Whitechapel

[Mike Covell]

Philip Hutchinson and Rob Clack's book "The London of Jack the Ripper-Then and Now" was used in the production.

[Nemo]

I liked it overall

One thing I did not like was the appearance of the Ripper at the first crime scene, his flitting past in the Ten Bells, and his appearance near the end.

Seems a bit melodramatic to have the murderer lurking within feet of the police on so many occasions. His first appearance still holding the bloody knife was pathetic- as if.

He appeared to be dressed in the same get-up, apron and all in the Ten Bells as he was in the CCTV and the deerstalker would stand out today exactly as was remarked upon by the police - "He looks like Sherlock Holmes!"

I don't think he would fit into the local population easily, unless there are many "eccentric" tour guides about or a JtR convention was going on.

Is he using a car or what? Or is he sticking with walking the streets all night? Nice for him (or her - see later) that he can find a victim at the correct time and location so easily.

I expect it to be someone from the hospital - not a disgruntled receptionist surely? - Her name wasn't Jill was it? strewth......

[caz]

I personllay thought it was nothing more than average.

I belive they were factually incorrcet with the first murder which they suggested was relative to Polly Nicholls and as such arrested the victims boyfriend who had a cast iron alibi. That part should surely relate to the second murder which they are going to say is relative to annie Chapman. I cant see them going down the same scenario a second time

Morning All,

Hi Trevor,

Well I loved it. If you could have done better, why haven’t you?

How could the writers possibly be accused of being ‘factually incorrcet’ (or is that a reference to the victim not being found 'in a corset'? ) to have the cops follow their instincts and arrest the first dead woman’s boyfriend?? It’s a fictional series of copycat murders set in 2008, featuring ordinary police officers who are not expected to connect the first murder with those of 1888, nor indeed to have any specialised knowledge of them, until more clues are forthcoming and a ripperologist has offered his expertise.

Equally, whoever the killer turns out to be, he won’t necessarily be willing or able to stick rigidly to the 1888 facts, even if he has an accurate grasp of them, which certainly isn’t obligatory and would actually be rather exceptional. For me, the closer this killer gets to luring exactly the right kind of victim, whose domestic circs mirror those of the original victim, to an equivalent location, where he has to inflict equivalent wounds, the less credible the whole drama would become, and might even imply some kind of supernatural intervention.

As it is, I’m enjoying the fun the writers are having with the various character names and the wonderful Steve Pemberton’s portrayal of an eccentric who gets ridiculed at first for his obsession, but who is already beginning to prove an invaluable mine of information and to earn a rather grudging admiration.

If the general public - and I’m including policemen, writers, actors and even murderers here - always managed to absorb the correct information about the Whitechapel Murders and come out with accurate observations, ripper ‘specialists’ like you would be redundant in no time. There would be no special expertise to boast, no inside info to impart to the great unwashed. So think yourself jolly lucky that there will always be plenty of opportunities to tut-tut at the amateurs for not putting in the hours required to read all about it and learn how to separate the facts from the myths.

I agree with Trevor.......basic stuff.

It was a very jumbled up storyboard of ideas......and would only serve to confuse any sort of knowledge held by the general public,over the skeleton of details they would be familiar with.

Lees was also wrongly represented..he doesn't deserve to have his name treated in the way it was.....hopefully they'll turn that wrongdoing around.

Hi Anna,

I didn’t find the ideas jumbled at all. The viewing public will no doubt miss many of the little nods to the better informed few, but what they miss won’t spoil the plot for them and can hardly confuse them - unless they take it way too seriously or imagine that everything taking place in 2008 is meant to mirror the events of 1888 exactly. It’s meant to entertain, not educate. We shouldn’t need educating and anyone who wants to be would be well advised not to try via the medium of fictional drama!

Lees was not ‘wrongly’ represented. His name, just like that of every other character, was simply one that has come to be associated with the case. Did you not notice all the others? The first victim was Cathy Lane, who will not be around to look after a piece of velvet for whoever will be representing Liz Stride. There is also a cop named McCormick, but no suggestion yet that he writes books and invents stuff about famous murders. Another character was addressed as Lydia Hart, but if she’s destined for Pinchin St I’ll eat my bonnet. DS Miles is named after minor ripper suspect Frank Miles, but they couldn’t call him Frank because there’s a real policeman of that name. And so it goes on.

I say give Whitechapel a chance.

Love,

Caz
X

PS Phil, surely they had to use a pretendy ripper book for Edward Buchan (Steve Pemberton's character - not the one who killed himself) to have written, and not the one you wrote with Rob.

[Neal Shelden]

I think the programme's alright, it gives us the chance to laugh at all the names that we recognize.

I liked the bit where the Ripper guide was standing outside St John's Gate in Clerkenwell where he collects his walkers to take them round Whitechapel. It would take them about half an hour walk just to get to Spitalfields from there.

[Steve S]

One bonus...It's the first Ripper film/prog my wife's sat & watched with me!
The writers do seem to be working on two levels....kept thinking they'd actually done some reading......
Steve

[Sam Flynn]

As it is, I’m enjoying the fun the writers are having with the various character names

... watch out for PC Baphomet in the next episode.

[Steve S]

I think the programme's alright, it gives us the chance to laugh at all the names that we recognize.

I liked the bit where the Ripper guide was standing outside St John's Gate
in Clerkenwell where he collects his walkers to take them round Whitechapel. It would take them about half an hour walk just to get to Spitalfields from there.

That's it!...I was sitting trying to place it......
Steve

[Mike Covell]

Episode 2 features the double event, can't wait to see the dog pick up the apron and run with it, I heard "WellHard" from Eastenders has the role, who knows???

[caz]

Hi Mike,

Well if they bow to dear old Trev's idea of factual correctness we can expect them to show 'Kate 2008' rolling up her leather mini skirt into a tube and using it as a makeshift tampon...

Love,

Caz
X

[Chris]

DS Miles is named after minor ripper suspect Frank Miles...

I was assuming Sgt Miles was named after the 1888 Sgt Miles.

[Mike Covell]

There is a rule in Drama productions, that you cannot name a fictional police charector, after a living police officer! I don't quite get the rule, but there was something about it on the ITV Whitechapel website.

[Suzi]

That'll put PC Darren Plod of the Yard out of a chance of the limelight in the forthcoming 'Noddy- Serial Axeman' then.....

[Jeff Leahy]

Ah, I think I’m beginning to see a developing theme. It wouldn’t be that the ladies here rather like Rupert Penny Jones? No obviously not?

Having had time to consider everyone’s comments, I think I will wait and see how it all develops. Its very difficult for actors to create NEW characters and hit he ground running with them. At least Barlow and Watts had years of chemistry to rely on.

I’m still rather confused by the pathologist rather chirpy performance, which seemed to have a hint of satire about it.

But hay its all good clean fun and can hopefully leave people wanting to know more, which is a good thing as far as I’m concerned

Pirate

[Mike Covell]

I have never met a morbid pathologist yet. I also know a lot of undertakers and they are also the funniest, warmest people. I guess it keeps them sane!

I will be watching the other 2 episodes, and have the DVD on order to arrive on the 16th feb. Might give it to the wife as a late Valentines Pressie!

[Jeff Leahy]

unless your name is Inspector Abberline Oh a living Police officer, surely that happens by mistake. There must be the odd PC Dixon hanging around.