Murder 24/7

Investigation into the murder of courtney valentine. what makes this special is the way they follow the investigation. we are live there. from the call the murder was reported to each step the police takes, the apprehension of suspects, questioning of suspects, the forensic investigation... we are there.

i recommend this to anyone who is interested in crime, crime procedure or who contemplates a career in that field.

There are so many true-crime series around. for anyone short of time it's tough picking which ones to go with. To any fan reading this, I thoroughly recommend this mini-series. Definitely one of the best I've seen and I've seen a lot. I found it gripping from start to finish. Of the 3 cases featured, the first is the stabbing of a lone male in a flat in Southend. Although suspects are quickly identified, it takes time tracking them all down. Which ones, if any, are guilty of murder? The second case covers only half an episode but is truly shocking in both the simplicity and outcome of the crime. I am not one to exclaim out loud at the TV but on a good couple of occasions I blurted out What?!!!! Nooooo! The third case is another stabbing, this time of a homeless man in Colchester, found dead in a side street. It takes a lot longer to ID a suspect in this case. Another case that had me amazed at the outcome. All angles of an investigation are covered, I personally was not surprised at the amount of tedious legwork and CCTV watching that had to be done, perhaps some people will be. It certainly isn't glamorous like in the movies. I think the biggest thing I took from this is how 'real' it made murder seem. When it isn't on TV or in the papers, when you are seeing the real individuals involved without sad music in the background and endless dramatic narration etc it brings home how 'ordinary' a murder can be, in terms of locations, people involved etc. Even the accused seemed like otherwise normal everyday people, not dark shadowy villains. In this respect, it's all the more frightening. In these sad and scary times, true-crime fans have more time on their hands than they would like in which to catch up with their playlist. I suggest starting here.

This series gives you a massive insight into everything that police detectives are faced with when piecing together all evidence and suspects involved in the murder of various people. How from very little knowledge at the scene of the crimes they painstakingly gather intelligence evidence etc leading to the perpetrators of the murder and convictions.

The BBC have excelled in the production of this keeping it fact based without unneeded bells and whistles All credit to all involved and every detective forensic and on the ground police that worked tirelessly to both solve and try and get justice for the victims. I binge watched the 2 seasons and was totally gripped throughout.

The level of access for the cameras is impressive. You see everything but the dead body, which elevates this show above many true crime shows relying on recreations. The pacing is good, the police were very professional and respectful, and the show provides some insight into a murder investigation.

Unfortunately, the show comes up short in the entertainment department. There is some suspense as to when and how they will fund their suspects, but ultimately there is no mystery here. The second crime was even caught on video, which was pretty digsusting to watch. A couple of the interrogations were interesting, but too much time was spent on the "No comment," interrogations.

Again, if you want realism then this is the show for you. If you want drama, mystery, and intrigue then you might have to find a fictional show or a true crime show such as Murder Board that focuses on narrowing down suspects.

Two episodes in an will definitely stick with it. Just love watching cocky Crims slowly crumble. Good coverage of all the disciplines involved in putting a case together. A collosal amount of man/woman power involved. The whole program is low key which accentuates the realism . Will update review on conclusion of the series. Having now watched the whole of the first series I stand by original comments but would add that the second half of episode 3 told a tale that left me speechless. Never have I seen a crime story of this nature, quite extraordinary and not to be missed. I rarely say this but... Let's have series 2.