How to Watch Rebus Online: Stream the Richard Rankin Series Free from Anywhere

Rebus is a 2024 crime TV series that follows a 40-year-old police detective who’s had a dispute with an infamous Edinburgh gangster, and it’s adapted from the worldwide best-selling Inspector Rebus books by award-winning author Ian Rankin. The title premieres via BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer in the UK on May 17, 2024, and airs via BBC Scotland the next day. Yet, this service uses geo-restrictions.

This means people who travel abroad or live outside the UK cannot use the BBC iPlayer platform because of an error message, which appears due to iPlayer’s limited availability based on physical location. Yet, changing your IP address with a simple workaround will enable you to solve this small setback, so don’t worry. 

A VPN is a completely legal and safe way to remove the said error message by making the streaming service perceive you as being in an allowed area and lift the geo-blockade. Running the VPN app using a server from the UK list changes your IP address to a UK one, which lets you stream Rebus from anywhere.

This being said, let's check out when, where, and how to watch Rebus online from anywhere in the world you may be, the series preview, cast, episode guide, episode release schedule, trailer, why you need a VPN, and more.

How to Watch Rebus Online with a VPN

One can watch Rebus online with a VPN quite easily, as this tool can change your IP address to match the country where iPlayer works once the app runs in the background via a UK server. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through:

1. Create an account with a VPN that unblocks BBC iPlayer (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Download and install the native VPN app for your device or system.
3. Open and fire up the VPN via a server from the UK list.
4. Access the BBC iPlayer service and start streaming the series.

Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch Rebus?

You require a VPN to watch Rebus due to the geo-restrictions all streaming services use these days. BBC iPlayer does not work for viewers who try to access it outside the UK since it’s a UK-exclusive service, but this tool can easily bypass the geo-blockade.

Trying to watch titles via BBC iPlayer outside the UK  without employing a VPN triggers a geo-related error message on top of your chosen video, and it reads: "BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues."

A VPN rapidly removes geo-restrictions by making you seem to be in a country where the desired streaming platform is not blocked, so using a VPN server from the UK options lets you stream Rebus from anywhere by assigning you a British IP address.

We strongly recommend NordVPN when it comes to live TV and streaming platforms since it is one of the best VPN providers on the market these days, as it works in mere moments with all of these, including BBC iPlayer and several more. 

Where to Watch Rebus (2024)

The new Inspector Rebus TV series premieres in the UK on the BBC iPlayer service on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 6 am GMT. The first episode airs on BBC Scotland at 10 pm and on BBC One on the next day at 9:25 pm. The season has six episodes, each 50 minutes long, that will be released as a boxset for streaming and weekly on TV.

A premiere date for the US, Canada, and Australia has not been announced yet. Here's where you can stream Rebus:

How to Watch Rebus in the UK

If you live in the UK, you can see the Inspector Rebus 2024 TV series on Friday, May 17, 2024, via BBC’s streaming service at 6 am and on BBC Scotland at 10 pm. It also airs on BBC One the next day at 9:25 pm. This means you can stream Rebus on BBC iPlayer for free after logging in with your free BBC account credentials.

This account also provides you with unlimited access to many fan-favorite BBC titles, such as MasterChef, Peaky Blinders, Inside No. 9, The Gallows Pole: This Valley Will Rise, Shetland, Gentleman Jack, Call the Midwife, The Gold, or Eastenders.

BBC iPlayer only works in the UK, and geo-restrictions block it abroad. Yet, this is not an issue if you use a safe and capable VPN set to a UK server when you travel outside the UK.

Can I Watch Rebus in the US, Canada, and Australia?

No, you cannot at the moment, and a premiere date for other countries is not yet announced. 

Until more details are available, we suggest using a reliable VPN to stream Rebus for free on BBC iPlayer in the US, Canada, Australia, and anywhere else, as you only need to run the VPN app on your device using a UK server for this to work.

Can You Watch Rebus Online Free?

Yes, you can watch Rebus for free in the UK since BBC iPlayer is a free-of-charge service, and people in other countries can use a VPN to unblock it anywhere.

Rebus (2024) Preview

Rebus is a new crime TV series that serves as an adaptation of the best-selling novels by award-winning author Ian Rankin. The original Rebus aired between 2000 and 2007, and the 2024 title is set in Edinburgh, among the Scottish landmarks, and reimagines John Rebus as a younger Detective Sergeant.

The plot recalls a violent encounter with Edinburgh gangster Ger Cafferty, and the story debuts one year after this falling out, when one of Cafferty’s enforcers was publicly assaulted. Detective Sergeant John Rebus starts investigating this case along with his new Constable, Siobhan Clarke. 

At the moment, Rebus is struggling with the estrangement of his ex-wife Rhona and daughter Sammy while his tense relationship with his brother, Michael, worsens. The latter is feeling more and more humiliated due to poverty, which pushes him to make a desperate move to provide for his family.

Now, the Detective Sergeant is drawn into a violent criminal conflict in Edinburgh’s murky underbelly that turned personal, torn between protecting a brother and enforcing the law to bring him to justice in an emotionally charged story that tackles topics such as family, morality, and class.

Rebus (2024) Cast

• Richard Rankin as DS John Rebus
• Lucie Shorthouse as DC Siobhan Clarke
• Thoren Ferguson as DI Malcolm Fox
• Caroline Lee-Johnson as DI Gill Templar
• Sean Buchanan as George Blantyre
• Michelle Duncan as Maggie Blantyre
• Stuart Bowman as Ger Cafferty
• Noof Ousellam as Darryl Christie
• Brian Ferguson as Michael Rebus
• Neshla Caplan as Chrissie
• Amy Manson as Rhona
• Mia McKenzie as Sammy
• Caroline Lee Johnson
• Craig McLean as Kai

Rebus Episode Guide 

• Season 1 Episode 1 (May 17, 2024) - One year has passed after the violent altercation Detective Sergeant John Rebus had with Edinburgh gangster Ger Cafferty. With his new Constable, Siobhan Clarke, Rebus investigates a case involving the public assault of one of the gangster’s goons. However, it's John’s family and an awkward affair that pose unexpected problems.
• Season 1 Episode 2 (May 17 on demand and May 24 on TV) - Rebus acts rashly in Fife, resulting in a fatal confrontation for his brother. Meanwhile, Siobhan finds out who stopped the street attack.
• Season 1 Episode 3 (May 17 / May 31) - John's brother abducts drug dealer Darryl Christie and recruits ex-army comrades for a risky raid.
• Season 1 Episode 4 (May 17 / June 7) - John is unaware that the Cafferty and Christie rivalry is viciously escalating, with Michael at its heart.
• Season 1 Episode 5 (May 17 / June 14) - Michael and John both have motives to kill Cafferty, and Darryl Christie uses Siobhan to help his plan for retaliation.
• Season 1 Episode 6 (May 17 / June 21) - With John’s loyalties torn and more revelations to come, lives are at stake. Meanwhile, Rhona questions Chrissie.

Rebus 2024 Official Trailer

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty easy to stream Rebus on BBC iPlayer in the UK, but since this streaming service is geo-restricted, you need to use a VPN connected to a UK server to unblock iPlayer from anywhere if you travel abroad or live in another country.

We recommend NordVPN for easily unblocking streaming platforms. A subscription includes over 6,000 VPN servers in 111 countries worldwide, fast and stable connections, no bandwidth or speed caps, and the best privacy and security features a VPN can offer. Plus, you can try NordVPN risk-free for 30 days via this premium VPN’s money-back guarantee policy.