From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Waking the Dead
Waking the Dead intertitle
Format	Police procedural
Created by	Barbara Machin
Starring	Trevor Eve Sue Johnston Wil Johnson Félicité du Jeu Tara Fitzgerald
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	74 (to end of Series 7)
Production
Running time	60 min.
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Original run	4 September 2000 – present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile

Waking the Dead is a British television crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a team of CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode was transmitted in September 2000 and there have been a total of seven series since. Each story is split into two hour-long episodes, shown on consecutive nights on BBC One. A third series episode won an International Emmy Award in 2004. The programme is also shown on BBC America in the United States as well as UKTV (Australia and New Zealand) and the Nine Network in Australia, though the BBC America showings are edited to allow for commercials. Older series are occasionally shown on public television stations in the United States.

Contents 1 Plot 1.1 Overview 2 Characters 2.1 Main characters 2.2 Former characters 3 Serials 3.1 Series 1 (2001) 3.2 Series 2 (2002) 3.3 Series 3 (2003) 3.4 Series 4 (2004) 3.5 Series 5 (2005) 3.6 Series 6 (2007) 3.7 Series 7 (2008) 3.8 Series 8 (2009) 4 Reception 5 DVD releases 6 See also 6.1 Similar Series 6.2 Notes and references 6.3 External links

[edit] Plot

[edit] Overview

The programme follows the work of a special police team who investigate "cold cases", usually murders that took place a number of years ago and were never solved. The team uses evidence which has just come to light, as well as modern technology to examine previous evidence. Trevor Eve portrays the workaholic and often eccentric Peter Boyd around whom plotlines are often centered. As the series has progressed, storylines have focused on the personal lives of the characters as well as the criminal investigations (for example, Boyd's temper control in "Anger Management").

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters

• Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd (Trevor Eve) — The head of the Cold Case Unit, Boyd has a unique style of policing (not least shouting at and physically assaulting suspects in the interview room). His involvement in the CCU stems from the unexplained disappearance of his young son in the 1990s.^[1] Though sometimes appearing detached, Boyd is close to his team, particularly Mel Silver, whose death still haunts him two years later. Another aspect of Boyd's character which has occasionally compromised his impartiality is his weakness for attractive women, at least one of whom turned out to be implicated in a murder investigated by the team. According to information seen briefly on screen whilst he is being fingerprinted after his arrest for drink driving, Boyd's middle name is Timothy, and he was born on the 15th of July, 1950. His address is given as 17 Probert Road in Greenwich. His son returned in the first episode of the seventh series.[1]

• Psychological profiler Dr. Grace Foley (Sue Johnston) — Grace has nearly 30 years experience in her field, originally entering the force as forensic profiler. Her presence on the Unit provides a rational counter to Boyd's dogmatic and somewhat unorthodox methods but she enjoys a close working relationship with him, often engaging in witty banter with him. In the pilot she says that "she has kids to go home to", but in the resulting series it's clear that she never married and does not have children. In series 5 it is revealed that she fell in love with the married officer in charge of her first case and fell pregnant. He later died in a car crash, with the result that Grace had an abortion.

• Detective Inspector Spencer Jordan (Wil Johnson) — Spencer works closely alongside Boyd in many cases, often joining him in "good-cop-bad-cop" routines in the interview room. Before joining the CCU, Spencer worked for the Atomic Energy Constabulary. His partner from that job shot him in "Cold Fusion". After he had returned to work and his wound had healed, he got a tattoo around the scar, which Grace suggested was a way of coping with the ordeal.

• Detective Sergeant Stella Goodman (Félicité du Jeu, 2005 – present) — Stella joined the CCU as the permanent replacement for Mel in "Black Run" and became good friends with Spencer. Boyd was initially hostile towards her but eventually came to accept her. This trust was betrayed in "Cold Fusion" when it was revealed she had been (unwittingly) sending information on the Unit to her godfather. By the beginning of "Wren Boys", the team's confidence in her seemed to be fully restored.

