Fans of gritty crime dramas only have a few weeks left to watch Doctor Who and Rivals star David Tennant in the role of a real-life serial killer. Also starring Daniel Mays as the detective who works to apprehend the murderer, Des is currently available on Netflix UK, though not for long.
Originally aired on ITV in 2020, the three-part drama is based on the 1983 arrest of Scottish serial killer Dennis ‘Des’ Nielsen, who was incriminated after human remains were found to cause a blockage in a drain near his house.
Mays stars as DCI Peter Jay, with the cast rounded out by The Crown’s Jason Watkins and War star Pip Torrens, with Barry Ward, Ron Cook, Ben Bailey Smith, Ross Anderson, Laurie Kynaston, and Jamie Parker also featuring.
ITV
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Des will be streaming on Netflix until 7 November. The series remains available to stream on ITVX and Disney+.
Tennant and Mays received praise for their performances from fans on IMDb, with one person branding their turns as Nielsen and Jay “fantastic”.
“Some extremely fine acting a compelling and horrifying true story done right by the cast,” the viewer wrote, calling Des “one of the best miniseries for a while on ITV”.
“The performances are the real draw here – with much being said on Tennant’s underplayed and absorbing portrayal of the manipulative Nilsen,” was another comment.
“Well-written, superb acting from all and Tennant is simply brilliant,” was a third user review.
ITV
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“David Tennant plays Des so well,” a fourth fan noted, describing the miniseries as “gripping from the start”.
The actor previously weighed in on taking on the role of a convicted serial killer, describing the experience as “horrifying” and “fascinating”.
“From an acting point of view, these are the kind of psychologies you are fascinated by,” Tennant told Digital Spy. “It doesn’t mean you agree with them or that you commend them, but trying to unpick what went on in the mind of someone like that is horrifying and it’s fascinating.”
Des is available to stream on Netflix. It is also streaming on ITVX and Disney+.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).