If you’re tired of spending your evenings scrolling through a sea of seemingly infinite shows, we’re here to help you out with a flawless series you don’t need to deliberate over. The Chelsea Detective is the gem of a detective drama that stars Adrian Scarborough as a detective living on a battered Chelsea houseboat – and if you’re a fan of shows like Unforgotten, Midsomer Murders or Inspector Morse, we’re confident you’re going to love it.
As with all great detective dramas, Max isn’t alone in his crime-solving – Streatham-born D.C. Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry) is on hand to help him in series 1, followed by Detective Sergeant Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme) in series 2. And their assignments? Everything from a murder on the London Underground to a suspicious death at a retirement home.
With the series now available to binge on U, here’s everything you need to know about The Chelsea Detective before you tune in, including the plot, cast, trailer and how to watch it.
What is The Chelsea Detective about? 
Sven Arnstein
The popular detective drama revolves around the titular Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough), who lives on a battered houseboat at the end of Cheyne Walk in London’s Chelsea. Max is the son of a local bookshop owner and was born and bred in Chelsea, but he’s not exactly like the affluent elite whose crimes he helps solve. Far from it, in fact.
Recently separated from his art dealer wife Astrid (Anamaria Marinca), Max still has hopes to one day move back into their apartment in nearby Cadogan Square, but he soon embraces life on the Thames. Series 1 see Max and Streatham-born D.C. Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry) investigate a wide range of crimes, from a stonemason who’s pushed under a London Underground train during rush hour to the disappearance of a social media sensation.
Sven Arnstein
By series 2, Max is joined by Detective Sergeant Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme) and the pair have even more intriguing cases on their hands. Think an art gallery manager who’s strangled during the robbery of an exhibition and a mysterious death at a luxury retirement home. In 2024, a third and final series was released that saw Max and Layla reunite for more baffling mysteries that only this dynamic duo could solve.
Who’s in the cast of The Chelsea Detective?
Sven Arnstein
The cast of The Chelsea Detective includes:
Adrian Scarborough (Gavin and Stacey) as DI Max Arnold Sonita Henry (Olympus) as DS Priya ShamsieVanessa Emme (Dublin Murders) as DS Layla Walsh (series 2-3)Peter Bankolé (Bodkin) as DC Connor Pollock Lucy Phelps (As You Like It) as DC Jess Lombard Sophie Leigh Stone (Reunion) as Ashley WiltonAnamaria Marinca (You Won’t Be Alone) as Astrid Fischer Frances Barber (Whitstable Pearl) as Olivia Arnold Is there a trailer for The Chelsea Detective?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Chelsea Detective below:
Is The Chelsea Detective any good?
Sven Arnstein/AcornTV
Yes – if you like shows like Unforgotten, Grantchester and Midsomer Murders, you’ll enjoy The Chelsea Detective. Adrian Scarborough is particularly brilliant in the lead role and, while the plots aren’t totally unpredictable, the variety of cases keeps you intrigued throughout. Viewers have called it “Midsomer Murders in the big city”, “a gem of a series” and have said it’s got “shades of Vera and Inspector Morse”, which sums it up quite nicely.
How can I watch The Chelsea Detective?
The first two series of The Chelsea Detective are available to watch now on U. The third series is also available to watch Acorn TV via Prime Video.
What other detective dramas can I watch now? 
Jonathan Hession
For a masterclass in detective dramas, we’d highly recommend Lynley. A reboot of the long-running noughties predecessor, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, the series stars Leo Suter as Tommy Lynley, the brilliant police detective who’s something of an outsider in the force thanks to his aristocratic background. You can can catch up on Lynley series 1 on BBC iPlayer. For something a little cosier, we’d suggest Recipes for Love and Murder. The drama introduces us to crime-solving cook and agony aunt Tannie Maria who turns to sleuthing on the side when a reader writes to her about the murder of her husband. For more great detective dramas you can watch now, check out our pick of the very best here.
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