A ‘hugely compelling’ crime drama is making a return to the BBC in just a matter of days after it was previously hailed as ‘a breath of fresh air’.

Black Snow offered viewers a gripping opening season in 2023, introducing Vikings’ Travis Fimmel as murder detective James Cormack in the fictional Australian town of Ashford.

Fans were left enthralled by the first offering, set in 2019, as Detective Cormack struggled to get to the bottom of the death of 17-year-old Isabel Barker, a cold case since 1994.

All the while, the complicated character dealt with a host of family demons threatening to hinder his ability to solve the mystery. 

It was initially released on Australian streaming service Stan 1, but British viewers were soon able to binge the heavily-nominated drama once it arrived on iPlayer in August 2023.

Mere weeks after it returned for a second season, the tense series is set to come back to British screens in news which will be celebrated by its legions of fans, if its Rotten Tomatoes reviews are anything to go by.

Black Snow offered viewers a gripping opening season in 2023, introducing Vikings’ Travis Fimmel as murder detective James Cormack in the fictional Australian town of Ashford

Fans were left enthralled by the first offering, set in 2019, as Detective Cormack struggled to get to the bottom of the death of 17-year-old Isabel Barker, a cold case since 1994

Mere weeks after it returned for a second season (pictured), the tense series is set to come back to British screens in news which will be celebrated by its legions of fans

Boasting an impressive 84 per cent rating on the website, the show has been praised for its detailed characters and an eye-catching performance by Travis.

One impressed viewer wrote: ‘Excellent Murder Mystery! Binge it today! Loved it!! Travis is awesome!’

Another added: ‘Fimmel is outstanding. The cast is also superb… it took me a minute to absorb the vibe of this series and the location and culture, but once I did, it grabbed me.’ 

A third said: ‘It’s slow moving, with lots of character development and not a whole lot of action, which I ᴀssume is the reason that some people don’t like it. But I was completely sucked in; I cared about the characters and wanted to know what happened to them. 

‘If you enjoy Shetland, you’ll love this. The plot is complex, but it hangs together, and the ending (which I did not predict) makes sense and ties up all the loose ends. 

‘I thought the acting was very good and the dialogue was realistic, particularly the scenes showing the murder victim’s interactions with other high school kids prior to the murder. Highly recommended.’

Another stunned fan posted: ‘I was mesmerized. Such compelling characters. The mood was gripping.’ 

One viewer added: ‘My friend had me watch the show. I absolutely loved it and I need a season two please come out with a season two.’ 

Boasting an impressive 84 per cent rating on the website, the show has been praised for its detailed characters and an eye-catching performance by Travis

Despite it being out for a matter of weeks, fans are already raving about the heavily-awaited follow-up series, with more viewers posting on Rotten Tomatoes

And a sixth said: ‘Great show that develops over time. The end of the show has a good payoff and everything is wrapped up well.’ 

Fans will be delighted at the arrival of season two, which sees the detective take on another tricky case, this time a missing persons mystery dating back to 2003.

Read More The BBC hidden gem fans can’t stop binge-watching that will leave you terrified of your smartphone

Zoe Jacobs disappeared in the fictional town of Moorevale and Travis’ character is determined to get to the bottom of it, while also investigating the disappearance of his younger brother in 1994.

Despite it being out for a matter of weeks, fans are already raving about the heavily-awaited follow-up series, with one posting on Rotten Tomatoes: ‘Strong story with credible twists and well acted. One of the best Australian dramas in recent times.’

While another said: ‘This was by far one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while, I binge watched the whole first season and then binge watched the first half of season 2 and had to wait each week for the remaining episodes.

‘The cast were perfect in all of their roles. Each episode kept you on the edge of your seat. This was a perfectly made show, and I’m eager for more.’

Black Snow is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.