingston. Together, they track serial killers who target vulnerable people, following investigations that take them into disturbing and dangerous territory.

The series focuses on the pursuit of offenders and the difficult work involved in identifying those responsible for crimes against people who are particularly at risk.