Everything you need to know about Irvine Welsh’s Crime series 2

There’s been some good news recently for fans of dark TV crime thrillers laced with dry, caustic wit: the second series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime is now on ITV1 and ITVX. It’s cynical. It’s grimly funny. It’s thought-provoking. And it’s back…

Who’s behind the crime drama?

There are no prizes for guessing the main creative force driving Irvine Welsh’s Crime: Leith-born Irvine Welsh co-wrote the screenplay adaptation of his bestselling book series. Welsh has been a major force in British literature for some three decades now, ever since his debut novel Trainspotting – and the film based on it – became something of a cultural phenomenon back in the mid-1990’s.

Ably assisting the writer on scribing duties here is Welsh’s fellow screenwriter and novelist Dean Cavanagh (Wedding Belles). Among the series’ directors are the likes of Anthony Neilson (The Debt Collector) and Trygve Allister Diesen (Red).

The cast

Dougray Scott (Enigma), Ken Stott (Rebus) and Joanna Vanderham (The Runaway) all return as the principal cast members. John Simm (Grace) and Derek Riddell (Happy Valley) are also back, though they both feature slightly less than they did in the well-received first season.

Breaking Bad’s Laura Fraser also returns with a larger part this time around. There is, however, no more Angela Griffin, Jamie Sives or Michael Abubakar. Joining for the second run instead are the likes of Boy Meets Girl’s Rebecca Root, David Elliott (Kajaki) and Dylan Blore (The Hunt for Raoul Moat).

What happened in series 1?

The first series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime followed DI Ray Lennox (played impeccably by a never better Dougray Scott), a troubled detective haunted by an unsolved past case involving a depraved serial killer, known by Lennox and his colleagues as Mr. Confectioner.

He soon became embroiled in a new investigation looking into the disappearance of a young schoolgirl that had eerie similarities to the Confectioner case. His job was to finally track the killer down before he could claim the lives of any more young girls.

The plot of series 2

This follow-up series picks up not long after the first ended. After a brutal attack is carried out on DI Ray Lennox’s old mentor, he and his partner Drummond become embroiled in a case involving social justice, gender identity and retaliation, soon coming to the realisation that nothing is quite as it seems in the case.

The brutal attempted murder of a prominent member of the establishment in a luxurious hotel – something which authorities are rather keen to hush up – soon appears to be connected to the attack. Lennox reels as doors are slammed in his face while he attempts to conduct his investigation, one which takes him in and out of some of Edinburgh’s grimiest saunas and crack dens, as well as Auld Reekie’s most opulent hotels and members’ clubs. All of this is happening while Lennox continues to battle his own addictions and demons.

Where can I watch it and when is it on?

The first episode of Crime’s sophomore run premiered on ITV1 on Wednesday 7th August, with the next five episodes released weekly. If you’re a wee bit impatient, you can always binge-watch the series over on ITV’s streaming platform, ITVX.

Eagle-eyed fans will probably already know that the series has been available to watch on ITV’s streaming platform since 21st September, 2023.

What people are saying about it

The show’s star, Dougray Scott, expressed his excitement about diving deeper into Lennox’s troubled past, describing how it adds more depth to his character. ‘Season 2 takes us even deeper into Lennox’s past,’ he said. ‘It really helps us understand his persona even more. I couldn’t be happier.’

Irvine Welsh himself remarked this when asked about this follow-up series: ‘We wanted to push the boundaries even further this season, exploring the darker corners of Edinburgh and the psychological struggles of our characters. It’s about confronting demons, both literal and metaphorical.’

Irvine Welsh’s co-writer Dean Cavanagh had this to say: ‘Working on this series is always a challenge and a joy. We’re not just telling a crime story; we’re delving into the psyches of these deeply flawed characters.’

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You can read our reviews of each episode of the first series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime here.