‘Karen Pirie’ season 2 release window, cast, plot, and more
In a roundabout way, the first season of Karen Pirie was Unforgotten meets Only Murders in the Building. Strange combo, right? But it was a hit, cementing Lauren Lyle’s Detective Sergeant Karen Pirie as a force of nature. When a true-crime podcast digs up the unsolved 1990s Rosie Duff murder, DS Karen Pirie is assigned to the case, but little does she know the horrors and emotional trauma she’s about to unearth.
The first season of Karen Pirie was a story of undeniable loyalty, terror, police negligence, abuse of power, and misogyny. I won’t spoil anything major here, but it’s worth your time.
Thankfully, a second season of Karen Pirie was announced in February 2023, and it’s nearly time to be reunited with this fearless female Scottish detective. Here’s everything we know about Karen Pirie season 2.
Karen Pirie season 2 release window
ITV has yet to reveal an official release date (or even release window) for Karen Pirie season 2 in the U.K., though British release dates tend to be announced much closer to the actual premiere than in the U.S. We do know, however, that Karen Pirie season 2 is set to be released on BritBox in North America this April, though an exact date has yet to be confirmed.
Karen Pirie season 2 cast
Lauren Lyle is set to return as the titular detective. The rest of her inner circle will all reprise their roles as well, including Chris Jenks as DC Jason ‘Mint’ Murray, Zach Wyatt as DS Phil Parhatka, Steve John Shepherd as DCS Lees, Emer Kenny as River Wilde, and Rakhee Thakrar as Bel Richmond.
Since the second season will oversee an entirely new case, there’s a new roster of cast members to contend with. In the 1984 flashbacks, the new cast members are Julia Brown as the victim, Catriona Grant, Mark Rowley as Mick, Kat Ronney as Bonnie, Conor Berry as Andy, and Stuart Campbell as Kevin. Jamie Michie will play young Brodie Grant, Madeleine Worrall will portray young Mary Grant, and Jack Stewart will play a young Fergus. Leading the original investigation are Thoren Ferguson as DI Anderson and Helena Katamba as DC Laurel Blair.
In the present-day storyline, the new cast includes Saskia Ashdown as new team member DC Isla Stark (finally, a bit more gender diversity in the team), James Cosmo and Frances Tomelty as oil magnate Sir Broderick Grant and his ex-wife Mary, and John Michie as Fergus Sinclair, the father of Catriona’s son.
Karen Pirie season 2 plot
The second season of Karen Pirie will be based on Val McDermid’s novel A Darker Domain. Once again, the story will be set over three feature-length episodes split between the present day and the past, focusing on the kidnapping of wealthy heiress Catriona Grant and her baby son in 1984.
The official synopsis reads:
“In the turmoil of 1984, when young heiress to the Grant oil fortune Catriona Grant is kidnapped at gunpoint with her young son, it’s assumed that the motivation is political. The huge investigation creates an uncontrollable press storm … but when the culprits unexpectedly fall silent, the case runs cold. Cat and Adam are never seen again.
“Forty years later, when a man’s body is discovered, Karen Pirie is assigned to reopen the case in complete secrecy. With the first key piece of evidence in decades, Karen must try to unlock one of Scotland’s most infamous mysteries, whilst battling increasing media attention. What happened to Cat Grant and why do sinister forces want the secrets of her disappearance to remain hidden?”
I can’t wait to see this trailblazing and utterly relatable detective back on our screens.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
