12/10/2023 - The BBC's four-part drama weaves Jimmy Savile's dual life of fame and infamy, exposing the era's unchecked privilege and power against the backdrop of institutional indifference

The BBC's four-part factual drama The Reckoning delves into the dark side of British radio and television figure Jimmy Savile, once among the nation's most revered celebrities. His precipitous fall from grace occurred posthumously in 2011, when several hundred allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled against him. The 2022 two-part Netflix documentary, Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story, examined the extent of Savile's crimes, juxtaposing his television and philanthropic endeavours with his several-decade-long tenure as a paedophilic predator.

Labelled as true crime, The Reckoning is a docu-drama that integrates archival footage, personal testimonies from four victims that punctuate each episode, and a dramatised biographical portrayal of Savile's professional and personal trajectories since the 1960s. Steve Coogan (Philomena [+see also:
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The miniseries charts Savile's ascent to fame, commencing with his DJ stint alongside Ray Teret (Robert Emms) who became complicit in his rapes. Savile's celebrity status is propelled further with the rise of television and his association with the iconic music chart programme Top of the Pops, which he hosted intermittently from 1964 to 1984 and made a final appearance in its last episode in 2006. His BBC connection paves the way for Jim'll Fix It (1975-2007), a children's show where young participants' wishes came true. As the narrative unfolds, Savile emerges as a master manipulator, using his charm and cunning to navigate the behind-the-scenes of show business. He further extends his influence to the political sphere, notably aligning with the mayor of Scarborough, Peter Jaconelli (Peter Wight), another sex abuser in his orbit. Concurrently, the series sheds light on Savile's involvement with Leeds General Infirmary — not a genuine act of charity, but rather a ruse allowing him to prey on vulnerable minors, including victims of domestic sexual abuse. His nefarious activities persist in institutions such as Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Broadmoor Mental Health Hospital.

Following the 2020 announcement of The Reckoning, a significant backlash emerged, particularly from victims of Savile's abuse. The Survivors’ Network organisation responded with a statement titled “Our Trauma Is Not Your Entertainment”, addressing the BBC drama directly. While the series avoids graphic depictions of abuse, it primarily focuses on the experiences of four victims: Darien, Susan, Sam and Kevin, who share their experiences on camera. Other inappropriate behaviours are alluded to, including an incident of necrophilia. The Reckoning delves into character study, portraying a lifelong Catholic bachelor with an unhealthy fixation on his mother, whom he called The Duchess. Savile is depicted as lonely, starved for attention and validation, a charming but manipulative narcissist continuously on the hunt, consumed by a desire to maintain his untarnished legacy and celebrity. Yet his lack of restraint, even in the wake of a young victim's suicide, underscores his deeply troubling, psychopathic tendencies.

In tandem with his ascent to celebrity status, which rendered him nearly untouchable and allowed his so-called "eccentric" behaviour to be brushed off as merely "Jimmy being Jimmy", the miniseries depicts a man fortifying his position within national institutions such as the BBC and the NHS, alongside connections with royalty, the government, and even the Vatican. His celebrity status acted as a shield, rendering him indispensable in showbiz circles and granting him an apparent immunity – a status he believed was solidified by receiving a knighthood on the recommendation of Margaret Thatcher (Fenella Woolgar). Within the constraints of the miniseries format, McKay employs ellipses and allusions, opting not to detail the full extent of Savile's transgressions – a task undertaken by the Netflix documentary – but rather to illuminate how he evaded justice, even as he journeyed (and resided) in what he dubbed his "pleasure wagon".

The Reckoning, while centred on one man, is as much an exploration of male privilege and power as it is a commentary on the zeitgeist.

The Reckoning was co-produced by Four Lives, ITV Studios and the BBC.