SEASON PREMIERE: Following in the trail blazed by Tom Fontana’s Copper, this BBC America import is a period detective drama, set in East London in 1889, just after the Jack the Ripper murders. Matthew Macfayden stars as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, a tough guy who speaks softly but carries a heavy billy club. Season 2’s opening installment is solid but not stunning, but Ripper Street earns points for its historical research and plots. Watch out for a recurring character who will return in later episodes: the so-called Elephant Man, played here by Joseph Drake.