Seventeen years after the final episode aired, the BBC's beloved crime drama Inspector Lynley has returned to screens – but the long-awaited revival is facing a wave of disappointment from loyal fans. The reboot, which premiered on Monday, January 6, 2026, has been labelled "abysmal" and "duller than dishwasher" by viewers, despite a brand new cast and fresh mysteries set in Norfolk.
A Tough Act to Follow: New Faces, Mixed Reception
The original series, starring Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small, ran from 2001 to 2008, captivating audiences with the class-driven dynamic between Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers. The new iteration sees Leo Suter (Sanditon) and Sofia Barclay (Ted Lasso) stepping into the iconic roles for a series of four feature-length episodes.
Critical reception has been middling. The Telegraph awarded it two stars, calling it a "bland but serviceable detective drama," while The Guardian described it as the "ultimate undemanding telly." Radio Times was more positive in its three-star review, praising its "old-school charm." However, The Independent criticised the revival for "wooden acting and clunky scripts," stating it felt like "a show made with so little apparent care."
Fan Fury on Social Media
Audience reaction on social media platform X has been significantly harsher. Fans of the original series were quick to voice their displeasure with the reboot's first episode. One user, Deborah, declared: "It does not have the charm of the original... and there’s no chemistry between these two new versions."
Other viewers were equally scathing. User Janey Brooke noted the scenery was the best part, but added it didn't stop her "falling asleep halfway through." Hunky Dory called the new version "abysmal," with "lacklustre" characters and "no connection," while Barney Rubble criticised the acting, camera work, and overuse of clichés.
A small minority offered a more favourable view, with Philip Nolan describing it as "old fashioned fun" and Georgia stating she "really enjoyed" the premiere. User wyfan2 defended it as "head and shoulders above a lot of the crime series we’ve been served up over the past year."
Modern Detectives and Scenic Shifts
The reboot introduces a more contemporary take on the characters. Actor Leo Suter explained to the i paper that a modern Lynley couldn't be as "blatant a toff" as the original, needing to navigate his background more delicately within a modern police force.
The show's location has also shifted. While based on Elizabeth George's books and the original series set in London, the new duo work for the fictional Three Counties Major Investigation Team, covering Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire. Despite the East Anglian setting, filming was predominantly conducted in Ireland, around Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains, with additional shots in the English countryside and Thames Estuary.
Sofia Barclay addressed the pressure of taking on a beloved role, telling Country and Townhouse magazine that writer Steve Thompson had created a "beautiful" adaptation with "totally different given circumstances," which helped her approach the part.
Inspector Lynley airs on Mondays at 8:30pm on BBC One, with the full season available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
