ITV’s beloved crime drama Unforgotten returns for its sixth series, and fans are delighted. The series, which began airing in 2015, has established itself as a fixture of British TV, distinguished by its immersive story lines, emotional complexity and superlative performances. On February 9, 2025, Series 6 returned, continuing to deliver a mystical seduction along with complex characters. Here’s what to know about the new season.
The Plot: A grisly discovery
The new series begins with a chilling discovery: Human remains are discovered in Whitney Marsh. Detectives DCI Jess James (Sinéad Keenan) and DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) are called to the scene, parking their personal lives to work the case. The remains are determined to be quite recent, and the gruesome implication is that the body was cut to bits before it was disposed of. So begins a tense, thrilling investigation, as Jess and Sunny look for other clues to determine who is behind the crime.
The case brings in four central suspects, all with their secrets:
- Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring), an Ireland-based TV commentator who draws ire.
- Martin ‘Marty’ Baines (Maximilian Fairley), is an autistic man who lives with his mother, Dot (Michele Dotrice), in Kent.
- Asif Syed (Elham Ehsas), is an Afghan refugee studying for his U.K. citizenship exam.
- Juliet Cooper (Victoria Hamilton), is a London-based history lecturer whose personal life is in disarray.
Although these characters initially appear unrelated, their lives are intricately woven together, and it’s up to Jess and Sunny to uncover the hidden connections.
The Dynamic Duo: Jess & Sunny
For me, the real highlight of Unforgotten is the team-up between Jess and Sunny. Despite a rocky beginning in Series 5, their working relationship has flourished. Sinéad Keenan, who joined for Series 5, has slotted perfectly into the role of Jess, immediately bringing a new energy to the team. Sanjeev Bhaskar remains wonderful as Sunny, which requires a constant equilibrium between the character’s empathy and determination.
In Series 6, Jess and Sunny work more in sync — though they still each have personal issues to navigate. Jess is attempting to repair her broken marriage in the wake of her husband’s infidelity, while Sunny is still mourning the death of his previous partner, Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker). Their demons bring more complexity than ever to a story about a professional partnership.
A Stellar Guest Cast
Unforgotten, as ever, has a stellar guest cast. She is the fierce Melinda Ricci, played by MyAnna Buring (of The Witcher, The Twilight Saga), a tough, crisp-tongued character with a well of sadness that runs deeper than viewers might expect. Victoria Hamilton, known from Doctor Foster and The Crown, plays Juliet Cooper, a headstrong academic with a troubled history.
Marty Baines is his first TV role, played by newcomer Maximilian Fairley, and the character grapples with the challenges neurodiverse people encounter. Marty’s mother, Dot, Michele Dotrice, a veteran actress best known for Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, brings some nostalgia for old-school TV fans.
Themes and Social Commentary
Series 6 of Unforgotten doesn’t shy away from addressing issues in the time they are timely. The series delves into immigration, social media, and the pandemic’s effect on mental health, among other topics. Chris Lang writes the kind of series that speaks to the divisions in modern society, and this one is less a crime drama and more a withering judgment of life as we live it today.
What you get is a sausage of sorts, with each member of the family chewing their lot through new strands of meat: For instance, Marty’s plotline gets into the subject of online incel communities, while Asif’s refugee arc gets to the raw meat of immigrant struggles in the U.K. These themes do deepen the narrative, making the show more affecting and thought-provoking.
How to Watch Unforgotten Season 6
Unforgotten series 6 debuted on ITV1 on February 9, 2025, with episode two following on February 10. It is a box set of all six episodes available to stream on the ITVX service and fans can binge-watch the entire season in one sitting if they wish. If you’re behind on the show, previous seasons are on ITVX as well.
The Continuing Allure of Unforgotten
What makes Unforgotten stand out among crime dramas is its attention to the human stories of the crimes. The show is not just about solving crimes; it explores the lives of the victims, the suspects, and the detectives, building a complex web of emotions and relationships. The writing, this time by Chris Lang, is always sharp, and the performances are first-class, making watching each season a necessity.
