The Pembrokeshire Murders Explained

Genre:	Crime drama Thriller
Director:	Marc Evans
Theme Music Composer:	Carly Paradis
Country:	United Kingdom
Language:	English
Num Series:	1
Num Episodes:	3
Producer:	Ed Talfan
Network:	ITV

The Pembrokeshire Murders is a Welsh three-part television drama miniseries based on the Pembrokeshire murders by Welsh serial killer John Cooper.^[1] In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins^[2] 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,^[3] which led to the serial killer finally being caught.^[4] It premiered on ITV on 11 January 2021.

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 (2000), Shipman (2002), A Is for Acid (2002), The Brides in the Bath (2003), (2006), Appropriate Adult (2011), Dark Angel, In Plain Sight (both 2016), Little Boy Blue (2017), Manhunt (2019), White House Farm, and Des (both 2020).^[5]

Cast

• Luke Evans as Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins
• Keith Allen as serial killer John Cooper
• Caroline Berry as Pat Cooper, John Cooper's wife
• David Fynn as Jonathan Hill
• Oliver Ryan as Andrew Cooper
• Alexandria Riley^[6] as Detective Inspector Ella Richards
• Charles Dale as Detective Sergeant Gareth Rees
• Steven Meo as Detective Inspector Lynne Harries
• Richard Corgan as Detective Sergeant Glyn Johnson
• Kyle Lima as Detective Constable Nigel Rowe
• Steffan Cennydd as Jack Wilkins
• Anastasia Hille as Dr Angela Gallop
• Roger Evans as Detective Chief Inspector Jim Morris
• William Thomas as Detective Chief Inspector George Jones
• Suzanne Packer as Chief Constable Tyler
• Sarah Jane as Police officer
• Owen Teale as Gerard Elias QC
• Ian Saynor as Mr Justice Griffith Williams
• Rhodri Evan as Detective Chief Superintendent Coles
• Simon Nehan as Craig

Production

Development and casting

In January 2020, production began on The Pembrokeshire Murders.^[7] The series stars Luke Evans of The Great Train Robbery as Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins, and Keith Allen as John Cooper, serial killer.^[8]

Filming

Filming wrapped just before Wales's first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[9] [10]} Most exterior scenes were shot on location in Pembrokeshire.^[11]

Release

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.^[12]

Critical reception

Rebecca Nicholson, reviewing in The Guardian, described the drama as "no glory for violent, rotten crimes" and gave it four stars,^[13] 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.^[14] Ed Cummings from The Independent criticised the programme for following dramatic clichés and poor script-writing, awarding two stars.^[15]

Notes and References

1. News: Is ITV crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders based on a true story?, 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . Radio Times.
2. News: Pembrokeshire Murders: Ex-officer on 'squeezing six years into three episodes, 10 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . Radio Times.
3. News: The Pembrokeshire Murders: How a Bullseye appearance implicated the real-life killer John Cooper . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/pembrokeshire-murders-bullseye-john-cooper-b1786300.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live . 12 January 2021 . The Telegraph.
4. Web site: ITV commissions true crime drama The Pembrokeshire Murders (w/t) starring Luke Evans. 20 January 2020. ITV Press Center. 24 January 2020.
5. Web site: ITV commissions three part drama, Des - with David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen. 22 November 2019. ITV Press Center. 23 January 2020.
6. News: Who is The Pembrokeshire Murders' DI Ella Richards actor Alexandria Riley?, 5 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . WalesOnline.
7. News: Where was The Pembrokeshire Murders filmed?, 6 January 2021 . 9 January 2021 . Radio Times.
8. Web site: The Pembrokeshire Murders. Productions. The World. World Productions. en. 2020-02-22.
9. News: BBC. 7 January 2021. Luke Evans: The Pembrokeshire Murders sees actor return to Wales. 7 January 2021.
10. News: The Pembrokeshire Murders: The exact locations where the ITV crime drama was filmed, 11 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . WalesOnline.
11. News: Radio Times. Patrick Cremona. Where was The Pembrokeshire Murders filmed?. 13 January 2021. 14 January 2021.
12. Web site: White. Peter. 2020-03-03. U.S. Streamer BritBox To Co-Produce Luke Evans Crime Drama 'The Pembrokeshire Murders'. 2021-01-24. Deadline. en-US.
13. News: The Pembrokeshire Murders review – no glory for violent, rotten crimes by Rebecca Nicholson . 11 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . The Guardian.
14. News: The Pembrokeshire Murders review – a case of too much cop and not enough killer by Carol Midgley . 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . The Times.
15. News: The Pembrokeshire Murders review – Some cases are best left alone by Ed Cummings . 12 January 2021 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/the-pembrokeshire-murders-review-itv-luke-evans-b1783741.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live . 14 January 2021 . The Independent.