Solemnly-told story (as such, the 'number of days' device as part of the background is inappropriate) of hunt for Yorkshire Ripper over five years, 1975-80, told fittingly in seven one hour episodes for ITV.
With Toby Jones (original investigator taken off case), Lee Ingleby (takes over but is himself removed), David Morrissey (ends up running it under some pressure, until health fails), Danny Mays, Jill Halfpenny, Jack Deam, Katherine Kelly, Liz White, Jasmine Lee-Jones (the unfortunate first survivor), Molly Wright, Steven Waddington, Michael McElhatton, Stephen Tompkinson, John Henshaw, Alexa Davies (solicitor, Raised By Wolves, White House Farm), Daisy Waterstone, Adam James, Emma Cunniffe, Dorothy Atkinson, many more good actors.
Incompetence of Ingleby character, faced with but ignoring culprit's description, outraging, as is general attitude of coppers to victims, prostitutes and even members of the public. And writer George Kay's summary - that the falsely accused lady was eventually paid her compensation, but subsequently lost her benefits, whilst the Chief Constable sold the book rights for £40,000 - is rightly angry. And that Sutcliffe was interviewed nine times, and the Yorkshire Police just did not listen when good evidence was found. We were both delighted it was bobbies on the beat in Sheffield who took him and that especially - despite no help from Leeds - they held on to him long enough to find the evidence. And that the hoaxer was - eventually - also found in 2005 (the programme doesn't tell us he was sentenced to eight years).
The shining work of the WPCs is well highlighted - their diligence with the records, their bravery in taking to the streets undercover.
Kay based it on Michael Bilton's book. Arnold had worked on Sherwood and Time before this.
No comments:
Post a Comment