• Forensic Pathologist Eve Lockhart (Tara Fitzgerald, 2007 – present) — Eve took over the lab from Felix and was already firmly entrenched in her work at the beginning of "Wren Boys", her first episode. Eve's career has allowed her to accumulate a body farm bringing a unique approach to her work. It is also revealed in "Sins" that she helped in a mass grave excavation in Bosnia.

[edit] Former characters

• Detective Sergeant Amelia "Mel" Silver^[2] (Claire Goose, 2000 – 2004) — Much like Grace, Mel freely questioned Boyd if she believes he is looking in the wrong direction in a case. She was close to everyone on the team, especially Frankie. It was revealed in 'Fugue States', that she was previously named 'Mary Price', and her mother was called 'Jane Price'. She was taken from her mother as a child, as her mother was seen as mentally unfit. She later sees her mother and finds she has a half sibling. She was killed in "Shadowplay" and appeared in archive footage in "Towers of Silence". In the sixth series, her death came back to haunt the Cold Case Unit with a mysterious pendant being sent to the office, with the sender claiming it belonged to Mel. It subsequently emerged that she was secretly working on a case with an American 'war' expert, this is explained in 'Yahrzeit'. [2]

• Forensic pathologist and scientist Frankie Wharton (Holly Aird, 2000 – 2004) — Frankie took a conscientious approach to her job and was good friends with Mel. After Mel's death, Frankie left the CCU to return to research. Actress Holly Aird left the programme due to her pregnancy.

• Forensic pathologist and scientist Felix Gibson (Esther Hall, 2005) — Felix took over the lab after Frankie's departure and, like her predecessor, would leave the office to join her colleagues in the field. She was an employee of the Home Office, and would not hesitate to stand up to Boyd. Esther Hall played the role for one series before leaving. It is currently unknown why the character left.

• Detective Sergeant Andrea Stephenson (Georgia Mackenzie, 2005) — Appeared in "Towers of Silence". She was drafted into the unit from Kent CID because she had previously investigated a case linked to the one the team reopened in that story.

[edit] Serials

[edit] Series 1 (2001)

