Wallander
Kenneth Branagh stars as complex detective Kurt Wallander, based on the books by best-selling Swedish author Henning Mankell. Branagh, a longtime fan of the novels, is a co-producing partner of the adaptations being filmed in rarely seen locations in southern Sweden.

Agatha Christie's Miss Marple
One of Agatha Christie's signature characters returns to the schedule, with Julia McKenzie taking over the role of spinster sleuth Miss Marple in three new episodes. McKenzie is familiar to Masterpiece fans for her recent performance in Cranford as Mrs. Forrester, the sprightly widow devoted to her cow.

Poirot
David Suchet reprises his role as suave Hercule Poirot in two new episodes. Suchet's varied roles have included financier Augustus Melmotte in Masterpiece's The Way We Live Now and Cardinal Wolsey in Henry VIII. He was recently seen in the feature film The Bank Job.

Inspector Lewis: Series II
Robbie Lewis (Kevin Whately, The English Patient), sidekick to Inspector Morse, is back in four new episodes. Now well outside Morse's shadow, Lewis has a younger sidekick of his own, the ambitious Hathaway (Laurence Fox, Gosford Park).