Episode #1.2 (11 Sep. 2011)

Continuing to sit in on the police interviews Janet is shocked when she learns of the Wests' sexual depravity and when Fred calls her Anna,one of his victims whom she physically resembles. ... See full summary »

Director:

Julian Jarrold

Writer:

Neil McKay

Stars:

Emily Watson, Dominic West, Robert Glenister

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Emily Watson	...	Janet Leach
Dominic West	...	Fred West
Robert Glenister	...	Detective Superintendent John Bennett
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Detective Constable Hazel Savage
Monica Dolan	...	Rose West
Anthony Flanagan	...	Mike
Stanley Townsend	...	Syd Young
Samuel Roukin	...	Detective Constabe Darren Law
Gerard Horan	...	Howard Ogden
Seline Hizli	...	Mae West
James McArdle	...	Stephen West
Rupert Simonian	...	Josh
Sophie Downham	...	Jade
Jack Fortune	...	Richard Ferguson QC
Jasper Jacob	...	Brian Leveson QC

Storyline

Continuing to sit in on the police interviews Janet is shocked when she learns of the Wests' sexual depravity and when Fred calls her Anna,one of his victims whom she physically resembles. With both the Wests charged,she is no longer needed but visits Fred in prison privately in the hopes that he will disclose the fates of more victims to her. When he kills himself,the police need Janet to tell them what he revealed to her in order to convict Rosemary and she comes to see how he used her. At Rosemary West's trial Janet's evidence helps secure a conviction,though an end title suggests that the corpses of other West victims have yet to be unearthed.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Release Date:

11 September 2011 (UK)

Company Credits

User Reviews

Unearthing the bodies

Janet Leach is allowed to return to the interviews the police are conducting with Fred West. He is even allowed to show the police the place where some of the victims are buried. The search does not reveal a thing. The police are frustrated because they feel Fred is not telling all he knows. Instead, he decides to tell Janet instead about his sordid past. She is shocked as she hears to what an extent Fred and Rose have gone in their depravity.

Mike convinces Janet to work with a reporter from one of the dailies. His intention is to capitalize on his good fortune in Janet's involvement. Fred, now in prison, asks for Janet, who is permitted to go and visit him. Fred makes a mistake of calling her Ann, one of the victims. Going home she compares the real woman to old photographs, the resemblance is uncanny. Fred commits suicide, but the case is not over.

During the trial of Rose West, Janet is call to give her testimony in order to secure a conviction for this criminal. The prosecutor realizes Janet must have been cooperating with a newspaper, something that catches completely unaware and Janet must admit that yes, she has been talking to Syd Young. Caught in the lie, she is warned about perjuring herself. In spite the damage to her person, Janet's testimony serves to condemn Rose West of the many crimes she and Fred perpetrated.

Excellent mini-series that makes a surprising and intense drama. The story is based on a real case which was a scandal in the country. Julian Jarrold, the director, gets good performances from his superb cast. Written by Neil McKay, the production enacts the incident with surprising results. An inspired Emily Watson makes justice to her Janet Leach, a vulnerable woman with problems at home, who is drawn into a sordid situation she cannot understand, but does her duty assisting the police. Dominic West is impeccable as Fred Ward. He makes this criminal a bit more palatable wanting to get Janet's sympathy.