The BBC crime drama Annika, starring Nicola Walker, is now streaming on iPlayer, and fans are calling for a third season despite the show being axed after two series.
Set in Scotland and based around the fictional Marine Homicide Unit, the series features Nicola Walker, Jamie Sives, Katie Leung and Ukweli Roach. Adapted from the BBC Radio 4 production Annika Strandhed, the television show debuted in 2021.
Fourth-wall breaking detective drama
The BBC described the tone of the programme, in which Detective Inspector Annika Strandhed regularly breaks the fourth wall to address viewers directly, saying: "Her neuroses - and she has a few - are mostly hidden by a boisterous manner and a love of motor boats. And she thinks she's funny - although her colleagues aren't so sure."
Lead actress Nicola Walker remarked upon the show's launch: "Nick said immediately, 'We're going to break the fourth wall!' So, she still has Norwegian heritage, she is still an outsider, and she still has a different way of coping with life and work, but the hook is the fact that this is the only detective series where the audience is the silent sidekick. We are in cahoots with her."
No third series planned
Annika was renewed for a second series in 2023, but fans were left disappointed when it was confirmed there would be no third season. At the time, a spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: "We are incredibly proud of the success of Annika on U+Alibi, but there are no current plans for a third series."
The programme holds a 91 per cent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with devoted fans hoping for more episodes.
Critics and viewers respond
One critic said: "Unlike some dramas, which feel like they've run their emotional course even before the end of their sophomore season, there's plenty more to be explored with the Marine Homicide Unit, even if not all of it shakes out properly."
Another noted: "Thank the Lord for Annika, which once again seemed to appear out of nowhere to restore one's faith in TV drama." A further reviewer wrote: "Walker's ability to flesh out the emotions lurking beneath self-consciousness and awkwardness makes the first-person conceit of 'Annika' not just tolerable but apt and engaging."
Audiences have also embraced the detective drama, with many viewers hoping for a third series. One enthusiastic fan wrote: "Oh my god this show is so underrated, it's so funny and Nicola Walker just makes it a 10/10. The actual investigation cases are not the main focus, it's the charm and wit around it. The whole cast has a great dynamic and the setting is interesting also. Only downside is not enough episodes per series and episodes are quite short."
Another said: "I love this show. It is so understated but the humour really catches you unawares and I find myself laughing sometimes before I realise why. The breaking down of the four wall brings helps the viewer feel as if they are included and during those moments in which Annika speaks to us I find myself learning new things which is unusual for a crime show. The combination of Annikas fascination with literary works and the process of solving crime mysteries makes for an original take on a genre that is well walked. Beyond Annika I should make a shout out for the rest of the cast who do really add something extra and do not just fill the gaps between Annikas escapades."
A third viewer noted: "The marvelous Nicola Walker never disappoints, another great British crime drama. Scottish setting is beautiful." While a fourth said: "Great series shame no season 3."
Annika is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.
