The Brokenwood Mysteries, the popular detective drama that has been likened to Midsomer Murders, is proving to be a hit on one UK streaming service. The series, which hails from New Zealand, is perfect for cosy crime fans.
The series sees Neill Rea and Fern Sutherland assume the central roles of Mike Shepherd and Kristin Sims, a pair of mismatched detectives who slowly build a camaraderie as they solve crimes in the quiet town of Brokenwood.
After premiering in 2014, the detective drama has enjoyed great success, with its most recent season – the 11th in total – hitting the small screen in April 2025.
In the UK, The Brokenwood Mysteries airs on U&Drama, and it has proven to be a hit on the network’s accompanying streaming service. At the time of writing, the series is in the ‘Most Popular’ section alongside shows such as Copper and Catch Me a Killer.
Since its premiere, the series has been warmly received by viewers, with IMDb currently reporting an impressive average user rating of 7.9 out of 10 from 9800 logs. In the consensus, a lot of fans favourably compared the show to ITV’s Midsomer Murders.
UKTV
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“Some other reviews here have compared The Brokenwood Mysteries to Midsomer Mysteries and I agree there are similarities. Ultimately though, for a variety of reasons I find Brokenwood much more enjoyable,” opined one fan.
“Brokenwood is the only series I’ve ever seen that has a whole host of recurring characters – most of whom have nothing to do with law enforcement – start out as suspects in one episode and then show up in others,” they continued.
Another viewer also likened the New Zealand series to Midsomer Murders, writing: “Both series have the small community/rural settings which provides a great backdrop and an assortment of unique and eccentric characters.”
UKTV
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“The stories were a lot of fun and it made a refreshing change to have a detective series where very little was made of the characters’ private lives,” noted another user. “Overall a fun murder mystery series set in a country that is simultaneously familiar and different.”
If you’ve never watched the detective drama and you live in the UK then you’re in luck, as U currently has all 11 seasons and 54 episodes available on its service. It will be good preparation, as the 12th season is due to air later this year.
The Brokenwood Mysteries is streaming on U.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. Â His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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