DCI Banks, the British police drama starring Stephen Tompkinson, is trending on a UK streaming site. The series stars Tompkinson as Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, following him as he attempts to solve gritty murder cases in Yorkshire.
The logline reads: “Stephen Tompkinson plays a no-nonsense Yorkshire detective tackling new cases with weary professionalism. Watch him doggedly decipher the clues in gruesome murders.”
The crime drama has seemingly found a new audience and is currently trending on the ITVX top 10 chart, occupying the ninth spot on the list.
Matt Squires//ITV
Related: Best streaming services UK 2026 – including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV
Based on Peter Robinson’s crime novels, the show ran for five seasons from 2010 until its cancellation in 2016. All seasons are available to binge-watch on the streaming service, as well as its two-part pilot titled Aftermath.
Joining Tompkinson in the cast are Andrea Lowe, who plays Detective Sergeant Annie Cabbot, Jack Deam as Detective Constable Ken Blackstone, and Caroline Catz as Detective Inspector Helen Morton.
Back when the show was cancelled, ITV released a statement, which read: “After five series, ITV has taken the decision not to recommission DCI Banks.
“We’re grateful to the production team at Left Bank Pictures for creating the world of DCI Banks and the actors Stephen Tompkinson, Andrea Lowe and Caroline Catz for the commitment and dedication they’ve shown to their roles.”
On IMDb, DCI Banks has a rating of 7.7 out of 10, with many users heaping praise on the show and calling for its rating to be higher.
“I’m not quite sure why this isn’t rated higher. Though the acting is quite good, the real treasure here are the stories. They take you through the investigations bit by bit, not revealing too much, just like a good novel,” penned one user.
Left Bank Pictures//ITV
Related: Action-packed police thriller branded ‘for Line of Duty fans’ is now streaming in the UK
One person said: “I’m glad I was able to see all the seasons at once because I was so hooked I would not have wanted to wait years to see them all.”
“Having read the other reviews here I was quite surprised about the negative ones, and the “too predictable” complaints. I find the cast to be really enjoyable to watch, and the stories are interesting and well written,” penned another.
DCI Banks is streaming on ITVX.
The new edition of Living Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Sir David Attenborough, is here! Buy Sir David Attenborough in newsagents or online.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.