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air-Date	Code
1	"Pilot, Part 1"	Barbara Machin	Martin Hutchings	4 September 2000	101
A new team of detectives, the Cold Case Squad, is put together to re-examine evidence of unsolved murders using advanced technology. In their first investigation DCI Peter Boyd has a second go at nailing the murderer of Alice Miller, a young girl who disappeared five years ago. Trouble is, the perpetrator is as keen as Boyd to act again, and abducts another girl...
2	"Pilot, Part 2"	Barbara Machin	Martin Hutchings	5 September 2000	102
Hoping that new DNA tests will reveal the killer's identity, DCI Boyd has the original abductee's body exhumed. But he soon comes to discover that the kidnapper is looking for more than money -- he wants revenge on Boyd's team.
3	"Burn Out, Part 1"	Peter Jukes	Edward Bennett	18 June 2001	103
A young woman, Marina, sets fire to an abandoned car in a street and takes photographs of it as it burns. Boyd walks by and tackles her to the ground, attempting to shield her from the possible explosion. He later learns that Marina's father died in a car accident a few years earlier in that spot, and Marina refuses to accept that his death was an accident. Although not officially a cold case, Boyd is intrigued and reluctantly agrees to investigate. Frankie runs forensic tests on Marina's father's car and proves that he was still alive after the crash and could have escaped. The answers they uncover may mean that the danger to Marina is much greater than any of them had suspected.
4	"Burn Out, Part 2"	Peter Jukes	Edward Bennett	19 June 2001	104
Boyd has Marina's uncle, Mike Coleman, and her mother, Gwen, brought in for questioning while Frankie searches the house. The team find the items that were recovered from the car nine years ago and suspect that Perry Coleman was being blackmailed by Rod Brogan, a friend of Perry's. Boyd has the body exhumed and the DNA results suprise everyone.
5	"Blind Beggar, Part 1"	John Milne	Robert Knights	25 June 2001	105
Workmen are burrowing in the crypt of a Catholic church when they come across the skeletal remains of a young man buried in concrete. The squad sets about trying to pinpoint the identity of the body, which was buried with the accoutrements of certain Catholic rituals. Even more oddly, there is a message in Braille buried with the corpse, which turns out to be a passage from one of St. Paul's letters to the Corinthians The team suspects that the body was never meant to be discovered.
6	"Blind Beggar, Part 2"	John Milne	Robert Knights	26 June 2001	106
The hunt continues for the murderer, as the team uncovers some long hidden family secrets while questioning the community and congregation. Also Frankie discovers a possible biological connection between the former parish priest, Father Stuart, and the first victim.
7	"A Simple Sacrifice, Part 1"	Simon Mirren	Robert Del Maestro	2 July 2001	107
Boyd and the team decide to reopen the 25 year old case of Annie Keel, a woman who was tried and convicted of a double homicide solely based upon her own confession. Boyd doubts the validity of the conviction, and decides to dig deeper to possibly discover what really happened. Why did Annie confess? Did she really commit murder, or was she covering for someone else?
8	"A Simple Sacrifice, Part 2"	Simon Mirren	Robert Del Maestro	3 July 2001	108
Boyd and the team continue their investigation of the Annie Kee case, and try to locate her son who was present during the murders.
9	"Every Breath You Take, Part 1"	Barbara Machin	Gary Love	9 July 2001	109
When the corpse of a well-known police woman who went missing a year earlier is found floating in the Thames, Boyd and his team of investigators try to track down who murdered her and her unborn child.
10	"Every Breath You Take, Part 2"	Barbara Machin	Gary Love	10 July 2001	110
