Season Guide · Shetland

The Best Seasons of Shetland, Ranked

10 Series to Date Stars Douglas Henshall & Ashley Jensen 2013–Present

Ten series in, Shetland has really been two shows: Douglas Henshall's brooding DI Jimmy Perez carried the first seven series before handing over to Ashley Jensen's DI Ruth Calder from series eight onward, alongside Alison O'Donnell's DI Tosh McIntosh. Series 11 is currently filming for a planned late-2026 premiere. Here's where to start and which seasons stand out from each era.

Looking for the books instead? See the Shetland reading guide.

Where to Watch

BritBox

All 10 series streaming

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The Best Seasons, Ranked

Where It Starts

Series 1

The 2013 debut that introduces Perez, Fran Hunter, and the isolated island atmosphere the whole show is built on.

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Critically Acclaimed

Series 4

A tense, storm-trapped mystery on remote Fair Isle that earned some of the show's strongest reviews from critics.

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Start of the Calder Era

Series 8

Ashley Jensen's first series as DI Ruth Calder, a native Shetlander returning home after twenty years with the Met.

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Most Recent

Series 10

The latest complete series, digging into the death of a retired social worker and the secrets she kept.

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