Little Boy Blue, anyone watching

[dingit]

Very upsetting start.

Brilliant acting.very good and compelling to watch. I remember this happening

Agree Crisp amazing acting!! So heartbreaking to watch 😞

I want to smack those smirking youths with their "no comments".

Yes, I almost turned it off because the first 15 minutes were just so horrible. I remember it happening too, such an awful and senseless death. Now years later as a mum myself it cuts really close and deep.

Adverts are so annoying

That poor little boy and his lovely family.

It's awful that those boys' parents were encouraging them to say nothing. You either think your kid is innocent in which case surely you'd just encourage them to tell the truth so their name gets dropped from the investigation, or you think they're guilty in which case you think about the parents of an 11 year old boy who's now dead at the hands of your son and you'd encourage them to do the right thing and tell the police what happened.

It sounds wrong to say I really enjoyed it, but it was very good. Well written and seemed very accurate. I'm usually very critical and I honestly couldn't fault anything with that episode.

Utterly heartbreaking, spent the whole episode with a huge lump in my throat. Fantastic acting though.

how old were the youths?

The parents of the gang members suprised me I would assume they would be naive about their kids involvement not sit there telling the kids dont worry no one will grass on you.

Very well made. There are two YouTube documentaries I watched at the weekend Real Crime and Crimes that Shook Britain about Rhys's murder. They are such a lovely family.

Gosh that was harrowing. And so recent. Poor family.

Sean Mercer was only 16 when he shot Rhys.

Very powerful, harrowing and breathtaking from the start.

So courageous of Reece's parents to allow this to be shown. My heart still breaks for them.

Disgustingly parenting of the suspects, showing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I would like to think if they are watching and recognise any of their behaviour, they would be ashamed, but doubt it. They'll still be blaming everyone else.

That poor family.

Very harrowing to watch but compelling too

Very well acted but utterly heartbreaking. Did the family give permission? I'm hoping they did.

The bit where the mum couldn't touch or kiss her son was just unbelievably awful .

This is the first show I've ever seen reduce dh to tears though admittedly we have a 10 year old football mad son so it feels very relatable.

Desperately sad, and very brave of his parents.

I hope Rhys family are happy with the production. It must be so difficult having it brought back up again, but I would give all credit to the actors and producers so far as they seem to be doing a very factual drama without turning people into "caricatures" if that is the right word , like the recent "Moorside" seemed to do.

The family helped to make the programme. They provided clothes like Rhys and Mel wore.

The family were completely on board with the programme.
Also the producers stress that ever single scene filmed-the first thing residents/extras asked was 'are the family ok with this?' before they would agree to anything.
Heartening in the face of so many scumbags protecting the guilty.

I've also just read an upsetting article by Carol Sarler in the Fail titled 'why I don't blame Janette Mercer for protecting her son'

""It's awful that those boys' parents were encouraging them to say nothing. You either think your kid is innocent in which case surely you'd just encourage them to tell the truth so their name gets dropped from the investigation, or you think they're guilty in which case you think about the parents of an 11 year old boy who's now dead at the hands of your son and you'd encourage them to do the right thing and tell the police what happened.""

It doesn't work like that in Norris Green. The place is literally a law unto itself. The Police knew who the Crocky Crew and the Noggsy Dogs were because all they've done for years is sit back and watch it get to the level that it has.

There hasn't been the will to stop it escalating to what it was and now is. The area, just up the road,were i live went the same way. The shootings, stabbings and machete attacks often don't even get reported in the News, anymore.

I feel for the family, obviously, but many of the lads in these areas don't stand a chance.

That's good to know feralberyl thanks

What a heartbreaking watch. So raw and emotive. How hard it must have been at the time for Rhys' parents and brother.

That feral scally image, scruffy and mumbling - there are literally thousands of teenagers like that on Merseyside, a group on every street corner. Horrible, horrible dregs of society. Not even necessarily criminals but just lads with no morals and no hope.

Sobbed through it, hard to believe ten years have passed, it seems so recent.
That poor family.

heartbreaking.
not sure if i will watch it next week.
very interesting that the police bugged the parents houses though.