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The Moorside

531 replies

NancyDonahue · 06/02/2017 09:23

BBC dramatisation based on the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews. Starts Tuesday 7th February 9pm, starring Sheridan Smith.

Obviously a horrendous crime against a young child so I wasn't sure I'd want to watch, but it looks like it focuses on friends of the mother who headed up the search and barely features the child herself.

I love Sheridan Smith too so will give it a go.

OP posts:
DesolateWaist · 09/02/2017 15:27

The 999 call always bugs me. The operator says "What do they call her?" instead of "What is her name?"

I thought that too. What kind of question is 'what do they call her?' I could kind of understand it if it was an adult they were talking about and they were Elizabeth but everyone calls her Betty.

It's the 'what do they' rather than 'what do you' as well. I can see it even if it was 'her name is Shannon but her mates all call her Shan' for example.

OneWithTheForce · 09/02/2017 15:28

I thought the 999 operator was awful! She didn't ask what was she wearing, what does she look like, where was she last seen, did she take anything with her, etc. My son went missing and all those questions were asked. It certainly wasn't the relaxed conversation that 999 handler had!

Haudyerwheesht · 09/02/2017 15:35

Where did everyone hear the whole 999 call?

Fwiw where I'm from we'd say 'what do you : they call her' as a way of saying 'what's her name?'. I didn't even realise it was a thing until I moved away.

BrightonBelleCat · 09/02/2017 15:43

If you look at that link two pages ago? It's on the beginning of that YouTube clip.

Lottapianos · 09/02/2017 15:52

'The 999 call always bugs me. The operator says "What do they call her?" instead of "What is her name?"'

There's a good reason for this. Some children are called something completely different to their actual name. I've known a few little boys whose official name was Jack or whatever, but everyone in the family called them Junior

SaorAlbaGuBrath · 09/02/2017 16:25

Both DS1 and DD are known as shortened versions of their official names, so the "what do they call her?" makes sense. Karen's answer always struck me as very formal and a bit odd, even at the time. Sadly now we know why.

Glastonbury · 09/02/2017 16:27

Lotta if the operator had said "What is her name?" and then said "Does she have a known by name or nickname?". The only question regarding her name in the whole call is "What do they call her?"

PollytheDolly · 09/02/2017 16:40

*I thought Sheridan Smith did quite well, portraying a woman believing her own hype as a "community leader", trying to find some sort of redemption for her shitty life on a shitty estate by romanticising its residents as salt-of-the-earth types with hearts of gold. She desperately wants to believe in that community spirit, but there is nevertheless as much of the deluded busybody about her as there is of the mythic Strong Northern Woman. The reality is that there is little nobility among the deprivation: neighbours are vying for media attention, some would almost literally sell their granny, and for many of them caught up in the temporary spotlight, this is the most thrilling thing that's ever happened to the place. There is goodness too, of course, but not enough of it to make the story a triumph over adversity. The candlelit vigils descend into drunkenness, and so many residents live down to the media's expectations of them that the community, if anything, is left more dismal than before.

I thought it conveyed what happened with depressing accuracy.*

This. I had a few raised eyebrows at some of it. The marches, drinking, fireworks and partying before they even knew much detail. The child had been missing for weeks, they had no idea what she had been through. It all felt a bit....wrong.

No doubt SS cocked up there.

I was gripped though and looking forward to part 2.

DeleteOrDecay · 09/02/2017 16:44

She seems to be inadequate rather than cruel

I think she's both. I'm sure I read somewhere that she has SEN (not sure on the validity of this however). But even so that's no excuse, many SEN parents don't drug and hold their kids hostage.

IHaveBrilloHair · 09/02/2017 16:58

Are 99 call centres regional?
If so, "what do they call her", is a regional way of asking her name.

In Scotland we ask where does he/she stay?
It means where you live, confused me for ages as I'm not from here originally.

NotJanine · 09/02/2017 17:02

The other thing that was strange with the 999 call, I thought, was that they seemed to be putting words into her mouth. Saying - so you've called her friends, checked with family? etc.
Surely they should have just asked, what have you done so far to try and find her?

Chelazla · 09/02/2017 18:19

I think getting uppity about the 999 call is just a tiny bit snobby to be honest it's obviously a local way of speaking. It's interesting that you say they were putting words in her mouth janine, maybe they were, maybe it was a way of clarifying but either way, if she'd said "no actually I haven't", would they have honestly refused to go looking for a 9 year old girl until she phoned everyone she knew!!!?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/02/2017 18:26

Maybe the 999 call was paraphrased so that it was more concise and didn't take up more than its allotted time in the script?

