‘Wallander’ season 5: Could it ever happen on BBC One?

Tonight, BBC One is airing an event that has been in many ways eight years in the making: The series finale of “Wallander.” This is a show that has in many ways defined the airing pattern that other shows like “Sherlock” follow, and it has given us a consistent voice in the crime TV genre. Yet, all things must come to an end, and tonight the series featuring Kenneth Branagh will be doing so … right?

While tonight is confirmed to be the end of the road, we presume that depending on the ending, there are always possibilities for someone out there to do more in this world. Even if Wallander himself is no longer capable of solving cases in his own right, someone else could end up stepping up to the plate. BBC One is a network with options, should they want to take them, and the “Wallander” name is enough to draw attention to a future project.

What’s more likely to happen here is something akin to a spiritual successor to the series, something that takes many of the show’s common themes and finds a way to progress it forward in some way. This is what the network has been great at over time thanks to releasing shows like “Happy Valley” or “Luther,” who find unique twists on this crime-solving brand of television. Hopefully, “Wallander” marks a way to pay it forward with some other projects down the road.

If there is ever something more to report on the future of the franchise beyond tonight, if there is something more to the franchise, that is, we will have it for you here. Be on the lookout!

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