BBC One’s The Victim concluded last night (April 11) and its emotional scenes had viewers reaching for tissues.
The legal drama, starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah, came to a dramatic close with a fourth and final episode that answered all our burning questions and tugged on our heartstrings.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead.
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After originally thinking that Louise’s creepy boyfriend Danny (Andrew Rothney) would turn out to be child killer Eddie J Turner, viewers changed their minds after episode two and instead suspected Tom (John Scougall), mysterious pal of the accused, Craig Myers (James Harkness).
Episode three appeared to confirm Tom as the child killer when he was spotted meeting up with Eddie J Turner’s social worker.
But a tense and emotionally fraught meeting between grieving mum Anna Dean (Macdonald) and Craig, the man whose life she ruined by putting his details online, revealed that Craig is the infamous Eddie J Turner.
That scene was difficult to watch as Anna, who was there to apologise for suspecting him, recoiled in horror on finding herself face-to-face with the man who (as a teenager) brutally murdered her young son.
But it wasn’t until the closing scene that The Victim hit a truly tear-jerking crescendo.
Anna and Eddie arranged to meet again, this time in secret, under the bridge where the murder was carried out. Anna was there to demand the truth from Eddie – why he did what he did, how the murder unfolded, what were her son Liam’s last words.
Eddie, overcome with the weight of remorse for what he did, told Anna he’d been self-harming under the bridge when her son approached and tried to help.
What’s worse, Eddie said the boy cried out for his mum and dad as he died, causing Anna – and viewers – to break down in tears.
Taking to Twitter to react to the scenes, one viewer said: “What a brilliant heart-wrenching drama. Just sat at the end with tears and an aching heart. Thought provoking, especially the quote at the end. I want to say more but can’t think of the words.”
Another tweeted: “In floods of tears after just watching the last episode of #TheVictim brilliant acting by all involved.”
A third commented: “#TheVictim was literally one of the best dramas I have ever watched. The last episode especially was fantastic, so brilliantly wrote and acted. I was in tears.”
A fourth said: “Eddie explaining Liam’s last moments had me in tears :'( May no parent have to go through the loss of their child.”
“Absolutely blown away by this drama,” wrote another, adding: “Tears galore due to the incredible acting! Hit me right in the feels and the end scene has me speechless!”
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