The inspiration behind the series is remarkabl

A new Netflix crime drama inspired by an extraordinary true story could become your next must-watch series to kick off the new year.

The forthcoming six-part series, Blind Sherlock, is scheduled to premiere in January 2026. This Dutch production is likely to appeal to viewers who enjoyed Amsterdam Empire.

The synopsis reveals the series is set in Rotterdam, where drug-related crime is wreaking havoc, with rival gangs engaged in escalating violence. Police establish a specialist unit to combat the ongoing problem, employing wiretapping tactics to expose the dangerous criminals.

Among those joining this specialist unit is Roman Mertens, who is blind. He enlists despite scepticism within the force.

Yet his blindness quickly proves to be a distinct advantage, reports the Mirror.

Blind Sherlock is coming in the new year (Image: Netflix)

Roman can detect details others readily miss. He identifies patterns in conversations, links clues his colleagues fail to spot and manages to crack cases that appeared completely unsolvable.

However, the work proves far more perilous than he anticipated.

The showrunner behind the new series, Kristof Hoefkens, has revealed the inspiration stemmed from an extraordinary true story. It started with a newspaper article that stayed with him.

He explained: “Many years ago, I worked as a journalist when a colleague wrote a story about Sacha Van Loo, a blind civilian who was working for the wiretapping unit of the police. It stuck with me.”

lind Sherlock (Image: Netflix)

Co-writer Maarten Goffin and his colleague sought out Van Loo for discussions, discovering him to be compelling and gifted. The prospect of featuring a visually impaired protagonist leading a criminal investigation provided precisely the innovative angle they sought for their police drama.

The genuine Van Loo served for over ten years within an authentic wiretapping division, contributing to the resolution of numerous investigations. His extraordinary achievements garnered worldwide recognition and now serve as the basis for the programme.

ABC News documented in 2009 that the department actually recruited half a dozen visually impaired individuals.

Van Loo explained to the outlet at the time: “I have been trained in echo location. I can hear the way a sound bounces off a wall or another object. I use this ability in everyday life. I just kept on doing it for my work.”

Whilst he possessed skills in recognising regional speech patterns and accents, he acknowledged: “When I hear people saying I am the blind Sherlock Holmes, it makes me laugh. All we do is an administrative job.”

The programme’s creators aspire for Blind Sherlock to transcend conventional police programming through its innovative contemporary approach, positioning its protagonist somewhere between the legendary detective and Marvel’s vigilante. They additionally aim to present an uplifting representation of disability, transforming visual impairment into an extraordinary capability for their lead character.