Four Lives
Original Title
The Barking Murders- Director: David Blair
- Writer: Neil McKay; Jeff Pope
- Producer: Serena Cullen; Ken Horn; Jeff Pope
CGiii Comment
Where to start...
The general public-at-large may not have heard of Stephen Port, nor of the crimes he committed...until now. But, we knew.
This story needed to be told...for two reasons: to show the ineptitude and laxed attitude by the police...but, more importantly, to serve as a warning for the kids, those young gay men who think - quite rightly so - that life is a party and that party is worth living. But, babies, dear hearts...there are some very, very bad men out there. Life's not a party when you don't have a life!
Where to start...
It's difficult to commend, congratulate, applaud this production...because, 4 beautiful young men lost their lives.
It's difficult to write...because, the tears keep welling up.
How difficult must it have been for those beautiful young men's families? To agree to this, to watch this, to re-live this!?!
Now, here comes something difficult to process...these were NOT hate crimes! These crimes were committed by one of our own! Isn't that a hard and bitter pill to swallow...but, it's true. Let's make it even harder...so were Dennis Nilsen, Colin Ireland, Jeffrey Dahmer, Bruce McArthur, John Wayne Gacy...and, those are just the ones we know of!
We need to look out for each other...MORE!
Everything has changed, the internet has made sure of that...every anonymous hook-up is fraught with danger...especially when you go to 'their' house. In my day - usually in The Black Cap [the good old days] - it was a...definitely, maybe, perhaps [how many beers have I had?], no way, not/never in a month of Sundays, you can't be serious!
Now...one fake pic, one hard tap...and, you could become a story. Be very, very careful babies...the internet has done one thing it didn't think it would do: It unleashed the demons.
Stephen Merchant does the quiet, placid demon...with terrifying precision. A rare demonstration of intense apathy.
Sheridan Smith spits fire, cries the heaviest tears. Perfectly and quite rightly. As you would expect all mothers to do...but, alas, some don't!
And, Samuel Barnett offers empathy, sympathy...but, never apathy. And then, when the penny drops...he tries to help.
Let's hope that this production will help...to warn, to save lives, to keep the kids safe from the [few] monsters who live within our community.
Monumental emotion, monumental loss...monumentally devastating. Tears, too many tears.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
A look at the aftermath of four murders carried out by Stephen Port between 2014 and 2015.
Cast & Characters
Stephen Merchant (as Stephen Port (3 episodes, 2022))
Sheridan Smith (as Sarah Sak (3 episodes, 2022))
Leanne Best (as Kate (3 episodes, 2022))
Samuel Barnett (as Ryan Edwards (3 episodes, 2022))
Robert Emms (as Ricky (3 episodes, 2022))
Michael Jibson (as DC Slaymaker (3 episodes, 2022))
Kris Hitchen (as Tom (3 episodes, 2022))
Ben Cartwright (as Det. Sqt. O'Donnell (3 episodes, 2022))
Memet Ali Alabora (as Sami Sak (3 episodes, 2022))
Giselle Cullinane (as Barbara Denham (3 episodes, 2022))
Daniel Ryan (as Adam Whitworth (2 episodes, 2022))
Ella Kenion (as Mandy (2 episodes, 2022))
Jack Pierce (as Acting D.I. Rolf Schamberger / ... (2 episodes, 2022))
Paddy Rowan (as Jack (2 episodes, 2022))
Tammy l Meredith (as Constable R Kevin's (2 episodes, 2022))
Jaime Winstone (as Donna Taylor (1 episode, 2022))
Rufus Jones (as John Pape (1 episode, 2022))
Andy Gathergood (as PC Ellison (1 episode, 2022))
Grant Crookes (as Police Officer (1 episode, 2022))
George Asprey (as Jonathan Rees QC (1 episode, 2022))
Chris Brazier (as Rafael (1 episode, 2022))
Tom Christian (as Ian (1 episode, 2022))
Chris Ryman (as DC Pericleous (1 episode, 2022))
Simon Bubb (as The Clerk Of The Court (1 episode, 2022))
John Alan Roberts (as Family Court Member (1 episode, 2022))