In Plain Sight (British TV series)

Last updated

In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight ITV.jpg
Also known asMuncie (working title) [1]
GenreDrama [2]
Based onThe Peter Manuel case
Written byNick Stevens
Directed byJohn Strickland
Starring Martin Compston
Douglas Henshall
Brian McCardie
Denis Lawson
Shauna Macdonald
Joanna Roth
Gary Lewis
Composer Nina Humphreys
Country of originScotland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producersRichard McNeill
Roderick Seligman
Natalie Usher
Robbie Allan
ProducerGillian McNeill
Production locationScotland
EditorAndrew John McLelland
Camera setupRuari O'Brien
Running time60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companies World Productions
Finlaggan Films
ITV Studios
Original release
Network ITV
Release7 December (2016-12-07) 
21 December 2016 (2016-12-21)

In Plain Sight is a Scottish television drama series covering the crimes committed by serial killer Peter Manuel in Lanarkshire, Scotland in the 1950s. The three-part series was first broadcast on ITV on 7 December 2016. The series is distributed worldwide by BBC Worldwide. [3]

Contents

Plot

The plot revolves around serial killer Peter Manuel, who killed at least eight people between 1956 and 1958 in Lanarkshire, and the detective who pursued him to his conviction, William Muncie. [4] Manuel, who was born in the United States, [5] was known as "The Beast of Birkenshaw" [6] (as he lived in Birkenshaw, Uddingston). [7] He taunted his pursuer with messages and even sent him birthday and Christmas cards. [8]

At the time, local police had never dealt with this level of criminality before; Manuel chose his victims at random, with no apparent reason [9] and ended up scaring a whole community so much that everyone started locking their doors. [10]

The series follows the destructive trail that Manuel left and shows him revelling in his cockiness with the police and his victims, even going so far as representing himself in his criminal trials. [11]

Cast

Research

Both Compston and Henshall spent time researching their parts and the characters they would be playing. Compston admitted to being scared stiff in one scene and said that he had driven around to Manuel's old house after filming and parked up, "just to sit outside". [10] Henshall talked about his part with William Muncie's daughter and was determined to bring the character to life, who, by Henshall's estimation, was single-minded in catching Manuel but also the only one who took to the notion of him being a serial killer. [12]

The production caused controversy amongst the relatives of some of the victims. The production team tried to contact everyone, but Stuart and David Reid, whose two aunts, Marianne Watt and Margaret Brown and cousin, Vivienne (daughter of Marianne Watt) were killed by Manuel in 1956, could not be found. The brothers have said that the production would re-open old wounds. They contacted the production team who listened to their comments, but the brothers claim it was to no avail; “We asked ITV to scrap it. The producers did listen to what we had to say but by this point it was too little, too late. It was obvious they had no intention of pulling the plug.” [13]

Production

Many locations across Glasgow (including the Victoria Infirmary) [14] and the Central Belt of Scotland were used in filming. Some parts were even filmed in Compston's home town of Greenock. Dunlop in East Ayrshire was also used for the home of the detective Muncie and the police station (outside entrance). Albion Automotive disused office in Scotstoun was used for scenes in the inside of the police station. [15]

Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, confirmed that the Scottish Government would be contributing £250,000 towards the production. She announced this on the opening day at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2016. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenock</span> Town and administrative centre in Scotland

Greenock is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is currently the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenock Juniors F.C.</span> Association football club in Inverclyde, Scotland, UK

Greenock Juniors Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Greenock, Inverclyde. They compete in West of Scotland League Third Division and play home matches at Ravenscraig Stadium, on Auchmead Road - a five-minute walk from Branchton railway station. The club were decanted for a short period of time as the Stadium received multi-million pound upgrades in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bible John</span> Serial killer in Glasgow, Scotland

Bible John is an unidentified serial killer who is believed to have murdered three young women between 1968 and 1969 in Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birkenshaw, North Lanarkshire</span>

Birkenshaw is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, to the east of Glasgow, and in proximity to Uddingston, Tannochside and Viewpark. Historically it is part of Lanarkshire. Largely a residential area, it is more widely known for the Birkenshaw Trading Estate which contains a range of DIY, electrical and furniture stores. It is sometimes considered as part of Viewpark and is contained within the Greater Glasgow conurbation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Compston</span> Scottish actor

