Waking the Dead

A detective team apply new techniques to old crimes as they solve cold cases.

Waking the Dead (2001-2011) is a British crime drama series created by Keith Gordon for BBC One. Led by DCI Peter Boyd (Trevor Eve), a detective team reopens long-buried murder files and works them with modern forensic science and offender profiling. Forensic scientist Dr. Grace Foley (Sue Johnston) anchors the investigations alongside Dr. Eve Lockhart (Tara Fitzgerald) and DS Spencer Jordan (Wil Johnson), whose methods can reconstruct a victim's last days from scant physical evidence. Each story is largely self-contained within a season, with the cold case of the week giving the detectives a fresh chance to confront a killer who has evaded justice for years. The series spans nine seasons and roughly ninety episodes, and its cast changed considerably over its run. Its tone is sober and procedural, with grim crime-scene material, quiet grief among families, and a steady focus on evidence over spectacle. Fans of Cold Case, Silent Witness and Unforgotten will find the same mix of methodical investigation, emotional aftermath and patient detective work that defines British crime television.

Critics generally view Waking the Dead as a well-crafted, sober British procedural, valued for its lead performances and forensic detail, though its later seasons drew mixed responses.

• Cold Caseshared procedural crime mystery tones and forensic investigation themes
• Silent Witnessshared British police procedural crime drama with forensic detail and serialized investigation
• Unforgottenshared cold case investigation structure and emotional weight of unsolved murders
• Crackershared profiling-driven murder investigation tone and British crime drama tradition

Created by

Keith Gordon

Release Date

2001-06-18

Rating

7.9 / 10 (45)

What is Waking the Dead about?

A BBC detective team applies new forensic techniques to cold murder cases, giving old crimes a second chance at justice.

What is Waking the Dead like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Waking the Dead as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Waking the Dead violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Waking the Dead as moderate.

What did critics think of Waking the Dead?

Critics generally view Waking the Dead as a well-crafted, sober British procedural, valued for its lead performances and forensic detail, though its later seasons drew mixed responses.

Which shows are like Waking the Dead?

Shows with a similar feel include Cold Case, Silent Witness, Unforgotten, and Cracker.

How long is Waking the Dead?

Waking the Dead: 9 seasons, 90 episodes.

Is Waking the Dead still running?

No, Waking the Dead has ended.

Where can I watch Waking the Dead?

In United States, Waking the Dead streams on Britbox Apple TV channel, Hoopla, BritBox, BritBox Amazon Channel, fuboTV.