The State of ITV Thrillers: One Ends, One Pauses, One Lingers
The renewal status of ITV thrillers such as After the Flood, Van der Valk, and Vera refers to whether new seasons, specials, or episodes have been officially ordered, cancelled, or left undecided by the broadcaster and its production partners, shaping how long fans can expect these dramas and characters to continue on screen.
If you love British drama renewals, this is a bittersweet moment. After the Flood is confirmed to be over, Van der Valk is in limbo, and Vera lives on only as a tantalising possibility. The crime show After the Flood aired its second season earlier this year, but the broadcaster has confirmed it will not return, ending the idea of an After the Flood series 3. Van der Valk, by contrast, has neither been renewed nor cancelled, with season 4 only recently back on screens after a long gap. Vera finished its 14-season run last November, yet its star is conspicuously open to one last case. This strange mix of closure, uncertainty and nostalgia says a lot about how fragile even beloved dramas can be.
After the Flood: A Strong Exit Instead of After the Flood Series 3
Let’s start with the clearest answer: there will be no After the Flood series 3. The future of the ITV thriller has been decided, with the broadcaster confirming that the crime drama, which stars Sophie Rundle, will come to an end after two seasons. An ITV spokesperson said that they are proud of what the drama achieved and that “while there are no plans for a third series, we’re very grateful to everyone who supported the drama”.
It is a frustrating decision precisely because the show worked. Critics described its first run as an “unexpectedly riveting disaster drama” and praised its community-focused storytelling. Rundle herself had spoken about how the world and characters could easily support more stories, and fans will feel the loss of a potential third run. Still, there is a practical consolation: After the Flood seasons 1–2 are available to stream on ITVX, giving viewers a complete, finite mystery rather than a series abandoned on a cliffhanger. In an era of sudden cancellations, a clean, two-season arc is not the worst fate.
Van der Valk Season 5: Hope, Cliffhangers and a Co-Production Catch
If After the Flood’s fate is clear, Van der Valk’s future is the opposite: murky but hopeful. The detective drama finally returned for its fourth season earlier this month, more than three years after its previous outing on UK screens. Yet there has been no official announcement about Van der Valk season 5; ITV has neither renewed nor cancelled the show, leaving viewers hanging alongside Piet van der Valk himself.
The uncertainty is baked into how the series is made. Lead actor Marc Warren explains that the show has always been a co-production with funding from multiple broadcasters, each with its own schedule. That structure explains the long gaps and makes renewal slower than a simple domestic decision. Still, the creative intent is clear. Warren has said that season 4 was left deliberately open and that “people, when they finish this series, will want to know what’s going on… which is why we need to do season 5”. All four seasons, each comprising three feature-length episodes, are available on ITVX, while viewers in the US can watch via PBS Masterpiece. For now, Van der Valk sits in suspense—appropriately for a crime drama built on unresolved threads.
Vera’s Farewell – and Why a Vera ITV Special Won’t Die
Unlike the newer dramas, Vera is a veteran of the genre: the series ran for 14 seasons before ending last November. Brenda Blethyn had already announced she would step down, explaining that she wanted to reclaim summers with her family after more than a decade of filming commitments. It was, by her own account, a hard decision, and she admitted that when the usual filming season arrives, she will probably be in tears.
Yet the idea of a Vera ITV special refuses to go away—and Blethyn has now added fuel to that fire. Asked whether she would return, she replied that she would do so “in a drop of her bucket hat” if a special were proposed, calling it a wonderful job. She is less enthused about prequels, arguing that such spin-offs rarely feel connected to the original shows. Practically speaking, fans can still revisit the early days: Vera seasons one to three are streaming on Disney+. Emotionally, though, the door is cracked open. This is not a promise, but it is a clear signal that if ITV wants one last outing, its leading lady is game.
What These Decisions Mean for Fans Waiting on British Drama Renewals
Taken together, these three shows sketch a clear lesson: in modern television, even successful dramas live with constant uncertainty. After the Flood proves that critical praise and a strong central performance do not guarantee an endless run; commissioning decisions still depend on a complex mix of factors and can halt a series even at the height of its powers. Van der Valk shows how co-production structures can stretch timelines and leave Van der Valk season 5 hanging on international partners aligning rather than a single broadcaster’s enthusiasm. And Vera demonstrates that sometimes it is the star, not the network, who decides when a long-running favourite steps back, even if they later leave the door ajar for a special.
For viewers, the practical impact is simple but inconvenient: you can stream completed runs—After the Flood on ITVX, Van der Valk’s four seasons on ITVX and PBS Masterpiece, and early Vera seasons on Disney+—while you wait for official word. Emotionally, the impact is sharper. Fans are left in a holding pattern, clinging to quotes and hints instead of clear announcements. Until broadcasters speak, speculation will fill the gap. The healthiest stance might be this: treat each finale as if it could be the last, enjoy what exists, and let renewals be a bonus rather than an expectation.
