Join us as we look back at Ripper Street, the TV crime drama (2012-2016) that plunged viewers into the dark, dangerous streets of Victorian London, where secrets and the shadow of Jack the Ripper loomed large
TITLE: Ripper Street
CREATOR: Richard Warlow
CAST: Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Buring, Charlene McKenna
ORIGINAL RELEASE: 30 December 2012 – 12 October 2016 (BBC One, Amazon Prime Video)
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 37
Ripper Street begins with a city haunted by its failures.
Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, played with a haunting intensity by Matthew Macfadyen, is a man tormented by both the Ripper’s evasion and his own personal loss.
Reid lost his daughter in a boating accident, but the nagging thought that she may still be alive drives a wedge between him and his wife. It also fuels a desperate quest for redemption that often leads him down morally ambiguous paths.
He’s backed by two compelling figures: the brooding Sergeant Bennet Drake (Jerome Flynn), whose violent past as a soldier and love for the ambitious Rose Erskine (Charlene McKenna) shape his every action, and the mysterious American, Captain Homer Jackson (Adam Rothenberg). A former Pinkerton detective with a knack for forensic science, Jackson’s murky past and his volatile relationship with his wife, Long Susan (MyAnna Buring), add tension to the narrative.
Long Susan, a brothel madam and entrepreneur, is neither hero nor villain but a complex survivor navigating a male-dominated world.
Each episode plunges this eclectic trio into another grisly case – a poisoned aristocrat, a string of ritualistic murders, a young woman found dead in mysterious circumstances.
The crimes are often ghastly, sometimes bordering on the supernatural, but always steeped in the gritty reality of Victorian London. It’s a city caught between the shadows of its history and the harsh light of modernity.
Jackson’s forensic expertise adds a scientific edge, but his unruly nature and penchant for vice make him a moral wildcard, constantly at odds with his colleagues and his own conscience.
At the heart of the series is its vivid portrayal of London, a city that feels as alive and dangerous as the criminals who inhabit it. Filmed primarily in Dublin, with iconic locations like Clancy Barracks and Kilmainham Gaol standing in for the foggy, rain-slicked streets of Whitechapel, the show’s atmospheric settings are more than mere backdrops; they are characters in their own right.
The cobblestones and shadowy alleyways exude a gothic charm that enhances every story beat, while the meticulous attention to period detail immerses viewers in a world where the Industrial Revolution’s wonders and horrors coexist.
The dialogue, too, plays a crucial role in creating this immersive experience. The writers have crafted an archaic style of speech, deliberately using language that sounds old-world to transport viewers even further into the past, adding authenticity to the show’s already rich historical tapestry.
However, Ripper Street wasn’t just a critical darling, it became the centre of an extraordinary real-life drama when it was abruptly cancelled by the BBC after its second series.
Spooky Isles Saves Ripper Street
The decision sparked an outcry from fans and led to a public campaign spearheaded by none other than Spooky Isles’ own founder and editor, David Saunderson.
The campaign, which gathered over 40,000 signatures, caught the eye of Amazon, who resurrected the show for three more seasons. Read our story, Hooray! Ripper Street Has Been Saved, from back in 2014.
This was a remarkable victory for fan power, and the Spooky Isles team even found themselves invited to the re-launch party in East London, where they rubbed shoulders (and got slightly drunk) with the cast and crew, witnessing first-hand the passion and commitment that had saved the series.
Ripper Street thrives on this devotion from its audience.
It’s not just a crime procedural but a character-driven drama, drawing on rich, complex narratives that delve deep into the human psyche.
For some, its intensity might be overwhelming, its grim depictions of violence and despair are not for the faint-hearted. But for others, it’s this very darkness that makes the show so compelling.
The characters are deeply flawed, their moral quandaries endless, and their struggles reflect the murky, unpredictable world they inhabit.
The show balances action-packed sequences, old-school fistfights, foot chases, and gun battles in darkened alleys, with quieter, more introspective moments.
It’s these stolen glances, whispered secrets, and haunted looks that add depth to the story, ensuring that the drama remains just as gripping in its silences as in its loudest, most violent clashes.
Ripper Street is a thrilling, atmospheric ride through a London caught between eras, grappling with its ghosts and its future. It’s a tale of obsessions, of blurred lines between right and wrong, and of justice sought at any cost.
For those who relish a blend of historical mystery, moral complexity, and richly drawn characters, this show remains a dark gem—a reminder that even the most macabre tales can find new life with a little help from their friends.
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One of the best Victorian era crime shows of all time.