Unfortunately I think some reviews were expecting a shoot 'em up police story, hence their negative reviews. Real police work, as shown in this series, is a slog gathering and analysing the evidence to prove the case. I thought the acting was good, with Like Evans playing a subtle low-key role, whereas Keith Alan portrayed a believable devious character. The Pembroke landscapes added further credibility to the story, which culminated in a tense court room outcome.
64 Reviews
Brilliant.
mf281213 January 2021
A Great Mini Series
alindsayal23 December 2021
T seems lately that ITV have done a good job in adapting true stories to mini series, with Quiz and Des last year both being great. To start 2021 it is the turn of The Pembrokeshire Murders and here is my review of the three episodes. The premise of the show sees a detective reopen two murder cases from the 1980's and tries to use more modern methods to get a conviction.
Main Character Luke Evans plays the lead character here and he is really good. He plays the main detective and you see his passion and desire to get this case over the line. He does a great job of selling how important this case is and how it truly matters if they succeed. He is likeable here too and you really care about him and want to see him get what he wants in terms of getting justice for families.
Supporting Characters Keith Allen plays John Cooper the main suspect and he does a great job. He just fits this role really well and it just seems very natural to him, as the show goes on he really changes as a character and you see just how capable he is and how he is a truly terrible person. There is quite a large cast here and I thought they all did great jobs, whether it was the police officers, Cooper's family or others this show is very well acted.
Story The story is good, it is interesting to see these detectives going after John Cooper, it is different to most cop shows as it shows most of the behind the scenes things and not chases and gun fights which was something really different. The show builds well and the majority of the story arcs work and make you care and invested in the plot. But my one criticism of the plot is the very ending, it ends very abruptly and unsatisfying leaving me wanting a bit more to really find out what happened to the characters I grew to care about.
Script The script is very good, it doesn't overcomplicate things when it very easily could and lays the drama on and does it effectively. It also has a few moments of decent humour and this show builds up an interesting group of characters to care about and get invested in.
Style The style of the show is good, it kept me interested for the 3 episodes and there were some pretty intense scenes especially in the interrogation scenes that were really effective in what they did. But the show is pretty slow paced, it isn't a huge issue but it is there and maybe it could have moved a little bit quicker at times for my liking.
Overall Overall, this is a great show that delivers it's story well. If you like your true story dramas then give this one a watch as it is worth the time.
Rating - 8/10.
Main Character Luke Evans plays the lead character here and he is really good. He plays the main detective and you see his passion and desire to get this case over the line. He does a great job of selling how important this case is and how it truly matters if they succeed. He is likeable here too and you really care about him and want to see him get what he wants in terms of getting justice for families.
Supporting Characters Keith Allen plays John Cooper the main suspect and he does a great job. He just fits this role really well and it just seems very natural to him, as the show goes on he really changes as a character and you see just how capable he is and how he is a truly terrible person. There is quite a large cast here and I thought they all did great jobs, whether it was the police officers, Cooper's family or others this show is very well acted.
Story The story is good, it is interesting to see these detectives going after John Cooper, it is different to most cop shows as it shows most of the behind the scenes things and not chases and gun fights which was something really different. The show builds well and the majority of the story arcs work and make you care and invested in the plot. But my one criticism of the plot is the very ending, it ends very abruptly and unsatisfying leaving me wanting a bit more to really find out what happened to the characters I grew to care about.
Script The script is very good, it doesn't overcomplicate things when it very easily could and lays the drama on and does it effectively. It also has a few moments of decent humour and this show builds up an interesting group of characters to care about and get invested in.
Style The style of the show is good, it kept me interested for the 3 episodes and there were some pretty intense scenes especially in the interrogation scenes that were really effective in what they did. But the show is pretty slow paced, it isn't a huge issue but it is there and maybe it could have moved a little bit quicker at times for my liking.
Overall Overall, this is a great show that delivers it's story well. If you like your true story dramas then give this one a watch as it is worth the time.
Rating - 8/10.
Great and simple
DLochner6 June 2022
The disturbing criminal profile of a sadist Even if the outcome of the plot is known, it is exciting to look over the shoulder of the investigative team Unexcited and simple. And that is exactly the strength of this mini-series. All in all, not a classic crime thriller, but sober, straightforward and without surprises, almost like a documentary.
