DNA (British TV series)
British crime drama about a forensic pathologist's personal crisis.
DNA (originally broadcast as DoNovAn) is a British television crime drama first broadcast on ITV in 2004. The series stars Tom Conti and Samantha Bond as the main protagonists, Joe and Kate Donovan. Two series were produced, with the first following a retired police forensic pathologist whose life is turned upside down after finding his own name scrawled in blood at a crime scene.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Crime drama
- Writer
- Mike Cullen · Charlie Fletcher
- Director
- Simon Delaney · Ciaran Donnelly
- Starring
- Tom Conti · Samantha Bond · Ryan Cartwright · Amelia Bullmore · Dan Fredenburgh
- Composer
- Mark Russell
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Num Series
- 2
- Num Episodes
- 5
- Executive Producer
- Mike Cullen · Andy Harries
- Producer
- Spencer Campbell
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first series of DNA is a two-part story in which Joe Donovan, a retired police forensic pathologist, is called to a crime scene and discovers his own name written in blood by the victim. This event turns his life upside down. The second series, aired in 2006, features three unrelated, entirely different cases, and Donovan comes out of retirement to head the Forensics Investigation Unit (FIU).
Reader's Guide
DNA is a British television crime drama that originally aired on ITV in 2004 under the title DoNovAn. It stars Tom Conti as Joe Donovan and Samantha Bond as Kate Donovan. The series is notable for its two-series run, with the first series consisting of a single two-part story and the second series comprising three unrelated cases. The final episode of the second series was postponed from its scheduled 24 July 2005 airing due to its terrorism-related storyline being deemed insensitive following two terrorist attacks in London weeks earlier. The first series was released on DVD in the UK on 18 May 2009, though the DVD only contains the two-part first series despite the blurb claiming all five episodes. A complete box set of both series was previously released in the US on 13 May 2008. The cast includes Ryan Cartwright as Seth Donovan, Malcolm Scates and Indira Varma in series 1, and Amelia Bullmore, Dan Fredenburgh, and Katie Blake in series 2.
Did You Know?
- The series was originally broadcast under the title DoNovAn.
- The final episode of series 2 was postponed from its originally scheduled date due to terrorism content deemed insensitive after two London terrorist attacks; the series itself aired in 2006.
- The UK DVD release of the first series only contains the two-part story, not all five episodes as stated on the blurb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DNA (British TV series) and who stars in it?
DNA, originally aired under the title DoNovAn, is a two-series British crime drama that follows forensic pathologist Joe Donovan and his partner Kate. The lead roles are played by Tom Conti and Samantha Bond, with the show first hitting ITV screens in 2004.
What is the central plot of DNA (British TV series)?
The first series kicks off when retired police forensic pathologist Joe Donovan discovers his own name written in blood at a murder scene, dragging him back into a world he thought he had left behind. The story then spirals into a personal crisis that blurs the line between his professional past and his present life.
How many series of DNA (British TV series) were produced?
Only two series were made before the show was cancelled. Both ran on ITV in the mid-2000s, and no further seasons or revivals have been commissioned since.
Where and when was DNA (British TV series) originally broadcast?
The series premiered on ITV in the United Kingdom in 2004 under its original working title, DoNovAn. It was later rebranded as DNA for subsequent releases and references.
Why is DNA (British TV series) notable in the British crime genre?
It stands out for pairing a retired forensic expert with a deeply personal identity crisis rather than a straightforward procedural structure. The show also benefits from the strong on-screen chemistry between Conti and Bond, giving it a more character-driven tone than typical ITV crime fare of the era.
More in British crime television series 1-24
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