Annika, the Scottish detective series starring Nicola Walker alongside Doctor Who duo Paul McGann and Varada Sethu, has found itself a new home on Netflix, with both seasons and all 12 episodes available to stream now.
A black comedy as much as it is a crime drama, the series focuses on the titular detective (played by Walker), who likes to reference her Norwegian heritage and break the fourth wall to address the audience.
The show originally aired on U&Alibi in 2021, and eventually found its way to BBC One. The second season aired on the BBC last year, and shortly afterwards it was announced that there won’t be a third run.
It’s a shame, as the show received a lot of positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season doesn’t currently have a score, but the follow-up has a solid approval rating of 83% from six reviews.
“Breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to viewers… is a device that can get old quickly, but it’s Nicola Walker for goodness sake. Who wouldn’t want to be on the other end of her wry asides?” wrote The Herald Scotland, who added that the series would “stand out in a crowded market”.
“Annika manages to step up its game in season two, battening down the hatches with fresh, improved scripts”, wrote Collider, while The New York Times praised Walker’s “ability to flesh out the emotions lurking beneath self-consciousness and awkwardness”.
The Times was also enthusiastic about the series, opining: “The plot was looser than old knicker elastic, but what is strong about this series is the dynamic between Strandhed and her colleague DS Michael McAndrews.”
When it was announced that Annika wouldn’t be returning, a spokesperson for broadcaster UKTV said: “We are incredibly proud of the success of Annika on U&Alibi, but there are no current plans for a third [season].”
Even if there won’t be any more episodes in the future, the show getting added to Netflix means that it has a third chance of finding an audience.
Annika is available to stream now on Netflix. Both seasons are also available on BBC iPlayer.
