Everything we know about BBC crime drama Rebus

It’s a good time to be a fan of gritty crime dramas as the BBC gears up to debut Rebus — a new series that adapts author Sir Ian Rankin’s bestselling Inspector Rebus novels.

Rankin first launched the series in 1987, telling a series of crime stories led by Detective Inspector John Rebus that are largely based in and around Scotland. The character proved to be a huge success with readers, leading Rankin to feature him in 24 novels — with a 25th case due to drop in October 2024.

The character first appeared on TV in the early 2000s on ITV, first played by The Mummy actor John Hannah and later by The Hobbit’s Ken Stott. This latest take marks his BBC debut.

What else do we know about Rebus’s return? Let’s dive into his case files…

When will Rebus start?

Rebus starts on Friday, 17 May with all six 45-minute long episodes available at once on BBC iPlayer. The show will land on BBC Scotland the same day at 10pm before debuting on BBC One on Saturday 18 May at 9.25pm.

Is there a trailer for Rebus?

A 30-second trailer for the BBC’s new Rebus adaptation made its way online on Friday, 10 May.

In it, we hear the all-new Detective Inspector remind viewers that “the rules are the rules,” in what looks to be a grounded and fresh take on a familiar face.

Watch the below.

Who is in the Rebus cast?

The BBC’s new Rebus adaptation, written by Gregory Burke, reimagines the character as a younger man, here played by Outlander’s Richard Rankin. Joining Rankin is Line of Duty’s Lucie Shorthouse as Rebus’ partner, DC Siobhan Clarke.

The series will also feature appearances from The Nevers actor Amy Manson, The Rig’s Neshla Caplan, Vigil’s Noof Ousellam, The Serpent’s Stuart Bowman and Trying’s Caroline Lee Johnson.

The Midwich Cutkoos actor Thoren Ferguson will also play a role, alongside Michelle Duncan from Elizabeth is Missing, and Mary Queen of Scott star Sean Buchanan.

What happens in Rebus?

The BBC’s Rebus reboot will find the character forced to choose between family and the force when his sibling embarks on a life of crime in his native Scotland.

According to the BBC, Rebus is “drawn into a violent criminal conflict that turns personal when his brother Michael, a former soldier, crosses the line into criminality. Rebus finds himself torn between protecting his brother and enforcing the law to bring Michael to justice.”

The show will take this narrative thread as a jumping-off point to explore themes of “family, morality and class through an emotionally-charged story, set against the Scottish landmarks that Rankin’s readers know so well.”

In fact, Rebus himself seems to be at a particularly fractious point in his life, as the show's synopsis explains.

“Edinburgh detective John Rebus finds himself at a psychological crossroads. At odds with a job increasingly driven by corporate technocrats, involved in a toxic affair he knows he needs to end, and all but supplanted in his daughter’s life by his ex-wife’s wealthy new husband, Rebus begins to wonder if he still has a role to play — either as a family man or a police officer.”

The show’s debut series will be set in Edinburgh, with sections also filmed in Glasgow.

Rebus is available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Scotland from Friday 17 May. It airs on BBC One on Saturday 18 May.