Didn't really grab me!
richardstirling24 January 2021
There's a good cast here and it's always interesting to see a real life police drama. This one however never really catches light. No menace, no tension just fairly straight forward policing and forensics. Worth a watch for the factual side but no excitement.
Great acting
gallagherkellie2 October 2022
I'm glad this was only 3 episodes as it wasn't drawn out. It was quite good and the acting was really well done, especially by Luke Evans, the man playing Cooper and the man playing his son.
I hadn't heard of this case before watching this, but from what I've read it's pretty accurate. This guy was a piece of work and I'm glad he was finally caught.
The reason I gave it a 6 is because I wasn't super gripped by this one. I've watched a lot of British crime shows, especially true crime, and this wasn't among the best. I didn't really feel super connected to the characters as much as I should have and there wasn't much suspense or tension. I'd give it 6 1/2 stars.
I hadn't heard of this case before watching this, but from what I've read it's pretty accurate. This guy was a piece of work and I'm glad he was finally caught.
The reason I gave it a 6 is because I wasn't super gripped by this one. I've watched a lot of British crime shows, especially true crime, and this wasn't among the best. I didn't really feel super connected to the characters as much as I should have and there wasn't much suspense or tension. I'd give it 6 1/2 stars.
Super, Smashing, Great.
Sleepin_Dragon11 January 2021
Pembrokeshire was the scene of several murder and violent crimes, which went unsolved, and spanned several years. The Pembrokeshire Murders solves the case of The Coastal Murders.
Another ITV drama series which tells the story of a real life crime, following on from White House Farm and Des, this was truly excellent.
Great to see that it was filmed in and around Pembrokeshire, you never know where they'll pitch their cameras these days, but this had a true air of authenticity to it.
A terrific cast play their part very well, Keith Allen is excellent as Cooper, however the standout is Like Evans, who takes up a rare television role, and brings Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins incredibly well.
If you're interested in the case, there is a very good documentary, The Bullseye Killer, worth watching once this show is finished.
I thought this was excellent, one of the best dramas on screen for a while, 9/10.
Another ITV drama series which tells the story of a real life crime, following on from White House Farm and Des, this was truly excellent.
Great to see that it was filmed in and around Pembrokeshire, you never know where they'll pitch their cameras these days, but this had a true air of authenticity to it.
A terrific cast play their part very well, Keith Allen is excellent as Cooper, however the standout is Like Evans, who takes up a rare television role, and brings Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins incredibly well.
If you're interested in the case, there is a very good documentary, The Bullseye Killer, worth watching once this show is finished.
I thought this was excellent, one of the best dramas on screen for a while, 9/10.
Bully Beaten By A Bit Of Bully
Lejink17 January 2021
I must admit, not having read or seen any of the advanced publicity for this New Year's 3-part ITV production, I wasn't aware that it was in fact a dramatisation of the taking-down of a notorious multiple murderer and rapist, where his appearance on an old low-budget darts-themed TV quiz show years before played a significant part in his eventual conviction. That was the aspect of the case I, along I suspect with many others, remember most from the news coverage at the time and found it a little strange it wasn't used in the title here.
None of the actual crimes of the perpetrator John Cooper are depicted on screen and we join the action when a new, youngish Detective Superintendent takes up the cold-case and becomes determined to go back and obtain a conviction, this time with the help of retrospective DNA evidence not in use at the time the offences were first committed. Said D.I., played by Luke Evans, assembles a small team and is determined this time to crack the case where he has only one suspect in his sights. That's Cooper, played by Keith Allen, an already jailed felon although on lesser offences and in fact soon to be released from prison to the care of his fearful wife who still lives by herself in the marital home and hasn't broken away from Cooper's malign influence. The couple also has a disowned, resentful grown-up son, who loathes his father and wants nothing to do with him, indeed it's clear that like D.I. Evans, he suspects Cooper of even darker deeds. Estranged from his mother through her ties to his dad, he lives a hand-to-mouth existence in the same small Pembrokeshire town in Wales.
