We often see powerful heroines starring in detective dramas, for example Shetland’s DS Alison McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) and Broadchurch’s DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), but rarely have we seen one as uniquely uplifting as Blanca – the eponymous star in this detective drama with heart.
Blanca is the star sleuth at the centre of this incredibly captivating series, where she joins an Italian police force as an intern profiler. You might be wondering what’s so interesting about this particular heroine – well, she’s blind and channels her perceived disability into her superpower, giving her a unique insight to crack cases that are bamboozling more traditional detectives on the team.
With Blanca now available to watch in full on Channel 4’s Walter Presents, here’s everything you need to know about the series before you watch it, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is Blanca about?
The 12-part series Blanca, which first aired in Italy in 2021, introduces us to the eponymous protagonist, Blanca Ferrando (Maria Chiara Giannetta), a blind intern at the fictional San Teodoro police station in Genoa. Based on the book series by Patrizia Rinaldi, we learn that Blanca lost her sight when she was a child – and what drives her ardent sense of justice is the memory of her sister, who was killed at the hands of an abusive boyfriend.
Using her exceptional auditory skills, Blanca defies expectations and quickly becomes an asset to the force – she’s able to track down killers, kidnappers and even a deadly trafficking ring. She also enlists the help of her trusty sidekick, a female bulldog called Linneo. As if she didn’t have enough to contend with, she gains two possible love interests – the first is the mysterious Inspector Michele Liguori (Giuseppe Zeno) and the second is a cook named Nanni – but one of them is harbouring a dark secret…
Who’s in the cast of Blanca?
The cast for Blanca includes:
- Maria Chiara Giannetta (Close To Me) as Blanca Ferrando
- Giuseppe Zeno (Il clan dei camorristi) as Michele Liguori
- Enzo Paci (Them Who?) as Mauro Bacigalupo
- Gualtiero Burzi (Mike) as Nello Carità
- Pierpaolo Spollon (Doc: In Your Hands) as Nanni Busalla, Sebastiano Russo
- Federica Cacciola (Magical Nights) as Stella
- Sara Ciocca (Anna) as Lucia Ottonello
- Leone Ferrando as Ugo Dighero
Is there a trailer for Blanca?
Yes – you can watch the full trailer for Blanca here.
What to read next
Is Blanca any good?
Yes, Blanca is definitely for fans of uplifting cosy crimes and we watched it all in one sitting. While detective dramas can sometimes become formulaic and repeat the same character tropes, Blanca defies norms and offered a much-welcomed antidote as we got to unravel crimes through the protagonist’s unique perspective. With a great plot and lovable characters, we were touched and intrigued in equal measures as her optimism never faltered.
How can I watch Blanca?
You can watch Blanca now on Channel 4’s Walter Presents.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you’re after something equally as cosy, we’d point you towards Hudson & Rex. Detective Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) of the St John’s Major Crimes Unit and his impressive canine sidekick, German Shepherd Rex, team up to solve crimes – and they make quite the formidable duo. Hudson & Rex is available to stream now on U. If you’re in the mood for a classic ‘whodunnit’, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is based on Agatha Christie’s classic of the same name. Naval officer Bobby Jones (Will Poulter) and his friend Lady Frances ‘Frankie’ Derwent (Lucy Boynton) find a man dying at a foot of a cliff. With his final breath, he utters the titular question – and so a quest to the truth begins. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is available to watch now on ITVX.
