Four Lives viewers react to "heartbreaking" true-crime series after finale
The three-part drama, which looked at the four victims of murderer Stephen Port, came to an end last night.
BBC One drama Four Lives aired its finale last night and viewers are still reeling from the episode, with many describing it as a "heartbreaking" yet "outstanding" watch.
The three-part series tells the true story of the four young men who were murdered by Stephen Port in 2014 and 2015 after meeting him on the gay dating app Grindr.
Created by Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, the drama focuses on the victims and their loved ones, drawing attention to how authorities mishandled the linked cases.
Viewers took to Twitter to speak about the true-crime drama following its final episode last night, with one saying that they had found it "very harrowing to watch".
"The acting from Stephen, Sheridan and the whole cast was outstanding!" they added. "Thank you to the families for letting their unimaginable story to be shown."
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While another viewer said: "Four Lives was a heartbreaking watch but a story that needed to be told."
Many were shocked by the drama's closing titles, which read that a 2021 inquest into the murders ruled that "fundamental failings" by the Metropolitan Police "probably contributed to three of the four deaths", however none of the officers involved in any of the investigations have been formally disciplined and five have since been promoted.
"A complete rollercoaster of emotions," one viewer wrote on Twitter. "I've felt utterly gobsmacked, deeply saddened, shocked, horrified and angered by what we were shown."
One viewer wrote: "The last twenty minutes of #FourLives has left me in bits. Those poor boys and their families," while another praised the drama's decision to "avoid showing gore and violence" and instead focus on "who the actual victims were".
The series starred Sheridan Smith as Sarah Sak, the mother of Port's first victim Anthony Walgate, as well as Stephen Merchant (Port), Tim Preston (Anthony Walgate), Jakub Svec (Gabriel Kovari), Leo Flanagan (Daniel Whitworth) and Paddy Rowan (Jack Taylor).
Following the inquest that ruled that failings by the Met Police “probably” contributed to the deaths of Port’s final three victims, Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball made a formal apology.
“It is a devastating finding,” Ball said. “Our thoughts are with everybody who loved these young men. We are so sorry for their loss and we’re also deeply sorry that there were failings in the police investigations and the responses to their murders.
“I give my own, and the Met’s, heartfelt apologies. All those who loved Anthony and Gabriel and Daniel and Jack expected a thorough and professional police investigation into their deaths, and it’s a great sadness for me and for everybody at the Met that this didn’t happen.”
Four Lives is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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