Four Lives - BBC 3-parter on Stephen Port murders

[oobster]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00134hr/fo...

Anyone watching/watched this? I watched the first part (of 3) last night, can't quite 'take' to Stephen Merchant in a serious role yet but the subject matter is interesting (from a police incompetence point of view).

[speedking31]

Watched the first episode. Problem for me is working out whether the incompetence shown is reflective of the reality at the time or just lazy production, e.g. when two detective enter the flat of someone who has been found dead of unknown causes do they usually let a member of the public (not resident or landlord) follow them in and touch things and make observations about stuff they find? I expect it would be forensically sealed until more information was available.

Think Stephen Merchant is brave taking on such a left field role. Will keep watching.

[coppernorks]

speedking31 said:

Think Stephen Merchant is brave taking on such a left field role. Will keep watching.

It's brave of a production company giving a major role to someone with no training as an actor.

He was awful in Big Bang.

[Randy Winkman]

I've watched the first one and I like him so far. The other day I saw a repeat of him in The Office and thought he was a bit cardboard but I love that in this he is so quiet and morose. Looks weird/scary too.

[Nickp82]

speedking31 said:

Problem for me is working out whether the incompetence shown is reflective of the reality at the time

They seem very keen to portray the police as incompetent/ disinterested so I did wonder whether this was the case in reality.

On the whole I thought it was good , will watch the remaining episodes plus Sheridan Smith looks extra hot

[oobster]

I’ve read some of the backstory to the real case and it seems the police were particularly inept here.

A Detective told the coroner she’d informed one of the victim’s next of kin, she didn’t. The suicide note, she said, was compared to the writing in a diary which didn’t take place.

The coroner asked for a sheet from one of the bodies to be DNA tested, it wasn’t done, despite Port’s DNA being all over the sheet and the police had his DNA on file.

Police refused to deal with the partner of the third victim as he wasn’t next of kin, despite the two of them living together.

The IPCC investigated the conduct of 17 officers but none of the 17 faced any charges.

[Nickp82]

Thanks for expanding on that Oobster.

There’s some spots of atrocious acting but having just watched p2 I think Sheridan Smith’s performance is excellent.

[rover 623gsi]

Nickp82 said:

speedking31 said:

Problem for me is working out whether the incompetence shown is reflective of the reality at the time

They seem very keen to portray the police as incompetent/ disinterested so I did wonder whether this was the case in reality.

On the whole I thought it was good , will watch the remaining episodes plus Sheridan Smith looks extra hot

Met failings probably a factor in deaths of Stephen Port victims, says inquest
Serial killer could have been caught earlier if police had not missed opportunities, jury finds

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/10/me...

Another shameful episode under the watchful eye of Cressida Dick

[rallycross]

rover 623gsi said:

Met failings probably a factor in deaths of Stephen Port victims, says inquest
Serial killer could have been caught earlier if police had not missed opportunities, jury finds

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/10/me...

Another shameful episode under the watchful eye of Cressida Dick

When you read more about this it seams quite unbelievable how inept the police were - shockingly bad at their job on this case yet no come back (yet).

[TTmonkey]

Watched it all.

Marchant was good. But played himself, creepy weirdo.


The police should be ashamed.

[oobster]

5 of the 17 officers who were investigated by the IPCC have since been promoted.

As evidenced by the 24hrs in police custody show earlier this evening (the 11 week old baby boy being killed by his mum’s bully partner) the police have an almost impossible task to bring people to justice, but as well as the police did with the baby death case you then have the absolute shambles of the Stephen Port murders.

How many more could he have killed if the sisters of the 4th victim didn’t push the police for the CCTV?

[Swervin_Mervin]

oobster said:

5 of the 17 officers who were investigated by the IPCC have since been promoted.

As evidenced by the 24hrs in police custody show earlier this evening (the 11 week old baby boy being killed by his mum’s bully partner) the police have an almost impossible task to bring people to justice, but as well as the police did with the baby death case you then have the absolute shambles of the Stephen Port murders.

How many more could he have killed if the sisters of the 4th victim didn’t push the police for the CCTV?

Watched the last one tonight. They really did make a point of showing a difference between the local branch of the Met and the central homicide team in terms of professionalism. There must be a reason for them pushing that angle.

There's a documentary on now on 1 about it all.

[cuprabob]

Swervin_Mervin said:

There's a documentary on now on 1 about it all.

With these dramas based on true events, it always good when the follow it up with a documentary, seeing and hearing from the real people. After watching the documentary I appreciated the casting particularly the choice of Stephen Mechant and Jaime Winstone.

Edited by cuprabob on Thursday 6th January 14:13

[Swervin_Mervin]

cuprabob said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

There's a documentary on now on 1 about it all.

With these dramas based on true events, it always good when the follow it up with a documentary, seeing and hearing from the real people. After watching the documentary I appreciated the casting particularly the choice of Stephen Mechant and Jamie Winstone.

Yep. Having watched that Marchant and Winstone were perfect castings. Rufus Jones also.

First thing that staggered me was just how long ago it was - I could've sworn it all happened only a couple of years ago.

But for me the documentary certainly made it clear that the drama hadn't been overdone. Some of them come across as over-dramatising events for TV, but if anything in this instance it seemed they might have even downplayed some aspects!

[oobster]

Swervin_Mervin said:

First thing that staggered me was just how long ago it was - I could've sworn it all happened only a couple of years ago.

Same here - I said to the Mrs that the case was last year!

We watched the documentary at lunchtime today, I didn't know until the text at the end that the IOPC are considering re-opening the investigation into the case, I hope they do but the cynic in me says that the passage of time isn't likely to result in meaningful action when nothing happened the first time they investigated the case.

[carinaman]

iplayer link for the hour long documentary first broadcast 16 Feb. 2017:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04s38l8/how...