ITV Recommissions Three Crime Dramas

ITV announced today that the network has recommissioned three crime dramas.

A third season of Vera has been ordered, consisting of four 120-minute episodes. Brenda Blethyn stars as Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, a character created by crime novelist Ann Cleeves. We really enjoyed the first season — read Mr. E.'s review here — but will have to wait until November to see the second season, when it is released on DVD here in the US.

"We're delighted to be back in production with Vera and working with Brenda and David [Leon as DS Joe Ashworth] again," said series producer Elaine Collins. "Despite her apparent chaotic approach to cracking crime, Vera is actually a very good detective albeit one driven by her own demons. We like to keep the viewers guessing as to what she'll do and say next as she's certainly a character who knows her own mind and isn't afraid to speak it."

Eight new 60-minute episodes of Law & Order UK have been ordered, representing its fourth (we think) season. There will be some cast changes this season, though executive producer Jane Featherstone promises "some brilliant and surprising storylines for the cast" (and presumably viewers, too).

Finally, a third season of eight episodes have been commissioned for Scott & Bailey, a series we admit we know very little about. Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp play the titular characters, Detective Constables with the Manchester Metropolitan Police.

"Scott & Bailey has been such a phenomenal success and we're thrilled to be revisiting the characters," said Nicola Shindler, co-executive producer of the drama. "A third series really gives us the scope to explore another raft of great stories as we're constantly thinking about how we can develop the characters.