Honestly, it is kind of wild to look back at the early 2000s and realize that the guy playing the bored, lovelorn paper salesman in Slough would eventually become one of the most bankable stars in global television. Most people first met Martin Freeman as Tim Canterbury in The Office. You know the look—that subtle, weary glance toward the camera whenever his boss said something genuinely horrific. It was a masterclass in "less is more."
But if you think he's just the "relatable everyman" guy, you’ve basically been missing out on some of the grittiest, most complex acting of the last decade. From the rain-soaked streets of Liverpool in The Responder to the snowy, blood-stained chaos of Fargo, the Martin Freeman TV series catalog is a lot darker and more diverse than his early comedy roots might suggest. He doesn't just play nice guys; he plays guys who are right on the edge of a total breakdown.
The Evolution of the Martin Freeman TV Series
It is 2026, and we are still talking about Sherlock. Why? Because that show changed the trajectory of Freeman’s career forever. Before he was John Watson, he was a beloved British sitcom actor. After Sherlock, he was an international Emmy winner who could stand toe-to-toe with Benedict Cumberbatch's high-functioning sociopath and actually be the emotional heart of the story.
But let's be real for a second. The "Sherlock" return rumors are like a zombie that won't die. Every few months, someone asks Mark Gatiss or Steven Moffat about a fifth season. As of right now, the word is pretty clear: it’s "rested." Gatiss recently hinted that it’s hard to get everyone in the same room, and honestly, with Freeman and Cumberbatch’s schedules, a full series feels like a pipe dream. Maybe a movie? Fans keep hoping, but Freeman has moved on to much heavier stuff.
Why The Responder is His Best Work Yet
If you haven't seen The Responder, stop what you're doing. It is brutal. Freeman plays Chris Carson, a night-shift copper in Liverpool who is quite literally drowning in the trauma of his job.
🔗 Read more: Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus Explained (Simply)
- The Accent: He nailed the Scouse accent so well that local viewers were genuinely shocked he wasn't from Merseyside.
- The Stakes: It’s not a "case of the week" show. It’s a "will this man survive the next six hours" show.
- The Nuance: He won an International Emmy for this in 2024, and for good reason. It’s a performance built on exhaustion and moral compromise.
Season 2 dropped in late 2024, putting Chris through the absolute ringer again as he tried to go straight while the world pulled him back into the dirt. There’s been talk about a third season, but current reports suggest it might be "shelved" for a bit while creator Tony Schumacher works on other projects. It’s a bummer, but Freeman isn’t exactly sitting around waiting.
The Roles You Probably Missed (But Shouldn't Have)
Everyone knows the big hits, but some of the most interesting Martin Freeman TV series entries are the ones that didn't get the massive Marvel-level marketing.
Take A Confession (2019). It’s a true-crime drama where he plays DS Steve Fulcher. It’s a fascinating look at a detective who catches a killer but destroys his own career by breaking police protocol to find a second victim. Freeman plays him with this rigid, frustrating sense of morality that makes you root for him even when he’s objectively wrong.
Then there’s Breeders. If you have kids, this show is basically a documentary. Freeman co-created it, and it ran for four seasons, ending in 2023. It’s a dark, often uncomfortable look at the "hidden" side of parenting—the screaming matches, the resentment, and the deep, terrifying love that keeps you from actually losing your mind. The finale was bittersweet, jumping forward in time to show how Paul (Freeman) and Ally (Daisy Haggard) aged alongside their kids. It felt like a very honest goodbye to a show that never pulled its punches.
💡 You might also like: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
The Netflix Mystery: The Seven Dials Mystery
Right now, in early 2026, the big buzz is around Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery on Netflix. Freeman plays Superintendent Battle. It’s a three-part limited series that just hit the platform, and it’s a total shift from his gritty police work. It’s stylish, 1920s period-drama fun, but Freeman brings a certain "Columbo" energy to the role. He’s actually gone on record saying he’d love to give a character like Columbo a go, and you can see that DNA in his performance here.
Is He Ever Going Back to Comedy?
Kinda. But not in the way you think.
Freeman’s humor has evolved into something much more cynical and dry. Even in his Marvel appearances as Everett K. Ross, he’s the "straight man" in a world of superheroes. He seems to prefer roles where the stakes are life and death, even if there’s a dark joke hidden in the script.
- Fargo Season 1: This was the turning point. Playing Lester Nygaard—a man who goes from a bullied insurance salesman to a cold-blooded pragmatist—showed that Freeman could do "Midwestern Nice" with a side of murder.
- StartUp: This was a weird one. A tech-thriller where he played an FBI agent who was... well, not a good guy. It’s a bit of a cult classic now.
- Talking Heads: He did a monologue for Alan Bennett’s revival during the pandemic that was just heartbreaking. It reminded everyone that he can hold an entire audience's attention just by talking to a camera for thirty minutes.
What’s Next for Martin Freeman?
He’s currently keeping busy on the stage as well, recently starring in The Fifth Step in the West End alongside Jack Lowden. But for TV fans, the eyes are on whether he’ll take on another long-form prestige drama. There are whispers about a new collaboration with the BBC for a high-concept thriller, though nothing is 100% confirmed yet.
📖 Related: The Lil Wayne Tracklist for Tha Carter 3: What Most People Get Wrong
The reality is that any Martin Freeman TV series is going to be worth a watch because he’s one of the few actors who refuses to phone it in. He picks projects that challenge him—and usually, they end up challenging us, too.
If you’re looking to catch up, here is the move:
Start with The Office to see where he began, then jump straight into The Responder to see who he has become. The contrast is staggering. After that, find A Confession on BritBox or Netflix. It’s a slower burn, but the payoff is immense. Stay away from the Sherlock forums unless you want to get sucked into a decade-long argument about whether a movie is actually happening. Just enjoy the work that is already there. It's plenty.
Instead of waiting for a return to Baker Street, dive into the Liverpool night-shift or the 1920s mystery of Superintendent Battle. That’s where the real magic is happening right now.
Watch The Responder on BBC iPlayer or BritBox for the most raw performance of his career to date. If you're in the mood for something lighter but still sharp, the new Seven Dials Mystery is the perfect weekend binge.