Alums from Downtown Abbey and Breaking Bad team up in the new Acorn TV original crime drama, Loch Ness, premiering on the streaming service in June.
Laura Fraser, who played Lydia Rodarte-Quayle in “Breaking Bad,” headlines “Loch Ness” as Annie Redford, a detective sergeant in the Scottish town made famous by the legend of its water “monster.”
Annie must deal with personal relationships while investigating a series of murders that shake the small town. Siobhan Finneran—Sarah O’Brien in “Downton Abbey”—co-stars as DCI Lauren Quigley, who comes to town to lead the investigation that overwhelms the local constabulary.
The tense, beautifully shot crime drama premieres June 19.
Acorn TV offers more exclusive U.S. premieres in June, including the new Aussie dramedy “The Heart Guy.” I rarely binge complete seasons of shows, but couldn’t help myself with this charmer. I watched all 10 episodes over two days.
U.S. viewers might recognize star Rodger Corser, who co-stars in “The Doctor Blake Mysteries,” which aired on PBS, and “Glitch” on Netflix. His co-star, Ryan Johnson, might be more familiar in the States. He co-starred in the short-lived USA Network series “Fairly Legal,” in which he played the ex of series star Sarah Shahi.
New episodes of the British sitcom “Count Arthur Strong” also premiere this month on Acorn TV, as well as more Season 2 episodes of the New Zealand-set “800 Words.”
Acorn TV adds exclusive new programs each week from Great Britain and around the world. Acorn TV is available via Apple TV, Roku, iOS, Chromecast, Android and other devices.
Check out the complete June schedule below.
Acorn TV June premieres
Monday, June 5
The Heart Guy
Series 1, episodes 1 & 2; exclusive U.S. premiere
Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser) is a rising star in the Sydney heart surgery ranks. He is gifted, charmed and infallible: a hedonist who, due to his sheer talent, believes he can live outside the rules. But his world comes crashing down when he wakes up after a party to find an unconscious, overdosed model on his couch. Banned from surgery, he can only work as a local doctor and retreats to rural Wyhope, the hometown he rarely visits. He assumes spending a year there will be distraction-free. Unfortunately for Hugh, he could not be more wrong. Ryan Johnson, Nicole da Silva, Hayley McElhinney and Tina Bursill also star. The 10-episode season is titled “Doctor, Doctor” in Australia. (New episodes weekly through July 3)
No Job For a Lady
Series 1-3, 1990-92
When voters elect Jean Price (Penelope Keith) as a Member of Parliament for the left-wing Labour Party, her real work begins. She must get along with her chauvinist fellow MPs while navigating the Machiavellian world of Westminster. As Tory snob Sir Godfrey Eagan (George Baker) tells her—a bit too gleefully—“Parliament is Parliament, tradition is tradition, and rules is rules.”
The World’s Most Famous Train
doc special, 2015
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, comprised of 17 unique 1920s carriages, is the world’s most luxurious train journey. The program follows the 40 staff members and 180 passengers as they make the 36-hour journey across Europe, despite having no Wi-Fi or showers. This season the old train has a new broom, Pascal Deyrolle, who steps in as the suave and sophisticated General Manager. To stay at the top of the game, no detail is too small for Pascal—but will the staff meet his standards?
Count Arthur Strong
Series 3, episode 3, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
Acorn TV present new episodes to coincide with the BBC One premieres of this British sitcom inspired by Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show! Steve Delaney writes and stars as Count Arthur Strong, an elderly, pompous, out-of-work actor with delusions that he is a show-business legend. In Series 3, Arthur continues to pursue his dreams of stardom no matter how much chaos he causes along the way, with Michael (Rory Kinnear) doing his best to limit the damage to the world around them and his own sanity. Series 1 was nominated for three British Comedy Awards, including Best Sitcom and Best New Comedy. (7 episodes debut 1 weekly through July 3)
800 Words
Series 2, Part 2—episodes 3 & 4, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
The heart-warming Aussie-New Zealand dramedy continues the saga of George Turner (Erik Thomson), a man looking to make a new life for himself and his family in a strangely beautiful and quirky New Zealand coastal town. Acorn TV also has the first season of the award-winning series. PBS also airs the first season.
Monday, June 12
Danger UXB
13 episodes, 1979
Anthony Andrews anchors this classic British series about a team of bomb disposal experts during the Second World War. Andrews stars as Lieutenant Brian Ash, a member of the unexploded bomb (UXB) unit tasked with disarming and destroying thousands of potentially lethal ordnance. Maurice Roeves also stars.
800 Words
Series 2, Part 2—episodes 5 & 6, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
Count Arthur Strong
Series 3, episode 4, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
The Heart Guy
Series 1, episodes 3 & 4; exclusive U.S. premiere
Monday, June 19
Loch Ness
Acorn TV original series, episode 1; exclusive U.S. premiere
The beautiful, haunting shores of Scotland’s most iconic loch serve as the stunning backdrop for this new, six-part crime drama. In a community nourished and sustained by myth and bordered by untamed nature, the search for a serial killer becomes a matter of life and death for local detective Annie Redford (Laura Fraser). Within the tightly knit town, a sense of horror begins to dawn as the villagers realize that there is more than one kind of monster in their midst. Siobhan Finneran also stars.
800 Words
Series 2, season finale—episodes 7 & 8, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
Walks With My Dog
6 episodes, 2017
This delightful British series follows celebrities and their faithful canine friends through some of the UK’s most gorgeous landscapes. Ben Fogle and his labrador Storm take a stroll along the beach in the unique landscape of Dungeness. Angela Griffin takes her cockadoodle Smith to the waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales. Impressionist Jon Culshaw walks Alfie through the epic mountains of Snowdonia. “Midsomer Murders” star John Nettles also makes an appearance.
Count Arthur Strong
Series 3, episode 5, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
The Heart Guy
Series 1, episodes 5 & 6; exclusive U.S. premiere
Monday, June 26
Hamish Macbeth
Series 1-3, 20 episodes; 1995-97
Robert Carlyle stars in the title role of this series based on the beloved mysteries by M.C. Beaton. An unambitious rural policeman, Hamish patrols the lovely Highland village of Lochdubh with his indispensable canine partner, Wee Jock. Shirley Henderson also stars.
Loch Ness
Acorn TV Original Series, episode 2; exclusive U.S. premiere
Count Arthur Strong
Series 3, episode 6, 2017; exclusive U.S. premiere
The Heart Guy
Series 1, episodes 7 & 8; exclusive U.S. premiere