The Moorside

[Ome]

Great new two-part drama telling the story of 9 year old Shannon Mathews reported missing February 2008 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Starring the wonderful Sheridan Smith and (GAME OF THRONES) Gemma Whelan

I remember following this on the news at the time and finding the whorl story incredibly disturbing.

The West Yorkshire Police questioned 1,500 motorists and searched 3,000 houses. By 5 March, more than 250 officers and 60 detectives were involved in the investigation, about 10% of the West Yorkshire force's operational strength. It became the largest police search for a missing person since the Yorkshire Ripper investigation 30 years previously. Of 27 specialist victim recovery dogs in the United Kingdom, 16 were involved in the search

 

[Jessie]

This looks interesting, I will have to check it out.

 

[Jessie]

I watched the first episode it was good. I can't wait until Tuesday to see part 2.

 

[Sarah]

I watched it but was disappointed it wasn't from Karen Matthews POV, I'm not sure why they have made it from another person's POV. Was shocked by the references to Madeleine McCann - surprised they got away with it. Having said that it is very well made, looking forward to the next.

 

[Ome]

I watched it but was disappointed it wasn't from Karen Matthews POV,

I don't think it woudl have worked as a drama if they had gone this way.

Was shocked by the references to Madeleine McCann

Why?


It was mentioned all the time during the search, it played a role and I would have been disappointed if they hadn't done this.

 

[Sarah]

I don't think it woudl have worked as a drama if they had gone this way.


Why?


It was mentioned all the time during the search, it played a role and I would have been disappointed if they hadn't done this.

Specifically because I worked for the BBC in their complaints department for a bit and this is exactly the type of thing we would have received complaints over

 

[Ome]

this is exactly the type of thing we would have received complaints over

What would the complaints be? Why would people complain? I don't get it.

I remember the case and it was often said that Shannon wouldn't get the same attention (or something like that) as Madeline because Shannon was from a poor background. I read something the other day about the McCann mother not happy with the reference and I thought that was ridiculous and put her in a bad light. Why would she focus on that when she's lost her own child?

 

[Sarah]

People are funny creatures. They would complain that it was insensitive to mention Madeleine and they would ask if the McCanns were consulted. Trust me they used to complain about everything. We would get complaints about Dot smoking on EastEnders - you name it, we received it.

 

[Ome]

They would complain that it was insensitive to mention Madeleine and they would ask if the McCanns were consulted.

People are funny creatures.

Clearly

We would get complaints about Dot smoking on EastEnders

 

[Sarah]

Don't get me wrong - I detest smoking and would have it banned but they were missing the point - it's Dot. Dot smokes.

 

[Jessie]

It was a shocking story but it was good. I never heard the story before so I had no idea how it would end. I really liked the character Karen.

 

[Alexis]

I just watched this and enjoyed it. There was some great acting in it, especially from Sheridan Smith. I seem to love everything she does now though. I just wish it had have been a bit more detailed and longer than 2 parts. Wasn't the stepfather's mother and sister eventually found to be in on the kidnap plot?

 

[Ome]

I really liked the character Karen.

The mother ?

There was some great acting in it, especially from Sheridan Smith.

The actress playing Karen was on top form too, I found it difficult to recognise from GAME OF THRONES too.

I just wish it had have been a bit more detailed and longer than 2 parts.

Yes, they could easily have added another part to this, they didn't mention (or cover) that Karen had been giving her daughter
Temazepam in the weeks building up to this and I would have liked to have seen more on the uncle, Donovan and the fall-out in the community afterwards.

 

[Alexis]

The actress playing Karen was on top form too, I found it difficult to recognise from GAME OF THRONES too.

Yea she was great too, as was her other friend and that girl from Downton Abby playing the police officer. Like I say I just wish it had have been longer.

Yes, they could easily have added another part to this, they didn't mention (or cover) that Karen had been giving her daughter
Temazepam in the weeks building up to this and I would have liked to have seen more on the uncle, Donovan and the fall-out in the community afterwards.

