Stephen Moyer To Star In Crime Drama Series ‘Art Detectives’ For Acorn TV

EXCLUSIVE: Acorn TV, the AMC Networks-owned streamer, is exploring the art world in its latest original crime drama.

The streamer has greenlit Art Detectives starring and exec produced by Stephen Moyer.

The True Blood star, who recently starred in PBS’ reboot of The Forsyte Saga and Paramount+’s remake of Sexy Beast, plays art loving DI Mick Palmer in the series, which is centered around the Heritage Crime Unit police department. Alongside straight-talking DC Shazia Malik, played by The Lazarus Project’s Nina Singh, the pair solve murders connected to the world of art and antiques, from Old Master paintings, to Banksy street art, medieval manuscripts and collectible vinyl.

In the series, the artfully astute detectives encounter a fake Vermeer, Viking gold, a rare Chinese vase and items rescued from the Titanic. Palmer navigates these cases while managing a budding romance with museum curator Rosa, played by Coupling star Sarah Alexander and the sudden reappearance of his charismatic father, Ron, played by Gavin & Stacey’s Larry Lamb, who just happens to be one of Britain’s most notorious forgers.

Filming in Belfast and across Northern Ireland and debuting in 2025, the series is produced by Black Dog Television, the British company behind Sue Perkins’ Insert Name Here and fantasy sitcom Zapped and co-produced and distributed by Dynamic Television, which is behind Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia and Apple’s Drops of God.

It is written by Dan Gaster, Will Ing, Paul Powell, Emma Goodwin and Kitty Percy and directed by Declan O’Dwyer and Jennie Paddon. It is exec produced by Gaster, Ing and Powell for Black Dog Television, Catherine Mackin and Bea Tammer for Acorn TV/Acorn Media Enterprises, Daniel March and Klaus Zimmermann for Dynamic Television and Moyer. Candida Julian-Jones produces.

“I’m very excited to bring the slightly quirky Mick Palmer to life in this wonderfully creative detective series,” said Moyer. “The writing team on Art Detectives have done a great job of cleverly weaving together intriguing storylines, notable pieces of art and a bit of history thrown in for good measure. I’m excited to lead the cast along with the lovely Nina Singh, brilliantly funny Sarah Alexander and my dear old pal Larry Lamb.”

“Art Detectives is a rare and witty crime drama that audiences will get absorbed by. From the sharp dialogue to the mesmerizing artwork and the edge-of-your-seat twists, this series will wow viewers from start to finish. We’re thankful to the incomparable Stephen, Nina, Sarah and Larry as well as our partners at Black Dog, Dynamic and Northern Ireland Screen for coming together on this wonderful series,” added Catherine Mackin, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises/Acorn TV.

Black Dog Television’s Paul Powell said, “We can’t wait for viewers to meet and fall in love with Mick and Shazia, as they deal with priceless artworks, devious forgeries and obsessive collectors. Not to mention theft, revenge and murder.”