Place of Execution TV Series

Place Of Execution TV Series Review

Place Of Execution is a 2008 television mini-series, which spans over three episodes. The series is definitely a mystery, but it focuses on two parallel storylines. The first follows Detective Inspector George Bennet (Lee Ingleby), as he attempts to unravel the disappearance of a missing Derbyshire girl. The second follows journalist, Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson), as she films a documentary about the historic case. During Catherine’s scenes, the viewer explores the case through the eyes of an older George Bennet (Philip Jackson).

Actor Lee Ingleby Place Of Execution TV Show

The mystery slowly unravels, as we begin to discover that there are many parallels between Catherine and her daughter, Sasha Heathcote (Elizabeth Day), and the 1963 case. We also begin to learn that DI George Bennet knows more than he initially tells. Quick into the documentary’s development, Bennet pulls out and attempts to end all relations with Catherine. Is the case drudging up too many terrible memories, or is he hiding something potentially incriminating? Does he know, yet continues to hide, the identity of Alison Carter’s (Poppy Goodburn) murderer?

Place of Execution TV Series

All eyes soon turn to Alison’s step father, Philip Hawkin (Greg Wise), who is disliked by pretty much everyone in town. Matters only worsen for Hawkin, when horrendous photographs are discovered and potentially expose Hawkin’s perverted relationship with Alison. Of course, Hawkin has an alibi and attempts to convince the detectives that the photographs have been manipulated to frame him as the culprit. Once Catherine gets a whiff of the news, she attempts to acquire the photographic evidence, only to discover that it has recently been destroyed in a fire.

Juliet Stevenson Place of Execution

Upon the discovery, Catherine immediately suspects George of wrongdoing and attempt to dispose of the evidence. In flashbacks, we also discover that the young detective doubted the evidence, but still allowed it to be presented against the defendant in the courtroom. This very evidence led to the downfall of Hawkin, who is severely punished for the crime, but the mystery still lingers. Was Philip wrongfully punished for the crime and what does George Bennet know that Catherine and the rest of the world does not?

elizabeth day place of execution

As the mystery finally unfolds, we see that nothing is what it seems. Everything is different and the conclusion is entirely unpredictable. So, how is the mini-series overall?

 

Place Of Execution Review

All in all, I did like Place of Execution, although I found it to be a bit slow from time to time. The older scenes were undoubtedly spot on and definitely felt legitimate and realistic. The acting is brilliant, with Greg Wise, Philip Jackson, Lee Ingleby, and Juliet Stevenson leading the way. Although some of the character’s behaviors are awkward and erratic at times, they’re generally easily ignorable.

The mystery is truly why Place of Execution excels. It remains intriguing and will keep the viewer guessing from the beginning to the very end. And of course, the conclusion is brilliant, well thought out and definitely unpredictable. Although Place of Execution isn’t perfect, it is still a fun watch. A 7.5 out of 10 is deserved. The series is currently available on Amazon and it well worth checking out.

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  1. Loulit says:

    I enjoyed the show but there’s something that doesn’t make sense to me and I feel like I’m beating my head against a wall trying to figure it out.

    I won’t say anything here because it would be a huge spoiler but once some reviews and comments are in I’ll ask someone.

    Should you watch it? I’m glad I did so I’d say yes.

    • ReelMockery says:

      Hey there and thanks for the comment. It has been a long, long time since I watched this. If the date is right, it would’ve been March of 2016 so I don’t remember it very well. I will try to help you figure it out though. Just drop me an email or contact me on the Reel Mockery Facebook page.

      Thanks!

  2. joanne LePage says:

    we were all so busy trying to hang jeffrey epstein we missed this. ……terrible end of series

  3. David Zimmerman says:

    The big hole in the plot—- Spoilers ahead—- is that the villagers do not simply turn in Hawkin when they find out that he has been sexually abusing their girls.

    The explanation is that they would thereby lose custody of the girls, who would “would be taken into care.” But that is astoundingly silly, since the parents would have the testimony of the girls and the photographic evidence that the primary victim gives to Juliet Stevenson when it is revealed that she was not murdered by Hawkin, but spirited off to Canada, so that he could be framed.

    Ridiculous plot.

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