British Crime Drama · Acorn TV Original · 2025–present
Art Detectives
Stephen Moyer stars as art-loving DI Mick Palmer of the Heritage Crime Unit — a real department within British policing dedicated to crimes involving art, antiques, and cultural heritage — paired with straight-talking new partner DC Shazia Malik (Nina Singh). Together they investigate murders connected to Old Master paintings, Banksy street art, medieval manuscripts, and other high-value collectibles, in a case-of-the-week format that's a deliberate throwback to traditional British mystery. Art Detectives has been renewed, with a two-part special arriving in December 2026 followed by a full six-episode second season in 2027. Art Detectives streams on Acorn TV in the US.
Is This Series for You?
Fans of a Fresh Angle on the Case-of-the-Week Format
Viewers who like traditional episodic mystery but want a distinctive hook — here, every case is tied to the world of art, antiques, and forgery rather than standard street crime.
Is the Heritage Crime Unit Real?
The Heritage Crime Unit itself is fictional, invented for the show, but the premise is grounded in a real department: London's Metropolitan Police has long run a genuine specialist Art and Antiques Unit dedicated to art and antiquities crime.
Cozy, Character-First Mystery
Art Detectives keeps its murders relatively bloodless, favoring character dynamics and the specifics of the art world over graphic crime. British TV Hub's verdict: a genuinely fresh, well-cast addition to the cozy mystery genre.
Where to watch in the US
Acorn TV
Season 1 available · Two-part special coming December 2026 · Six-episode Season 2 follows in 2027 · Subscription required
Watch via Acorn TV on Prime Video →Streaming availability in the US can change. Check the linked service for the current season and episode selection. Checked October 2026.
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New Viewer's Guide
Series Premiere (2025)
The two-episode premiere introduces DI Mick Palmer and his new partner DC Shazia Malik as they investigate the theft of a valuable 18th-century Chinese vase from a London auction house.
Main Characters and Cast
Stephen Moyer
DI Mick Palmer — an art-loving detective heading the Heritage Crime Unit, also navigating a budding romance with museum curator Rosa and the reappearance of his notorious-forger father.
Nina Singh
DC Shazia Malik — Mick's straight-talking new partner, hired at the start of the series despite knowing little about art at the outset.
Sarah Alexander
Rosa — a museum curator and Mick's romantic interest across the season.
Larry Lamb
Ron — Mick's charismatic father and one of Britain's most notorious art forgers, whose sudden reappearance complicates Mick's cases and personal life alike.
What Makes the Series Special
A Genuinely Different Angle on Crime
Rather than another standard murder squad, Art Detectives builds its cases around forgery, theft, and the specific greed and obsession of the art world, giving each episode a distinct flavor.
Stephen Moyer's Return to British TV
Moyer, known internationally from True Blood, brings easy charm and charisma to the role, in a homecoming to the kind of British mystery genre he started out in decades earlier.
A Genuine Case-of-the-Week Throwback
Unlike many newer mysteries built around season-long arcs, Art Detectives returns to fully episodic storytelling, with each case wrapped up cleanly by episode's end.
Setting and Filming Locations
London Story, Belfast Production
Art Detectives is set in the London art and antiques world but filmed largely in Belfast and across Northern Ireland, with landmarks like Belfast's Ulster Museum doubling for London auction houses on screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Heritage Crime Unit a real thing?
Not by that name. The Heritage Crime Unit is a fictional invention for the show, but it's inspired by a real department: London's Metropolitan Police has run a genuine specialist Art and Antiques Unit investigating crimes involving art and antiquities.
Is Art Detectives coming back for Season 2?
Yes. A two-part special arrives in December 2026, followed by a full six-episode Season 2 in 2027.
Where can I watch Art Detectives in the US?
Acorn TV is Art Detectives's home in the US, with Season 1 available to stream.
Where is Art Detectives filmed?
Art Detectives is filmed in Belfast and across Northern Ireland, standing in for its London setting.
Fact-checked and streaming availability checked October 2026. Spot an error or an outdated streaming link? Send a correction via the contact page.
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