Doctor Who and Downton Abbey Stars Star in Channel 5’s Folklore Crime Drama Cooper & Fry
Nov, 21 2025
When Mandip Gill and Robert James-Collier stepped into their new roles as detectives in the Peak District, they didn’t just swap sci-fi sonic screwdrivers and Edwardian tailcoats—they traded one kind of mystery for another: one steeped in mist, mud, and centuries-old superstitions. The new four-part crime drama Cooper & FryPeak District National Park, which premiered on Channel 5 on Tuesday, November 18, 2024, at 8:00 PM UTC, has already become the most talked-about British detective series of the year. And it’s not just because of the stars. It’s because the show doesn’t just solve murders—it interrogates the ghosts that linger in the hills.
A Match Made in Myth and Murder
Robert James-Collier plays Ben Cooper, a local constable who knows every stone wall, every whispered legend, and every family secret in the village of Edendale. He’s the kind of officer who’ll stop to chat with an old woman about the curse on the old quarry—and believe her. Meanwhile, Mandip Gill’s Diane Fry is the outsider: sharp, skeptical, and trained in modern forensic procedure. She sees folklore as a distraction, a crutch for lazy policing. Their dynamic? Think Mulder and Scully, but with more raincoats and fewer aliens. As Radio Times put it, "their competing philosophies play out against the disquieting backdrop of the isolated countryside." The cases they investigate aren’t your average whodunits. Bodies turn up in abandoned mines with strange symbols carved into their skin. A missing teenager is last seen near a stone circle where villagers still leave offerings. One victim was found with a sprig of rowan tucked in their pocket—the same branch used in 17th-century protection rituals. "Every trail happens to lead to folklore and murder," Digital Spy noted. And that’s not just atmosphere—it’s the plot.The Books Behind the Blood
This isn’t original material. The series adapts four novels by Stephen Booth: Black Dog, Dying to Sin, Blind to the Bones, and Dancing with the Virgins. Booth, a former journalist from Derbyshire, spent years interviewing locals, collecting oral histories, and walking the same paths his detectives do. His books are known for their atmospheric tension and deep respect for regional traditions—not just as set dressing, but as active forces in the narrative. The show’s writers didn’t just lift scenes; they lifted the soul of the books. The production team went to extraordinary lengths to capture authenticity. Filming took place across real locations in the Peak District—Hathersage, Castleton, and the eerie limestone ravines of the White Peak. The crew even consulted with local historians to ensure the folklore references weren’t invented for drama. "We didn’t want to exploit superstition," said director Ryan Tohill, known for The Dig. "We wanted to show how these beliefs are still living, breathing things in these communities. People don’t just tell stories—they act on them."The Cast That Makes It Click
Beyond Gill and James-Collier, the supporting cast is a who’s who of British TV’s most compelling character actors. Charlotte Bradley as Isobel Cooper, Ben’s enigmatic mother, adds layers of quiet dread. Lorcan Cranitch as DI Paul Hitchens brings weary authority, while Barry O'Connor as DS Todd Eland delivers dry, dark humor that cuts through the tension. Even minor roles feel lived-in—a farmer muttering about "the old ways," a pub landlord who knows too much, a schoolteacher who hides a journal of local disappearances. The chemistry between Gill and James-Collier is the show’s secret weapon. Gill’s Fry is all clenched jaw and clipped sentences, while James-Collier’s Cooper moves like someone who’s spent his life listening—to the wind, to the silence, to the things people won’t say out loud. Their first argument, in Episode 2, over whether a death was ritual or random, isn’t just plot—it’s the heart of the series.Why This Matters Now
The British detective genre has been flooded with cozy crimes—baking, tea, and murder in quaint villages. But Cooper & Fry doesn’t just add to the pile. It digs deeper. It asks: What happens when ancient fears meet modern policing? When a community’s unspoken rules clash with legal procedure? The show doesn’t offer easy answers. In fact, it leaves you unsettled—because sometimes, the truth isn’t in the evidence. It’s in the silence between the words. It’s also arriving at a cultural moment. With The Thursday Murder Club starring David Tennant set for summer 2025 on Netflix, and The Teacher and The Madame Blanc Mysteries already drawing loyal audiences on Channel 5, viewers are hungry for British crime that feels real, not just quaint. Cooper & Fry delivers that—and then some. Viewers on social media have called it "chilling," "unguessable," and "the best thing on TV since Line of Duty."What’s Next?
With four episodes based on four novels, the first season is a self-contained arc. But the door is wide open. The final scene of Episode 4—Fry hesitating before burning a page from an old ledger, her expression unreadable—suggests she’s starting to believe. And if the show is renewed, the next season could explore the origins of the legends themselves. Are they just stories? Or are they warnings?Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the folklore in Cooper & Fry?
The folklore in Cooper & Fry is heavily researched. Production consultants worked with Derbyshire’s Folklore Society and local historians to ensure rituals, superstitions, and place names were authentic. Many of the legends—like the "Black Dog" of the moors or the "Virgins" of the stone circles—are drawn from real 18th- and 19th-century accounts collected in the Peak District. The show doesn’t invent myths; it reveals how they still shape behavior today.
Why is the Peak District such a powerful setting?
The Peak District isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character. Its limestone caves, abandoned lead mines, and isolated stone circles have been sites of ritual and mystery for over 4,000 years. The landscape is eerie, beautiful, and unnervingly quiet, which amplifies tension. Real-life disappearances and unsolved cases from the 1970s and 80s inspired the writers, making the setting feel hauntingly plausible. Many viewers report feeling uneasy watching it at night—exactly the effect the creators wanted.
Is this series connected to other British detective shows?
No direct connections exist, but Cooper & Fry sits firmly in the same tradition as Happy Valley, Broadchurch, and Line of Duty—crime dramas where place, history, and community are as important as the killer. Unlike the glossy, urban settings of Murder in Provence, it embraces grit and isolation. It’s also the first major British crime series to center folklore as a legitimate investigative tool, not just a red herring.
What makes Mandip Gill and Robert James-Collier’s performances stand out?
Gill avoids making Fry cold or robotic—her skepticism is rooted in trauma, not arrogance. James-Collier, meanwhile, transforms Cooper from a charming local into someone quietly haunted by his town’s secrets. Their performances are subtle: a glance, a pause, a hand tightening on a coffee cup. You feel their growing trust without a single grand speech. It’s acting that trusts the audience to read between the lines—rare in today’s TV landscape.
Will there be a second season?
Channel 5 has not officially renewed Cooper & Fry, but ratings were strong: over 4.2 million viewers for the premiere, with a 45% increase in streaming on My5. Stephen Booth’s remaining novels offer enough material for at least three more seasons. If the show continues, the next arc could explore the history of the "Virgins"—a group of women accused of witchcraft in the 1600s—and whether their descendants still influence events today.
Where can I watch the series outside the UK?
As of early 2025, Cooper & Fry is available on My5 in the UK and on Paramount+ in select international markets, including Canada and Australia. Negotiations are underway with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for global distribution, but no official announcements have been made yet. Fans in the US and Europe are encouraged to use My5’s international streaming service, which offers the series with English subtitles.