Fans of the beloved detective series Vera searching for their next binge-worthy crime drama need look no further. ITV's acclaimed series Scott & Bailey, which originally aired in 2011, is now available to stream for free on ITVX, and it boasts an impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes score.
A Beloved Crime Drama Returns to Screens
Created by Sally Wainwright, the mastermind behind Happy Valley, Scott & Bailey stars Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp as detectives Rachel Bailey and Janet Scott. The show follows their personal and professional lives as members of the Syndicate Nine Major Incident Team (MIT) of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police.
An instant hit, the series attracted around seven million viewers per episode and ran for five series before concluding in 2016, much to the disappointment of its loyal fanbase. The cast also includes Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller, and Pippa Haywood.
Award Nominations and Critical Acclaim
During its run, Scott & Bailey earned several award nominations, including a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Drama Series in both 2012 and 2013. Critics and fans alike have praised the series, with one Reddit user declaring, 'Finished Scott and Bailey. What a brilliant series!' Another commented, 'I thought it was phenomenal, same writer as Happy Valley, if you liked that you'll like S&B.'
Comparisons to other crime dramas have been rife, with one viewer stating, 'Much better than other cop shops like Vera.' Another fan wrote, 'I'm watching it for a second time and I still don't want it to end.'
Why the Series Ended
In 2016, lead star Suranne Jones spoke about the decision to end the series. She told Radio Times: 'We said we weren't going to do another one last series, and then when ITV said, 'Would you like to do another one?' We kind of thought [why not], because there's been quite a break between the last one and this one. And then I said, 'Oh I'd quite like to produce as well,' so they said yes come along and do that. So the whole thing was a goodbye in a sense.'
Scott & Bailey is now available to stream for free on ITVX. Fans of gripping detective dramas with compelling character dynamics are encouraged to give it a watch.
