Gritty BBC detective drama which fans are calling 'underrated excellence'

Crime lovers, gather around because the BBC has added a thrilling new crime drama to its extensive collection of TV shows. Based on the Martin Beck detective novels, Beck is a gripping series set in Sweden, with Peter Haber starring as lead Stockholm detective Martin Beck. The series first premiered back in 1997, but the BBC has just added its latest series, and fans of the detective genre are in for a treat. The concept focuses on Beck solving several serious crimes around the Swedish capital, and since season eight, Valter Skarsgård has played Vilhelm Beck, Martin's grandson.

Valter is the son of actor Stellan Skarsgård from Mamma Mia, which also means he is the brother to Bill and Alexander, who are both iconic actors known for their roles in IT, Zoolander, True Blood, and The Legend of Tarzan. There's clearly no shortage of acting talent in the family, and viewers should be in for a good show.

The series primarily focuses on Beck and his team as they tackle crime in the dark Stockholm underworld. The premiere episode of season ten sees the team investigate a brutal robbery - but is there more than meets the eye?

The official episode teases: "Three young men dressed as couriers overpower a middle-aged couple in a luxury apartment, and at first it looks like a brutal robbery."

The description for episode two reads: "After a brutal murder, Alex teams up with Josef and a suspended Vilhelm. The victim has ties to Howl, a digital university studying men's roles. The case connects to the Balcony Man investigation, bringing Beck back."

The reviews are also glowing online, with fans praising the show for being "outstanding." One person left a review on IMDb: "After having exhausted, it seemed, the supply of British mystery/police-procedural series, I turned my attention to foreign (non-English-language) productions. If you are not averse to subtitles, you will find among foreign productions some outstanding series in this genre, and "Beck" is one of them."

Another also commented: "My wife and I enjoy mystery/crime drama series, particularly those from Europe. This series is one of the best, even though it has been around for quite a while. The plot lines are interesting, sometimes even captivating, the characters are sometimes fascinating."

A third simply said: "Beck offers up understated excellence in the form of a Swedish crime drama."

Season ten of Beck, which consists of two feature-length episodes, is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.