Evans, a single-parent career-cop, when not fretting about his own adult son who is trying to advance a career in football, gradually assembles and dissects the historical evidence and becomes ever more convinced that Cooper is his man. It all comes down to an artist's sketch of the murder suspect which shows an unidentified man in a pair of wading shorts with shoulder-length hair but when directly questioned on these points Cooper says his son borrowed the shorts at the time and besides, he never had shoulder-length hair. The Eureka moment, (there's always a Eureka moment!) then occurs when the Chief goes into a local pub and by chance spies an old picture on the wall of Cooper in the local darts team. That's when the pub landlord remembers that Cooper made a TV appearance on the popular Sunday afternoon TV game show "Bullseye" around the time of the unsolved crimes. The tape of the show is tracked down and clearly shows Cooper's appearance now matching the witness's description. Now if only he could track down those twenty year old shorts, I mean, who keeps clothes that old, well apparently, Cooper's wife did...!
The series ends with a tense trial in court where justice is served on a snarling, still malevolent Cooper and a triumph for Evans and his team. The show was directed in an unfussy, straightforward way, as befits the seriousness of the subject matter, with thankfully no distractions from the action with, for example, lovely scenery or florid background music, or too much interference, as is usually the case in shows of this type, from the personal lives of the detectives, bar the father-son bonding between Evans and his son, which in any case can be seen as a contrast and comparison with Cooper and his own less-than-devoted son.
Evans is very good as the dogged detective and Allen is in his element as the nasty, controlling Cooper. Overlooking again, as is so often the case these days, the too obvious P.C. casting in support, this was a gritty, gripping factual reconstruction of a recent high-profile case where the police thankfully hit the bullseye and put an evil villain back in prison where he belonged..
None of the actual crimes of the perpetrator John Cooper are depicted on screen and we join the action when a new, youngish Detective Superintendent takes up the cold-case and becomes determined to go back and obtain a conviction, this time with the help of retrospective DNA evidence not in use at the time the offences were first committed. Said D.I., played by Luke Evans, assembles a small team and is determined this time to crack the case where he has only one suspect in his sights. That's Cooper, played by Keith Allen, an already jailed felon although on lesser offences and in fact soon to be released from prison to the care of his fearful wife who still lives by herself in the marital home and hasn't broken away from Cooper's malign influence. The couple also has a disowned, resentful grown-up son, who loathes his father and wants nothing to do with him, indeed it's clear that like D.I. Evans, he suspects Cooper of even darker deeds. Estranged from his mother through her ties to his dad, he lives a hand-to-mouth existence in the same small Pembrokeshire town in Wales.
Evans, a single-parent career-cop, when not fretting about his own adult son who is trying to advance a career in football, gradually assembles and dissects the historical evidence and becomes ever more convinced that Cooper is his man. It all comes down to an artist's sketch of the murder suspect which shows an unidentified man in a pair of wading shorts with shoulder-length hair but when directly questioned on these points Cooper says his son borrowed the shorts at the time and besides, he never had shoulder-length hair. The Eureka moment, (there's always a Eureka moment!) then occurs when the Chief goes into a local pub and by chance spies an old picture on the wall of Cooper in the local darts team. That's when the pub landlord remembers that Cooper made a TV appearance on the popular Sunday afternoon TV game show "Bullseye" around the time of the unsolved crimes. The tape of the show is tracked down and clearly shows Cooper's appearance now matching the witness's description. Now if only he could track down those twenty year old shorts, I mean, who keeps clothes that old, well apparently, Cooper's wife did...!
The series ends with a tense trial in court where justice is served on a snarling, still malevolent Cooper and a triumph for Evans and his team. The show was directed in an unfussy, straightforward way, as befits the seriousness of the subject matter, with thankfully no distractions from the action with, for example, lovely scenery or florid background music, or too much interference, as is usually the case in shows of this type, from the personal lives of the detectives, bar the father-son bonding between Evans and his son, which in any case can be seen as a contrast and comparison with Cooper and his own less-than-devoted son.
Evans is very good as the dogged detective and Allen is in his element as the nasty, controlling Cooper. Overlooking again, as is so often the case these days, the too obvious P.C. casting in support, this was a gritty, gripping factual reconstruction of a recent high-profile case where the police thankfully hit the bullseye and put an evil villain back in prison where he belonged..
