• Director(s)

    Lewis Arnold

  • Production Year

    2023

  • Genre(s)

    Crime, Drama, Mystery

  • Cast

    Jack Deam, Michael McElhatton, Steven Waddington

TV Show

The Long Shadow

THE LONG SHADOW is British crime drama based on a true story; in this episode, after another woman is murdered, the police realise they may be looking for a serial killer.…

THE LONG SHADOW is British crime drama based on a true story; in this episode, after another woman is murdered, the police realise they may be looking for a serial killer.

  • Director(s)

    Lewis Arnold

  • Production Year

    2023

  • Genre(s)

    Crime, Drama, Mystery

  • Cast

    Jack Deam, Michael McElhatton, Steven Waddington

strong sex, sex references, references to violence, domestic abuse
Classified Date:
01/06/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
violence
There is brief sight of a dead woman's legs and detailed verbal references to a woman's murder. In one scene, a man angrily grabs his wife's arm, and in another the same couple argue and the wife slaps her husband's face.
sex
A sex worker and her client get into the back of a van; they prepare for rear-entry sex, the man unzips and spits on his hand off-screen and thrusts into the woman. However, there is no nudity and limited detail. There are also several references to sex work.
additional issues
There is infrequent strong language ('f**k'), as well as milder terms (for example, 'whore', 'bastard', 'bloody', 'bugger', 'pissed'). Scenes of emotional upset include children being informed that their mother is dead, and a scene in which they are photographed for wider media circulation to show the human impact of the killer's actions. Scenes of threat include one in which a sex worker gets into the killer's car before he drives her away.
strong sex references, injury detail, sexual violence references
Classified Date:
30/05/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
sex
Scenes include frequent references to sex workers, pimps and sex work. We see sex workers being picked up and given money for their services.
sexual violence and sexual threat
A woman tells the police in some detail how a man attacked and sexually assaulted her resulting in her suffering a miscarriage.
injury detail
There are verbal references to the violent injuries inflicted on a woman by a serial killer as well as brief sight of crime scene photographs of the deceased. A woman describes how a man repeatedly hit her across the head resulting in bloody injuries.
additional issues
There are upsetting scenes throughout from emotional distress and shock due to the murders of loved ones. There are frequent references to violent murders and scenes of moderate threat. Infrequent use of strong language ('f**k') is accompanied by milder terms such as 'piss' and 'bastard'. Police officers display racist and sexist behaviours.
strong violence, sex, sex references, language, threat, sexual violence
Classified Date:
31/05/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
violence
A man repeatedly punches a woman in the face resulting in bloody detail. A woman's bloodied dead body lays on a bed and there is a verbal description of her injuries. There are further verbal references to brutal murders by a serial killer and brief sight of crime scene photographs of injuries inflicted on a woman.
threat and horror
Sequences include strong and unsettling threat directed at women. A female police officer poses as a sex worker and is threatened and verbally insulted by men.
language
Use of strong language occurs ('f**k') and is accompanied by aggressive uses of moderate terms such as 'whore', 'slag', 'slut' and 'bitch'. There is also use of milder terms ('bastard', 'bloody' and 'shit').
sex
There is a scene of strong sex in which a woman gives a man oral sex although much of the detail is below frame. Frequent verbal references are made to sex workers and sex work and there is sight of women being picked up on the streets by men looking for sex.
sexual violence and sexual threat
In an upsetting scene of sexual violence, after violently attacking a woman, a man forces her to perform oral sex on him. Male police officers sexually harass a female colleague and display abusive behaviours towards sex workers.
additional issues
Police officers and other officials demonstrate offensive and discriminatory behaviours towards women. There are moments of emotional upset due to bereavement.
strong injury detail, references to violence
Classified Date:
13/06/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
violence
In the course of a police investigation there are unsettling verbal references to attacks with a hammer, stabbings and the mutilation of women by a killer who targets prostitutes, but there is no visual reinforcement of these incidents of violence.
injury detail
A woman who has survived an attack by a serial killer has blunt force wounds and bruising to her face, as well as cuts on her body. There are also verbal references, in the context of a police investigation, to the injuries suffered by the killer's other victims.
additional issues
There is infrequent strong language ('f**k'), as well as milder terms such as 'shit' and 'bollocks'. A taxi driver watches from a distance after allowing a sex worker to use his vehicle for her business, but there is no sight of the sexual activity. There is frequent smoking, which reflects the historical period in which the drama is set.
infrequent strong language, references to sexual violence, bloody images
Classified Date:
27/06/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
language
There is infrequent strong language ('f**k'), and milder terms including 'whore', 'slut', 'bloody', 'bastard', 'bollocks' and 'screw'.
injury detail
There are scenes in which the bodies of murdered women are discovered at crime scenes. Though there is some sight of blood, there is no strong visual detail.
sexual violence and sexual threat
A woman describes being attacked by a man; she is unable to recollect the details of the assault as she 'blacked out', but she mentions that her skirt was pulled up when she regained consciousness.
additional issues
There are mild sex references, and there is use of the term 'coloured'.
strong language
Classified Date:
26/06/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
language
There is strong language ('f**k'), and milder terms including 'bloody' and 'bastard'.
additional issues
The series dramatises the police investigation into the murders perpetrated by serial killer Peter Sutcliffe. There are verbal and visual references to sex workers but sex references are generally undetailed. Accounts of violence are similarly discreet, though there is an ominous tone during scenes in which women are approached at night by men. There is use of the term 'coloured'. There is brief sight of a sexualised 'page 3' image in a newspaper.
strong language
Classified Date:
26/06/2023
Use:
Physical Media + VOD/Streaming
language
There is strong language ('f**k'), and milder terms including 'whore', 'piss', 'bloody', 'bugger', 'shit' and 'arse'.
additional issues
References to the murders of women by Peter Sutcliffe are frequent, but are presented without graphic detail. There is a scene in which a man solicits a woman for sex, but they are interrupted by police before anything physical occurs. There is an undetailed suicide reference.
Please note: each rating can only be used for the distribution method listed in the Use column. For more information on each Use click here.

  • Classified date

    30/05/2023

  • Distributor

    Spirit Entertainment

  • Language

    English