The Secret [UTV Ireland] [** Spoilers **]

caille

Anyone watch it last night and what did you think? It was alright and liked the opening scene of James Nesbitts charachter looking much older and up to stuff and then it flashing back to 1990.

volchitsa

I wanted to watch it but missed it, so will catch up when I can, and am mainly marking this so I can join the conversation later. (I'm from Derry and have family in Coleraine and Co Derry, and as an aside love Nesbitt too, so lots of reasons for wanting to see this!)

Lisha

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Am looking forward to the next one. I'm remember the case but don't know too many details off the top of my head. So that makes it enjoyable . Horrible man and shame on the church fir making the innocent spouses up their game to keep family together.

armaghlad

Really enjoyed the opening episode and hope to get the book. I remember the case in the news and this brings a lot back. I'd be relatively familiar with the north coast and Coleraine/Castlerock due to family ties. Think Nesbitt has captured the sinister nature of the character perfectly and the fact he has an indirect connection to one of the killers means he's perfect for the role. It's actually harrowing what these people did and I find Colin Howell a fascinating albeit sick individual.

Snoopy1

I don't know if James nesbit is a good actor, because I just want to kill him (or his character)
Can't believe the control the church had

Lisha

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I don't know if James nesbit is a good actor, because I just want to kill him (or his character)
Can't believe the control the church had

He is one of my favorite actors. He can play the part perfectly while also showing you the characters flaws/or secrets.
The the wife was coping so badly with everything really touched me. Awful to see how poor treatment can damage someone.

Foggy Jew

I stumbled across this by accident the other night, and I loved, loved loved it. I am really looking forward to the next three episodes. James Nesbitt is outstanding - he just hits the exact right note between sinister and smarmy and scary. Bravo.

Very good production. such an evil act to commit by those monsters. My heart goes out to both families.

Nesbitt is a very good actor. Didn't take the pastor long to figure out what was up

volchitsa

Saw it this evening, he's excellent as always, I just love Nesbitt in pretty much anything I've seen him in.

That thing with the Pastor, though -

I thought nobody suspected them at all. But it totally made sense that he would react that way, that she wouldn't have abandoned her children - and of course we know he was right

. But does anyone know if the Pastor thought that at the time it has that been added on for the series?

volchitsa

volchitsa wrote: »

Saw it this evening, he's excellent as always, I just love Nesbitt in pretty much anything I've seen him in.

That thing with the Pastor, though -

I thought nobody suspected them at all. But it totally made sense that he would react that way, that she wouldn't have abandoned her children - and of course we know he was right

. But does anyone know if the Pastor thought that at the time it has that been added on for the series?

According to this article about the evidence given in the duration of of the trial, many, including the pastor and his wife, had their suspicions based on Howell's behaviour. Not sure if he was actually banished from the church to be honest.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/killer-injected-lover-with-drugs-493001.html

volchitsa

Thanks for that I'll have a read. I realize I've forgotten quite a few of the details (the arrest and even more so the trial happened at a time when my own life was very busy - new born baby, and I wasn't living in NI at the time - so I wasn't completely keeping up with news at home.

But it makes sense that they would be suspicious, how could they not? I was presuming that to be the case since he got away with it, and then the second wife got (apparently) such a disbelieving reaction when she told them of his confession to her - or maybe I'm misremembering that too, I suppose we'll have to wait till a later episode to find out for sure!

It's the fact that he got away with it for so long that makes it such a strange story. I missed the first episode BTW and didn't yet get round to watching it - do I need to in order to follow it, or is the fact that it's a RL event enough to follow the televised version, do you think?

volchitsa

volchitsa wrote: »

Thanks for that I'll have a read. I realize I've forgotten quite a few of the details (the arrest and even more so the trial happened at a time when my own life was very busy - new born baby, and I wasn't living in NI at the time - so I wasn't completely keeping up with news at home.

But it makes sense that they would be suspicious, how could they not? I was presuming that to be the case since he got away with it, and then the second wife got (apparently) such a disbelieving reaction when she told them of his confession to her - or maybe I'm misremembering that too, I suppose we'll have to wait till a later episode to find out for sure!

It's the fact that he got away with it for so long that makes it such a strange story. I missed the first episode BTW and didn't yet get round to watching it - do I need to in order to follow it, or is the fact that it's a RL event enough to follow the televised version, do you think?

In many ways, he committed the perfect murder because it would be very hard to prove beyond doubt that it was murder

The first episode deals with the affair itself and when it emerged. Not really essential but at the same time its a good episode

Snoopy1

Why was the pastor and not the police the one to break the news to the family

Snoopy1

Snoopy1 wrote: »

Why was the pastor and not the police the one to break the news to the family

Good question. I assume he was part of a search party that went out to look for Trevor and Lesley

funkey_monkey

I'm not sure why everyone is picking up on Howell. I find Hazel totally cold as ice and a complete b1tch. He is visibly evil, she is just cold and emotionless.
The role of the church is frightening. However, as with all dramatisations, where does fact end and fiction begin.

Excellent closing episode tonight. Chilling stuff. And yes I agree that Hazel was every bit as bad as Howell. Worse even, because she still continues to protest her innocence. Excellent acting by Genevieve O'Reilly but Jimmy Nesbitt was out of this world as Colin Howell.

I have real sympathy for the families of the victims. One of Colin's children for example turned 2 on the day his mother and Trevor Buchanon were senselessly and callously murdered.

Lisha

I totally forgot about this tonight !! Disgusted.

Lisha

Lisha wrote: »

I totally forgot about this tonight !! Disgusted.

UTV players your friend (even if they do have those pesky ads)

Just copped, three days ago would have been the 25th anniversary of Trevor and Lesleys deaths. RIP

The 18th may 1991 is a day that sticks out in my memory as it was the day of my first holy communion. I can remember that day well and watching Forest v Spurs in the cup final. In the opposite part of the island on that same day its scary to think that two people had hours to live and that their deaths were planned so callously

volchitsa

Yes I had previously thought Hazel was his victim too in a way, but having watched it, I can see how she may well have been as much a part as he was.
Brilliant acting by both the leads.

Cortina_MK_IV

This is on UTV Ireland tonight at 9pm.

Cortina_MK_IV

The 24 Hours to Kill based on Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan's murders in on 3e at midnight.