Check out what’s coming to Acorn TV in the New Year! Let us know in the comments what you are most excited about.


Friday, January 1, 2021

19-2 – Series 1-4 – This richly-nuanced character-driven drama revolves around the lives of two unwilling partners in the Montreal Police Department: officers Nick Barron (Adrian Holmes) and Ben Chartier (Jared Keeso) who patrol the urban sprawl of downtown’s 19th Precinct in Cruiser No. 2. 19-2 is about the tensions and bonds that develop between two incompatible men of very different temperaments and life experiences. Over time, Nick and Ben’s mistrust and antagonism for each other give way to moments of mutual respect and a wavering chance at a true partnership. As the series progresses, we also come to know the tightly knit squad of Precinct 19: their friendship and enmity, loyalty and betrayal. The series portrays the unpredictability and fragility of the world of a beat cop through moments of life-threatening intensity, both on and off duty, cementing 19-2 as a powerful character study and a gripping police drama.

Monday, January 4, 2021

A SUITABLE BOY (Acorn TV Exclusive Series) – SERIES FINALE – This BBC One sweeping period drama hit is the first television series directed by Academy Award-nominated film director Mira Nair and is adapted by Emmy-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies of the eponymous global bestseller by Vikram Seth. This intimate, epic tale of life and love set in vibrant 1950s India tells the story of a 19-year-old spirited university student, Lata Mehra (Tanya Maniktala), who comes of age in North India, at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. Lata seems to have her life already mapped out thanks to old traditions and an overbearing mother (Mahira Kakkar), who wants to find her a suitable husband, but torn between romance and responsibility and inspired by rebellious writers and daring new ideas, Lata is determined to decide her own future. Meanwhile, wayward Maan (Ishaan Khatter) wants every drop of excitement from life, but when he becomes infatuated with the glamorous courtesan Saaeda Bai (Tabu), the consequences could be catastrophic.

THE BONE DETECTIVES – Every week archaeologists uncover bodies- sometimes individuals, but more commonly they find groups of people buried together. Most discoveries are unexpected; the result of archaeology being done in advance of a major building or infrastructure development. From tales of battles, of misdemeanors, of disease, of tragedy or tragic accident, host Tori Herridge, assisted by mortuary technician Carla Valentine and archaeologist Raksha Dave, attempt to piece together the lives behind these bones, what happened to these people, and how they came to be where they were found.

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE – This acclaimed Victorian drama follows the attempts of a young prostitute to improve her social standing and escape the poverty that threatens to destroy her. Having gained a reputation for not disappointing her clients, young, quick-witted prostitute Sugar (Romola Garai) yearns to leave her life behind and move up in society. Her chance appears to arrive when she attracts the attention of William Rackham (Chris O’Dowd) the unwilling heir to a perfume empire, whose increasing debts and domestic trials have led him to search for other, more attractive diversions. But as they become involved, the pair soon find themselves caught up in events beyond their control.

Monday, January 11, 2021

FINDING JOY – Series 2 (Acorn TV Original Series, Commissioned) – Binge premiere – Created and written by and starring Irish Film & TV Academy winner Amy Huberman, this comedy follows a single thirtysomething woman and vlogger, Joy Morris, after a painful breakup who looks for happiness in all the wrong places. Series 2 follows Joy as she is reborn as an independent online entrepreneur, launching her own video channel to establish her brand of finding happiness and fulfillment in everyday life, aided by Stan (Paul Reid) on camera and Emer (Ruth Kearney) on everything else. Sure, their viewer figures could be better, and maybe their sponsors could be sexier, but Joy has GOT THIS.  Finding Joy is a warm, irreverent show with a lot of heart and laughs as Joy struggles with life, her friends, and her world. 

WARTIME FARM – Series 1 including WARTIME FARM CHRISTMAS – From the acclaimed producers of Edwardian Farm, Victorian Farm, and Victorian Pharmacy, Wartime Farm was watched by over 3 million viewers a week during its original eight-week run. In this BBC Two series, Alex Langlands, Peter Ginn, and Ruth Goodman take on their biggest challenge yet: the running of a farm for a full calendar year, using only historical tools and materials from WWII – and mirroring the demands of an agricultural endeavor unparalleled in British history. The series is a fascinating blend of war history, survival creativity, and endurance. In “Wartime Farm Christmas,” historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologist Peter Ginn return to Manor Farm in Hampshire to recreate the conditions of Christmas 1944.

LOVE MY WAY – Series 1 – This renowned Australian primetime drama centers on a thirtysomething woman (Claudia Karvan) who negotiates the web of contemporary relationships, juggling the priorities of family obligations, being successful at love while fulfilled professionally and the hope that “happiness” might occur if all the other things fall into place. From the producer of the Golden Globe-nominated On The Beach and internationally renowned TV series Police Rescue, this Logie Award-winning series is an exploration of the love that binds us, the relationships that define us, and the dreams of grownups.

Monday, January 18, 2021

THE WIPERS TIMES – Based on the remarkable true story of a satirical newspaper published on the front lines of WWI, this BAFTA-nominated poignant yet comedic drama revels in the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

DANGER UXB – Titled after the shorthand term for “danger–unexploded bomb,” this gripping 13-part ITV series is about the men who served as part of a bomb disposal military unit during WWII.  It was created and produced by John Hawkesworth (Upstairs Downstairs) and stars Anthony Andrews (King’s Speech) as unit leader Lieutenant Brian Ash. Each hour-long episode follows the adventures of the Company who were based in Southeast London, showing the pressures, the problems, the horrors and the heartbreaks as the officers tackle one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs of the war under often quite appalling conditions.  The stories cover the Blitz, the struggles with the newer and more awkward types of bomb and the clearing of mines and coastal defenses before D-Day.  They follow the Company’s personal lives too, showing how the stresses and strains of their job affect their relationships with the wives and sweethearts who watch, wait and hope.

NOTHING TRIVIAL – Series 3 + Finale – This warm, light-hearted New Zealand romantic drama from the creators of Outrageous Fortune centers on five very different, attractive characters in their 30s and 40s, who have one thing in common – they are all unhappy or unlucky in love. The series is about broken hearts, second chances, and starting over at 40 and beyond, as the five protagonists answer weekly pub trivia questions about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

Monday, January 25, 2021

FLAME TREES OF THIKA – Based on the beloved memoir by Elspeth Huxley, this BAFTA-nominated drama stars Hayley Mills, David Robb, and Holly Aird as a British family who relocates to British East Africa (now Kenya) in order to set up a coffee plantation. Shot on location, this engaging series explores the trials and tribulations of the Grant family as they face everything from deadly animals to tensions with other colonists.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE BRITISH GARDEN – World-famous gardener and horticultural expert Monty Don explores the stories behind four of the country’s most important gardens in this BBC Two series, unpacking their fascinating secrets to reveal how the British garden has evolved over the past 400 years. From the Royal palaces of the 17th century to wistful cottages of the 20th century, many of the world’s most famous influential and important gardens were created in the UK. Follow Monty Don as he unearths plans, diaries, letters, and paintings to gain a truly revelatory look at how our most treasured and iconic outside spaces have evolved.

LOVE MY WAY, Series 2