Netflix quietly adds ‘haunting’ drama about two of Britain’s most prolific serial killers

Netflix has added a series about two British serial killers whose crimes shocked the country (Picture:
ITV/ Rex/ Shutterstock)

A series about the crimes of two of the worst serial killers the country has ever seen is now available to watch on Netflix.

Initially released on ITV in 2006, the two-part serial See No Evil: The Moors Murders retold the story of the Moors murders, which were committed between July 1963 and October 1965 by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – played by Maxine Peake and Sean Harris.

The series is told from the perspective of Hindley’s sister Maureen Smith (Joanne Froggatt) and husband David (Matthew McNulty).

The victims of the Moors murders were five children—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans—aged between 10 and 17, at least four of whom were sexually assaulted.

During their trial Hindley was labelled ‘the most evil woman in Britain’ by the press, with the pair receiving life sentences.

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She died aged 60 in 2002 after serving 36 years in prison. Meanwhile Brady, a diagnosed psychopath, died aged 79 in 2017.

See No Evil: The Moors Murders was told from the perspective of Myra Hindley’s sister Maureen Smith, played by Joanne Froggatt (Picture: ITV/ Rex/ Shutterstock)

See No Evil marked the first dramatisation of the notorious murders and was made to mark the 40th anniversary of their trial.

After two years of research, the series was also made with the support of the victims’ families.

When it aired, each episode drew over 6 million viewers. In the years since many fans have shared their reviews after tuning in.

Hindley was sentenced to life in prison (Picture: Jonathan Smith/ Shutterstock)

‘This was a superb, well written very emotive drama. It handled a very difficult subject with sensitivity and respect. An excellent piece of factual drama, well worth a viewing,’ elja-sharman wrote on IMDB.

‘When I saw this television drama advertised I didn’t think I’d be watching it; I don’t believe in recent (in the last 50 years) true crimes being “used” as a source of ‘entertainment. However, this was intelligently written and focused more on how the crimes affected those around the killers than on the heinous nature of their murders. When the end credits rolled over silence, I found myself in tears,’ myrndra shared.

‘The storyline and characters are so well done. It’s frightening to think what these monsters had done. Gripped from start to finish. One of the best real-life series,’ live-33032 added.

Ian Brady died in prison aged 79 in 2017 (Picture: Keystone/ Getty Images)

See No Evil won the Bafta TV award for best drama serial at the 2007 ceremony.

At the time its writer Neil McKay said the drama provided a ‘sober, unsensational account of the most notorious crimes of the last century’.

‘It tells the extraordinary story of how Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were brought to justice.

‘The focus is not only on their crimes, but also on the effect … on the families of their victims and Hindley’s sister, Maureen. The response from the families of the victims to the project has been enormously encouraging and we hope the film will do them justice.’

See No Evil: The Story of the Moors Murders is streaming on Netflix.

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