User Reviews

Written by Ed Whitmore who previously wrote the true life Manhunt series starring Martin Clunes. Directed by Marc Evans who also made the true life The Pembrokeshire Murders.

Steeltown Murders is also based on true events. The hunt for the Saturday Night Strangler who killed three young women in Wales in 1973.

The murderer was never caught but with advances in forensic science and DNA evidence. The cases are reopened in the early 2000s.

Philip Glenister plays DCI Paul Bethell who is heading the cold case investigation. He was a rookie cop back in the early 1970s and had reservations with the original investigations.

The first episode jumps forwards and back in time, with Bethell played by a younger actor for the flashbacks. The police in 1973 had a suspect for one of the murders, they would have been happy to fit him up for the crime. Only to find he could not drive, so he would not have been able to dump the body in the remote countryside.

The opener is low key and respectful. I did find that the victims were thinly sketched, especially the two women that would become the next fatalities.

In short Whitmore and Evans were following the same plot beats from their previous works.

DCI Paul Bethell hopes to take the lead on a case which is set to be reopened, the murder of three young women in Port Talbot back in 1973, DNA has provided a new lead.

A terrific first episode, growing up ten minutes from the area I can confirm it is a crime that really did haunt a community for decades. I was hoping for a sensible, factual telling of the story, and credit to the team behind it, they got the mix of drama and entertainment spot on.

I have commented many times about my respect for writer Ed Whitmore, whatever he touches I enjoy, he seemed to apply a good deal of respect, and chose not to sensationalise events. It's not often you watch a drama that's very easy to follow, this was.

It does span the ages, so you so need to concentrate, the music and styles should help.

I can't believe the visuals, The Top Rank/Odeon building on The Kingsway, the club the girls visited has long since been pulled down, it looks exactly as I remember it, it's quite extraordinary.

Philip Glenister was excellent as Bethell, I am a little biased as he is one of my all time favourites, but he did a great job, I hide behind my hands when people put on Welsh accents, Stephen Graham still haunts me, but Glenister got it spot on, it's like seeing a real life, actual Gene Hunt, less The Quattro of course.

I thought this was a great start, 9/10.