The Long Shadow; Pete Doherty, Who Killed My Son?; Who Killed Jill Dando?

“The Long Shadow is a considered, unsensational handling of a story steeped in tabloid headlines, made all the more chilling by the fact that we know what is to come. The real-life investigation lends itself to drama, with the police following false leads. Among the fine ensemble cast, Toby Jones holds the centre as the dedicated, unshowy DCS Hoban, who is first to realise that a serial killer is at large.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“On the basis of last night’s first episode – beautifully shot and rich in period detail – it’s not exploitative or sensationalised. Rather, it is a powerful, poignant piece, with some outstanding performances. The Long Shadow was unavoidably harrowing and bleak, but it was also brilliant. It is set to be one of the dramas of the year.”
Neil Armstrong, The i

“The general rule is that, however much the makers stress that their creation will centre the victims instead of the perpetrator of the crimes, they somehow all end up in thrall to precisely that person. The Long Shadow – so far, at least, which is already further than most – shatters the general rule. More than any rendering of a notorious case that I can remember, the attention is on the women.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Putting the focus solely on the victims means we see everything from their perspective, not just as silent black-and-white mugshots in a wretched gallery. Whether we needed a drama about it in 2023 is debatable, but those poor women are at least treated with respect.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The trouble with real-life crime on television is that it so often glamourises criminals. But you won’t be seeing much of Sutcliffe in this remarkable and sensitive drama, which concentrates instead on the victims, their families, and the unfolding police investigation.”
Roland White, Daily Mail

“The Long Shadow seeks to do what a lot of modern true crime does and shift the focus to the victims. It is a decision that doesn’t pay off, because, at its heart, The Long Shadow is fundamentally leering.”
Nick Hilton, The Independent

“The impressive Pete Doherty, Who Killed My Son? left me increasingly stunned with every minute. How could the Metropolitan Police have watched that CCTV footage of Mark Blanco falling like a deadweight from a balcony in 2006 and thought for a moment it was suicide?”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“It is a sad and frustrating story, driven by Sheila Blanco’s persistence, despite a sense that people have been pulling down the shutters on her for almost two decades. Whether Pete Doherty, Who Killed My Son? will help is not entirely clear, although it does at least keep Mark’s name in the public eye.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“What made this latest retelling different is technology. Advances in so-called reverse projection enabled a less speculative reading of the grainy video evidence. In silent footage, CCTV caught the moment Blanco’s body tumbled like Bruegel’s unnoticed Icarus in the corner of the picture. It’s deeply shocking to watch.”
Jasper Rees, The Telegraph

“Pete Doherty, Who Killed My Son? surely made uncomfortable viewing for the Metropolitan Police. I fear little will happen after this programme, but at least it was a reminder of the collateral damage that can be caused by a huge, apparently untouchable celebrity, who lives a rackety lifestyle. Sound familiar at all?”
Roland White, Daily Mail

“Who Killed Jill Dando is a compelling trawl through the known facts. Ultimately, it cannot answer the question in its title, yet it’s impossible to come away from it without being reminded of what a warm and engaging presence she had been in our lives.”
Chris Harvey, The Telegraph

“Twenty-four years later, the case remains unsolved and while Who Killed Jill Dando? doesn’t answer its own question (if the murderer had been identified it would have been all over the news), it does provide an impressive roster of contributors. This is a proper piece of journalism that sheds light on the case, even if it can provide no definitive answer.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

“The story is clearly as frustrating for those involved to relive as it must have been the first time around. The sense of loss and missed opportunities to bring Dando’s killer to justice is palpable.”
Sean O’Grady, The Independent

“The new, solidly made documentary assiduously covers all the ground, from Jill’s happy childhood in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, to her early days in journalism and her discovery by television executives. Who Killed Jill Dando? does a good job of showing the power and influence the media had in shaping the story and its effects on the people managing the investigation.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian