The four-part true crime series about a tragic murder features some iconic Bristol landmarks
Anne Reid stars in true crime drama The Sixth Commandment(Image: BBC)
Fans of thrillers and true crime dramas are being urged to watch a series which is streaming for free on BBC iPlayer.
Filmed in and around Bristol, the series is based on the murder of Peter Farquhar and the death of his neighbour Ann Moore-Martin.
The harrowing events took place in the in the Buckinghamshire village of Maids Moreton and the series highlights the fall out from these events including the police investigation and criminal trial.
Acting legend Timothy Spall stars as Peter Farquhar, with Anne Reid as Ann Moore-Martin.
The Sixth Commandment is the series in question, with Bristol locations including Blaise Estate, Flax Bourton Mortuary, South Bristol Crematorium, Circomedia on Portland Square – which will feature as one of the churches – and street scenes in Westbury on Trym.
The television series is based on a true story(Image: BBC)
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Filming also took place in and around Bath, Clevedon and Keynsham, and the making of the drama was supported by members of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin’s families.
The four-part series originally aired on BBC One in 2023 to “explore the death of Mr Farquhar and the gaslighting campaign of physical and mental abuse he was made to endure”, the Bucks Herald explained.
Viewers took to the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes to share their thoughts on the series, with one hailing it “the best thing I have watched on television”.
They added: “Faultless acting, perfect script and completely enthralling. What an achievement.”
Another viewer called it “the best drama for some time”, adding: “Wonderful acting; unbelievable directing; superb writing. For me it was faultless. I could not sleep after watching the first two episodes, I was so emotionally involved.
Actor Timothy Spall was praised for his performance (Image: BBC)
“It takes quite a bit to get me like that. I often dislike things done by the BBC, but this was top drawer. Watch it!”
Another fan gave the series a full five stars, explaining: “Impossible to rate anything else. 100% A gripping plot, amazing acting and cast. Near perfect.”
The lead stars received plenty of praise for their performances, with one viewer sharing: “5 star acting for The Sixth Commandment, what awesome, fabulous, yet chilling acting from all actors, especially Timothy Spall.”
Another viewer reiterated: “Fantastic acting in a show about incredible suffering and incredible evil.”
The Sixth Commandment tells the story of how the meeting of an inspirational teacher, Peter Farquhar, and a charismatic student, Ben Field (Éanna Hardwicke), set the stage for one of the most complex and confounding criminal cases in recent memory, Rotten Tomatoes summarised.
The series also focuses on how suspicions around Field’s relationship with Ann Moore-Martin, Peter’s deeply religious neighbour, unlocked a number of chilling discoveries.
The Sixth Commandment is on BBC iPlayer