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Wire in the Blood

Wire in the Blood

TO CATCH A KILLER, YOU MUST THINK LIKE ONE

2002–2008Ended6 seasons31 episodes~69 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

Clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill's uncanny ability to see into the minds of murderers means he finds it difficult to distance himself from disturbing cases.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wire in the Blood?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wire in the Blood streaming on BritBox, Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Wire in the Blood?

Wire in the Blood earns 3 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Wire in the Blood worth watching?

Wire in the Blood's Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all shows, from 11K ratings across 2 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of shows

94th percentile among Crime91st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)90th
Approval (how many liked it)93rd

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

90th percentile of all shows

93rd percentile among Crime87th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

90% liked it

93rd percentile of all shows

90th percentile among Crime92nd percentile among 2000s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

85th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Crime79th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 6% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A dark, gritty British crime drama centered on a psychologically complex profiler and gruesome serial killer cases.

Fans praised

  • Robson Green's vulnerable, quirky characterization of Dr. Tony Hill
  • gripping, intense psychological profiling and dark atmosphere
  • compelling plots that keep viewers guessing until the end

Detractors panned

  • unrealistic, formulaic plots with gaping holes and clichés
  • gratuitous gore and lurid wallowing in depravity
  • tedious, unconvincing lead characterization as a clichéd 'absent-minded genius'

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Robson Green praised as brilliant, vulnerable; detractors call him third-rate or caricatured

AtmosphereDivisive75

Dark, gritty, bleakly immersive; detractors find it unsubtle, melodramatic

TensionDivisive75

Fans: intense, edge-of-seat; detractors: manipulative, lacking real suspense

CharactersDivisive65

Tony Hill praised as endearing, original; detractors find him irritating, overdone

PacingDivisive65

Fans: taut, fast-paced, engrossing; detractors: sometimes slow, uneven

OriginalityDivisive65

Fans: fresh, ahead of its time; detractors: derivative of Cracker, Silence of the Lambs

Emotional impactDivisive65

Fans moved by Hill's humanity; detractors find it cold, unengaging

Plot and storyDivisive55

Fans: taut, riveting; detractors: contrived, full of holes and clichés

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

6 seasons

Season 6 · 2008 · 8 episodes

  • S6E1

    Unnatural Vices (1)

    Sep 12, 200845 min
  • S6E2

    Unnatural Vices (2)

    Sep 19, 2008
  • S6E3

    Fall the Shadow (1)

    Sep 26, 200845 min
  • S6E4

    Fall the Shadow (2)

    Oct 3, 2008
  • S6E5

    From the Defeated (1)

    Oct 10, 200845 min
  • S6E6

    From the Defeated (2)

    Oct 17, 2008
  • S6E7

    The Dead Land (1)

    Oct 24, 200845 min
  • S6E8

    The Dead Land (2)

    Oct 31, 2008Finale

Watch experience

What is Wire in the Blood like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 3% of showsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe show treats its gruesome subject matter with unflinching seriousness, maintaining a gloomy and tense atmosphere while allowing occasional dry observation from its protagonist.
The rideThe series sustains a tense and dread-filled atmosphere across its run, with contemplative psychological interludes.
StructureThe series follows a conventional three-act structure for each case, with setup, investigation, and resolution.
Episode formatEach episode features a self-contained criminal case, typically serial killers, while threading a season-long character arc for Tony Hill.
Season formatSeasons continue the same core cast and evolving relationships, though each season presents new cases.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe series lingers as a grim exploration of human evil and trauma, unsettling the viewer and inviting reflection on criminal psychology.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% (this title) · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach typical episode follows Dr. Hill and the police tracking a serial killer (the predator), profiling them, and bringing them to justice.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% (this title) · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 14% of showsViolence · 2% of showsTrauma · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the pursuit of justice for victims of violent crimes, with a focus on understanding the psychology of killers and the trauma they inflict.
StanceThe series interrogates the nature of justice and the psyche of killers, presenting a morally complex world without easy answers.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score
SettingA British police force and psychological unit investigating serial crimes

Content guide

Is Wire in the Blood okay for kids?

TV-MA

Wire in the Blood is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at intense (67/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (40/100) and frightening material at severe (90/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • New Zealand16
  • Austria16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • South Africa16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 73%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (38 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Wire in the Blood have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wire in the Blood?

Cast

Robson Green
as Dr. Tony Hill
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mark Letheren
as DS Kevin Geoffries
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Emma Handy
as DC Paula McIntyre
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mark Penfold
as Dr Ashley Vernon
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Simone Lahbib
as DI Alex Fielding
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hermione Norris
as DCI Carol Jordan
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alan Stocks
as Don Merrick
Tom Chadbon
as John Brandon
Thomas Byrne
as Ben Fielding
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Doreene Blackstock
as Annie Reiss

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