Erin Shanagher as Debbie Siobhan Finneran as DC Christine Freeman Steve Oram as DC Alex Grummitt Darren Connolly as Neil Hyett Catherine Breeze as Alice Meehan Dean Andrews as PC Steve 'Kinchie' Kinchin William Hunt as Peter Bushby Cody Ryan as Tiffany Bushby Sally Carr as Sheryl Kirsty Armstrong as Stacey Bushby Macy Shackleton as Callie Brown Martin Savage as Ian Rebecca Manley as Rev. Kathy Robertson Paul Opacic as DS Paul Brennan David Zezulka as Inspector Ian Gayles Bill Maynard as Cecil Critical reception In The Daily Telegraph, Jasper Rees gave the first episode five stars, writing, "[...] it is Smith’s honesty and sensitivity that makes her such an exceptional performer, and those qualities led to another scorching performance tonight in the opening episode of The Moorside [which] derived its stark power from stripped-back performances anchoring the story in reality. Wearing not an ounce of make-up on blanched, puffy cheeks, Smith exuded fiery faith in working-class bonds of loyalty in the face of society’s censure. Her searing intensity, a charismatic ability to pull focus, is what makes her a compelling presence in musical theatre: she seems to walk in her own spotlight". In The Guardian, Sam Wollaston wrote, "I thought I knew this story. [...] But as he did with his drama Appropriate Adult, about Fred and Rosemary West, writer Neil McKay has found another way into a familiar, awful story". He added, "It's getting boring, plus hard to avoid cliches, when gushing about Smith – her range, her extraordinary humanness, her ability not just to play someone but to inhabit them, to be heroic without being sentimental. [...] Big shout-outs also must go to Sian Brooke (Sherlock's new secret sis) who plays Natalie Brown, the neighbour who begins to suspect Karen before Julie does. And to Game of Thrones'''s Gemma Whelan, whose Karen is not the evil woman the real one was made out to be – more immature, naive, weak, easily manipulated ... and yet she did manage to con a lot of people for a long time, so she can’t be stupid." Wollaston concluded by saying, "Anyway, The Moorside allows you to make up your own mind. It’s non-judgmental, as well as unsentimental, responsible ... God, I'm making it sound worthy and bland. It isn't, it's convincing and real". Ellie Harrison, reviewing the first episode for Radio Times, noted, "In The Moorside, the key focus is