Definitely drama

evidence. Each of the time periods is evocatively brought to life (period music abounds, especially in the early 70s scenes) and the actors – especially Life on Mars’ Glenister and Borg vs. McEnroe’s Arthur – are well-cast matches.

But as well as offering up a murder mystery that’s full of twists and turns (leads head relentlessly into dead ends and not everyone is quite so dedicated to discovering the truth as Bethell), Steeltown Murders also takes its time – a bit like last year’s magnificent Sherwood, which was set in a Nottingham mining village – to look at the fallout a horrific crime (and one that remains unsolved for so long) can have on a community.

Steeltown Murders debuts tonight (December 3) at 8.30pm on Sky TV’s Rialto Channel.