BBC’s ‘brilliant’ 6-part drama is a must-watch for Line of Duty fans

The gritty crime drama, Hidden Assets, follows an Irish detective who gets caught up in a dark international conspiracy following a routine drugs raid

o one does tense police dramas quite like the BBC, with Line of Duty widely considered one of the best cop series. For those looking to fill the detective series-shaped hole in their viewing schedule while they await the anticipated seventh season, BBC iPlayer has the answer.

All episodes of the gritty thriller, Hidden Assets, are now available to binge-watch. If you like high-stakes crime dramas blended with political conspiracies, it’s worth checking out.

Claire Wallace (NORA-JANE NOONE) in Hidden Assets© BBC/Saffron Moon Ltd & AMC Film Holdings LLC/James Pierce
Nora-Jane Noone plays Claire Wallace from season two

Filmed in Ireland and Belgium, the series follows Detective Emer Berry in the Irish Criminal Assets Bureau, who discovers diamonds during a local drug raid that are linked to a series of bombings in Belgium. Teaming up with Police Commissioner Christian De Jong of the Belgian Counter Terrorism Unit, they unravel a dark web of corruption.

Keep reading to find out more…

What is Hidden Assets about?

The series, which is developed by Peter McKenna (Kin, Gangs of London), follows Emer Berry, a detective in the Irish Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), who, during a routine drugs raid, discovers that a small-time dealer has been receiving substantial funding from a seemingly untraceable source – not in cash, but in rough diamonds.

Emer Berry (ANGELINE BELL), Christian De Jong (WOUTER HENDRICKX) in Hidden Assets© BBC/AcornTV/Guillaume Van Laethem
Angeline Ball stars in series one as Emer Berry

The synopsis continues: “When these diamonds are linked to a series of bombings in Belgium, Emer is forced to work with Police Commissioner Christian De Jong. Eventually banding together, they unravel a political conspiracy fuelling domestic unrest for financial gain; caught up in this web of greed are the Brannigans, a wealthy Irish dynasty with ties to Antwerp.

“Drawn into a battle of wits with the family, Emer, Christian, and the CAB team must follow the money to stop another terrorist attack – before it’s too late.”

Liam Boylan (DÓNALL Ó HÉALAI), Norah Dillon (CATHY BELTON), Martin Dunlop (STEVE WALL) in Hidden Assets © BBC/Saffron Moon Ltd & AMC Film Holdings LLC/Sofie Van Mieghem
Hidden Assets is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

In season two, set 16 months after the bombings, new lead Nora-Jane Noone stars as DS Claire Wallace, who fronts the CAB team.

Who stars in Hidden Assets?

Angeline Ball (Shameless) stars as Emer Berry, alongside Nora-Jane Noone (Brooklyn, The Descent) as DS Claire Wallace, Aaron Monaghan (The Vanishing Triangle, The Banshees of Inisherin) as Sean Prendergast and Cathy Belton (Red Rock, Miss Scarlet and the Duke) as Norah Dillon.

What have viewers said about the show?

The series has been hailed by viewers as “brilliant” and “bingeworthy”.

Taking to social media, one person hailed the show as a “cut above the average crime drama,” while another added: “Series 1 was fantastic – really great, well plotted, well written, well acted TV drama. It was a thriller that was actually thrilling.”

Norah Dillon (CATHY BELTON), Sean Prendergast (AARON MONAGHAN) in Hidden Assets © BBC/Saffron Moon Ltd & AMC Film Holdings LLC/Michel Vertongen
Cathy Belton as Norah Dillon and Aaron Monaghan as Sean Prendergast

A third viewer penned on IMDb: “Best crime series we have watched for a long time,” while another described the series as an “excellent police-style drama with great acting and superbly written.”

How to watch Hidden Assets

Hidden Assets is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. It is also available on DVD from Acorn Media International.