Fresh from the second series run on BBC One, the first series of London Kills is out now n DVD. Created and co-written by Paul Marquess (The Bill, M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, Suspect), London Kills is the first original crime drama series from Acorn TV.

Detective Inspector David Bradford (Hugo Speer) is used to navigating the often unstable streets of London solving the grizzliest murders the city has to offer. However, Bradford’s has been struggling with his own stability since the disappearance of his wife three months ago. Back at work after taking some personal time, Bradford attempts to get back to what he does best while trying to figure out what happened to his wife. Death in Paradise this isn’t.

Assembling a solid cast featuring the brilliant Sharon Small as the wonderfully blunt DC Vivienne Cole (who led the team while Bradford was away), London Kills is an effective first offering from Acorn TV that’s perfect for binge viewing. Shot in documentary style, the free-hand camera work does a great job of putting the viewer in the thick of the action giving all the scenes a real sense of immediacy, but it might prove a little too jarring for some viewers. The format is one of functional familiarity; each episode features a different (often gruesome) murder for the crack-team of detectives to solve with a piece of the season arc of Bradford’s missing wife mystery. It’s a neat hook to hang the series on, can a brilliant detective trust his instincts if he failed to keep his wife safe?

While it might aspire to walk the same moody beat as Luther, or the complexities of Line of Duty, London Kills is a well-rounded drama full of potential. Series One is out now on DVD.