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UK fans have waited months for the hotly-reviewed crime drama, exploring the murderous world of art and antiques dealing

A smash-hit crime thriller starring EastEnders icon Larry Lamb and True Blood star Stephen Moyer is finally landing in the UK – and fans can stream it for free.

Art Detectives, which became Acorn TV’s most-watched premiere ever when it launched in North America this June, follows a specialist Met Police unit tackling the dark underbelly of the art world, from stolen Viking gold to the murder of a wealthy, Titanic-obsessed collector.

Stephen stars as DI Mick Palmer, an art-loving but world-weary cop paired with ambitious and straight-talking newcomer DC Shazia Malik, played by Nina Singh.

Together they make up the Heritage Crime Unit, a tiny team tasked with solving the big, bizarre cases connected to the ruthless world of antiques and art trading.

Other cases include a vintage wine tasting that turns deadly, the brutal killing of a vinyl obsessive and the sudden disappearance of a priceless Chinese vase.

Stephen and Nina are joined on the cast by Sarah Alexander as Rosa, a museum curator who doubles as Mick’s love interest, and Larry Lamb.

The TV legend shines in the fan-favourite role of Ron, Mick’s charismatic but wayward father who just so happens to be one of Britain’s most notorious art forgers.

Art Detective’s official synopsis teases: “Each episode follows Mick and Shazia through a world driven by greed, obsession, lust and revenge,” promising everything from fake Vermeers to Titanic relics.

Stephen has said he loved the show’s special blend of chaos and culture, adding: “The writing team have cleverly woven together intriguing storylines, notable pieces of art and a bit of history for good measure.

“I’m excited to lead the cast alongside the lovely Nina Singh, brilliantly funny Sarah Alexander and my dear old pal Larry Lamb.”

US watchers have lapped it up, with the series holding an 83% Rotten Tomatoes rating. It has been praised as a stylish, sophisticated twist on the classic buddy-cop formula, with all the usual action transplanted into the snobby, cut-throat world of fine art.

British viewers can finally get in on the action as the hotly anticipated drama arrives exclusively on UKTV’s free streaming service U and its free-to-air channel U&DRAMA and it is arriving on DVD on 8 December.

The police drama starring Nathan Fillion has been No.1 on NOW for weeks and viewers are hooked

Anyone living with a significant other will recognise the severe consequences of sneaking ahead with episodes of a programme “we’re watching together”. With a partner who frequently jets off abroad for business, I’ve had to get rather creative with my solo viewing choices from time to time.

So, browsing through NOW TV’s packed catalogue for suitable entertainment one evening last month, I was drawn to the programme that’s been dominating the Sky-linked platform’s ‘most watched’ rankings for weeks on end.

After checking out just one episode of The Rookie, I found myself with a single question: “Why haven’t I been watching this all along?”.

Fast-forward a month and I’ve nearly caught up with all seven seasons of the show. That might sound like something between an epic binge-watching session or a deeply worrying obsession, but it becomes clearer when you understand that The Rookie isn’t just another television show. It’s every other TV show.

The Rookie simultaneously functions as a soap opera, a sitcom, a romantic drama and – occasionally – almost ventures into science fiction territory.

With its rose-tinted depiction of the LAPD, a force that has carried a troubling reputation for systematic police brutality, corruption, civil rights abuses and discriminatory practices since the 1940s, The Rookie produces the same impact that The West Wing had on our understanding of American politics.

It offers a window into an alternative reality where everything is reassuringly fine, and everyone involved seems to have our best interests at heart.

Indeed, the show’s overly optimistic tone reportedly led to one cast member abruptly leaving the show, given the current state of affairs in American society.

At the heart of the series is Canadian-born actor Nathan Fillion. Recognised for his role in the prematurely axed cult sci-fi series Firefly, he’s also a close pal of director James Gunn, and has made appearances in all of his Guardians of the Galaxy films, even following Gunn to Warner Brothers to participate in his new Superman franchise.

Fillion plays John Nolan, a calm, supremely capable everyman who leaves behind his home, marriage, and construction career (which proves unexpectedly handy in his new role) to become the LAPD’s oldest rookie cop.

Empathetic, competent, and surprisingly handy in a firefight, John Nolan also has a knack for attracting strikingly beautiful women. It’s baffling why the show resonates so strongly with middle-aged blokes like myself.

Over seven seasons, Nolan gradually sheds his rookie status and is progressively supported by an ensemble cast that assists him in his face-offs with wicked villains, comedic characters, and at least one character that unpredictably oscillates between the two.

If there’s one consistent trait of The Rookie, it’s its tonal rollercoaster. One moment our heroes are being hassled by a quirky indie band, the next they’re hopping on a private jet for an unlikely yet exhilarating showdown with a cartel boss on his own turf.

It’s the epitome of escapism. To label The Rookie as mere comfort viewing would be a disservice, given its knack for delivering unexpected emotional blows when a beloved character we were just chuckling at suddenly takes a bullet.

The only character seemingly immune to plot twists is John Nolan himself. Despite this, Fillion, now 54, is gradually reducing his on-screen presence and holds executive producer credits on two spin-off shows centred around older individuals delving into various facets of police work.

The show could potentially outlast John Nolan’s narrative, as it thrives on a fresh batch of rookies each season – from psychics and aspiring cowboys to a gender-swapped Amanda Knox with a hint of Kardashian glamour.

While this unabashedly escapist telly might be dismissed as nothing more than an older man’s fantasy, astonishingly, it’s rooted in a true story.

LAPD officer William Norcross, a university mate of one of the show’s producers Jon Steinberg, pitched an idea for a series based on his own experience as an older rookie cop.

Norcross was 44 when he decided to leave his family’s printing business in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in late 2015 and head to LA to realise his lifelong dream of joining the police force.

His dream became the inspiration for what I believe to be the most wildly entertaining and delightfully unrealistic television show of the current era.

Although my Rookie journey began as a means to keep the peace at home, I now find myself covertly retreating to my home office, laptop in tow, for just one more episode….