Lockerbie

I've only completed episode one at this point and I'm astounded by how I'm left feeling afterwards. This was always going to be a hard watch but in fact what is more powerful than its ability to break your heart is the giving us the audience a mere taste of how unbelievably shocking and life altering this event must have been for the residents of Lockerbie, the families of the passengers and the country as a whole. I was only eight at the time so had no real memory of this happening but from shielded to educated, I highly commend the series makers. It's beautifully made, acted and a just tribute to every victim.

I remember sitting with my parents when the news bulletin came in about Lockerbie, an event which shocked our nation. I had returned from my first trip to the USA that summer, working on a summer camp near Syracuse. A number of students from Syracuse had also worked there over the holiday. A group of them were on that flight, returning from a trip to London. I would not find out that friends of friends had lost several people on board that flight, several from one class alone, until many years later.

The narrative presented to the public about who & why was responsible was always confusing & convoluted and I was never entirely convinced by the official version.

Here we finally get the television drama this story deserves, told, perhaps wisely (though I am sure some will think it unfair) primarily from one family's perspective searching for the truth. I consider myself fairly educated on this subject, but this show brought several things to light that I was previously unaware of. What is very clear is that these families were lied to from the outset and facts were deliberately withheld from them.

Catherine McCormack gives the performance of her life as the grieving mother, with Colin Firth doing what he does best in the leading role. This series is not an easy watch, but as I have said before about similar productions, it is absolutely 100 percent essential viewing. Another stand out performance is that of Sam Troughton as the intrepid reporter chasing all the pieces of the jigsaw, while newcomer Jemma Carlton holds on her own against the heavyweights. Remember under Thatcher (don't get me started) there was no Public Inquiry into Hillsborough, Marchioness nor Lockerbie.

Naturally any drama taking on a topic as emotional tragic as this must be handled with care, sensitivity and respect for those directly impacted by the events. I won't presume to know their views, but I think they would be very satisfied with the powerful results we have here.

The crash itself is especially well handled. We see enough to know the utter horror of what they went through both in the air and on the ground but no more than is required.

This sequence is extremely well directed by Otto Bathhurst.

I urge you to watch it. The main theme here is everyone should always be held accountable for their mistakes. Otherwise those damaged by such events can't even begin to heal.

I highly commend the entire production team.

First class drama - watch it now.

Just watched 1st episode on stack tv. Who have.this listed as a comedy this needs to be changed immediately this is an insult to the victims families. My sister and brother law were living in Lockerbie when this happened. This was a tragedy so please change this listing immediately. Great acting by Colin Firth this is a disturbing t.v. Show but we didn't have cell phone back then and there was not much coverage of it on the Canadian news media so it will be informative to see the rest of the series. It will be difficult for the families of these victims to have this t.v series being aired now.

As Episode 1 of "Lockerbie: A Search for Truth" (2025 release from the UK; 5 episodes ranging from 48 to 61 minutes each) opens, it is "21st December 1988" and we are introduced to the Swire family in Bromsgrove, England. Flora Swire is about to leave for a trip to the US from Heathrow. Then disaster strikes as Pan Am 103 crashes, and all passengers and crew perish, as do 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland. What exactly happened, and who did this? At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this min-series is based on Jim Swire's book of these events and its long aftermath, and hence the series reflects his perspective, and his only, as he searches for those responsible for this barbaric act of terrorism. As the years go by, Swire finds himself chasing ghosts, and battling his own government. Incredibly, the British government to this day, now 37 years later, have refused to instigate an independent investigation of the terrorist attack and has refused the release of multiple documents that could shed light on all of this. As to this mini-series, there is very little to be uplifted by this. Not that the script is weak or the performances are off (Colin Firth stars as Jim Swire), but because all of this is so incredibly depressing.

"Lockerbie: A Search For Truth" started streaming on Peacock some days ago. I watched all episodes over 2 evenings. This mini-series is currently rated 68% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and sounds about right to me. If you are curious what really happened when Pan Am Flight 103 was downed over Lockerbie, Scotland all those years ago, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

The horrendous 1988 plane crash disaster from Jim Swire's point of view (respectable performance from Firth), a parent who lost a daughter on that flight, and for over twenty years Jim just kept seeking justice that got buried by the powers-that-be to suit their own agenda. A tightly structured mini-series that will have you binge-watching in one seating. And it only took five episodes to tell this riveting true story (depending on your political point of view), instead of the standard 6 to 10 episodes of stretching a story with useless meandering to other characters, instead focusing on the commitment of one father wanting answers in honour of his daughter...