Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes was never going to be an easy watch. Given the premise of the drama, based on a true story, a gut-punch experience was the only viewing option on the table. However, what might surprise viewers is just how incensed the drama makes you feel.
On 22 July 2005, the world was rocked by the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes, in a police blunder so shocking it stunned the nation.
Following on from the devastating attacks in London two weeks prior, a failed follow-up attack led to the Metropolitan Police launching a manhunt for the suspects, during which the innocent Jean Charles was gunned down after being mistaken for a suspect.
The Disney+ series, by Jeff Pope (The Reckoning, Four Lives), dramatises the moments before, during, and after his death.
The details alone are ripe for devastating viewing, but the drama also stirs something much more complex. As the events unfold on the screen, you are invited to not only sympathise with the victim and his family, but to become more and more filled with rage.
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The ensemble cast – including Line of Duty's Daniel Mays, who plays Forensic Investigator Cliff Todd – help make it such a powerful watch.
Edison Alcaide plays Jean Charles with an every-day man approach – and there's a strength in that, because isn't that exactly the point?
He was just a regular guy, going about his day, when the most unfortunate set of circumstances led to his death.
This City is Ours star James Nelson-Joyce delivers a gritty performance as police marksman Charlie 2, the officer who pulled the trigger.
Meanwhile Conleth Hill (who played Commissioner Ian Blair) and Emily Mortimer (who played Cressida Dick) both deserve praise for their performances, with the characters being the fuel to a lot of the more passionate moments.
Russell Tovey's performance as Brian Paddick, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, ties directly into the emotions of the viewers.
The only thing that lets Suspect down is the pacing. The show starts off slow in an attempt to set the scene, building a picture of how the tragedy would eventually materialise.
While the slow start serves that purpose, it ultimately makes the episode feel as though it lags. The scenes felt too information-driven, barely leaving enough time for viewers to connect all the moving parts before dishing out even more dense scenes.
Thankfully, it's followed by a gripping middle section that was appropriately tense in a way that made you hungry for the next moment. However, the ending feels rushed, owing to the lengthy and jarring time-jump.
As a result, the storytelling isn't seamless. While it's easy enough to fill in the gaps, it feels as though crucial elements of the storytelling are missing, to the detriment of the narrative and overall emotional journey.
That said, the series is worth the watch thanks to the intensity of the cast and the emotiveness of the story.
By the end, because the show has done its job right, it will be impossible to forget Jean Charles de Menezes.
All four episodes of Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes are available to watch now on Disney+.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