Grace is not convinced that the stalker who confessed to the murder is truly guilty. But who really killed the police officer? Was it possibly the stalker, her ex-husband, or the married father of her unborn baby?

[edit] Series 2 (2002)

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air-Date	Code
11	"Life Sentence, Part 1"	John Milne	Edward Bennett	2 September 2002	201
The Cold Case team is forced to enlist the help of a psychotic serial killer named Thomas Rice. The one woman who escaped death at his hands, the cool and poised Dr Clare Delaney, gets a dreadful reminder of her past ordeal and a fearful shock when a playing card is flung at her car windscreen as she sets off to make a house call on a wet, windy, dark night. The team look again at the Gambler's crimes, prompted by Boyd's unshakeable belief that Rice had claimed other, hitherto undiscovered victims.Boyd - who has personal links to the case - and Grace decide to use detective constable Amelia Silver to lure a confession from Rice.
12	"Life Sentence, Part 2"	John Milne	Edward Bennett	3 September 2002	202
Boyd and the team continue to begrudgingly rely on serial killer, Thomas Rice's assistance on the case, while also trying to protect Dr. Delaney from experiencing her terrifying ordeal once more at the hands of the copycat assailant. It becomes apparent that he might have help on the outside, so it's crucial that Boyd confronts one of Rice's intended victims, Dr Delaney, to find out what went on during her captivity. Why did he spare her life?
13	"Deathwatch, Part 1"	Stephen Davis	Maurice Phillips	9 September 2002	203
Boyd and the team take on the task of infiltrating the dark underworld of London's gangland crime families when Harry Newman makes a deathbed confession to 12 "unauthorised killings". Dr Grace Foley is intrigued by this strange expression but Boyd and the rest of the team are tempted to dismiss it as the meanderings of a dying man. Until, that is, forensic psychologist Frankie Wharton discovers that Newman did not die of natural causes, but has been murdered. They soon realise there's a lot more to Newman than they imagined. Added to all that, there's a link to a famous fifties trial in which a gangster was hanged for killing two policemen.
14	"Deathwatch, Part 2"	Stephen Davis	Maurice Phillips	10 September 2002	204
The postliminary inquiries into Harry Newman's past and the identities of the possible twelve murder victims uncover a connection to the infamous trial and execution of a well known gangster.
15	"Special Relationship, Part 1"	Stephen Davis	David Thacker	16 September 2002	205
Boyd and his team struggle to find the truth behind the murder of a prominent Home Office adviser, when a petty criminal is acquitted of the crime. Once a prominent feminist activist, victim Katherine Reed had attacked the establishment at every opportunity, only to later switch sides. Boyd's progress on the case is hampered not only by a Home Office audit, which means the team will be shadowed throughout, but also by the fact that the original investigation was conducted by one of his old flames.
16	"Special Relationship, Part 2"	Stephen Davis	David Thacker	17 September 2002	206
While facing a surprise audit from the Home Office, DCI Boyd and the team try to continue their investigation into the murder ... but as they go on with their inquiries at Whitehall, they quickly discover the atmosphere to be very dark and secretive.
17	"Thin Air, Part 1"	Ed Whitmore	Edward Bennett	3 November 2002	207
Twelve years after Joanna Gold famously disappeared in broad daylight on Hampstead Heath, the dress she was wearing is found in a lock-up. The team begin the hunt for her killer.
18	"Thin Air, Part 2"	Ed Whitmore	Edward Bennett	4 November 2002	208
While under pressure to discover the truth behind the murder of young Joanna, DCI Boyd slips up and makes possibly some irreversible mistakes. In return, Joanna's killer begins stalking her sister, so its up to Boyd to cath the killer before he strikes.

