Richard Rankin reinvents the iconic detective in a raw, modern prequel centered on a destructive sibling rivalry.
Series Analysis:
Ian Rankin’s legendary detective receives a bruising update in this BBC Scotland adaptation. Rebus strips away the decades to reveal a younger John Rebus, played with simmering intensity by Richard Rankin, navigating an Edinburgh far removed from tourist brochures. The lines between the law and the criminal underworld blur dangerously, specifically when family loyalty drags the detective into a conflict he cannot control. The debut season left viewers with a heavy narrative debt, and the current silence regarding a renewal feels as tense as an interrogation room standoff. With the show’s fate currently hanging in the balance, setting a reminder is the only way to ensure you are the first to know when the investigation resumes.
Tone: Bruising, Cynical, Atmospheric
Last Updated: July 2025