EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Moyer’s Art Detectives has set a new record for Acorn TV.
The crime drama debuted on June 9 and quickly eclipsed the streamer’s popular series Harry Wild to claim the most-watched new series premiere ever on the platform, Deadline can exclusively reveal.
In terms of subscriber acquisition, Art Detectives is already the No. 2 series of all time, behind only the new series A Remarkable Place to Die, which also premiered earlier this year.
“We are thrilled by the overwhelming response to Art Detectives,” executive producer Paul Powell said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s a joy to see viewers taking Mick and Shazia to their hearts and embracing their world of fakes and forgeries. We couldn’t have asked for a better home than Acorn TV, a place where murder mysteries are treated like priceless masterpieces.”
This news comes after a stellar month for Acorn TV in May, as the streamer saw its best performance ever thanks at least in part to a month of murder mystery programming.
Art Detectives follows the Heritage Crime Unit, a police department consisting of art-loving DI Mick Palmer (Moyer) and straight-talking DC Shazia Malik (Nina Singh). Together, they solve murders connected to the world of art and antiques, from Old Master paintings, to Banksy street art, medieval manuscripts and collectible vinyl.
Mick navigates these demanding cases while managing a budding romance with museum curator Rosa (Sarah Alexander) and the sudden reappearance of his charismatic father, Ron (Larry Lamb), who just happens to be one of Britain’s most notorious forgers.
Art Detectives is written by Dan Gaster, Will Ing, Paul Powell, Emma Goodwin and Kitty Percy. Jennie Paddon directs. The series is executive 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 Zimmerman for Dynamic Television and Stephen Moyer. Candida Julian-Jones produces.
The series is an Acorn TV Original produced by Black Dog Television, Acorn Media Enterprises, Dynamic Television and Northern Ireland Screen. Dynamic Television is the worldwide distributor, and Acorn TV holds North American rights.
New episodes of the six-episode first season of Art Detectives appear every Monday on Acorn TV through July 7.