There's a lot about the story that wasn't explained. Probably because the police themselves never got to the bottom of it all. Watching it you had to think that Karen had some kind of learning difficulty. And then at other times she seemed clever enough to know what the police wanted to hear. She should have had more help from her family and from social services. There were obviously problems there that nobody seemed to care about. Though we never see her family in the show and so we have no idea what they are like. They could have been highly dysfunctional themselves. It wasn't mentioned in the show but the actress playing Karen was clearly playing someone who was munching prescription drugs everyday. When the police initially interview her, she either isn't aware that she has 7 kids or just doesn't care.
Thinking about my own family I couldn't imagine my mum at all if she thought that her grandkids were even slightly in danger or at risk. She's have moved herself in with Karen or taken the kids herself.

What really stood out to me when watching was that her kids were not in the slightest important to her. She didn't seem to have any time for them. They didn't have any personality and she didn't seem to recognise any individuality in them. They were just there like all the crap in the kitchen.

 

[Ome]

that girl from Downton Abby playing the police officer.

She's brilliant in everything I've seen and stars in one of the funniest British movies RITA SUE & BOB TOO.

There's a lot about the story that wasn't explained.

I did wonder if there were certain things that they couldn't explore without permission.

Watching it you had to think that Karen had some kind of learning difficulty. And then at other times she seemed clever enough to know what the police wanted to hear.

There was definitely hints at learning difficulties, but then I wonder how much of that was drug related.

When the police initially interview her, she either isn't aware that she has 7 kids or just doesn't care.

I didn't pick up on this, or I forgot about it, but I didn't realise she had seven kids. Again, I wonder if they couldn't focus on these too much to protect their identities.

Thinking about my own family I couldn't imagine my mum at all if she thought that her grandkids were even slightly in danger or at risk. She's have moved herself in with Karen or taken the kids herself.

I think that's a given fact with most people. (Or I'd like to think that) Then you have these families where they don't get the help and it leads to this.

They were just there like all the crap in the kitchen.

There was an article I read recently about families living off benefits, have more kids to get more benefits, this certainly feels like the case.

 

[Alexis]

I didn't pick up on this, or I forgot about it, but I didn't realise she had seven kids. Again, I wonder if they couldn't focus on these too much to protect their identities.

I actually hadn't thought about that but it's a good point. Those kids would have been taken into care and it probably was to protect their identities that they didn't go into detail too much with them.
I have to wonder about the kids though. Was Karen really trying to leave her boyfriend because she suspected he would abuse her children? It seems unlikely to me. And why would she leave her boyfriend to go live with his uncle? And the mum and sister seemed to know all about Karen and the uncle. Leaving her boyfriend to be with his uncle seems like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I really wish this was longer!

It's crazy to think how someone's lie could end up going that far. Costing the police force millions of pounds and endless resources.

 

[Ome]

Was Karen really trying to leave her boyfriend because she suspected he would abuse her children? It seems unlikely to me.

This didn't make sense to me, especially when it came out that he had child porn on his computer.

And why would she leave her boyfriend to go live with his uncle?

And at this point I started to think Karen was grasping at straws to claim her innocence in all this. She may have even been prepped by a family member to say this.

It's crazy to think how someone's lie could end up going that far. Costing the police force millions of pounds and endless resources.

Absolutely and also knocking another dent in humanity.

Dewsbury is about ten minutes drive away from where we live, so at that time it was hard to digest what we were seeing on the news and it was great to see the community pull together like it did. Teen Ome is two weeks younger than Shannon Mathews and the primary school in which she attended had really stepped up its security. I remember feeling quite anxious while the search was going on.

I really wish this was longer!

I'd love to have seen more about Karen's life building up to time she decided to go ahead with this plan.

 

[Jessie]

I meant to say Julie, but the actress playing Karen was great too. @Ome

 

[Bobby's Angel]

I found this really disturbing to watch. Great acting with a great cast and lots of familiar faces.