How to watch Bloodlands outside the UK
David
David has been watching TV outside of his home country for over 12 years. In addition to his streaming expertise, he has a wealth of experience in watching sports and documentaries, having spent many years following these genres. He is an avid fan of The Detectorists and Blue Planet, and also has a keen interest in English football.
Policing in Northern Ireland is tough enough at the best of times. But when you let the team behind Line of Duty and the Bodyguard loose on it, it can be even more dramatic.
That is certainly the case with Bloodlands, the police drama which features a terrific cast of almost exclusively Northern Irish cast and which links modern crimes with the troubles of the past.
With the future of Line of Duty still unclear, Bloodlands has big shoes to fill, and it succeeds manfully.
But unfortunately, it is only available in the UK, which means if you are overseas for any reason, you won’t be able to watch unless you get a little help. And in this guide, we are going to tell you everything you need to know.
Where is Bloodlands being shown?
Bloodlands is broadcast on BBC 1 in the UK.
It is also being streamed live and on-demand on the BBC’s streaming service, the BBC iPlayer.
However, the bad news for overseas viewers is that the BBC iPlayer is only available to users inside the UK.
If you want to watch from anywhere else, because you’re on holiday, for example, you are out of luck unless you call in a little bit of assistance.
How do I watch Bloodlands where I am?
For people living outside the UK or travelling for work or pleasure, you will need to use an app called a VPN to unblock and watch Bloodlands where you are.
A VPN is an online security and privacy tool which a lot of readers may be using anyway.
It works by sending all of your internet data via a secure external server before it goes off to the websites and services you use.
When this happens, streaming services like the BBC iPlayer believe you are in a different country if you choose a VPN server located in a country other than your own.
If you choose a server in the UK, it is possible to make the BBC iPlayer think you are in the UK and therefore let you watch Bloodlands no matter where in the world you are currently. So if you’re backpacking Asia or sunning it up in the Maldives, you don’t need to miss out.
Where to get a VPN?
There are dozens of VPNs online, but not all of them are able to unblock the BBC iPlayer.
ExpressVPN is one that can, and it also has the fast connection speeds, range of apps, and selection of UK servers you need. There are plenty more features besides and also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN and Surfshark VPN also work with the BBC iPlayer and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee as well. They will do the job. But ExpressVPN will do it the best.
Which you choose is down to you.
30-day money back guarantee
How to stream Bloodlands in any country
After you have chosen your VPN service, setting everything up to watch Bloodlands abroad is pretty simple and will only take a few minutes.
We have pulled together a simple step-by-step guide you can follow using ExpressVPN as an example:
Step 1
Go to the ExpressVPN website and sign up for a subscription package. We recommend the 12-month deal as it comes with a 49% discount and an extra three months free.
Step 2
Download the ExpressVPN app onto your device. Be sure to do this from either your device’s official app store or the ExpressVPN website for security reasons.
Step 3
Open the app and sign in to your new ExpressVPN account.
Step 4
Click Selected Location choose the United Kingdom, and then press the Connect button. Then wait a few seconds for ExpressVPN to establish a connection with a UK-based server.
Stream the show anywhere with ExpressVPN.
Step 5
Open the BBC iPlayer app or webpage, log into your iPlayer account and search the Bloodlands. Then all you have to do is watch.
30-day money back guarantee
What is Bloodlands all about?
Bloodlands follows DCI Tom Brannick, a Northern-Irish detective investigating the kidnapping of Patrick Keenan, a former IRA man.
That throws up enough history about the troubles, but when he begins to suspect that a legendary hitman known as Goliath, who vanished with his own wife two decades earlier, things get really messy.
As the investigation progress, evidence grows, but so too do the links to Brannick’s wife’s disappearance. The first series ends with a huge plot twist which goes unresolved and bleeds over into the second series too.
The Guardian describes Bloodlands as “enjoyably dense with enough black humour to let it breathe.” The humour is a real plus point to both series and sets this drama apart from other similar shows.
Who stars in Bloodlands?
Bloodlands stars James Nesbitt (The Hobbit Trilogy, Cold Feet) as DCI Tom Brannick. He is exceptionally good at getting drama and comedy out of the character in equal measure.
His partner DS Niamh McGovern is played by Charlene McKenna (Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders), while the other principal police roles are taken by Lorcan Cranitch (The Dig) and Chris Walley (The Young Offenders).
There are also strong performances from a host of Northern Irish actors including, Lola Petticrew (Dating Amber), Victoria Smurfitt (Dracula), Ian McElhinney (Derry Girls, Krypton), and Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters, Luther).
Bloodlands has a fine ensemble cast who get everything out of the script and deliver tension and drama in spades.
Summary
Bloodlands is a great piece of police procedural and being from the people behind Line of Duty and The Bodyguard that should come as no surprise.
Viewers in the UK can enjoy Bloodlands on the BBC iPlayer right now, but if you live elsewhere, you will need the help of a VPN.
ExpressVPN is the VPN provider to choose if you want to watch Bloodlands abroad.
Just sign up, download the ExpressVPN app, log in, connect to a UK-based server, and then watch Bloodlands on the BBC iPlayer as usual.
This is high quality drama like only the Brits can do, and with a strong script, some great twists, and an exceptional cast, you’d be missing out if you didn’t tune in.
✔ Beginner-friendly
✔ Quick to set up
✔ Money back guarantee
30-day money back guarantee
