Programming Review: ‘Hidden’

Acorn TV, the streaming service focused on British programming, brings the BBC Wales drama series Hidden back to American audiences with an all-new murder mystery.

‘Hidden’ on Acorn TV

‘Hidden’ on Acorn TV

Set in North Wales, the series stars Sian Reese-Williams as Detective Chief Inspector Cadi John, who is called in to investigate the murder of an elderly former chemistry teacher who is found dead in his bathtub after police get an anonymous tip. John — still healing from the loss of her father, a police officer, in one of the few carryover storylines from season one — dives right into the investigation and discovers that the loner victim retired early after a troubled student accused him of inappropriate touching.

With few clues, John tries to track down the young man who called police to the crime scene. The caller, Connor (Steffan Cennydd), is part of a group of three mischievous teens that seemingly has ties to the victim and knows more than they let on about his death. Hidden skillfully teases viewers with possible scenarios —
and suspects — regarding the murder within the first few episodes, building momentum toward finally unveiling the perpetrators as the six-episosde series unwinds.

The pace is decidedly slow, and dialogue is translated back and forth between English and Welsh, but viewers will quickly get attached to the no-nonsense John and her detective counterpart Owen Vaughan (Siôn Alun Davies) as they doggedly pursue the elderly man’s killers.

The first season of Hidden garnered critical acclaim as well as a prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts Cymru Award. U.S. viewers returning to the series on Acorn TV won’t be disappointed in the show’s sophomore campaign.

Acorn TV will make all six episodes of the series available on its June 15 premiere date.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.