The Moorside Part Two

[mikey4444]

Just a reminder that this is on at 21:00 tonight !

[Jennykenny]

Yes, I'm both dreading it and also planning on watching it.
How could anyone do this to their child.

[ummmm]

I'll be watching.

It never ceases to amaze what some parents are capable of doing.

[mikey4444]

Having now watched the second episode, I am finding it easier to understand why she did it.

Sharon Matthews would appear to be a less than intelligent woman. There were indications that she was abused all of her life, and was unable to distinguish between sex and love.

That is not to say that I have much in the way of sympathy with her, but it does make it easier too understand why all this ever happened.

We seem to have an inexhaustible supply of great acting talent here in Britain, for which we should be very proud indeed. We can only imagine what the Americans would have done with the same material.

The next time someone is being sarcastic about the BBC, on here perhaps, all you need to do is to point them in the direction of this program. Well done BBC.

[Caran]

Just watched it. Thought it was very well done, but not sure whether it should have been done.
Amazing how they found an actress so like Karen. It made it so much more real.

[Prudie]

It was superbly acted.Every character was believable. I know everyone raves about Sheridan but I think the actress who played Karen was outstanding, it was hard not to think it was actually her.

[Cloverjo]

People are calling her evil for what she did. I don't believe she is evil. I agree with Mikey; she seems to be unintelligent, weak, abused and very easily led.
I feel sorry for her poor kids. We don't know what happened to them.

[mikey4444]

I thought it was interesting, than towards the end of the program, the Police hinted that there may have been a 3rd person involved, on the basis that Matthews and her partners Uncle were too stupid to have planned it all themselves.

Jo.....I am supposing that the younger kids in the family were taken from Sharon permanently. To quote the wiki page :::

"Karen Matthews was released in April 2012 after serving half her sentence. Donovan had already been released. Matthews was given a new name for use in public, although authorities did not consider her mentally capable of maintaining a completely new identity and she will retain her real name for engagement with officials"

No mention of the kids.

[Mamyalynne]

It was well handled and touched on so much of what being human is all about - from the frailties of the weak minded to the strengths of those who try to support even when it blows up in your face.

The casting and acting was excellent.

Considering how brief a slot they had it's clear they couldn't touch on everything about the case - this was the human side.

[anneasquith]

I don't share anyone's sympathy for SM. No doubt she had not had an ideal upbringing, but nothing excuses abuse of a child especially her own .

[ummmm]

You mean KM, Anne?

[Patsy33]

It was very well done, brilliant acting. She seemed (Karen) quite pathetic and I can understand her friend, Julie's words and actions towards her. I also think Karen was quite manipulative and not as thick as she was portrayed.

[anneasquith]

I do, sorry .

[chrissa1]

Her name was Karen.

[Cloverjo]

The Mirror printed a report on Karen just after the first episode was aired. It stated that she had been given a new identity, but it also published a recent photo of her. How did they get round the legality of that?

[hc4361]

divebuddy, the producer stated that there was little information about Shannon, her life before and during the 'kidnap' because the show is called 'The Moorside", not "The Shannon Matthew Story" and the focus is on the community, not Shannon.
He also said that they tried to mitigate any distress to Shannon.

[hc4361]

Cloverjo, she hasn't been given a new identity in the same way that Mary Bell has. The officials believe she doesn't have the intelligence to maintain a new identity and still uses Karen Matthews on official paperwork. She has a different name for social use.
She has been photographed many times after her release from prison with news reports commenting on her 'new look'.

[hc4361]

That's precisely why I haven't watched it, divebuddy.

[hereIam]

Absolutely excellent and as others have said, the actress playing Karen was so like her it was amazing to watch. I do have some slight sympathy for her also, but more for Shannon of course.