The Long Shadow episode 1 recap: 'She was a mother'

This post contains spoilers for The Long Shadow episode 1.

There's been a lot of hype surrounding ITV1's new seven-part crime drama, which tells the story of Peter Sutcliffe's horrific crimes through the eyes of his victims and their families.

Here's our recap of what happened in The Long Shadow episode 1...

'She was a mother'

It's 29th October 1975 and Wilma McCann tucks in her eldest daughter Sonia and leaves her four children asleep as she makes her way out for the evening, yet when the sun rises the next morning she’s not returned home.

Sonia and her brother Richard venture out to look for her and go to wait at the local bus stop, hoping she’s still on her way home. they have no idea they unwittingly walked past their mother’s dead body on their way.

The pair are soon found by a couple of policemen who take them off to a children’s home, while police discover their mum’s remains lying in a playing field behind their council house. Through neighbours, the police soon discover Wilma has been leaving the children at home while going out in the evening on a regular basis.

DCS Dennis Hoban then briefs the rest of his team on Wilma’s murder, advising she had been stabbed 15 times and struck with a blunt instrument on the back of the head.

It’s clear some of Hoban’s team have little sympathy for Wilma, because she was a prostitute, however Hoban makes it clear that no matter if she was or not, no one deserves to die like she did.  However he is concerned by the perception of Wilma that some members of the public may have and realises how they frame her murder will be key.

In one of the many heartbreakingly powerful scenes in this first episode, Hoban breaks the news of their mother’s death to Wilma’s children and asks them to pose for a photo with their favourite toys, something that happened in real life.

Hoban knows the public might be more sympathetic and forthcoming with information when confronted with the death of a mother, rather than the death of a prostitute.

'You're acting like everybody knows'

During the second day of the investigation, Hoban's second-in-command, DCS Jim Hobson, reveals she was last seen outside a pub on Meanwood Road when last orders were called. Hoban realises she was left on a field by a car park because the killer was driving and later on he discovers a book with men’s names and telephone numbers in Wilma’s bedside table.

Three weeks after Wilma’s death, Hoban is visited by Chief Constable Gregory, who despite his denials, has clearly come to check up on the investigation. He also invites Hoban to the Christmas drinks, urging to attend as there are people he needs to meet.

The list of suspects from Wilma’s book are soon eliminated, while the police have handed out 10,000 leaflets and gone door-to-door at every house in the area, but still have no leads. Hoban is determined to continue, while Hobson’s faith in the tactics is clearly wavering.

At a road stop five weeks after Wilma’s murder, the police stop a lorry driver who remembers seeing her on the night she died. Hobson calls Hoban in to help question him, despite his wife’s protestations about missing Emmerdale Farm.

The lorry driver tells them Wilma was right in the middle of the road when he saw her on the night she died. He reveals he thought about picking her up, but decided not to as he thought she might vomit in his cab due to her intoxicated state.

Yet he does remember Wilma getting into another car, a Corsair or a Fastback, immediately afterwards. When Hoban asks why he’s only just come forward with this information, the driver explains that he lives in Rochdale and this is the first he’s heard of Wilma’s murder.

At the Christmas do, Chief Constable Gregory introduces Hoban to DCS George Oldfield, a detective from rural Yorkshire, who asks about his investigation and insinuates that a lot of their men are helping his enquiry. Yet it’s already clear that Hoban is becoming obsessed with the case.

A few weeks later, with The Morecambe & Wise Christmas due on the telly, Hoban is in the control room when a call comes in from a member of the public who says they saw Wilma get into a green Land Rover belonging to a "Chapeltown regular" on the night she died. Could this be the man they’re after?

'How much?'

Emily Jackson and her husband Sydney return home from a roofing job and he advises their son Neil they’ll be going out tomorrow night to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday. With money tight, Emily tells Sydney they can’t afford to and shows him an overdue bill, only for him to remind her he can’t read. Nevertheless, he is determined they should go to the party as Eric Owen is his oldest mate.

The next night they head to the party at The Gaiety in Leeds, yet it soon becomes clear that Sydney — who also can’t drive — has only asked his wife to come so she can give him a lift home.

While Sydney drinks with his pals, Emily puts a song on the jukebox and catches the eye of a man with dark curly hair and a moustache, who’s standing at the bar. When she goes for a dance, the man follows her and there’s a clear chemistry between the pair.

When she goes outside he follows her and while she’s intrigued by his advances, when he mistakes her for a prostitute and asks “how much?” she decides to leave. Is this Peter Sutcliffe, the man responsible for Wilma McCann’s death and who would go on to murder at least 12 more women across Yorkshire over the subsequent years? Either way, the encounter gives Emily, whose family are struggling for money, food for thought

'I thought you'd given up?'

As Christmas approaches, the Jackson’s street is visited by carol singers and in an effort not to lose face with her neighbours, Emily insists upon giving them a generous gift, despite being strapped for cash. Sydney is quietly furious with her.

Later on, Emily shares the story of how she was propositioned at The Gaiety and suggests she could make money to support them by turning to sex work, explaining she could earn £5 in five minutes. Sydney is deeply troubled by the idea, but reluctantly agrees and parks the van at The Gaiety and goes to the bar, while she heads to a nearby street corner. Before he goes, she checks he’s removed his tools from the back of the van.

When Emily gets to the street corner, she finds she’s not alone, but is soon approached by a very shady man who quibbles with her about the price, but eventually follows her to the van and pays her £5 for sex. When Emily and Sydney return home, she considers the real price of her decision to sell herself in such a way.

On Christmas morning, the Jackson family open their presents, before their niece reveals she’s getting married and asks Emily’s daughter to be her bridesmaid. Eager to keep up appearances, she promises her daughter she’ll buy her a bridesmaid’s dress ‘new’, much to her husband’s consternation.

After Christmas, Emily goes to the streets once again, despite Sydney begging her not to. When he tells her he “can’t take it anymore” she strikes him in frustration and says she’ll go with three men tonight and then give it up for good. As she stands on the street corner, she has an exchange with another young woman, who says she thought Emily had given up. “I have” she replies.

Meanwhile the green Land Rover the police have been warned about pulls up and Emily’s companion says she can have him as she’s a regular whom she’s not that keen on. Emily goes with the Land Rover driver and returns to the street, but her companion is gone.

The police then stop the green Land Rover, but as they apprehend the man inside, a white car stops by Emily and picks her up. She won’t be seen alive again.

The Long Shadow episode 2 will be shown at 9 pm on ITV1 on Monday 2 October