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The Vanishings – aka The Vanishing Triangle, when it was broadcast on Acorn TV in late 2023 – is inspired by true events, but it’s not a documentary.
Young Amy Reynolds (Gráinne Good – Citadel) is heading for Castle Moy to start a new job, but won’t get there because… the lady vanishes.
Similarly, journalist Lisa Wallace’s (India Mullen – The Peripheral) mother, Janice, went missing then was murdered in 1980, while in 1995, Lisa’s sat at the sort of old IBM PCs we had when I was at Uni, and listens to music on a wired Sony Walkman, so that sets the period. She also has to ask to use someone’s phone, and thus doesn’t have a mobile.
Lisa has the lead on the story, and gets to include details of her mother’s disappearance for context, but in investigating for her paper, she gets weird mail at work that could just include pictures of Amy, clearly from someone who knew too much.
As you’d expect, when Amy’s family try to report her disappearance, the police are very dismissive.
But for who did the deed, Lisa’s Dad, Chris Wallace (Stuart Dunne), is in prison, having murdered someone to clear his debts, and suspects that Janice paid the price as a revenge killing.
So far, I’ve only had chance to watch the first episode, and will check the second when it’s broadcast as part of the double-bill, but while Acorn had a corker with Harry Wild (despite abandoning it after five episodes, leaving me to have to source it elsewhere), this latest import has absolutely bored the arse off me.
I also cannot see why the title has been changed from The Vanishing Triangle to The Vanishings. I’d have kept it the same, since ‘The Vanishings’ is an incredibly bland alternative.
Allen Leech takes the role of cop David Burkely, but given how he was the baddie in Channel 5’s Too Good To Be True, I’m getting the feeling from the off that he’s a dodgy sort.
This series also has strong Irish accents, so subtitles are required!
The Vanishings begins tonight with the first two episodes at 9pm on Channel 5. However, the subsequent two parters are on the next two respective Thursdays at 10.30pm. Amongst all that, the series is available to pre-order on DVD, ahead of its release on February 10th 2025.
If you miss it, you can watch each episode on My5 once broadcast.
Series Directors: Imogen Murphy, Laura Way
Creator: Ivan Kavanagh
Writers: Ivan Kavanagh, Alan Bailey, Sally Tatchell, Rachel Anthony
Music: Sarah Lynch
Cast:
Lisa Wallace: India Mullen
Amy Reynolds: Gráinne Good
David Burkely: Allen Leech
Gareth Brennan: Aaron Monaghan
Susan Reynolds: Laoise Sweeney
Barbara Abrahams: Derbhle Crotty
Chris Wallace: Stuart Dunne
Tommy Stephens: Adam John Richardson
Mary Burkely: Sarah Carroll
Det. Chief Supt. Gill: Philip O’Sullivan
Mandy Clarke: Jana Mohieden
Frances Reynolds: Fionnuala Murphy
Betty Walsh: Sheila Flitton
Rachel Burkely: Kiera Crawford
Sinead Clarke: Carolyn Donnelly
Laura Doolan: Grace Daly
Young Lisa: Molly McCann
Billy Miller: Paul Ward
Janice Wallace: Maura Foley
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.