We’ve delivered our fair share of detective drama recommendations recently – from Hinterland to In the Dark, but there’s one that tops them all and it goes by the name of Chasing Shadows. The ITV drama introduces us to DS Sean Stone (played by Reece Shearsmith) and his professional partner Ruth Hattersley (Alex Kingston) who track down serial killers targeting vulnerable people – and, if you ask us, it’s exceptionally good.
The British series, which first aired in 2014, is unique in that the detectives at the centre of it work in a missing persons unit, so we see an area of policing that’s rarely portrayed on screen. The result is a series with a fresh script, believable yet thrilling scenarios and a genuine emotional core.
With all four episodes available to stream on ITV tonight (or now, if you like), here’s everything you need to know about the detective drama before you watch it, including the plot, cast and how to tune in.
What is Chasing Shadows about?
The four-part drama revolves around DS Sean Stone (played by Reece Shearsmith) and his professional partner Ruth Hattersley (Alex Kingston) who work in a missing persons unit. Sean is a socially awkward detective who appears to have undiagnosed autism but has a knack for uncovering patterns of behaviour that help him solve crimes, while Ruth is an empathetic, stabilising influence. Together, they make quite the dynamic duo.
What makes the series so interesting is the fact that the pair don’t have ordinary missing persons jobs – they’ve got the especially difficult task of tracking down serial killers who prey on impressionable and vulnerable people. Their story is told in separate two-part stories, the first of which sees the pair dealing with the case of a vanished 16-year-old girl and a spate of teen suicides, and the second with the case of Stephen Eli, a lawyer and single father whose disappearance simply doesn’t add up.
Star Reece Shearsmith told Digital Spy of the series: "It feels like [a drama] that would hook you in as an interesting TV experience – not just your normal police procedural. Because that was the danger I thought about doing it right from the start, I was like, 'am I just doing another one?'.
"I do try to pick arresting and different projects, and things that you lean into and you have to work out, and you're surprised by what's coming, not the absolute opposite. So this feels a little bit different because, with it being missing persons, that's not quite the same thing as Cracker or a police procedural in a normal way."
Who’s in the cast of Chasing Shadows?
The main cast of Chasing Shadows includes:
- Reese Shearsmith (Inside No. 9) as DS Sean Stone
- Alex Kingston (ER) as Ruth Hattersley
- Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton) as Angela Bale
- Don Warrington (Death in Paradise) as CS Harley Drayton
- Noel Clarke (Kidulthood) as DCI Carl Prior
- Lynda Baron (Open All Hours) as Maggie Hattersley
- Letitia Wright (Black Panther) as Taylor Davis
- Myriam Acharki (The Beach) as Adele Rivera
- Alfie Field (The Woman in Black) as Bryan Hattersley
- Susan Lynch (Nora) as Dr. Ellesmere
Is Chasing Shadows any good?
Yes, and the real beauty of the series lies in its originally. Firstly, the fact that we find ourselves immersed in the lesser-documented world of a missing persons unit makes it all the more compelling, but the detectives at the centre of it also aren’t your average personally troubled duo. Sean is obsessive and blunt, while Ruth is the nurturing influence he needs and the result is a partnership that's thoroughly enjoyable to watch.
How can I watch Chasing Shadows?
You can watch all four episodes of Chasing Shadows now on ITVX.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you’re a fan of Shetland, we’d recommend giving Hinterland a watch. At the centre of the story is tormented detective Tom Mathias (Richard Harrington), whose fresh start in Aberystwyth is short-lived when he’s called to the scene of an attack in the sand dunes. You can watch all three series of Hinterland on BBC iPlayer. If Midsomer Murders is more your thing, we’d suggest My Life in Murder. The drama follows the fearless former detective turned private investigator Alexa Crowe (Lucy Lawless) who solves some of Melbourne’s trickiest criminal cases. It's charming, witty - and you can watch it on Acorn TV via Prime Video.