[edit] Series 3 (2003)

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air-Date	Code
19	"Multistorey, Part 1"	Ed Whitmore	Robert Bierman	14 September 2003	301
A man accused of opening fire on a crowd from a multi storey car park, and killed a policeman, is claiming his innocence. Boyd's colleagues question his loyalties when he seems unwilling to re-investigate. As DC Mel Silver digs deeper, she discovers some disturbing truths about her boss.
20	"Multistorey, Part 2"	Ed Whitmore	Robert Bierman	15 September 2003	302
Boyd struggles with his past while continuing the investigation on a mass murderer who was also guilty of killing his close friend. Are the Gunman's claims of innocence true? As the team investigate it looks as if someone else may have been involved.
21	"Walking On Water, Part 1"	Stephen Davis	David Thacker	21 September 2003	303
When a convicted killer is cleared at appeal for the murder of his adoptive father ten years previously, Boyd is not convinced that the man is innocent. But the only way to find out is to track down the rest of the family - and with a big inheritance at stake, both parties appear to have a lot to hide..
22	"Walking On Water, Part 2"	Stephen Davis	David Thacker	22 September 2003	304
Following the murder of Mark Lovell's cousin, the team establish that Mark has a watertight alibi, and the search for the real murderer narrows down to the remaining family members. Their investigation into the two remaining family members is further complicated by the discovery of drug dealing and involvement in the witness protection scheme.
23	"Breaking Glass, Part 1"	Simon Mirren	Andy Hay	27 September 2003	305
A recovered memory therapist alerts the CCS to a care home regime of sexual abuse of young boys and a suspected murder. Her client who revealed all this in a therapy session goes missing and the team strongly suspect he has gone on the hunt for the man who abused him and murdered his friend.
24	"Breaking Glass, Part 2"	Simon Mirren	Andy Hay	28 September 2003	306
ln their attempts to prevent another murder, the team desperately tries to establish the identity of the care home paedophile who is also being hunted down by two of his victims.
25	"Final Cut, Part 1"	Stephen Davis	Betsan Morris Evans	5 October 2003	307
A mummified body sends the Cold Case Squad back to the sixties and to a Notting Hill house which had been featured in a film as the location for a murderous fight between gangsters. Renovation works at the house in the present day reveal more bodies behind the walls. The film starts to appear not so fictional after all. Things get even more complicated when Spencer tells Boyd that he and his family lived there when the events took place.
26	"Final Cut, Part 2"	Stephen Davis	Betsan Morris Evans	6 October 2003	308
The gangster responsible for the bodies behind the walls in the Notting Hill house is still active and the unearthing of past events provokes more murders and an international turf war. Spencer's family history is the key to unravelling the mystery.

