Killing Mum and Dad

Burdened by increasing debts, a recent divorce and ongoing substance abuse, Martin Ruddy becomes obsessed with the inheritance his parents left behind. Determined to secure the money, he lashes out violently, resorting to aggression in an effort to claim it.

The programme titled is presented as an episode‑length entry within the broader series format. It is classified simply as a programme, with its genre identified as “episode”, indicating a self‑contained narrative that fits within a larger collection of similar installments. The central storyline follows Martin Ruddy, a man whose life is being pulled apart by mounting financial obligations, a recent divorce and a struggle with substance misuse. Against this backdrop, he becomes fixated on the inheritance left to him by his parents. Determined to secure that future windfall, Ruddy resorts to violent or otherwise aggressive actions in an attempt to obtain what he believes is rightfully his. The plot therefore intertwines three primary pressures: the weight of escalating debts, the personal upheaval of a divorce, and the destabilising influence of drug or alcohol abuse. Each of these elements contributes to Ruddy’s desperate focus on his parents’ estate, illustrating how multiple crises can converge on a single individual. Ultimately, Ruddy’s response to his circumstances is to lash out, driven by the belief that seizing the inheritance will resolve his financial and personal difficulties. His actions are a direct result of the combined stressors of money, marital breakdown and addiction, all of which push him toward a confrontational path.