After last week’s pulsating instalment finally brought The Hack’s dual narratives together, episode six shifts gear again, and with often devastating effect. What began as a tale of political manoeuvring and journalistic obsession now exposes the true, horrifying scale of the phone hacking scandal.
The episode opens with a new Metropolitan Police commissioner ordering a fresh inquiry, which quickly turns personal. Jacqui Cook discovers that both she and her husband, DCS Dave Cook, were themselves hacked by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. His notebooks were found to contain details that could only have come from within the police. The implication is sickening – corruption not just in the tabloids, but at the heart of law enforcement.
And yet, amidst the darkness, The Hack finds unexpected layers of intrigue. In one of the series’ more surreal turns, both Nick Davies and Dave Cook are whisked away to meet former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has taken a personal interest in their work. In his stately residence, Brown (Dougray Scott) convenes a secret group – including Labour MP Tom Watson and a Panorama reporter – determined to bring Rupert Murdoch to heel. It’s an unlikely alliance: two disillusioned men drawn back into the fight by political power and moral outrage. Davies’ bewilderment in these scenes provides a wry counterpoint to the gravity of what’s unfolding.
Then comes the gut punch. Through some sharp detective work by lawyer Charlotte Harris and Guardian reporter Amelia Hill, the team uncovers evidence that the News of the World had hacked the phones of young murder victims Jessica Chapman and Milly Dowler. The revelation that Milly’s voicemails were deleted by the newspaper in order to make room for more, giving her family false hope she might still be alive. Suddenly, the case had a new dimension.
This was the emotional turning point the series needed. With public outrage ignited, the downfall of News of the World was inevitable.
Paul Hirons
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Hack is broadcast in the UK on ITV1 and ITVX
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE ONE REVIEW
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE TWO REVIEW
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE THREE REVIEW
READ MORE: OUR EPISODE FOUR REVIEW