Authentic
StudleyDave14 January 2021
A well-written and beautifully filmed mini-series, with a great lead and good supporting performances, this incredible drama focusses on the Bullseye Killer's crimes
Wilkins himself had some small part in seeing that the series stuck to the truth without sensationalising anything that had happened. As well as this, Cooper's son met with one of the screenwriters. The authenticity of the drama shows, as do the efforts of the director to ensure it gives fair representation of the victims
The best ITV drama I've seen
Wilkins himself had some small part in seeing that the series stuck to the truth without sensationalising anything that had happened. As well as this, Cooper's son met with one of the screenwriters. The authenticity of the drama shows, as do the efforts of the director to ensure it gives fair representation of the victims
The best ITV drama I've seen
The Pembrokeshire Murders
studioAT15 January 2021
I mean it was ok.
katiefanatic-791-30691817 February 2021
Hear me out-I'm a fan of Luke evans from a lot of work but MOSTLY from his work on 'the alienist', which is in the similar vein of this show. That show is not particularly shoot 'em up Either as it's the beginning of psychology but it's definitely more exciting than watching this. For the solid story, I give this a 6, and a 7 for Luke evans. It was just Ok.
Bit dull
craiglesuk-123 January 2021
Well acted and put together but a bit dull if I'm honest. It just doesn't intrigue enough. Difficult when you are dealing with a true story and trying to stay accurate. Perhaps a little bit more imagination from the script might have helped.
A serie or a documentary?
romaniederreveaux7 February 2021
It is a good story based on true events.
You will get a glimpse of how an old case is being re-examined, in particular why they are examining DNA on a particular object and also why they are treating a suspect in a certain way.
However, due to the abundance of information, I feel more like watching a documentary than a series. One moment it is very long-winded, the next you can barely follow the events. It is a "series" to keep your attention!
However, due to the abundance of information, I feel more like watching a documentary than a series. One moment it is very long-winded, the next you can barely follow the events. It is a "series" to keep your attention!
Small goof perhaps
danube7714 January 2021
Fascinating
jencalu13 January 2021
Really well done
WhoMadeYouGod14 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A really well made telling of these awful crimes - often mini series get stretched too far and can be slow with gap fillers... this wasn't. 3 episodes and it drew you in and kept you in.
Keith Allen was excellent as John Cooper, he was vile every time he was on screen, cold and calculating but most of all total arrogance and disregard for what he had done.
Luke Evans was also brilliant and engaging as DCI Steve Wilkins.
It's always difficult to say you have enjoyed a real life murder series, because enjoy doesn't seem to be the right word - better probably to say that it was engaging and compelling.
Most of all we are all glad justice was eventually served. A good watch and recommended.
Keith Allen was excellent as John Cooper, he was vile every time he was on screen, cold and calculating but most of all total arrogance and disregard for what he had done.
Luke Evans was also brilliant and engaging as DCI Steve Wilkins.
It's always difficult to say you have enjoyed a real life murder series, because enjoy doesn't seem to be the right word - better probably to say that it was engaging and compelling.
Most of all we are all glad justice was eventually served. A good watch and recommended.
A gripping real-life murder mystery which avoids standard tropes
Tweekums18 January 2021
This series is a dramatization of real events which took place in Pembrokeshire, in the South West of Wales. In 2006 a new Detective Chief Superintendent, Steve Wilkins, decides to reopen a notorious pair of unsolved murders from the 1980s. He is hoping that advances in DNA analysis will tie items gathered at the time to somebody whose DNA is in the system. Similarities with other crimes leads Wilkins and his team to suspect convicted burglar John Cooper. He is in jail but is up for parole; Wilkins is convinced that he will kill again if released... he just needs to find that crucial piece of information that will enable him to press new charges.
Since this is based on real events it doesn't feature the sort of events one would expect in a fictional murder mystery... we don't get multiple suspects or moments of danger for the police. Instead we look at the more painstaking parts of real investigations; trying to find images of the suspect at the time of the crimes to match with a sketch made by a police artist based on a witness statement; checking for paint samples and searching for a pair of khaki shorts. It is fascinating to see the police trying to find which evidence is crucial during interviews with Cooper. The cast is impressive; most obviously Luke Evens and Keith Allen as Wilkins and Cooper respectively. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of crime drama; even those who usually prefer the fictional variety.
Since this is based on real events it doesn't feature the sort of events one would expect in a fictional murder mystery... we don't get multiple suspects or moments of danger for the police. Instead we look at the more painstaking parts of real investigations; trying to find images of the suspect at the time of the crimes to match with a sketch made by a police artist based on a witness statement; checking for paint samples and searching for a pair of khaki shorts. It is fascinating to see the police trying to find which evidence is crucial during interviews with Cooper. The cast is impressive; most obviously Luke Evens and Keith Allen as Wilkins and Cooper respectively. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of crime drama; even those who usually prefer the fictional variety.
