“Definitely worth watching!”: The Gone is the “chilling” BBC police drama you’ll want to binge all night

Police drama aficionados, listen up! If you’re obsessed with Line of Duty, Happy Valley or Karen Pirie, you might well be on the hunt for your next binge watch - and we've found one that's definitely worth a watch. Hugely popular crime drama, The Gone, has just entered its second chilling series, which is now available to watch on the BBC - and you'll want to binge it all night.

If you're new to the series, let's fill you in. The series is a Kiwi-Irish crime drama, which was first broadcast in New Zealand in 2023 (it came to the BBC a year later), and series 1 sees a couple suddenly disappear from a local community in New Zealand. An Irish detective teams up with a local investigator to crack the case, which is more complicated than it might seem. Shot between Te Aroha, Auckland and Dublin, the show features some gorgeous scenery, which, of course, provides the perfect backdrop for a compelling murder mystery.

The Gone features a talented cast, too, with lead detective Theo Richter played by Richard Flood, who starred in Grey’s Anatomy. You might also recognise Michelle Fairley, who plays Judge Martin, from Game of Thrones. Still need convincing? Here's everything you need to know about the police drama's return, from the plot to the cast and how to watch it.

What is The Gone about?

The first series, which aired on BBC One last year, sees a young Irish couple go missing in (fictional) Mt Affinity in New Zealand. In order to help local police officers investigate, Dublin detective Theo (Richard Flood) arrives on the scene – despite the fact that he’s just resigned from his position of 20 years for a reason that remains a mystery.

It soon becomes clear that one half of the couple has connections to a drug gang and it's a case that will be far from simple. However, Theo teams up with Māori counterpart, Diana Huia (Acushla-Tara Kupe), and he's determined to crack the case.

What’s odd is that the couple’s disappearance reminds locals of a pair of murders committed 17 years ago in the very same town. To add further complexity, a new business in the rural community wants to take sacred land from the local Māori community, and Irish journalist Aileen Ryan (Carolyn Bracken) has arrived to investigate, who herself goes MIA.

What will happen in The Gone series 2?

We’ll refrain from giving away any spoilers here as you might want to catch up on series one first, but the second instalment picks up following the major series 1 cliffhanger that left the fate of journalist Aileen Ryan up in the air. The official synopsis reads: “When it appears she went missing while chasing a lead on the town's historical Mountain Murders, the detectives enter a game of cat and mouse with 'The Goatman', who is back and more dangerous than ever." Intriguing…

Who’s in the cast of The Gone series 2?

The cast of The Gone series 2 includes:

• Richard Flood as Theo Richter
• Acushla-Tara Kupe as Diana Huia
• Carolyn Bracken as Aileen Ryan
• Vanessa Rare as Wiki
• Scott Wills as Sergeant Bruce Harris
• Wayne Hapi as Buster Huia
• Michelle Fairley as Judge Hannah Martin
• Ella Gilbert as Valerie Armstrong
• Poroaki Merritt-McDonald as Ginge
• Rachel Morgan as Sinead Martin
• Matt Whelan as Mayor Ken Armstrong
• Miriama Smith as Detective Sergeant Gwenda
• Edwin Wright as Dr. Ray Morris

Is there a trailer for The Gone series 2?

Yes – you can watch the trailer for The Gone series 2 below:

View full post on YouTube

Is The Gone any good?

It seems to be one of those shows that’s gained traction by word of mouth. Both viewers and critics have praised the crime drama, with audiences saying the show was “intriguing” and “fascinating”. Meanwhile The Guardian gave it four stars, saying it had “rich, warm characters” and stunning scenery. It also scooped five awards at the 2023 New Zealand Television Awards, which speaks for itself.

How can I watch The Gone?

Good news - the second series of the crime thriller arrives on BBC Two this evening, Thursday 31st July. The first episode will air at 9pm before being made available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Meanwhile, you can catch up on series 1 here.

What other detective dramas can I watch now?

We’d highly recommend tuning into BBC One's Death in Paradise, as well as UKTV’s supremely twisty series, Bookish. The latter drama introduces us to a 1940s bookshop owner who solves crimes – but it’s no ordinary whodunnit.

There’s also a huge amount of detective-led TV coming our way very soon. One drama that’s caught our eye is Cooper and Fry, which stars Downton Abbey's Robert James-Collier, plus the upcoming Death In Benidorm. Then there’s exceptional police drama Annika, plus ITV’s epic crime drama Karen Pirie, which will reunite us with the titular Scottish investigator.