The Pembrokeshire Murders is a Welsh three-part television drama miniseries based on the Pembrokeshire murders by Welsh serial killer John Cooper.[2] In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins[3] decided to reopen two unsolved 1980s murder cases linked with a string of burglaries. New advances in technology for forensic DNA analysis, witness reports and artists impressions of the suspect led to Dyfed-Powys Police reviewing a 1989 episode of Bullseye,[4] which led to the serial killer finally being caught.[5] It premiered on ITV on 11 January 2021.
| The Pembrokeshire Murders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Crime drama Thriller |
| Based on | The Pembrokeshire Murders: Catching the Bullseye Killer by Steve Wilkins |
| Written by | Nick Stevens |
| Directed by | Marc Evans |
| Starring |
|
| Theme music composer | Carly Paradis |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Ed Talfan |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 11 January (2021-01-11) – 13 January 2021 (2021-01-13) |
The drama is the thirteenth in a series of ITV mini-series featuring notorious British murder cases of the past two centuries, following on from This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (2000), Shipman (2002), A Is for Acid (2002), The Brides in the Bath (2003), See No Evil: The Moors Murders (2006), Appropriate Adult (2011), Dark Angel, In Plain Sight (both 2016), Little Boy Blue (2017), Manhunt (2019), White House Farm, and Des (both 2020).[6]
In January 2020, production began on The Pembrokeshire Murders.[8][5] The series stars Luke EvansofThe Great Train Robbery as Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins, and Keith AllenasJohn Cooper, serial killer.[9]
Filming wrapped just before Wales's first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11] Most exterior scenes were shot on location in Pembrokeshire.[12]
It was first shown on Belgium's Dutch-speaking broadcaster Eén from 29 January to 12 February 2021.
In the United States and Canada, the series will premiere on streaming service BritBox.[13]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) [14] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode One" | Marc Evans | Nick Stevens | 11 January 2021 (2021-01-11) | 10.94 | |
|
DSU Steve Wilkins re-opens one of Wales's most notorious unsolved crimes, known locally as the Coastal Path Murders.
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| 2 | "Episode Two" | Marc Evans | Nick Stevens | 12 January 2021 (2021-01-12) | 10.29 | |
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The investigation into the Coastal Path Murders continues, but with no conclusive results from scientific testing, DSU Wilkins and his team must tackle the chief suspect, John Cooper, head-on for three days of interviews.
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| 3 | "Episode Three" | Marc Evans | Nick Stevens | 13 January 2021 (2021-01-13) | 10.64 | |
|
A long awaited scientific breakthrough gives DSU Steve Wilkins and his team their vital ammunition in the case against John Cooper.
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Rebecca Nicholson, reviewing in The Guardian, described the drama as "no glory for violent, rotten crimes" and gave it four stars,[15] while Carol Midgley for The Times described the show as "a case of too much cop and not enough killer" and gave it three stars.[16] Ed Cummings from The Independent criticised the programme for following dramatic clichés and poor script-writing, awarding two stars.[17]
