Police drama hailed as ‘the Scottish Broadchurch’ rockets up Netflix charts as fans rave ‘it has you second-guessing every clue’

A Scottish police drama is soaring up the Netflix charts after fans and critics alike showered it with praise, drawing comparisons to the British drama series, Broadchurch. 

The Loch, which originally aired on ITV in 2017, follows DS Annie Redford (Laura Fraser), an officer with the Scottish Highland Police, who investigates the murder of piano teacher Niall Swift after he is found dead at the bottom of a cliff.

However, it quickly emerges that a serial killer may be at large after the police discover part of his brain is missing and a human heart belonging to another victim is found close by. 

With a huge case ahead, Glasgow-based major investigation detective DCI Lauren Quigley (Siobhan Finneran) is then brought in to lead the enquiry. 

Just last week, the six-part series landed on Netflix and viewers quickly took up the chance to binge-watch it, making it the second most-watched TV show in the UK on the streaming platform.

When the series first aired, critics raved about the show, saying it was ‘definitely worth a look’. 

The Express wrote in their review: ‘This tartan-clad Broadchurch shows a lot of promise, not least in the way it plays on people’s Loch Ness fascinations.’

Meanwhile, The New York Times shared: ‘The peel-the-onion format here is familiar by now, but Stephen Brady’s script and a group of fine performances keep it intriguing, nonetheless. A fine diversion for summer evenings.’ 

The Washington Post added: ‘You’ll probably figure out the ending to Loch Ness well before the fog lifts, but my hunch is you’re here mainly for the luscious scenery.’

The Post NZ said: ‘It does a good job of slowly building up a portrait of a troubled but brilliant man with little regard for authority but great regard for the law itself. Definitely worth a look.’ 

Meanwhile, one viewer claimed the show ‘feels fresh and has you second-guessing at every clue uncovered’.

Another wrote on IMDB: ‘The desire to uncover the truth is overwhelming. Suspenseful moments intertwined in a mix of both fast- and slow-moving plot points, if you are into British crime dramas, this needs to be added to your must watch list.’

While other viewers raved that the police drama is ‘compelling’, ‘gripping’, and ‘superb’. 

When asked to describe the series at The Loch’s premiere, Scottish actress Laura, 50, said: ‘It’s all very dark and creepy but also has moments that are quite tongue-in-cheek.

She continued: ‘It reminds me a wee bit of the classic movie An American Werewolf In London. It has that vibe and there’s a lot of animal symbolism – wolves, crows, mutilated sheep and, of course, plenty of mentions of the Loch Ness monster.’

ITV previously teased details of the show, saying: ‘What secrets lie beneath the surface? In this stunningly set crime drama, some monsters are no myth. For Detective Annie Redford, the hunt is on to catch a killer.

‘A murder in a small Scottish town sends the community into shock, and local detective Annie Redford is thrust into her first murder case.’

The police drama also stars Don Gilet, John Sessions, Gray O’Brien, Jim McMeekin, Shona McHugh, Jack Bannon, and William Ash. 

The Loch is now available to stream on Netflix and ITVX.