A few weeks ago I was writing about the Irish series 'Acceptable Risk' (2017) and I noticed Angeline Ball, the actress who played the role of a competent and brave detective, whom I would have liked to see again in other films, maybe even in a series to span several seasons. Well, my wish was granted sooner than I had hoped. In fact, it had already been fulfilled since 2021, when the first season of 'Hidden Assets' had been filmed, another Irish detective series, created by Peter McKenna, again dealing with a complex case, an international investigation with ramifications in the world of terrorism, big economic business and politics. Detective Emer Byrne from the first series has now become Emer Berry, although we have no explanation or clue as to the reasons of the name change. Unlike many other series of this kind, 'Hidden Assets' does not go into the private lives of the detective heroes at all, which does not mean that we do not notice that the main heroine is suspiciously lonely. This, of course, allows her to devote her days and nights to investigations, but it does not make her insensitive to the presence of men around her. In the new series there is also a partner who may arouse her more than professional interest in the person of the Belgian police inspector Christian De Jong with whom she will form a team from a moment on. However, despite some hints, their relationship does not develop romantically.
The story is engaging, well-written, and the six episodes will be enjoyed greatly by most viewers. Emer Berry is now head of a Dublin police department that deals with economic crimes such as bank fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. De Jong investigates a terrorist bomb attack in Antwerp in which about 15 people lost their lives. Both investigations lead to the same character, an Irish businessman suspected of tax fraud, who is also the owner of the apartment in Antwerp where the suicide bomber hid and where the body of a woman had been found. In addition, the suspect's sister, a wealthy woman based in Belgium with connections in the world of finance and politics in that country, is the owner of a shipping company where the victim was employed. How are the two businesses related? Irish and Belgian police begin to collaborate and the two investigations merge into one complex and interesting case.
'Hidden Assets' has everything it needs to satisfy fans of detective series. The format of six episodes with a length of almost an hour each allows the development of a complex plot and for viewers enough time to know the main characters - policemen, suspects and those around them. The script is written by two woman screenwriters - which shows in the creation of interesting and believable female characters - and by Wouter Hendrickx, the actor who plays the Belgian policeman. The pace of the action is alert, the characters well defined, the solutions to the various problems that arise throughout the investigation believable. Apart from the roles of the two detectives, there is another character - the one played by the actress Cathy Belton - who deserves a series of his own. She a financial analyst who untangles the most difficult threads of global, complicated and suspicious financial affairs on the whiteboard and laptop screens. The finale leaves some issues only half resolved, which sets the stage for the second season. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm quite disappointed as I read that Angeline Ball is no longer the lead. I can only hope that Emer Berry has been promoted to an even more interesting position, because that's the life of a cop.
The story is engaging, well-written, and the six episodes will be enjoyed greatly by most viewers. Emer Berry is now head of a Dublin police department that deals with economic crimes such as bank fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. De Jong investigates a terrorist bomb attack in Antwerp in which about 15 people lost their lives. Both investigations lead to the same character, an Irish businessman suspected of tax fraud, who is also the owner of the apartment in Antwerp where the suicide bomber hid and where the body of a woman had been found. In addition, the suspect's sister, a wealthy woman based in Belgium with connections in the world of finance and politics in that country, is the owner of a shipping company where the victim was employed. How are the two businesses related? Irish and Belgian police begin to collaborate and the two investigations merge into one complex and interesting case.
'Hidden Assets' has everything it needs to satisfy fans of detective series. The format of six episodes with a length of almost an hour each allows the development of a complex plot and for viewers enough time to know the main characters - policemen, suspects and those around them. The script is written by two woman screenwriters - which shows in the creation of interesting and believable female characters - and by Wouter Hendrickx, the actor who plays the Belgian policeman. The pace of the action is alert, the characters well defined, the solutions to the various problems that arise throughout the investigation believable. Apart from the roles of the two detectives, there is another character - the one played by the actress Cathy Belton - who deserves a series of his own. She a financial analyst who untangles the most difficult threads of global, complicated and suspicious financial affairs on the whiteboard and laptop screens. The finale leaves some issues only half resolved, which sets the stage for the second season. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm quite disappointed as I read that Angeline Ball is no longer the lead. I can only hope that Emer Berry has been promoted to an even more interesting position, because that's the life of a cop.