may do less damage to the Island than many will have originally feared.

Indeed very little that was surprising came out in the film shown on Tuesday night -- with regard to the events surrounding the murder and the ensuing cases, no new ground was broken in the film, despite its melodramatic tone.

This is not to say that the documentary did no damage; any murder and especially one as brutal as this one will hurt the Island's reputation for safety and for being crime-free.

But the message that came across most strongly was that Bermuda is beautiful and mainly safe, but nowhere is immune from violence and crime.

That Bermuda is not a total utopia should not surprise any intelligent viewer.

Clearly, it said there are problems here, but compared to many places, even the Island's poorest areas are better than most.

And the footage of the beaches, clear blue sea and skies, pastel houses and lush green landscapes will have done a great deal to boost the Island's image.

It's unfortunate in a way, but the Island has rarely looked that good.

The testimony of Bermudians and local residents will also make it clear to most of the viewers that the vast majority of people here are friendly, law-abiding and as horrified by the events of the Middleton case as anyone from abroad.

There will be unhappiness locally about the often melodramatic tenor of this show and some of the opinions which were expressed. Indeed, on some minor points, the show got it wrong.

Perhaps it was strongest in expressing the pain of Rebecca Middleton's family and friends; their lack of closure in the case remains its worst aspect and it is not surprising -- regardless of whether it is fair or not -- that they blame the Island's criminal justice system for that.

But Bermuda could have come across a great deal worse. And the fact that A&E, while a popular cable network, attracts relatively small proportion of the American and Canadian viewing public, means the Island should have survived this latter episode of the Middleton saga relatively well.