Murphy's Law

Detective Sergeant Tommy Murphy is a maverick cop with a dark past. After failing a psychiatric assessment, he's given one last chance by his boss and given a dangerous undercover assignment. A loner with little to lose and dealing with everything on his own terms, this time around, however, Murphy has an ally in Detective Inspector Annie Guthrie.

Murphy's Law (2001-2007) is a British crime drama series created by Colin Bateman and broadcast on BBC One. James Nesbitt stars as Detective Sergeant Tommy Murphy, a maverick Irish cop with a dark past who, after failing a psychiatric assessment, is handed one last chance by his superiors. Del Synnott plays his colleague DC Alan Carter, while Claudia Harrison appears as DI Annie Guthrie, the ally who joins Murphy on the job. The engine of the show is Murphy's dangerous undercover work inside London's criminal world, where he must stay alive while answering to nobody but himself. Each season is built from a run of gritty, self-contained cases that gradually tighten around the characters, spanning five seasons and twenty-three episodes. The atmosphere is tense, grimy and grounded, with an uneasy moral edge and a lone wolf who operates on his own terms. Fans of The Sweeney and Cracker will find the same blend of hard-edged policing and damaged, unpredictable protagonists here.

Critics broadly single out James Nesbitt's lead performance, while the show's later seasons are generally seen as weaker than its opening run.

• The Sweeneygritty london police procedural with undercover crime focus
• Line of Dutymaverick cop with troubled past, british crime drama tone
• Crackerundercover police work and moral compromise in criminal underworld

Created by

Colin Bateman

Release Date

2001-09-24

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (19)

What is Murphy's Law about?

A maverick Irish-born detective with a troubled past goes undercover in London's criminal underworld, backed by a single ally.

What is Murphy's Law like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Murphy's Law as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Murphy's Law violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Murphy's Law as moderate.

What did critics think of Murphy's Law?

Critics broadly single out James Nesbitt's lead performance, while the show's later seasons are generally seen as weaker than its opening run.

Which shows are like Murphy's Law?

Shows with a similar feel include The Sweeney, Line of Duty, and Cracker.

How long is Murphy's Law?

Murphy's Law: 5 seasons, 23 episodes.

Is Murphy's Law still running?

No, Murphy's Law has ended.

Where can I watch Murphy's Law?

In United States, Murphy's Law streams on Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Tubi TV, Amazon MX Player, Spectrum On Demand.