The Witness Review: Netflix’s The Witness arrives with a renewed sense of purpose, bringing forth an uncomfortable truth and a few heartbreaking revelations that are both emotional and oddly frustrating. The series follows the aftermath of Rachel Nickell’s shocking 1992 murder on Wimbledon Common, which her son was a witness to, and focuses on the path of healing and coping that they had to undergo.
What follows on that path, however, is a heartbreaking saga of finding a killer and the British media’s shameful behaviour of harassment of the bereaved family in the face of unimaginable loss. Director Alex Winckler makes sure to stray away from a sensational retelling of the events and tries to bring out the emotions behind this horrifying situation. It explores grief, trauma, media scrutiny and the long-lasting consequences of a crime that shocked Britain.
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Who is in the Cast of The Witness Netflix?
Jordan Bolger, Max Fincham, Neil Maskell, Kevin Eldon, Jahsaiah Williams, Kerry Godliman, Jon Pointing, James Dryden, Mark Stanley, James Bradshaw
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Who is the Director of The Witness Series?
Alex Winckler
The docuseries has 3 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45 minutes.
The Witness Review
A Different Perspective on a Familiar Case
Rachel Nickell’s case is nothing new to most viewers. The murder generated enormous media attention, considering the insanity that took place during the investigation and trial and the wrongful accusation that shook citizens. The real culprit, thankfully, was identified years later, thanks to advances in DNA evidence, but the path to finding the correct perpetrator was a gruelling one for the family, whose lives were forever changed after the incident.
At the centre of it are Alex and his father, André Hanscombe, who became a single parent overnight. Handling this new, heartbreaking change and taking care of a traumatised child, along with juggling societal pressures, almost breaks the father-son duo, but their heartening journey to finding a way back to each other will fill viewers with hope and happiness.
The creative choice of shifting the narrative away from the police investigation and focusing on the emotional story of a father trying to protect his son makes this series a unique watch. The result is a deeply personal story instead of being a merely informative retelling, which doesn’t let up on the devastation at any point.
Powerful Performances Carry the Emotional Weight
Focusing on the traumatised family members, a big chunk of The Witness‘s success depends on Jordan Bolger and Max Fincham’s ability to showcase a never-ending pain that almost engulfs them. The hopelessness, desperation and heartbreak that they go through is unlike any other, and both Bolger and Fincham can convey that quite well.
Fincham, especially, holds the bigger responsibility of showcasing a traumatised boy who is also going through the complicated emotions of puberty and growing up. As a result, he lashes out and makes mistakes that his father is responsible for handling. They are both able to bounce off of each other’s pain well and highlight how, behind flashy headlines, a family is grappling with various emotions.
Thankfully, the script, too, is able to steer away from overly dramatic narrative elements and keeps things extremely grounded, as a result of which the performances leave a lasting impact. Silence, uncertainty and emotional restraint take priority in the series and the actors do a great job of respecting these elements.
The Trauma of Being Left Behind
The Witness is mostly an exploration of trauma at different stages of life. While Nickell’s murder happened in 1992, the impact of that incident left two people forever changed. Young Alex was merely a few years old at that time and the sole witness to the horrific crime. Burdened with a responsibility that should never have been his, we see his life changing in ways that one could never have imagined.
Similarly, Nickell’s partner, André, not just a single parent but also burdened with the responsibility of saving his son from relentless scrutiny from the outside world, makes decisions that sometimes frustrate viewers. Both of them lash out at one another, which almost seems unnecessary, but there is an air of understanding underneath it all that makes viewers understand the pain hidden behind these outbursts.
Another aspect of this trauma is the media’s role in turning this traumatic private matter into a spectacle for outsiders to gawk at and speculate. We have seen the media overstepping their bounds time and time again for a quick, emotionless headline, but the emotional burden that is carried by family members who have to relive the tragedy in the public eye is something that leaves them traumatised all over again. The series does a great job of critiquing the media’s role in this situation and even others, highlighting the need for the media to control themselves.
A Restrained Approach That Pays Off
Considering the heavy subject matter, The Witness benefits from a restrained storytelling approach. At 3 episodes, there’s enough time to go over not just the case, but the emotions of those left behind without stretching the plot thin. It leaves a quick, tight impact and never overstays its welcome, letting the emotions hang heavy.
Of course, this is to say that the series isn’t a crime thriller but rather a character-driven drama exploring the aftermath of a tragedy. It’s not trying to understand the killer or even the investigation, but what it means for those who have to handle their lives after losing an integral family member overnight.
Does The Witness Reinvent True Crime?
This is a docudrama, and thus, it’s still a documentary told differently. However, the series does try to tell the story in a different light, and instead of focusing on the investigation and the detectives, it tells a more emotional tale. While the story has been covered many times in different forms of media, the series’ perspective gives it a unique twist that makes it more impactful.
Final Verdict
The Witness is a thoughtful, thought-provoking and emotionally resonant drama that will remind viewers to look beyond the headlights at the families stuck in a never-ending loop of grief. This clearly isn’t a thrilling chase to find a killer but rather, a quiet exploration of heartbreak, trauma and coping with unimaginable loss. It’s impactful in all the right ways.
What are your thoughts on The Witness on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
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