No one quite does crime dramas like the BBC. From Happy Valley to Line of Duty and Shetland, the broadcaster boasts a wealth of seriously gripping shows helmed by some of the nation's most beloved stars.
James Nesbitt is a safe pair of hands when it comes to the genre. The Northern Irish actor has fronted a number of binge-worth shows for the BBC, including Murphy's Law, Jekyll and The Missing. Arguably one of his best is the 2022 series Bloodlands, a cat-and-mouse thriller about a police detective on the hunt for an assassin from his past.
© Photo: BBCIntrigued? Find out all you need to know about the series below.
What is Bloodlands about?
When a car containing a possible suicide note is pulled out of Strangford Lough, DCI Tom Brannick (Nesbitt) connects the investigation to an infamous cold case linked to the legendary assassin with the code name, Goliath.
Goliath is thought to have been a serving police officer in the 1990s, with Brannick's wife, Emma, one of his suspected victims.
The synopsis continues: "Bloodlands follows his hunt for the legendary assassin known as ‘Goliath’, an explosive cat-and-mouse game where the stakes have never been higher."
Who stars in Bloodlands?
James Nesbitt (Cold Feet) leads the cast as DCI Tom Brannick.
He's joined by Charlene McKenna (Peaky Blinders) as DS Niamh McGovern, Lorcan Cranitch (Spooks) as DCS Jackie Twomey, Susan Lynch (Happy Valley) as Heather Pentland, Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing) as Izzy Brannick, Michael Smiley (Spaced) as Dinger, Chris Walley (The Young Offenders) as DC Billy 'Birdy' Bird and Victoria Smurfit (Rivals) as Olivia Foyle.
What have viewers and critics said about the show?
The drama, which ran for two seasons between 2021 and 2022, was awarded four stars by The Guardian, while Radio Times described the drama as "an unpredictable thriller with all the hallmarks of a Jed Mercurio drama".
Meanwhile, the series has been hailed by viewers as "brilliant" and "high quality".
© Photo: BBCTaking to social media, one person penned: "Bloodlands on BBC iPlayer. I don't watch much telly but thought both series were excellent," while another added: "Seriously gripping! What fabulous TV."
How to watch Bloodlands
Both seasons one and two of Bloodlands are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
