Unforgotten

James 'Jimmy' Sullivan, 17, disappears in 1976. His remains are later uncovered during the demolition of a house in north London, kicking off Cassie Stuart's long-running cold-case investigations. The revelation sets in motion clues that will echo through decades and test the team's resolve.

David Walker, a Conservative Party consultant, vanishes in 1990. His saponified remains are found stuffed in a suitcase in the River Lea in north-east London, reigniting a search for truth. The case tightens the network of connections Cassie must unravel across years.

Hayley Reid, a schoolgirl, disappears on New Year’s Eve 1999 from a seaside area. Workmen repairing the central reservation of the M1 motorway in London discover her skeleton, underscoring the reach of the investigation across time. The discovery pulls Cassie into another decades-spanning case with lasting consequences.

Matthew Walsh vanishes in 1990 after an encounter during a police trainees' celebration of their Passing Out from the academy. His disappearance becomes the seed for a chilling later discovery about how long some crimes can stay hidden. The case threads into Cassie's ongoing drive for truth.

In 2020, Matthew Walsh’s headless and handless corpse is found inside an old freezer during a house clearance in north London. He appears to have been frozen since 1990, suggesting a long premeditated concealment. The discovery links the present to a case decades old and deepens the mystery Cassie pursues.

Precious Falade’s body is found inside the chimney of a house undergoing renovation. The team investigates the circumstances surrounding her death and the troubled lives of her mother, son, and the key social worker connected to them. The case exposes the personal costs behind a violent crime.

Body parts belonging to Gerry Cooper are discovered in a London marsh, opening a new line of inquiry. The discovery forces Cassie’s team to piece together how the victim’s life and death connect to other cold cases. The marsh becomes a crucial clue in a broader pattern.

Series 1 examines growing conflicts in Cassie Stuart’s immediate family and the spartan, arms-length relationships she maintains with others who admire her. These tensions test her ability to separate personal pain from professional duty. The strain reveals how personal life intertwines with the pursuit of justice.

Cassie verbalizes her driving motive: to find the truth of what happened, provide closure to the living, and possibly bring a criminal to justice. She hopes solving a current case will help her move on and, if done by the book, allow her to sleep at night. The motive grounds every investigation she pursues.

Over the years, cold cases echo across decades, linking victims, suspects, and hidden networks. The team begins to see a through-line that reveals how truth, justice, and silence intersect through time. Each new discovery reshapes Cassie’s strategy and sense of justice.

As investigations unfold, some cases yield enough evidence to confirm a suspect or pattern, while others remain frustratingly unresolved. Cassie’s resolve is tested as the truth proves messier than expected. The unresolved cases linger, demanding continued attention from the team.

The relentless strain of solving cold cases pushes Cassie to find balance between work and family life. She seeks ways to cope with the emotional toll while continuing to pursue justice for the dead. The series ends with Cassie still pursuing truth, but seeking some personal stability alongside her career.