Rent White House Farm (2020)

Very Good - White House Farm review by GBK

I found this series very entertaining and insiteful, A very realistic telling of a horriffic true story but done in a tasteful way without going overboard like some other true story adaptations. If you are aware of the story previously then i do not think you will be dissapointed in the representation but for myself who was not aware of it i found it although entertaining but hard to believe that this could actually happen and shows how twisted some people can be when they appear to be " so normal " in society.

Is there a need for 6 episodes? - White House Farm review by TH

I've found this show really drawn out. I know it's based on a true story but I think this story could of been told in 2 or 3 episodes. Mark Addy and Stephen Graham are wasted here and too much focus is on ransoms with the victim and the family given very little focus.

A powerful, horrifying & gripping series about the horrific murders & subsequent criminal case - White House Farm review by TB

In August 1985, a sickening & horrific series of murders were discovered at an isolated farmhouse in rural Essex. Neville & June Bamber, their twin grandchildren and their adopted daughter Sheila Caffell were found with multiple gunshot wounds. Sheila, who had significant mental health issues/was a diagnosed schizophrenic, was initially suspected of carrying out the killings in a murder/suicide pact, due to her being found with the gun. However, very quickly the anomalies began to stack up, alongside the extremely suspicious/revolting actions & behaviour by the other adopted child Jeremy, who also stood to inherit the entire estate.

The series itself is great at very carefully setting up the initial story and then giving time to flesh it out properly. It is also very clearly stated at the start of every single episode that the story was meticulously researched, alongside certain characters/scenarios being added for dramatic effect. The result is a series which shows the different characters, warts and all.

For me, one of the best things about the whole series was the fact that these characters felt real. By that, I mean that there were no real clichés as such. Almost all the characters were at times extremely unlikable, even the ones other TV programmes in this genre might subtly manipulate you as the viewer to like. As you would expect, Jeremy Bamber is absolutely disgusting: a narcissist so devoid of empathy and exuding such malevolence, you wonder how anyone could tolerate being around him. But it was also made clear that the "perfect family" he was a part of was no such thing, and this extended to the way the other victims were treated.

The cast themselves are great. Freddie Fox, building on his considerable résumé, adds another memorable character to his CV, Mark Addy is always dependable as the dogged police detective who from the off knows that something isn't right. Mark Stanley also does powerful work as the father of the murdered boys/ex-husband of Sheila. And rounding it all of is Stephen Graham as Taff, the Welsh detective with an accent so strong you could cut through a steel door with it.

I really enjoyed this series. It is full of twists and turns, shocking moments but also a determination to ensure that the victims of this unspeakable tragedy are front & centre, not simply an afterthought in a blitz of salacious headlines.