The Bombing of Pan Am 103 review – this kind, cheesy Lockerbie show just doesn’t work as TV | Television
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The Bombing of Pan Am 103 review – this kind, cheesy Lockerbie show just doesn’t work as TV | Television

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A new six-part drama, The Bombing of Pan Am 103, looks back at the 1988 Lockerbie disaster that killed 270 people. The series tries to honor victims and show the kindness that sprang from tragedy, but critics say it struggles to turn powerful facts into compelling television. Local residents’ relief work—sitting with bodies overnight and cleaning passengers’ clothes—features strongly.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 opens with scenes of passengers boarding Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988 and townspeople in Lockerbie, Scotland, preparing for Christmas. Moments later the aircraft explodes over the town, scattering wreckage and luggage across homes and fields. The programme captures the force of flaming debris and the eerie sight of suitcases lining a country road, giving viewers a sense of the horror first responders faced.

Investigators arrive quickly. Detective Sergeant Ed McCusker of Glasgow CID and Detective Chief Superintendent John Orr lead the Scottish side. Soon they clash with FBI agent Dick Marquise over who should question witnesses first. Orr insists, “Scottish soil! Scottish evidence! Scottish procedure!”

While officials argue, the story highlights ordinary people. Lockerbie families refuse to leave bodies unattended on their land. Local women wash and sort the victims’ blood-stained clothing so items can be returned to relatives. These gestures show a community doing what it can when faced with unimaginable loss.

The drama also follows volunteers such as Moira Shearer, who presses police to reunite a recovered Bible with its owner’s family, and explores the emotional toll on investigators’ families. Yet reviewers say many scenes feel more like a report than a drama, with limited tension once the initial disaster passes.

Later episodes are expected to explore new friendships and acts of kindness that arose after the bombing. For now, critics find the series worthy but uneven, unsure whether it wants to be a procedural about catching terrorists or a tribute to the people of Lockerbie.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is airing on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.

Editor’s note: This article was originally reported by The Associated Press and has been adapted for a general audience. Complex language has been simplified and technical terms removed; all key facts, figures, and direct quotes remain unchanged.

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