Emmet J. Scanlan wowed us as the gentleman Lothario, Adam Fairley, in Channel 4’s period drama A Woman Of Substance but, in his latest project, we’ll see him in a different light. In Channel 5’s upcoming An Impossible Way To Die he will play DI Niall Conway – but it’s not your typical detective drama.
The Irish actor has a lengthy segment of his CV dedicated to solving murder mysteries, his sleuthing accolades include: the hardy police chief Owen in How To Get To Heaven From Belfast and inspector Kieran Shaw in the gritty drama The Tower. Now he’s back in uniform as DI Niall Conway, but here’s the twist – he’s partnered with the chirpy DS Katie Salter (Sharon Rooney) and she’s not your typical TV cop. But will he learn to collaborate with his polar opposite partner when a shocking murder unites them?
With filming underway now, here’s everything you need to know about An Impossible Way To Die, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is An Impossible Way To Die about?
Sergei Sarakhanov//Channel 5
The upcoming six-part series An Impossible Way To Die introduces us to an unlikely crime-busting duo – DI Niall Conway (Emmett J. Scanlan) and DS Katie Salter (Sharon Rooney). Like Broadchurch’s Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) – they are pretty different. Niall is all-consumingly dedicated to his job and begrudges Katie’s spirited optimism. Unlike other television detectives we’re used to, she’s not damaged and tormented – she’s diligent and smart but has achieved work-life balance and committed to her family.
And how these two detectives meet is even more intriguing. Katie is happily solving everyday local crimes when she arrives at the scene of a chilling murder mystery. Four people are seated at a dinner party, but there’s not the wine-fuelled scintillating conversation, since all the guests are dead. The only clue is a scorpion crawling out of one of the deceased mouths (gross!)
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The pair must find a way to work together as the case grows increasingly more complex, they unearth secrets and conspiracies and must piece together different cases. But will they succeed before the killer strikes again? We can’t wait to watch how it unfolds!
Mike Benson, managing director of Clapperboard studios, shared his excitement for the special casting and writing: ‘We’re delighted to be working again with two of the finest performers out there in Sharon and Emmett, alongside our fantastic cast and talented production team led by Adam and Amber,’ he told Channel 5. ‘The scripts are really quite special – gripping, witty and insidious – and, alongside our partners 5 and DCD, we can’t wait to introduce the world to DS Salter, who avoids all the tropes we’ve seen in television detectives down the years,’ he added.
Who’s in the cast of An Impossible Way To Die?
BBC
The cast of An Impossible Way To Die includes:
Emmett J. Scanlan (Woman of Substance, The Tower) as DI Niall Conway Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary, Daddy Issues) as DS Katie Salter Lois Chimimba (Coldwater, Vigil) Jonny Lavelle (Down Cemetery Road, Black Mirror) Ashley McGuire (This Country, This Is Going To Hurt).How can I watch An Impossible Way To Die?
With filming underway, most information is still wraps, but it’s set to air on Channel 5 in 2027 – and we’ll keep you updated as more information lands!
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
Laurence Cendrowicz/AcornTV
If you’re in the mood for something cosy, we’d point you towards Mrs Sidhu Investigates, where we meet caterer-turned-sleuth Mrs Sidhu (Meera Syal) whose various jobs around Berkshire lead her to the centre of riveting murder mysteries. You can watch Mrs Sidhu investigates now on Channel 4. For something a bit darker, we’d recommend ITV’s Prey where we meet DC Farrow (John Simm) whose gone rogue after he’s framed for the murder of his wife and kid, he escapes custody and unveils a web of conspiracy. You can watch Prey now on ITV.