British Crime Drama · BBC · 2022–present
Sherwood
Looking for the British crime drama set in a former mining town? Sherwood is James Graham's BBC series set in a former Nottinghamshire mining community. Loosely inspired by real events in his hometown, it follows a present-day murder that reopens decades-old wounds from the 1984-85 miners' strike. Each series is a single, six-episode ensemble story rather than a case-of-the-week procedural, with a different central mystery per series. Sherwood streams on BritBox in the US.
Is This Series for You?
Fans of Slow-Burn Ensemble Crime
Viewers who want a whole community's history and politics woven into a single murder investigation, told through a large, overlapping ensemble cast.
One Series, One Complete Story
Unlike most detective dramas on this site, Sherwood isn't case-of-the-week: each six-episode series is a single continuous mystery with its own new cast of suspects, connected by the same Nottinghamshire setting and its aftermath of the miners' strike.
Grounded, Politically Charged
Sherwood deals with real historical trauma, undercover policing, and community division alongside its murder plots, with a tone closer to prestige drama than genre mystery. British TV Hub's verdict: one of the most acclaimed British crime dramas of the decade, anchored by a genuinely exceptional cast.
Where to watch in the US
BritBox
2 series available · Series 3 due late 2026 in the UK · Subscription required
Watch via BritBox 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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Series Guide
Series 1
Two shocking, seemingly unrelated murders shatter an already fractured Nottinghamshire mining village, triggering the biggest manhunt in Nottinghamshire Police history and forcing the community to confront the still-raw divisions left by the 1984-85 miners' strike.
Series 2
A new, self-contained mystery returns to the same Nottinghamshire community with a partly new cast, continuing the show's exploration of how the area's past keeps shaping its present.
Main Characters and Cast
David Morrissey
DCS Ian St Clair — a Nottinghamshire officer who has risen through the ranks locally and is tasked with finding the link between the series' central killings.
Lesley Manville
Julie Jackson — estranged from her sister Cathy over their divided loyalties during the 1984-85 miners' strike, decades before the series begins.
Robert Glenister
DI Kevin Salisbury — a Metropolitan Police detective and old rival of St Clair's, whose return to the town raises old tensions.
Alun Armstrong
Gary Jackson — a committed former union man and one of the few miners from Ashfield who stayed on the picket line throughout the 1984-85 strike.
What Makes the Series Special
Rooted in Real Events
Creator James Graham loosely based the series on real murders that shook his hometown of Annesley Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, using the fictional frame to explore the still-unhealed wounds of the 1984-85 miners' strike.
An Exceptional Ensemble
David Morrissey, Lesley Manville, Robert Glenister, and Alun Armstrong lead a deep supporting cast that has drawn some of the strongest reviews of any British drama in recent years.
A Divided Mining Community
The former mining village setting is as central to Sherwood as any individual character, with the strike's old fractures shaping who trusts whom decades later.
Setting and Filming Locations
Nottinghamshire
Sherwood is set in a fictionalized former mining village standing in for the real Nottinghamshire communities affected by the 1984-85 strike, drawing on writer James Graham's own hometown of Annesley Woodhouse for its inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sherwood based on a true story?
Loosely. Creator James Graham drew on real murders that took place in his hometown of Annesley Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, using them as inspiration for an otherwise fictional story.
Is Sherwood coming back for Series 3?
Yes. Series 3 finished filming in 2026 and is expected on BBC One in late 2026. A US release date has not been confirmed yet.
Do I need to watch Series 1 before Series 2?
Not strictly — each series tells its own self-contained mystery with a partly new cast — but Series 1 introduces the town and its history, which deepens Series 2.
Where can I watch Sherwood in the US?
BritBox is Sherwood's home in the US, with both series available to stream.
Where is Sherwood filmed?
Sherwood is filmed in and around Nottinghamshire, the same region as the real events that inspired it.
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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