Martin Compston is a Scottish actor and former professional footballer. He played Anti-Corruption Unit Detective Inspector Steve Arnott in the BBC drama Line of Duty, Liam in Ken Loach's Sweet Sixteen, Paul Ferris in The Wee Man, Ewan Brodie in Monarch of the Glen and Dan Docherty in The Nest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Cuthbertson</span> Scottish actor (1930–2009)

Iain Cuthbertson was a Scottish character actor and theatre director. He was known for his tall imposing build and also his distinctive gravelly, heavily accented voice. He had lead roles in The Borderers (1968–70),Tom Brown's Schooldays (1971), Budgie (1971–72), its spinoff Charles Endell Esquire (1979–80), Danger UXB (1979) and Sutherland's Law (1973–76), as well as the films The Railway Children (1970), and Gorillas in the Mist (1988). He guest starred in many prominent British shows including The Avengers, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, The Onedin Line, Survivors, Ripping Yarns, Doctor Who, Z-Cars, Juliet Bravo, Rab C. Nesbitt, Minder, Inspector Morse and Agatha Christie's Poirot.

<i>Sweet Sixteen</i> (2002 film) 2002 film by Ken Loach

Sweet Sixteen is a 2002 coming-of-age crime drama film directed by Ken Loach. Set in Scotland, the film tells the story of Liam, a teenage boy from a troubled background who dreams of starting afresh with his mother as soon as she has completed her prison term. Liam's attempts to raise money for the two of them are set against the backdrop of the Inverclyde towns of Greenock, Port Glasgow and the coast at Gourock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Manuel</span> American-Scottish serial killer (1927–1958)

Peter Thomas Anthony Manuel was an American-Scottish serial killer who was convicted of murdering seven people across Lanarkshire and southern Scotland between 1956 and his arrest in January 1958, and is believed to have murdered two more. Prior to his arrest, the media nicknamed the unidentified killer "the Beast of Birkenshaw". Manuel was hanged at Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison; he was the second to last prisoner to die on the Barlinnie gallows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Henshall</span> Scottish actor (born 1965)

Douglas “Dougie” James Henshall is a Scottish television, film and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval (2007–2011) and Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama Shetland (2013–2022).

David Wilson is a Scottish emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University. A former prison governor, he is well known as a criminologist specialising in serial killers through his work with various British police forces, academic publications, books and media appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media of Scotland</span>

There are several types of mass media in Scotland: television, cinema, radio, newspapers, magazines, game design and websites. The majority of Scotland's media is located in Glasgow, the countries largest city, which serves as the HQ for much of the countries major media employers such as broadcasters BBC Scotland and STV, radio services including BBC Radio Scotland, Clyde 1 and Pure Radio Scotland. Game design and production company, Rockstar North, has its international offices in the countries capital city, Edinburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Lewis (actor)</span> Scottish actor (born 1957)

Gary Stevenson, better known as Gary Lewis, is a Scottish actor. He has had roles in films such as Billy Elliot (2000), Gangs of New York (2002), Joyeux Noël (2005) and Eragon (2006), as well as major roles in the television docudrama Supervolcano and the Starz series Outlander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter May (writer)</span> Scottish writer (born 1951)

Peter May is a Scottish television screenwriter, novelist, and crime writer. He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America. The Blackhouse won the U.S. Barry Award for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France, the Cezam Prix Litteraire. The Lewis Man won the French daily newspaper Le Télégramme's 10,000-euro Grand Prix des Lecteurs. In 2014, Entry Island won both the Deanston's Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the UK's ITV Crime Thriller Book Club Best Read of the Year Award. May's books have sold more than two million copies in the UK and several million internationally.

