The Long Shadow viewers were left disgusted by one particular aspect of the Yorkshire Ripper drama on ITV last night.
Monday evening’s (October 24) episode saw the murders continue, with police taking a different approach to catching the killer.
They were portrayed as revisiting historic attacks in the hope of identifying potential further victims. But amid the dramatisation of the five-year hunt for serial killer Peter Sutcliffe and the horrors it unveiled, another feature of the episode left viewers feeling revolted.
The Long Shadow episode five
The police investigation, as depicted in The Long Shadow, has already been strewn with errors. But last night’s instalment contained a portrayal of one of the most infamous parts of the case.
Letters and an audio tape, supposedly from by the killer, were sent to Detective George Oldfield in episode five.
He was shown being convinced the material was genuine, apparently from ‘Wearside Jack’.
However, in reality, the letters and tape were found to be a hoax. And this ‘distraction’ is often regarded as allowing Sutcliffe to be free to kill three more women.
John Humble was charged with perverting the course of justice, and sentenced to eight years in prison in 2006.
But on social media, while some viewers may have known the real-life outcome before it was portrayed on screen, the police characters came under fire for their “embarrassing” conduct.
Viewers react to The Long Shadow
“I spend every episode tutting in disgust at the misogynist way the police treated the poor victims #TheLongShadow,” one Twitter user reflected on the dramatic representations.
“Me too,” another user responded.
Another observer blasted the police on screen: “#TheLongShadow Almost to a man, an incompetent shambles of an investigation from Yorkshire CID. Blinded by misogyny, ignorance and pomposity.”
“Watching #TheLongShadow – great portrayal of the absolute and utter misogyny which held up the police investigation for years,” tweeted a fourth.
“#TheLongShadow like everyone else I’m shocked at the misogyny and arrogance of the police at this time,” posted a fifth.
Police sexism costs women’s lives.
Additionally, someone else seethed: “#TheLongShadow Wow, the police really bungled the investigation with their arrogance and misogyny. Embarrassing to watch. Police sexism costs women’s lives.”
The Long Shadow continues on ITV on Monday October 30 at 9pm.
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