[edit] Series 4 (2004)

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air-Date	Code
27	"In Sight of the Lord, Part 1"	Tony McHale	Andy Hay	11 July 2004	401
Boyd and the cold case team investigate the unsolved murder of a World War 2 conscientious objector. In 1948 George Western was found in his living room with a nine-inch nail through his head. When his grandson Adam finds new evidence and organises a media campaign, the case is reopened. Then the body of elderly William Davis is found in similar circumstances. And Grace uncovers the identical killing of Norman Taylor in 1961. The team discovers that Taylor and Western were in the same regiment during the war and trace surviving members to try to solve the murders.
28	"In Sight of the Lord, Part 2"	Tony McHale	Andy Hay	12 July 2004	402
The Cold Case Squad discover that the victims were a group of friends who were all in the same army regiment during the war. It seems the murderer is killing as an act of revenge.
29	"False Flag, Part 1"	Stephen Davis	Suri Krishnamma	18 July 2004	403
Boyd and his team face a race against time after a skeleton found in a condemned garage triggers a tragic chain of events. The skeleton is that of garage owner, Gerald Doyle, an Irish terrorist who went missing in 1981. An unexploded car bomb found at the scene points to terrorist activity as the cause of death. However, Doyle’s parents produce a set of his diaries, which reveal that he was actually a mole for the British intelligence services.
30	"False Flag, Part 2"	Stephen Davis	Suri Krishnamma	19 July 2004	404
The Squad begin to feel like they are being watched, and their fears are realised when they find unauthorised surveillance equipment. It is revealed their victim may have not have been as guilty as they once thought and when a person Boyd questioned as a part of the investigation commits suicide, they realise a missing link between her and a assassination. Boyd gets 36 hours to get to the bottom of things before the security services take over.
31	"Fugue States, Part 1"	Ed Whitmore	Ben Bolt	25 July 2004	405
In 1990, Jason and Cindy, two 5-year-old twins disappear from their home, and even after a nationwide search is launched, they are still not found. Thirteen years later, Jason is found in a hospital suffering from injuries he sustained in a car accident. But where's Cindy? Boyd and the team set out to find her. While Mel Silver is trying to find her biological mother.
32	"Fugue States, Part 2"	Ed Whitmore	Ben Bolt	26 July 2004	406
The team try track Jason as they work out how the twins were taken and why. They link the twins disapperance to a Dr Roper, who knocked Jason down. They unravel his past and find out some dark secrets. The squad work out who Cindy is now and try to find her before it's too late.
33	"Anger Management, Part 1"	John Milne	Andy Hay	1 August 2004	407
A man staying in a "halfway house" for released prisoners uses a gun - that is revealed to have been used in contract killings years ago - commit suicide. The gun is later stolen from Frankie's lab. Investigations reveal that the gun could have been used by a hired assassin in 9 murders over the last 30 years. Boyd is taking Anger Management.
34	"Anger Management, Part 2"	John Milne	Andy Hay	2 August 2004	408
When the gun stolen from Frankie is used in another murder, the Squad suspect the victim's gopher. It is revealed the first murder could have been a case of mistaken identity. Frankie and Grace begin to get creeped out by the effects of Boyd's Anger Management!
35	"The Hardest World, Part 1"	Doug Milburn	Phillipa Langdale	8 August 2004	409
The Squad investigate the murders of two males who had the word "Sorry" carved into their backs. The latest victim has a brother linked to Organised Crime, so three other officers are brought in, which Boyd takes an instant dislike to - except Greta. The new faces create tension in the office and the team cannot trust them. As the case goes on, they begin to realise that it could be leading to a paedophile group.
36	"The Hardest World, Part 2"	Doug Milburn	Phillipa Langdale	9 August 2004	410
The case continues as we learn of the death of D.S. Dave Marvin. Marvin has been found dead in his car with the same markings of sorry on his back. Throughout this episode we learn that Greta is hiding something from us and who is the mysterious old man who keeps turning up every time a body is found?
37	"Shadowplay, Part 1"	Ed Whitmore	Andy Hay	15 August 2004	411
A young woman with a history of psychiatric problems kills her family by setting the family home on fire. She admits to the crime, but claims that she was coerced in to doing it by a mysterious character known only by the name 'The Shepherd'. Her psychiartrist links her case to similar cases and gets the Cold Case Squad involved.
38	"Shadowplay, Part 2"	Ed Whitmore	Andy Hay	16 August 2004	412
Boyd and the team continue to investigate the arson case and the other two other possible crime connections to 'The Shepherd'. Will the team discover this person's true identity or will it all turn out to be a part of the imagination of a mentally-ill woman?