It's just a soap opera about a true crime.
thedivinewoman13 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm from Pembrokeshire, I know the area well and I remember all the murders happening, it was even considered that Gwen and Peter Dixon may have been murdered for stumbling across Irish terrorists smuggling arms.
So, I was looking forward to this, I like Luke Evans immensely and Keith Allen is a solid actor. Sadly within five minutes it was more a soap opera about the life of Steve Wilkins than the murders., but, I stuck with it and then wishing I hadn't.
There are so many goofs that I am not even going to try and list them, but, seriously, do you think they would allow a prisoner in jail to have a set of dart in his cell? I suppose they put that in because Cooper famously appeared as a contestant on the game show 'Bullseye'
Why can't they have focussed on the murders and other crimes Cooper committed instead of trying to pad it out with the life and times of Steve Wilkins.
Very poor and contrived.
Excellent, Superb, one of the best crime shows I've seen for awhile
czbratster5 December 2021
I'm constantly browsing through Brit Box to find excellent crime shows to no avail. Just as I was ready to cancel my membership I came across this series. Finally! A good British crime show without constant resorting to the f word in sentences, colloquialisms I don't get, the standard teenager who dislikes his parent intensely, and poor dialogue and acting.
So refreshing. Thank you, Brit Box.
So refreshing. Thank you, Brit Box.
Superb
simon_williams917413 January 2021
Wow, each episode went really quick.
Very dramatic. Very well casted, Keith Allen was excellent in a serious role.
I don't know if it was filmed during the pandemic because, there were very little people about scenes.
I don't know if it was filmed during the pandemic because, there were very little people about scenes.
Excellent Viewing
gtjeddah14 January 2021
Slow and puzzling story telling
Xavier_Stone18 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Basically a detective team investigating a few cold case crimes. The team assembles and the first rule is to keep it top secret and away from anyone. They do DNA evidence and find nothing, and no new leads. So the next step is to go on a tv station and announce they are doing a cold case investigation? Hmmmmm. And their big plan is to interview their suspect behind bars and hope he slips up somehow. Not a solid plan really.
Fast forward 18 months and they still haven't really got anything. Then lets try to find DNA under a layer of paint aged 6 years. Not the smartest of people here. And then they want us to believe that they found flakes of blood underneath this paint? Unreal.
This show is a compilation of incredibly bad story telling perhaps designed to make us believe that super cops can solve anything, but it comes across as fantasy cops.
3 stars for amazing scenery and some decent acting.
Fast forward 18 months and they still haven't really got anything. Then lets try to find DNA under a layer of paint aged 6 years. Not the smartest of people here. And then they want us to believe that they found flakes of blood underneath this paint? Unreal.
This show is a compilation of incredibly bad story telling perhaps designed to make us believe that super cops can solve anything, but it comes across as fantasy cops.
3 stars for amazing scenery and some decent acting.
Highlight of my night all week
MattHankinson14 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm don't usually get drawn in by itv dramas but I found myself waiting until 9pm on each evening looking forward to seeing what's next.
We all knew that John Cooper was going to get caught however watching the process was really fascinating (if a little slower and less exciting than people think a show based on a murder might be)
A real treat to see Luke Evans, which maybe flattering for the real Steve to be portrayed by certainly made me want to watch as I think he's a terrific actor (10x10, the girl on the train)
Some other great performances by Keith Allen (Cooper), Oliver Ryan (adrian) and Owen Teale who recognised from Game of Thrones.
A serial criminal who thought he was too clever got caught out in the end. Have a look at what you could've won, John.
We all knew that John Cooper was going to get caught however watching the process was really fascinating (if a little slower and less exciting than people think a show based on a murder might be)
A real treat to see Luke Evans, which maybe flattering for the real Steve to be portrayed by certainly made me want to watch as I think he's a terrific actor (10x10, the girl on the train)
Some other great performances by Keith Allen (Cooper), Oliver Ryan (adrian) and Owen Teale who recognised from Game of Thrones.
A serial criminal who thought he was too clever got caught out in the end. Have a look at what you could've won, John.
Brilliant
ericajohnston-8137113 January 2021
Keith Allen is fantastic in this role. Luke Evan's is superb. Excellent cast all round. Brilliantly written, thoroughly enjoyed it. If I had to complain it's only because I wanted more. Looking forward to seeing Luke Evan's in his next role
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