'Fantastic' crime drama fans say will 'tear your heart out' is streaming for free

Crime drama fans are in for a treat as a six-part series which gained rave reviews is available to stream for free now.

The series, which is available to watch on ITVX, originally aired on BBC One and it follows an ageing policeman who undertakes an investigation to find his lost teammate.ITV is gearing up to release some stellar shows, including I Fought The Law.

The synopsis reads: "Struggling to come to terms with the recent loss of a colleague, police officer John River chases a potential suspect across London, with tragic consequences."

The miniseries in question is called River, starring Stellan Skarsgård as DI John River and Nicola Walker as the late DS Jackie "Stevie" Stevenson.

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Fans took to Reddit to recommend it to others, with JMWallace44 sharing: "River is fantastic. More than a crime drama - it will tear your heart out as well."

Sad-Adagio6384 added: "Going back a few years but River, a 6-parter, is superb."

Gaimes4me commented: "I cried watching River. I want to re-watch, but my emotions can't take it."

The series has a rare Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% and when it first aired, it received rave reviews from critics.

The first episode impressed the Daily Telegraph's Tim Martin, who called it "superlatively creepy TV".

He said: "Much of the credit also belongs to Skarsgård.

"His performance here was a revelation, switching in seconds from remoteness to fury, from twinkling avuncularity to withering scorn.

"The emotional punch at the end of this episode, when River finally admitted the extent of his psychological distress, was the most moving thing I've seen on television for some time.

"Then he went home to find a dead man sitting on his bed. Personally, I can't wait for next week."

The series also features Lesley Manville as DCI Chrissie Read, with the star earning a nomination for the 2016 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress.

River is available to watch on ITVX in the UK