If the idea of a series that’s better than Shetland sounds almost too good to be true, we're going to let you in on a secret: it isn’t. Hidden is the exceptionally good detective drama that whisks us off to Wales and takes us along on the investigations of DI Cadi John (Sian Reese-Williams) and her professional partner DS Owen Vaughan (Siôn Alun Davies). The series won over an army of fans when it first aired almost a decade ago - and, if you ask us, it's the perfect series to binge tonight.
Over the course of three brilliantly absorbing series, we follow the detective duo as they attempt to crack deeply troubling crimes - from the abduction of a young woman to the murder of a local man whose body is found in a remote river. It's dark, yes, but the combination of compelling cases, relatable lead characters and pacy plotlines means it's the sort of series rainy days were made for.
With Hidden available to stream tonight (or now, if you please), here’s everything you need to know about the detective drama before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Hidden about?
The Welsh series, which first aired on S4C in 2018 before coming to the BBC the following year, is made up of inter-weaving stories, all linked by a single case - the abduction and incarceration of a young woman who was failed by the police and held in captivity for years, high in the Snowdonia mountains. Set and filmed in North Wales, our lead detective on the case is DI Cadi John (Sian Reese-Williams) – a flawed, real human being who unearths a dangerous and disturbing reality.
Fortunately, DI Cadi isn’t alone – she has Detective Sergeant Owen Vaughan (Siôn Alun Davies) working alongside her and it’s just as well given the enormity of the case in hand. The victim is later identified as Mali Pryce (Greta James) and injury marks on her body indicate that she was held shackled by her abductor for several years – and it seems she might not have been the only victim.
Following the success of the first series, two equally gripping instalments followed. Series 2 takes us into another murky investigation when the body of a former teacher is found in a house on an estate in the mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The third and final series revolves around the murder of a local man whose body is found in a remote river, which bears the signs of a brutal and frenzied attack.
Needless to say, the series isn’t exactly for the faint of heart, but it’s tense, pacy and there’s plenty to like about the show’s lead detectives. Along the way, we delve into the personal lives of DCI John and DS Vaughan, with the former coping with the death of her father and the latter getting to grips with caring for his newborn baby – among other major life events.
Sian Reese-Williams told the BBC of the series: “It’s not a classic detective drama in that it deals with the whodunit and the police catching the bad man. It’s much more of a personal drama. It takes time to delve into the lives of everybody that gets caught up in the crime - the detectives, the victims, the family of the victims and even the bad guy. You’re trying to understand him.
“It really plays with the idea of nature versus nature and almost tries to twist you into sympathising against your better judgement; it’s exciting and thought provoking. The characters are really interesting and it covers a lot of human emotion.”
Who’s in the cast of Hidden?
The cast of Hidden includes:
- Sian Reese-Williams (The Light in the Hall) as Detective Inspector Cadi John
- Siôn Alun Davies (The One That Got Away) as Detective Sergeant Owen Vaughan
- Nia Roberts (The Feast) as Dr Elin Jones
- Lois Meleri-Jones (Mindhorn) as Lowri Driscoll
- Rhodri Meilir (Tree on a Hill) as Dylan Harris
- Gillian Elisa (A Mind to Kill) as Iona Harris
- Gwyneth Keyworth (Death Valley) as Megan Ruddock
- Ian Saynor (The Cuckoo Waltz) as Huw John
- Owen Arwyn (Dal Y Mellt) as Alun Pryce, father of Mali Pryce
- Greta James (Daughters of Dave) as Mali Pryce
- Annes Elwy (Little Women) as Mia Owen (series 2)
- Lisa Victoria (Mudtown) as Catrin Pritchard (series 2)
- Steffan Cennydd (Last Summer) as Connor Pritchard (series 2)
- Siôn Eifion (The Theory of Tomorrow) as Lee Williams (series 2)
- Bryn Fôn (Stad) as Hefin Mathews (series 2)
- Lois Elenid as Beca Mathews (series 2)
- Owain Gwynn as Siôn Wells (series 2)
- Justin Melluish as Glyn Thomas (series 3)
- Sion Ifan as Siôn Thomas (series 3)
- Elen Rhy as Hannah Lewis (series 3)
Is there a trailer for Hidden?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Hidden below.
Is Hidden any good?
Yes – it’s brilliant, in fact. The acting is superb, the cases are unsettling (in a good way) and we can’t not mention the dramatic backdrop of north Wales, which is worth tuning in for alone. While, yes, Shetland might be the detective drama everyone talks about, but Hidden deserves far more attention and is well worth settling in on the sofa for – for many hours!
How can I watch Hidden?
You can watch Hidden series 1 and 2 now on STV Player. You can also watch series 2 and 3 on Prime Video.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you’re a fan of Nicola Walker, we’d highly recommend Touching Evil. The Noughties detective drama takes us along on the investigations of DI Dave Creegan (Robson Green) and his professional partner, DI Susan Taylor (played by Nicola), members of the Organised & Serial Crime Unit (OSC) – and they’re rather dark, to say the least. You can watch Touching Evil on ITVX. For another classic series, we’d suggest Rose and Maloney. The series stars Sarah Lancashire and Phil Davis as the titular Rose Linden and Marion Maloney who work for the fictional Criminal Justice Review Agency and primarily take on claims of miscarriages of justice. Rose and Maloney is available to watch on Prime Video.