REVIEW: ‘Hidden’ on Acorn TV
Photo: Hidden stars Sian Reese-Williams and is available on Acorn TV. Photo courtesy of Acorn TV / Provided by press site with permission.
The number of British / Welsh / Scottish / Irish / Norwegian / Australian mysteries that make their way across the pond and into the voracious TV appetites of American viewers is almost unknowable. Netflix has a great number of offerings, and BBC America provides popular shows. One of the leaders has to be Acorn TV, which has some of the best European programming of any platform.
Their suite of shows has definitely been upgraded with the addition of Hidden, a Welsh noir starring Sian Reese-Williams as DI Cadi John. In the first series of the show, the detective is assigned a case involving a young woman who has been found dead, and there is evidence that she was held against her will for a long period of time.
As Cadi investigates, the audience comes to know about her life, both personally and professionally. She dotes on her father, who is quite ill and in need of bedrest. She teases her partner who often stares a bit too long at a fellow colleague across the way. She’s also dedicated to the profession and will not rest until justice has been found.
On Hidden, she has a calming demeanor when dealing with the locals who may or may not prove helpful for the case at hand. Her backdrop while questioning these people is the beautiful country landscape of Wales, a setting that has served as background candy for a number of mysteries (Hinterland chief among them).
There’s something about the washed-out colors and quaint farmlands of Wales that make for interesting, endlessly beautiful surroundings. Of course, this setting of serenity is disrupted by the heinous crime at the center of Hidden, but that’s par the course for these whodunits. (Suspension of disbelief is needed to believe this many violent crimes occur, with Luther perhaps being the worst offender of this unrealistic ratio.)
Among the supporting cast in Hidden’s inaugural series, Gwyneth Keyworth stands out. She plays a young woman who has trouble fitting into the party crowd. Her first few scenes deal with her depression and acts of self-injury. Keyworth is a strong actor playing a difficult role, and her connection to the case and Cadi’s investigation becomes clearer as the show continues.
Hidden, now available on DVD and streaming on Acorn TV, should not stay hidden from viewers. It’s worth a watch, especially for fans of TV murder mysteries.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Hidden is now available on DVD and streaming on Acorn TV. Click here for more information.
