Stream It Or Skip It: ‘In the Footsteps of Killers’ On BritBox, A Compelling True Crime Series That Shines A Light On Forgotten Murders

These days, it seems like just about anyone can get in on solving a crime; a plethora of dedicated internet sleuths and series like I’ll Be Gone in the Dark have shown us the impact amateur investigations can have. On In the Footsteps of Killers, now streaming on BritBox, an actress and a criminologist team up to dig deeper into overlooked murder cases in the United Kingdom. 

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF KILLERS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Ominous music plays as we look over the homes of Chelmsley Wood, England.

The Gist: In the 1980s, the United States began putting the faces of missing children on the sides of milk cartons in an effort to help bring them home. It wasn’t until 1996 that the United Kingdom did the same, when 11-year-old Patrick Warren and 13-year-old David Spencer disappeared near their homes in Chelmsley Wood, England. Nearly 25 years later, the boys have never been found, and a suspect has never been arrested. Enter actress Emilia Fox (Silent Witness) and criminologist David Wilson, who have teamed up to help shine a light on cases like this one and hopefully find some answers. The two start by doing the basics – visiting families, and digging through old newspaper reports. It’s heartbreaking to watch them speak with David’s mother and younger brother, who still seem to feel the loss like it happened yesterday. They just want some closure, and they don’t believe the police did everything they could have.

As Fox and Wilson continue their investigation, they speak with a petrol station attendant who saw the boys the night they went missing, a journalist with a hunch, and a family who believes their son might have been a victim of Brian Field, a convicted pedophile and murderer who is also suspected in the boys’ disappearance. Fox and Wilson believe themselves to be getting closer to the truth of it all as they speak with Dr. Graham Hill, a pedophile expert who was instrumental in getting Field to confess to the murder of a boy named Roy Tutill. It seems more and more likely to Fox and Wilson that Field is the prime suspect, and with the help of a geo-profiler, the two visit the location of where they believe the boys’ bodies might be.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? In the Footsteps of Killers is filmed similarly to British crime dramas like Broadchurch, The Fall, and River, despite it being a true crime documentary. Rather than adhering to the classic format of talking head interviews with witnesses, detectives, and relatives, however, In the Footsteps of Killers takes more of an investigative, feet-on-the-ground approach to their subjects. It might also occasionally bring to mind I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and Unsolved Mysteries.

Our Take: In the Footsteps of Killers may get off to a slow start, but by the end of its first episode, you’ll likely be hooked. With its unique visual style – it’s shot more like a drama than it is a docuseries – and the unconventional chemistry between Fox and Wilson, the series sets itself apart from the litany of other true crime series out there. I’ll admit that I initially rolled my eyes a bit at the idea of this duo somehow cracking the case by pulling out old information and speaking with the relevant parties, but by around the 10-minute mark, I believed in them – and I was emotionally invested. They might spoon-feed us some information at the beginning, but slowly but surely, they establish faith in us as intelligent viewers.

I appreciate that In the Footsteps of Killers does its own thing, avoiding the tired true crime tropes that see melodramatic, corny reenactments or familiar talking head interviews take center stage. This series is more interested in forming emotional connections with its subjects and digging deeper into the potential players than it is in rehashing every detail of the crime for dramatic effect. I got choked up watching them speak with the families of David Spencer and Mark Billington, and felt a chill run down my spine as they examined Brian Field’s nonchalant confession video. Fox and Wilson might not always get the opportunity to spark meaningful change – this is a TV program, after all – but it is deeply moving to experience their genuine efforts to help make a difference in these unsolved crimes. They aren’t just here to inform us; there’s a bit of a call to action like Unsolved Mysteries.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: “I feel, as I’m standing here, we could be uncovering one of the worst serial killers of children this country has ever known,” Wilson says, as we overlook the potential site of David and Patrick’s bodies.

Most Pilot-y Line: In the Footsteps of Killers relies heavy on exposition (like many a true crime series might) in its pilot, so it’s full of hokey lines like “I know this is a case that has always bothered you, hasn’t it?” and “I want to know why the police investigation wasn’t successful, and therefore, I think we’ve got to re-examine this case to see what happened to the boys.”

Our Call: STREAM IT. Rather than embracing true crime tropes involving dramatic reenactments and talking head interviews, In the Footsteps of Killers puts a refreshing, genuinely moving spin on what could easily have been just another tired crime series in an oversaturated genre.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Watch In the Footsteps of Killers on BritBox