White House Farm

Ignore some of the ridiculous, low-star reviews of this drama, they are written by Jeremy Bamber's "fans" and have nothing to do with the quality of the drama itself.

This is a powerful re-telling of the White House Farm murders in 1985, focusing mainly on the aftermath rather than the build up or the event. It is a slow-moving drama, but this is to its benefit in my opinion because it adds to the realism, and creates an atmosphere which is occasionally quite sinister.

Probably the opening episode is the weakest, but when Mark Addy appears as DS Stan Jones the story real takes off. Mark's naturalistic acting really hooks the viewer. Stephen Graham is a little wasted in a one-note part, playing the annoying DI Taff Jones who shouts and obstructs at crucial moments.

Apart from Mark Addy, other stand-outs are Alexa Davies who is consistently convincing as Jeremy Bamber's suffering girlfriend, Mark Stanley, who gives a powerfully sensitive performance as Jeremy's brother-in-law (just seeing him on screen is upsetting, and his final visit to Sheila's flat is heartbreaking) and, of course, Freddie Fox as the strange but charismatic Bamber. You can't keep your eyes of Fox, there is something magnetic about him here.

I have been perhaps generous with my rating as I find the case itself interesting, but I do think everyone involved has done a good job here. Despite the slow pace, 6 episodes is exactly right.

The ending is so sad, very hard to watch