[edit] Series 5 (2005)

#	Title	Writer	Original airdate
39 and 40	"Towers of Silence"	Joe Cozens	18 September – 19 September 2005
41 and 42	"Black Run"	Raymond Khoury	25 September – 26 September 2005
43 and 44	"Subterraneans"	Ed Whitmore	2 October – 3 October 2005
45 and 46	"Straw Dog"	Declan Croghan	9 October – 10 October 2005
47 and 48	"Undertow"	Oliver Browns	16 October – 17 October 2005
49 and 50	"Cold Fusion"	Ed Whitmore	23 October – 24 October 2005

[edit] Series 6 (2007)

#	Title	Writer	Original airdate
51 and 52	"Wren Boys"	Declan Croghan	7 January – 8 January 2007
53 and 54	"Deus Ex Machina"	Nicholas Blincoe	14 January – 15 January 2007
55 and 56	"The Fall"	Damian Wayling	21 January – 22 January 2007
57 and 58	"Mask of Sanity"	Laurence Davy & Declan Croghan	28 January – 29 January 2007
59 and 60	"Double Bind"	Richard Warlow	4 February – 5 February 2007
61 and 62	"Yahrzeit"	Declan Croghan	18 February – 19 February 2007

[edit] Series 7 (2008)

#	Title	Director	Writer	Original Air-Date	Code
63	"Missing Persons, Part 1"	Tim Fywell	Declan Croghan	14 April 2008	701
The DNA of a woman caught on CCTV camera defending her daughter from a mugger is found to match that discovered at a murder scene in 1990. Meanwhile, Boyd's emotions are challenged when there's news about his son who's been missing for seven years.
64	"Missing Persons, Part 2"	Tim Fywell	Declan Croghan	15 April 2008	702
The Cold Case squad discover that what at first looks like evidence of a snuff movie, and a case about prostitution and sexual violence, turns out to be the unearthing of a terrorist cell comprising three women: Una Doyle, Lore Dutana and Fatima.
65	"Sins, Part 1"	Daniel Percival	Declan Croghan	21 April 2008	703
When the human remains of a Prison Governer are found in an urban canal, The Cold Case team investigate the mystery behind his death which happened in his house years ago. Meanwhile, Boyd searches for his son but he doesn't know where to look.
66	"Sins, Part 2"	Daniel Percival	Declan Croghan	22 April 2008	704
After the discovery of Terry Ryan's body buried in a field, more corpses are uncovered..leading Grace to think it is a ritual burial site. Meanwhile Boyd and the team race to find Dr Hooper, whom Kelleher has taken hostage. And back in the lab Eve makes a shocking discovery.
67	"Duty and Honour, Part 1"	Robert Bierman	Adrian Mead	28 April 2008	705
When a dog unearths human remains in a wood, the team manage to make a connection with a decapitated corpse discovered two years previously, close to an army barracks. The mystery leads to a regimental dinner at the barracks where the team soon find themselves embroiled in a high-level cover-up.
68	"Duty and Honour, Part 2"	Robert Bierman	Adrian Mead	29 April 2008	706
The Cold Case Team get closer to who the DNA on the body belongs to. But then, a new suspect enters the scene, a woman from Iraq wanting help to prove the murderer of her son is the man the Soldiers were working for.
69	"Skin, Part 1"	Edward Bennett	Clive Bradley & Declan Croghan	5 May 2008	707
After they get a tip off in an anonymous e-mail, the team head to a waste ground in east London, where they find the mummified corpse of a right-wing fascist activist. Jim Brown is questioned about George Andrews' (the man killed) murder and later kidnaps his daughter's Muslim Asian boyfriend.
70	"Skin, Part 2"	Edward Bennett	Clive Bradley & Declan Croghan	6 May 2008	708
The team have to race against time to solve the waste ground murder, as it becomes clear that a teenager's life may depend upon it. However, as the team investigate further, they find out some unexpected news.
71	"Wounds, Part 1"	Sam Miller	Paul Farrell	12 May 2008	709
The body of a man who disappeared in 1996 is discovered in a disused tunnel. It soon becomes apparent his body has been mutilated in a manner linked with the occult.
72	"Wounds, Part 2"	Sam Miller	Paul Farrell	13 May 2008	710
73	"Pieta, Part 1"	Philippa Langdale	Declan Croghan	19 May 2008	711
74	"Pieta, Part 2"	Philippa Langdale	Declan Croghan	20 May 2008	712

[edit] Series 8 (2009)

The BBC has confirmed an 8^th series for Waking the Dead which will consist of five episodes and will start recording later on this year. Trevor Eve is confirmed to be returning. ^[3]

[edit] Reception

The first series secured strong ratings, with "Burn Out, part 1" receiving 8.4m viewers and a 38% share.^[4] Persistently high ratings meant the programme was recommissioned each year for either the summer or winter schedule. The 2007 series began with strong ratings, with "Wren Boys, part 1" achieving 9.2m viewers and a 35.2% share.^[5] The second part dropped to 8.6m but still gained a 33% share.^[6]

Following the successful transmission of the third series and an International Emmy Award nomination, a further two series were commissioned with the number of stories expanded from four to six.^[7] Waking the Dead won an International Emmy Award the following year for "Multistorey" written by Ed Whitmore and directed by Bob Bierman.^[8]

[edit] DVD releases

The first five series have been released on region 2 by 2 entertain Ltd under the BBC DVD banner. Region 1 is distributed by BBC Video and region 4 by Roadshow.

DVD name	Release dates
	Region 2	Region 1	Region 4
The Complete Series One & Pilot	September 12, 2005	October 24, 2006	March 2, 2006
The Complete Series Two	June 26, 2006	October 16, 2007	TBA
The Complete Series Three	September 25, 2006	TBA	TBA
The Complete Series Four	January 29, 2007	TBA	TBA
The Complete Series Five	September 10, 2007	TBA	TBA
The Complete Series Six	May 19, 2008	TBA	TBA

[edit] See also

[edit] Similar Series

The investigation of "Cold Cases" has been a theme for several detective dramas, including:

• The Enigma Files, UK / BBC, 1980
• Cold Squad, CAN / CTV, 1998
• New Tricks, UK / BBC, 2003
• Cold Case, US / CBS, 2003

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• Waking the Dead at bbc.co.uk
• Waking the Dead at the Internet Movie Database
• "Shadowplay" shooting script at BBC Writers Room