Bringing a new perspective to the well-documented story of the “Yorkshire Ripper,” the compelling seven-episode drama The Long Shadow premieres with two episodes on Thursday, March 21, on Sundance Now and AMC+, with additional episodes dropping weekly on both platforms.
With the victims and their families at the heart of the series, The Long Shadow is written by George Kay (Hijack, Litvinenko, Killing Eve) and directed by BAFTA Award-winner Lewis Arnold (Des, Broadchurch, Sherwood).
When a mother of four is found murdered near her home in October 1975, DCS Dennis Hoban (BAFTA Award-winner Toby Jones, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Tetris) leads the investigation but is frustrated in his efforts to find her killer. After a succession of further murders, it dawns on the detectives that they are dealing with a serial killer.
Bereft of serious leads, Hoban is quickly sidelined from the investigation by Chief Constable Ronald Gregory (Michael McElhatton, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Chernobyl, Game of Thrones), who seeks to run the investigation his way. After subsequent murders, Gregory appoints Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield (David Morrissey, Sherwood, The Walking Dead, State of Play) to take over the inquiry.
As time moves on, Oldfield is galvanized by the arrival of a series of letters and a tape, purportedly from the killer himself. But even with this seemingly concrete evidence, the murders only continue, and the investigative squad becomes fatally entrenched in their belief that the killer means to target sex workers.
Eventually, the team decides to go public with a massive press appeal, hoping to flush out the sender and, as a result, the killer.
But with this acting as a distraction, the killer is able to strike again and again, sparking waves of protests among young women across the country to reclaim the streets. After a chance arrest, the killer is finally identified and caught.
Through the eyes of his many victims – the survivors, the mothers and fathers, and the many children – we understand that the emotional effects and shockwaves these crimes caused will last through the decades.
The Long Shadow features a prominent ensemble cast of Katherine Kelly (Gentleman Jack, The Night Manager, Happy Valley) as Emily Jackson, Daniel Mays (Des, Line of Duty, Good Omens) as Sydney Jackson, and Liz White (Call the Midwife, Anatomy of a Scandal, The Chelsea Detective) as PS Meg Winterburn.
The cast is rounded out by Jill Halfpenny (Everything I Know About Love, The Drowning, Liar) as Doreen Hill, Jack Deam (Father Brown, Silent Witness, DCI Banks) as DI Les Hanley, Chloe Harris (The Ipcress File, Nolly, Sherwood) as WPC Jenny Bush, and Mark Stobbart (Line of Duty, Disobedience) as Peter Sutcliffe.
The Long Shadow, a Sundance Now Original series, is written by George Kay and directed by Lewis Arnold. Kay and Arnold also serve as executive producers. Willow Grylls (Dalgliesh, Des) and Elaine Pyke (Dalgliesh, Des) are also executive producers.
Sarah Lewis (Victoria, Noughts + Crosses) serves as series producer, while Matt Sandford (Des, Cobra) serves as producer. The series is produced by New Pictures. All3Media handles the international distribution.
THE LONG SHADOW EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
Episode 1 – Premieres Thursday, March 21 on Sundance Now and AMC+
When a woman is murdered in Leeds, the police struggle to catch her killer. Meanwhile, facing financial hardship, a desperate mother makes a difficult decision to keep her family afloat.
Episode 2 – Premieres Thursday, March 21 on Sundance Now and AMC+
In the devastating wake of more linked murders, the police face the prospect of a serial killer at large. But could the testimony of a survivor turn the tides?
Episode 3 – Premieres Thursday, March 28 on Sundance Now and AMC+
The investigation spreads to Bradford with the murder of another young woman. A female police officer is tasked with dangerous undercover work, while for the real sex workers, that danger is ever present.
Episode 4 – Premieres Thursday, April 4 on Sundance Now and AMC+
When another woman survives an attack, detectives hope they are in with a chance of finding their man. A driver in Leeds emerges as prime suspect, but does the evidence stand up?
Episode 5 – Premieres Thursday, April 11 on Sundance Now and AMC+
As the number of murders increases, the police revisit historic attacks in the hope of identifying further victims. George Oldfield is fired up by the arrival of a letter from the killer.
Episode 6 – Premieres Thursday, April 18 on Sundance Now and AMC+
West Yorkshire Police launch a massive public appeal in the hope of rooting out the killer as some detectives begin to voice concerns about the direction of the investigation and THE veracity of their evidence.
Episode 7 – Premieres Thursday, April 25 on Sundance Now and AMC+
After a chance arrest, the killer is finally caught. In the wake of Sutcliffe’s trial, the failures of the investigation are laid bare.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.