‘Steeltown Murders’ Recap: ‘Episode 1’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Still from Episode 101 of ‘Steeltown Murders’ Courtesy of Acorn TV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘Steeltown Murders’.
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One unfortunate truth about our world, is that second chances aren’t something we really enjoy in everyday life. Because we only get one shot to pull this whole thing off, and we make mistakes along the way. The kind that can never be corrected and even if they could, our obsession with perfection would probably allow for the whole thing to be mucked up. So, we do our best to live with the choices we’ve made and hold to the fact that opportunities will indeed slip through the cracks. But you’ll note that there was mention of the fact that everyday life tends to not afford us second chances, and there is good reason for putting that in print. 

Because in reality, there are some second chances in this life, in specialized parts of our world. For instance, in sports, a team can get another crack at a championship thanks to the structure of that world. Not to mention, science often gets multiple opportunities to get things right, thanks to the ever-evolving world learning operates within. And… even law enforcement gets second chances now and again. Because sometimes, new evidence comes to light and a criminal that eluded the police before can be brought to justice, and sometimes… science even helps with that, courtesy of the advances in forensics that continue to come forth.

If anything, the specialized second chances some receive in this life is top of mind today, simply because it is the focus of a new series on Acorn TV entitled, Steeltown Murders. Which is a four-part mini-series based on true events, ones that were set in motion back in 1973 in Wales. Wherein an intrepid young cop named Paul Bethell was involved in solving three ugly murders in his town. Ones that involved heinous acts and young women that had their whole lives ahead of them, before they were robbed of that by a monster. And despite the best work of his division, there were no answers to come to light regarding who committed the disgusting crimes that took three innocent lives and Paul simply went on with his career.

But in 2002, those very cases were suddenly the focal point of a newly revamped CID department. For they had new DNA evidence available to make use of, and that meant Paul was granted a second chance to find this monster. Which prompted him to enlist a fresh set of eyes and an old pair that worked with him on the case back in the day, to finally put this rest. Which gives rise to a fascinating story. One that plays out in both the past and the present, to give us context of some of the missteps the police made in the 1970s, while also showcasing, how important this second chance is to Paul. Since it energizes him like never before and allows for him to really dig deep and look at clues that were forgotten back then because of the wild nature of the times.

But most importantly, this is indeed a very human story. One that speaks deeply to the injustices that so many suffered not that long ago when science was unable to show without a doubt who was responsible for certain crimes… and how much a second chance can do for the psyche of hardworking cops like Paul. For this revelation truly does give him a new lease on life and a sense that perhaps peace can finally come his way over a case that meant a lot to him, and it ends… in a fascinating manner with a potential suspect. Giving rise to the reality that second chances have their merit in this world when law enforcement is granted the chance and well, it will be genuinely interesting to see what Paul learns about this suspect and uncovers regarding this awful case, as this mini-series continues along. Until next time.

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