Dalgliesh is a British crime drama television series created and written by Helen Edmundson, based on the Adam Dalgliesh novels by P. D. James. Bertie Carvel stars as the title character, an enigmatic detective–poet.
The series premiered on Acorn TV on 1 November 2021 in the United States followed by a Channel 5 premiere on 4 November in the United Kingdom.
A second and a third season premiered in 2023 and 2024 respectively, both adapting 3 novels each.
Contents
Premise
A published poet and recent widower, Detective Chief Inspector, later Commander, in the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard, Adam Dalgliesh employs his empathy and insight to plumb the darker depths of the human psyche while investigating complex crimes in mid-1970s England.
Cast
Bertie Carvel as DCI, later Commander Adam Dalgliesh
Jeremy Irvine as DS Charles Masterson (series 1)
Carlyss Peer as DS, later DCI Kate Miskin
Alistair Brammer as DS Daniel Tarrant (series 2–3)
Claire Goose as Dr. Emma Lavenham (series 3)
David Pearse as Pathologist Miles Kynaston
Episodes
Production
Development and casting
New Pictures secured the rights to adapt three of James' novels across six episodes with future seasons outlined. It was announced in October 2020 that Channel 5 and Acorn TV (via Acorn Media Enterprises) had commissioned the series with Bertie Carvel in the titular role and each story having its own cast. A creative team would be behind the series, with Helen Edmundson writing, Jill Robertson directing, Georgie Fallon producing, and Elaine Pyke executive producing.
Filming
Principal photography for the first series was going to take place in December 2020 but was postponed to 2021. The project received funding from All3Media International and Northern Ireland Screen.
Dalgliesh was officially renewed for a second series in March 2022,
and production took place in the summer of that year.
A third season was confirmed in July 2022.