Shaun Dillon is a Scottish football coach and former player, who played as a defender. He is currently co-manager of West of Scotland Football League club Kilbirnie Ladeside. He began his career with Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League and also played in the Scottish Football League for Greenock Morton, Queen of the South, Stenhousemuir. Stranraer and Stirling Albion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Black (serial killer)</span> Scottish serial killer (1947–2016)

Robert Black was a Scottish serial killer and paedophile who was convicted of the kidnap, rape and murder of four girls aged between 5 and 11 in a series of crimes committed between 1981 and 1986 in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Tobin</span> Scottish serial killer (1946–2022)

Peter Britton Tobin was a Scottish convicted serial killer and sex offender who served a whole life order at HM Prison Edinburgh for three murders committed between 1991 and 2006. Police also investigated Tobin over the deaths and disappearances of other young women and girls.

<i>Shetland</i> (TV series) BBC Scotland crime drama television series, 2013–

Shetland is a Scottish crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland. First broadcast on BBC One on 10 March 2013, it is originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves and adapted by David Kane. The first seven series starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, whilst Ashley Jensen stars as DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series. The cast also includes Alison O'Donnell as DS Alison "Tosh" McIntosh and Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, as well as Lewis Howden and Anne Kidd. Henshall won the 2016 BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor and the series received the award for Best TV Drama.

Stephen John Port is a British serial killer and serial rapist. He has been convicted of the murder of four young men and multiple rapes and sexual assaults of a number of others. Port received a sentence of life imprisonment with a whole life order on 25 November 2016.

<i>Des</i> (TV series) British TV series

Des is a British three-part television drama miniseries, based on the 1983 arrest of Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, after the discovery of human remains causing the blockage of a drain near his home. The series premiered on 14 September 2020.

<i>The Pembrokeshire Murders</i> British television series

The Pembrokeshire Murders is a Welsh three-part television drama miniseries based on the Pembrokeshire murders by Welsh serial killer John Cooper. In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins decided to reopen two unsolved 1980s murder cases linked with a string of burglaries. New advances in technology for forensic DNA analysis, witness reports and artists impressions of the suspect led to Dyfed-Powys Police reviewing a 1989 episode of Bullseye, which led to the serial killer finally being caught. It premiered on ITV on 11 January 2021.

References

  1. Hunt, Debs (9 November 2016). "Martin Compston stars in new trailer for ITV drama, In Plain Sight". insidemediatrack.com. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. "Muncie (W/T)". itvmedia.co.uk. ITV Media. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  3. Productions, World. "In Plain Sight – World Productions". World Productions. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  4. "In Plain Sight". itv.com. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. Gibb, Bill (27 November 2016). "Martin Compston on living in LA, Line of Duty and starring in new ITV drama In Plain Sight". sundaypost.com. Sunday Post. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  6. "Scottish actor Martin Compston to play serial killer Peter Manuel in new drama". Glasgow Times. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  7. "Killing spree claimed eight lives". BBC News. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  8. Swarbrick, Susan (3 December 2016). "Martin Compston on playing Lanarkshire serial killer Peter Manuel in chilling new TV drama In Plain Sight". Glasgow Evening Times. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  9. Chater, David (3 December 2016). "Critic's choice; In Plain Sight". The Times. No. 72084. Saturday Review. p. 40. ISSN   0140-0460.
  10. 1 2 "The Version interview....Martin Compston on itv's In Plain Sight". theversion.co.uk. The Version. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  11. Jackson, James (3 December 2016). "Critic's choice; In Plain Sight". The Times. No. 72084. Saturday Review. p. 23. ISSN   0140-0460.
  12. McIver, Brian (18 November 2016). "ITV drama In Plain Sight charts Scottish spree killer Peter Manuel's vicious reign of terror". Daily Record. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  13. Barrie, Jane (20 November 2016). "Surviving relatives of Peter Manuel murder victims furious ITV over 'In Plain Sight' drama about his crimes". Daily Record. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  14. Glen, Fraser (5 December 2016). "The story of Scotland's worst serial killer Peter Manuel told through Glasgow". glasgowlive.co.uk. Glasgow Live. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  15. Coulter, Paul John (22 November 2016). "Neil Lennon set for charity Q&A session in Greenock". Greenock Telegraph. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  16. Ferguson, Brian (15 June 2016). "Scots TV drama on serial killer Peter Manuel gets government backing". The Scotsman. Retrieved 6 December 2016.