Murder Case: The Vanishing Cyclist; Mrs Robinson

“For the most part the film-makers told this tragic story well, despite limited crime visuals (only one CCTV image of Parsons on his bike was recovered) but with plenty of breathtaking Highlands scenery. It is also undeniable that documentaries featuring trials in Scotland are more immersive, with added drama simply because cameras are allowed in court and we see the culprits’ faces in real time. I can see the pros and cons of having cameras in courts but they certainly make for better crime documentaries, such as The Push on Channel 4 last year about the murder trial of Kashif Anwar, who pushed his pregnant wife off Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“With so many true crime documentaries littering the TV schedules, how does a programme stand out? Not, it seems, by being more morbid and sensationalist than the rest, but (5 and Netflix take note) by being restrained, meticulous and respectful of the victims’ families. That is the case with BBC Two’s excellent recent The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice and now with the same channel’s absorbing Murder Case: The Vanishing Cyclist.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

“It’s rare for a politician to cry on camera because they’re so moved, especially in a legacy-cementing retrospective. But it happens several times in Aoife Kelleher’s feature-length profile of the former Irish president, Mary Robinson. Whether it’s pride in the Irish national identity, sympathy with the disenfranchised or grave fear of how the climate crisis will affect future generations, Robinson is not afraid to let her emotions show and is, indeed, unable to avoid it. In those moments, we see the core of her enduring popularity. As captured by this programme, Robinson is a leader who actually, genuinely cares, about people and principles.”
Jack Seale, The Guardian