Even if it is exactly as it happened, I see nothing wrong with a 999 operator prompting or leading the caller, to get the information that they need. Basically they are helping a distressed person to give them the fullest picture possible of what has happened, as quickly as possible.

Chelazla · 09/02/2017 18:28

That's a really good point bet they get a lot of waffle from people in a genuine state.

HalfShellHero · 09/02/2017 18:30

I mean re: the alt theory why would she run away with Shannon and not the others

NotJanine · 09/02/2017 18:35

I just found it a strange way to get information, I wasn't implying that they were assessing whether it was worth the police's time. It wasn't really of significance in this case but I just thought they'd have certain ways of asking questions on 999 calls, whether it was reporting a missing child or anything else.

I think if someone seemingly in a position of authority says 'so you've done x,y and z' people may be inclined to say that they have even when they haven't, particularly when calling 999 and not thinking straight. You just want the emergency services to get there quickly. So I'm just surprised that they use that turn of phrase.

Catzpyjamas · 09/02/2017 18:42

The Telegraph published the transcript of part of the actual 999 call:
OPERATOR: Police, emergency.

MRS MATTHEWS: Hiya, I want to report my daughter as missing, please.

OPERATOR: Right. How old is she?

MRS MATTHEWS: Nine.

OPERATOR: Nine?

MRS MATTHEWS: Yes.

OPERATOR: When did you last see her?

MRS MATTHEWS: She went to school this morning.

OPERATOR: Right. Have there been any arguments, or anything...

MRS MATTHEWS: No, none at all.

OPERATOR: No. Have you been in touch with any of her friends or anybody like that?

MRS MATTHEWS: I've been everywhere I can think of friends-wise and family and everything.

OPERATOR: And nobody at all has any information about where she can be? Does she go to school and come back on her own normally then?

MRS MATTHEWS: Yes.

OPERATOR: Right. So. You expected her home what, at 4 o'clock?

MRS MATTHEWS: About half-past-three at the latest...(inaudible)...

OPERATOR: Does she have a mobile phone or anything like that?

MRS MATTHEWS: No. It's at home.

OPERATOR: So there's no way to ring to find out...

MRS MATTHEWS: No

OPERATOR: But you've rung round her friends and you've been in touch with all her relatives and there's nowhere else that you've got left to look?

MRS MATTHEWS: No

OPERATOR: Have you been in touch with the school. Can they confirm whether they've been...

MRS MATTHEWS: She left school at the normal time at ten-past-three.

OPERATOR: Right. What do they call her?

MRS MATTHEWS: Shannon Matthews

OPERATOR: Has she been missing before.

MRS MATTHEWS: No. It's the first time.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 09/02/2017 18:46

A bit too recent to make a Drama out of it IMO.... Does anyone know the the fmaily were invovled in this?

I thought this too JustAnotherSilentOldNumber.

Don't get me wrong I thought it was brilliantly done but it did get me wondering about the legalities ans ethics of it. SM is meant to be around 18 now and it got me wondering if they had to seek her permission to do it. I suppose they'd have had to have spoken to her at some point possibly.

PuppyMonkey · 09/02/2017 18:47

Glad I found this thread and a couple of others here so Hmm about Julie. I found her pretty odd all round. And to keep interfering when the police liaison woman was trying to prepare the mum for the worst, telling her "we will find Shannon I promise. Etc" Just awful. Obviously we know it was all a scam now, but imagine if it had been different.

I wonder did Julie come under suspicion from police. She was so convinced Shannon would be found and she certainly got them all in the news a lot to drum up publicity and reward offers etc.

SherlockPotter · 09/02/2017 18:49

I'm watching it on catch-up... I'm glad they've got Sheridan Smith in it, she's pretty amazing at these types of dramas. I do feel for Shannon and her siblings, especially having to relive what had happened!

AwaywiththePixies27 · 09/02/2017 18:52

Both DS1 and DD are known as shortened versions of their official names, so the "what do they call her?" makes sense

Agree. Both my DCs have unusual names (long). The shorthand versions you wouldn't think of either so totally understand the what do you/they call her question. Obviously on the presumption that if they are going to find her she's going to respond a lot better to someone shouting her nickname as its personalised if that makes sense?

PuppyMonkey · 09/02/2017 19:00

"What do they call her" is just a way some people speak. My mum and all her sisters would say that, they were all Irish so maybe it's just that? They also say " what age are you?" etc too.

OneWithTheForce · 09/02/2017 19:06

They also say " what age are you?" etc too.

Confused what else would they say?

BitOfFun · 09/02/2017 19:08

"How old are you", presumably?

PuppyMonkey · 09/02/2017 19:12

Yep BoF