Set at the end of the 1970s and early 1980s, The Long Shadow shows the targets and survivors of the notorious Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe. The detectives hunted for the serial killer for five years in the seven-part British non-fictional crime television drama series.
The screenwriter of The Long Shadow, George Kay, analyzed interview transcripts, documents, police reports, and a book titled ‘Wicked Beyond Belief,’ to write the script. He executive produced the series alongside Lewis Arnold, Willow Grylls, and Elaine Pyke.
The series indirectly addresses the crimes that occurred in recent history. The detectives in the series are DCS Chris Gregg, DCS Dennis Hoban, DCS Jim Hobson, DC John Nunn, and DCS George Oldfield.
Peter Sutcliffe became infamous in Yorkshire after killing thirteen women between 1975 and 1980. Seven fortunate people escaped his attacks, but they and their families suffered through trauma. His psyche shook the whole nation and inspired several filmmakers.
The Long Shadow Preview
The first episode of The Long Shadow was released last month. The Jacksons suffered a financial crisis in October 1975. So, Emily Jackson becomes a part-time call girl to earn for her three kids, and her husband knows about it.
A mother of four, Wilma McCann, gets murdered, and Sutcliffe’s second target might be Sydney Jackson’s wife, Emily.
According to the real-life events, Emily was the only married lady to get murdered by Sutcliffe, who got his name ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ after killing her. Her death revealed that the culprit was a serial killer who had also murdered Wilma McCann.
Emily lost her first son, who was only fifteen. However, no serial killer existed at that time. So, the Jacksons enjoyed Christmas and other social activities. Daniel Mays, who played Sydney Jackson, had a lot to do.
Emily had to feed her whole family because Sydney could not write, read, or drive. Still, he would accompany his wife when she was with other men and drink at the bar. So, viewers might hate the character.
Initially, the detectives suspect Emily’s husband for her murder. However, it turns out to be related to the first murder. It is how they dive deep into Sutcliffe’s killing spree. Sutcliffe successfully ran away from the police until they found the stolen number plates. Moreover, he confessed in 1981.
However, the police made a lot of efforts and launched the biggest manhunt in Britain only to hunt for Sutcliffe. This mission consisted of detectives, except DCS Dennis Hoban, who secretly hated women.
According to Toby Jones, who played DCS Dennis Hoban, he played a detective for the first time. Moreover, he was glad to work on a series based on real-life events. One crime investigation leads him to another. His journey consists of confidence, disappointment, and ultimately death.
The last woman Sutcliffe murdered was Jacqueline Hill in 1980. Jill Halfpenny played her grieving mother, Doreen Hill. Doreen is a farsighted woman who feels proud of her free-spirited daughter. She was confident and sent her daughter toward Leeds because Sutcliffe was in the northeast. However, Jaq was murdered in Leeds.
The Long Shadow Episode Schedule
The first episode aired on 25 September 2023 (Monday), and the second on 02 October 2023 (Monday). The upcoming episodes will air as follows:
- Episode 03: 09 October 2023 (Monday)
- Episode 04: 16 October 2023 (Monday)
- Episode 05: 23 October 2023 (Monday)
- Episode 06: 30 October 2023 (Monday)
- Episode 07: 06 November 2023 (Monday)
The Long Shadow Release Timings
- BST (British Summer Time): 09:00 PM on the same day.
- EDT (Eastern Daylight Time): 04:00 PM on the same day.
- IST (India Standard Time): 01:30 AM on the following day.
- ACDT (Australian Central Daylight Time): 07:00 AM on the following day.
- GMT (Greenwich Mean Time): 08:00 PM on the same day.
The Long Shadow Streaming Guide
The Long Shadow airs on ITV1, a British free-to-air television channel. Viewers in the UK can watch the series on STV and ITVX besides ITV1. All episodes were released on ITVX and STV player on 02 October 2023. However, ITVX is a geo-restricted streaming platform that works only in the UK.
Viewers in North America can watch the series on Sundance Now, which brings true crime dramas and political thrillers. Its subscription starts at only $6.99 per month. Viewers outside the United Kingdom can watch the series on All3Media, a British worldwide independent digital production and distribution platform.
